Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[swimmer_spe]

I guess it beats the urine smell in the other major transit systems in Canada and USA.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Our LRT stations sometimes smell bad! What do you do if the passengers smell bad? On the TTC you pull the emergency alarm.

https://www.blogto.com/city/2019/03/some...ncy-alarm-because-passenger-smelled-bad/

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Motion sickness from the LRT?! Is there a smoother method of transportation in existence than electric light rail? Well I guess we could have built a magnetic levitation train...

If you read the article, it isn't the "LRT." It is the 40' buses that replaced the articulated and double decker buses on Route 256 since the opening of the Confederation Line. A very indirect consequence.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by roger1818

If you read the article, it isn't the "LRT." It is the 40' buses that replaced the articulated and double decker buses on Route 256 since the opening of the Confederation Line. A very indirect consequence.

So, what was she like before the LRT opened?

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

So, what was she like before the LRT opened?

Apparently she was fine.

[Radster]

I heard that 12 trains are running today, so pretty much almost back to normal? Wonder if we will get to 14, or 15 this month now that the Brits are helping out.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

I’m genuinely curious where that gentleman is headed on Trim Rd that it takes 90 minutes from Elmvale.

I called up a travel plan from Elmvale to Trim Park and Ride leaving 4pm on Monday; the planner said this would be a 35 minute trip. That was using the 39 Millennium too, so it would bring him to anywhere on Trim between the 174 and Innes.

That travel planner assumes everything is working properly. Trains were not working properly and alternate bus service would be slower and the article did mention waiting for multiple buses at Blair. How many trips were being cancelled to operate buses downtown instead? It can quickly add up when the service is not operating as per schedule.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Radster

I heard that 12 trains are running today, so pretty much almost back to normal? Wonder if we will get to 14, or 15 this month now that the Brits are helping out.

It was announced on the radio that they were running all 13 trains this morning but the live twitter feed indicating 4 to 5 minute frequency suggests that this is not the case.

[le calmar]

Originally Posted by roger1818

If you read the article, it isn't the "LRT." It is the 40' buses that replaced the articulated and double decker buses on Route 256 since the opening of the Confederation Line. A very indirect consequence.

That's an exaggeration. I use Route 256 daily and only once since October a double-decker or articulated was replaced by a 40'. I tend to go to work and come back from work early, so maybe they switch to 40' buses later during the morning and afternoon rush hour but I have never seen one myself, except for that one occasion.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

That travel planner assumes everything is working properly. Trains were not working properly and alternate bus service would be slower and the article did mention waiting for multiple buses at Blair. How many trips were being cancelled to operate buses downtown instead? It can quickly add up when the service is not operating as per schedule.

Sure, so let's say the 39 gets cancelled. There should be another one 5 minutes later. I could buy that it will sometimes take a few minutes longer than the travel planner. But 3x longer? Every day?

I also don't understand how his trip could have been shorter pre-LRT. During the Transitway detour, it would have required switching to routes 95 or 104 at St Laurent to head east. Neither of those routes were fast, since they needed to turn left onto St Laurent to get to the highway, then exit the highway at Blair to turn left into Blair station.

[TransitZilla]

I thought this was a good interview with Troy Charter on CFRA addressing the issues with the vehicles.

https://www.iheartradio.ca/580-cfra/podc...-up-to-13-trains-1.10530739?mode=Article

[rocketphish]

Mayor 'very impressed' with consulting firm tasked with helping fix LRT issues

Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: February 5, 2020

LRT riders, find some wood to knock on. The mayor says your breakdowns and jammed switches may be on the mend.

Jim Watson sounded hopeful when reporters asked the inevitable question about LRT breakdowns on Tuesday.

“I think the decisions by the people from Great Britain are helping the situation,” he said.

Watson toured the site a week ago and met with James Boyle, founder of British rail consulting firm JBA Corp.

“I was very impressed with his can-do attitude. Roll up the sleeves. He has been there at different hours of the day, at midnight and so on, and has really offered a lot of good advice based on his past international experience,” he said.

“And I’m hoping there’s a correlation between the last couple of days when he’s been rolling up his sleeves and working on the project, and the fact that we have had 13 trains out.”

Thirteen trains is the number supposed to be available during rush hours. Last week there were eight to 10 on several days.

With 13 trains running now, OC Transpo’s general manager has announced some bus route changes.

The S1 (supplementary) routes have been using a combination of 20 dedicated buses plus some pulled off other high-frequency city routes. John Manconi says that will change Wednesday.

“Now that RTG is delivering enough trains to accommodate customer volumes, we are able to return the additional buses to their regular routes. This will increase the reliability of the bus transit network throughout the city,” he wrote Tuesday afternoon.

“Starting on Wednesday morning, S1 service will be provided from Tunney’s Pasture, Blair and Hurdman stations to downtown, using the 20 dedicated buses.

“As rail service continues to stabilize, we will monitor and assess the need for S1 supplemental bus service. We will ensure that Councillors, Commissioners and customers are given ample notice of any further changes to S1 service.”

