Confederation Line (Stage 1) | In Service 1.0

[Catenary]

Some good-ish news: I have heard that Sunday was the last day for the whistling platform staff. They may continue to be deployed at some locations, but the majority of the program has ended. This signals that they believe the camera system is now working well enough for regular service.

[Richard Eade]

Thanks, Catenary. I'll prepare for a spike in 'Door Faults', starting Monday.

[lrt's friend]

According to OC Transpo Live twitter, it looks like we started the day with around 8 trains and managed to get it up to 12 trains by the end of rush hour, and now we settled back to 11 trains for normal mid-day operations. Better than the latter part of last week, but operations still don't appear to be fully stable.

We really need to get some of those Stage 2 trains tested and certified. That would help stabilize service.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

According to OC Transpo Live twitter, it looks like we started the day with around 8 trains and managed to get it up to 12 trains by the end of rush hour, and now we settled back to 11 trains for normal mid-day operations. Better than the latter part of last week, but operations still don't appear to be fully stable.

My hope is that they are continuing to hold back trains until the inductor covers can be installed. There is no point launching trains only to have them experience power issues.

Based on the timelines given on Thursday, the covers should be in place on the entire fleet by this coming weekend; after that I expect we will be back up to the normal numbers.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Based on the renderings, subject to change I'm sure, they will be installing what looks like sound barriers all along the line.

y tho?

[J.OT13]

We took the train this morning and got off at Parliament for the first time at rush-hour (our usual station is Lyon).

I remember discussions months ago, before the line opened, and maybe a little bit after, pointing out that vertical circulation from platform level at Parliament was at both ends, due to the concourse configuration (entrances in the middle, fare paid zone towards the ends), which allowed a wider platform area in the middle. This was touted as superior to Lyon's vertical circulation which is spread out over the platform level, again due to its concourse configuration (entrances at both ends, fare paid area in the middle). At the time, I agreed with this assessment.

Getting off at Parliament today, my view on this has changed;

• When you get off at Lyon, a set of stairs or escalators can be easily accessed a few steps away, no matter what section of the train you disembark from. It helps that the platform level includes an extra set of stairs, compared to Parliament (3 vs 2, both have 2 escalators). From the concourse level, everyone heads towards the same (mirror image) exit hallways.
  
• At Parliament, everyone converges towards one end or the other towards the narrow escalators, causing a bottleneck. With the exit positions at concourse level, everyone is zig-zagging around towards their destination. Smaller corridors and fewer exit options make for a congested walk up.

There isn't much to be done at platform level however, it solidifies my opinion that Parliament needs at least one more exit, preferably on the east end, through the staff area, into the World Exchange Plaza (by-passing the centre concourse area). The entrance should include double escalators, stairs and an extra set of elevators. At the very least stairs and a set of elevators.

[le calmar]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Some good-ish news: I have heard that Sunday was the last day for the whistling platform staff. They may continue to be deployed at some locations, but the majority of the program has ended. This signals that they believe the camera system is now working well enough for regular service.

There is still one at Bayview for some reason.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by le calmar

There is still one at Bayview for some reason.

Maybe an extra pair of eyes for connection station?

[sseguin]

The city of Ottawa has just released the following : "Memo: Release of the Stage 2 Light Rail Transit Trillium Line Project Procurement documents"
https://www.otrainfans.ca/news/memo-rele...llium-line-project-procurement-documents

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by le calmar

There is still one at Bayview for some reason.

Bayview and Cyrville are the two stations where they currently remain.

[rocketphish]

Senior city staff have begun 'thorough review' of LRT options and implications

Jon Willing & Aedan Helmer, Ottawa Citizen
Updated: March 2, 2020

Senior city staff have commenced a “thorough review” of remedial options and their implications, including the potential termination of the light-rail contract between the city and the Rideau Transit Group.

Coun. Shawn Menard in a Jan. 29 letter addressed to the city manager, general manager of transportation services and the city’s legal department requested a detailed financial breakdown of the estimated cost to the city should the contentious contract be terminated.

The response was included in a package of materials to be presented at the upcoming finance and economic development committee, scheduled for March 9.

Contracts like the agreement with RTG are “typically very complex,” the response states, and involve “many layers and steps with respect to performance and payments …

“The city manager has commenced a thorough review of the options and implications of exercising those options, including a detailed cost analysis with respect to remedial actions, including termination … that City Council may wish to consider with respect to current performance issues with the operation and maintenance of the Confederation Line.”

A full financial breakdown was not immediately available and would require “significant time and resources.”

The cost of terminating the project, the response letter states, would have to include not only the penalties associated with termination, but the “costs arising from setting up an alternative service provider.”

Mayor Jim Watson said Monday he’s meeting with city lawyers to get a “comprehensive view” of the options available to the city in light of the poor performance by RTG’s maintenance arm.

“I don’t want to do anything rash or knee-jerk to simply say that I’m doing something because we don’t want to cause more harm,” Watson said.

“It’s a very complicated contract as you know and it’s a commitment with the company and with the city in partnership for the next 30 years and we have to make sure any decision we take, whether it’s legal or even discussing the possibility of cancelling (the contract) that we’re on solid legal ground and we don’t put our taxpayers in greater risk or jeopardy by saying something that would be irresponsible.”

Watson said the city “is still not a satisfied customer” when it comes to the $2.1-billion Confederation Line and that council should have all options available when it comes to the possible next steps.

“Until we have a system that we’re fully satisfied with, then we’ll continue to put pressure on the supplier,” the mayor said.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/senior-ci...h-review-of-lrt-options-and-implications

[J.OT13]

We noticed something today; the vertical gap between the platform edge and the ramp to get in the train seems to be getting significantly wider; it looked like an inch and a half. Wondering if the wheel flats and subsequent grinding to fix the flats are contributing to the trains getting lower.

This could become a serious accessibility issue. Even now, I think certain wheel chairs might not be able to get over the bump. 

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Some good-ish news: I have heard that Sunday was the last day for the whistling platform staff. They may continue to be deployed at some locations, but the majority of the program has ended. This signals that they believe the camera system is now working well enough for regular service.

I liked the contribution of the whistlers to the sonic landscape.

[daud]

Some pretty serious stuff:

https://www.catherinemckenney.ca/blog/20...etter-to-the-ombudsman-regarding-the-lrt

Here’s our plan:

1. We will bring a letter to the Ombudsman of Ontario as a motion to Council requesting a full investigation into the LRT Stage I problems and into the LRT Stage II contract process. We have copies of the letter available to you.
2. Seek independent legal advice – from a law firm not associated with SNC-Lavalin – to review the terms of the warranties with Alstom. We want to know when we can execute the “Epidemic defects warranty” and send these trains back for a full refund
3. Seek additional independent legal advice regarding Rideau Transit Maintenance’s contract and when and how we may consider dissolving that agreement due to failure to perform. That would allow us to bring maintenance services in-house, as we have with the O-Train that’s been running smoothly for over 20 years.
4. Hire a mass transit expert to advise and help design a full bus and train system that will effectively move people by transit across the entire city.

[OCCheetos]

That would allow us to bring maintenance services in-house, as we have with the O-Train that’s been running smoothly for over 20 years.

Kind of disappointing this was included even after it was clarified by city staff.

The Trillium Line has never been maintained in-house.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

Kind of disappointing this was included even after it was clarified by city staff.

The Trillium Line has never been maintained in-house.

I know. Bombardier has been doing it for 20 years. Frustrates me everytime the urban Councillors (mostly McKenney) bring that up.

[TransitZilla]

The conflating of the Stage 1 technical issues and the perceived Stage 2 procurement issues is also frustrating to me.

Apparently Councillor Meehan (the councillor for Riverside South) now "regrets" voting for Stage 2 which to me is a completely bizarre position. It seems to be almost universally agreed that cancelling the NS LRT in 2006 was a mistake and now people wish to have cancelled LRT to the south for a 2nd time?? That would have set us back another decade at least.

The only thing I can really get behind here is #4- it is time to have an outside transit expert (like Jarrett Walker) come in to review our transit network and service standards.

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

The conflating of the Stage 1 technical issues and the perceived Stage 2 procurement issues is also frustrating to me.