[email protected]
twitter.com/TomSpears1

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...-firm-tasked-with-helping-fix-lrt-issues

[Brannwagon]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Mayor 'very impressed' with consulting firm tasked with helping fix LRT issues

Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: February 5, 2020

LRT riders, find some wood to knock on. The mayor says your breakdowns and jammed switches may be on the mend.

Jim Watson sounded hopeful when reporters asked the inevitable question about LRT breakdowns on Tuesday.

“I think the decisions by the people from Great Britain are helping the situation,” he said.

Watson toured the site a week ago and met with James Boyle, founder of British rail consulting firm JBA Corp.

“I was very impressed with his can-do attitude. Roll up the sleeves. He has been there at different hours of the day, at midnight and so on, and has really offered a lot of good advice based on his past international experience,” he said.

“And I’m hoping there’s a correlation between the last couple of days when he’s been rolling up his sleeves and working on the project, and the fact that we have had 13 trains out.”

Thirteen trains is the number supposed to be available during rush hours. Last week there were eight to 10 on several days.

With 13 trains running now, OC Transpo’s general manager has announced some bus route changes.

The S1 (supplementary) routes have been using a combination of 20 dedicated buses plus some pulled off other high-frequency city routes. John Manconi says that will change Wednesday.

“Now that RTG is delivering enough trains to accommodate customer volumes, we are able to return the additional buses to their regular routes. This will increase the reliability of the bus transit network throughout the city,” he wrote Tuesday afternoon.

“Starting on Wednesday morning, S1 service will be provided from Tunney’s Pasture, Blair and Hurdman stations to downtown, using the 20 dedicated buses.

“As rail service continues to stabilize, we will monitor and assess the need for S1 supplemental bus service. We will ensure that Councillors, Commissioners and customers are given ample notice of any further changes to S1 service.”

[email protected]
twitter.com/TomSpears1

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...-firm-tasked-with-helping-fix-lrt-issues

I really hope JBA's work doesn't go to waste, and that fundamental issues in the way RTM has managed their maintenance mandate are resolved - not only for now but for the long term as well.

I'm also curious as to what "enough" trains means in this case - 13? or less? I suspect the latter or else I doubt S1 service would be continuing beyond today. If we are indeed running 13 trains and still deploying S1 then perhaps we are due for 14 or 15 trains in the near future?

Edit: I missed the line in the article where it states we are back to 13, per Manconi. In that case, is the continuation of S1 despite having 13 trains an admission by OCT that we were short on capacity for the past few months? Perhaps a recommendation by JBA?

[J.OT13]

Obviously, RTM's performance has been less than stellar since the launch in September however, their recent openness towards the public and media along with them agreeing to pay JBA (after staying silent regarding the hold-backs from construction and maintenance, which could still end up in court) shows some willingness to improve communication and accept responsibility.

[Capital Shaun]

Originally Posted by Brannwagon

Edit: I missed the line in the article where it states we are back to 13, per Manconi. In that case, is the continuation of S1 despite having 13 trains an admission by OCT that we were short on capacity for the past few months? Perhaps a recommendation by JBA?

I don't have any insider information but I suspect it's because we currently only have 13 functional trains and no spares.

[Truenorth00]

I get worried anytime Jim Watson is impressed with something....

[rocketphish]

Stagnant water to blame for Rideau Station stink?

Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: February 5, 2020

Stagnant water could be causing the stink at Rideau Station, according to transit officials.

LRT customers in recent weeks started noticing a vile odour at the deepest station on the Confederation Line.

Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury, whose ward includes Rideau Station, shared customers’ concerns with transit management.

Transit staff told councillors and transit commissioners Wednesday that the Rideau Transit Group believes water getting into the tunnel near the station is likely the cause.

RTG might inject grout into the tunnel walls to prevent water infiltration, but the city says there are no concerns about the structural integrity of the tunnel.

An environmental consulting firm is assessing what can be done to suppress or eliminate the odour. The station’s air quality is also being monitored, staff said.

It’s the second case of a stinky station on the $2.1-billion LRT line.

There have also been complaints about a foul odour at Parliament Station. The city and RTG speculated a punctured sewer was causing the stink, but there hasn’t been a definitive answer on the cause.

The transit commission is expected to receive an update on the stinky stations at its next meeting Feb. 19.

Fleury, however, isn’t finished asking questions about the odour at Rideau Station.

He has asked transit staff if they’re working with Ottawa Public Health and other government agencies to make sure the air quality is appropriate. He also wants to know what the plan is in case the injected grout doesn’t reduce the stink.

[email protected]
twitter.com/JonathanWilling

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/stagnant-water-to-blame-for-rideau-station-stink

[lrt's friend]

I don't know how you can control odour if there is too much seepage into the stations. Stagnant water will smell in time.

[zzptichka]

150-year old technology, thousands of underground stations in the world, we build 3 stations and get stinky seepage in two of them in the first 6 months. Incredible.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

150-year old technology, thousands of underground stations in the world, we build 3 stations and get stinky seepage in two of them in the first 6 months. Incredible.

The Rideau issue probably relates to leaking ancient sewers, the sinkhole and the material that was in that location (who knows what was being dumped there in the last 200 years) and the Bywash that crossed Rideau Street exactly where the station is. If you read early news stories before it was filled in, it was an open sewer. They threw everything in there.