Apparently Councillor Meehan (the councillor for Riverside South) now "regrets" voting for Stage 2 which to me is a completely bizarre position. It seems to be almost universally agreed that cancelling the NS LRT in 2006 was a mistake and now people wish to have cancelled LRT to the south for a 2nd time?? That would have set us back another decade at least.

The only thing I can really get behind here is #4- it is time to have an outside transit expert (like Jarrett Walker) come in to review our transit network and service standards.

Walker would be great. I'd recommend we all send emails to our local councilors (assuming they're one of the 8) suggesting Walker.

[J.OT13]

1. We will bring a letter to the Ombudsman of Ontario as a motion to Council requesting a full investigation into the LRT Stage I problems and into the LRT Stage II contract process. We have copies of the letter available to you.
2. Seek independent legal advice – from a law firm not associated with SNC-Lavalin – to review the terms of the warranties with Alstom. We want to know when we can execute the “Epidemic defects warranty” and send these trains back for a full refund
3. Seek additional independent legal advice regarding Rideau Transit Maintenance’s contract and when and how we may consider dissolving that agreement due to failure to perform. That would allow us to bring maintenance services in-house, as we have with the O-Train that’s been running smoothly for over 20 years.
4. Hire a mass transit expert to advise and help design a full bus and train system that will effectively move people by transit across the entire city.

1. I don't think investigations are necessary at this point. We're aware of the Stage 1 issues, an "investigation" won't reveal much of anything we don't already know. The Stage 2 contract process was badly designed, but the City followed its own rules. The City Manager should be fired for miss-informing (and possibly lying) to Council and the public and for his incompetence.
   
2. Seeking independent legal advice is fair (point 2 and 3). Sending the trains back for a full-refund is not reasonable. Yes they have issues, but they can be fixed. It's not like we have a whole lot of other options. What we shut down the line for years until we build a whole new fleet?
   
3. As mentioned, the City has NEVER maintained the Trillium Line on its own.
   
4. Not necessary at this time. First and foremost, kill the 2011 "network optimization" that has slowly degraded our ridership over nearly a decade and let Manconi take a crack at it. He seems to understand the issues (coverage over frequency), but is currently powerless to do anything about it.

Another VERY important thing to mention is that the City accepted a train system that was not "ready for prime-time". Again, based on Manconi's rhetoric before the 12 days of testing, he seemed adamant that we would not accept an incomplete system and that the testing had to be completed with 15 trains (as per the contract). Someone (not Manconi I'm sure) decided to let RTG off the hook with only 13 trains, with switches in the yard that were not automated, with trains that cannot couple and uncouple freely, with a CCTV system that was not working properly (hence the whistle blowers) and whatever other concession we gave up for RTG.

The City needs to take responsibility for accepting to drop RTG contract obligations in order to get the system running before it was ready. And whomever made that decision should be FIRED.

[roger1818]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

1. I don't think investigations are necessary at this point. We're aware of the Stage 1 issues, an "investigation" won't reveal much of anything we don't already know. The Stage 2 contract process was badly designed, but the City followed its own rules. The City Manager should be fired for miss-informing (and possibly lying) to Council and the public and for his incompetence.
   
2. Seeking independent legal advice is fair (point 2 and 3). Sending the trains back for a full-refund is not reasonable. Yes they have issues, but they can be fixed. It's not like we have a whole lot of other options. What we shut down the line for years until we build a whole new fleet?
   
3. As mentioned, the City has NEVER maintained the Trillium Line on its own.
   
4. Not necessary at this time. First and foremost, kill the 2011 "network optimization" that has slowly degraded our ridership over nearly a decade and let Manconi take a crack at it. He seems to understand the issues (coverage over frequency), but is currently powerless to do anything about it.

1. While I agree that it won't change anything, maybe we can learn from our mistakes for other projects (including Stage 3, if it ever happens).
2. I agree that actually sending the trains back would be very difficult, but threatening to do so may push Alstom to work harder to fix the problems. If they can't fix them, sending them back may be the only option. Yes it would be painful, but I don't think it would take 10 years to get a replacement. The difficult thing though is with Alstom buying Bombardier's rail division and us burning our bridges with Siemens, our options for alternative vehicles are limited.
3. Agreed.
4. While I agree that Manconi might be able to do it, an outside expert would have more weight on counsel and help bring public confidence back in the system if his/her recommendations are followed.