General STO News and Rapibus System - Page 30

le calmar · #**581** Posted **May 28, 2021, 3:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

There still some industry along the tracks in old Gatineau, Thurso and others, so I imagine they are used, but quite rarely I', sure. As a kid living near the tracks, trains came by maybe a few times a week, but that was nearly 2 decades ago.

I know are still used in the Thurso area, but the tracks go all the way to UQO. I think they even restored them when they built the original portion of the Rapibus.

Acajack · #**582** Posted **May 28, 2021, 3:54 PM**

I drive, bike or walk across those tracks all the time. They are basically never used.

In the winter at roadway intersections the tracks are piled with snow that never gets cleared.

roger1818 · #**583** Posted **May 28, 2021, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

I know are still used in the Thurso area, but the tracks go all the way to UQO. I think they even restored them when they built the original portion of the Rapibus.

Looking at the map on QGRY's website, it appears as if they have discontinued use of the tracks west of Boulevard Lorrain.

It could be that Gatineau has taken over the ROW and haven't filed for discontinuance. As Ottawa's drama with Moose has shown, that can get messy.

OCCheetos · #**584** Posted **May 28, 2021, 4:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

I know are still used in the Thurso area, but the tracks go all the way to UQO. I think they even restored them when they built the original portion of the Rapibus.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roger1818

Looking at the map on QGRY's website, it appears as if they have discontinued use of the tracks west of Boulevard Lorrain.

It could be that Gatineau has taken over the ROW and haven't filed for discontinuance. As Ottawa's drama with Moose has shown, that can get messy.

IIRC MOOSE may have had a role in Gatineau's decision to restore the tracks. Can't remember the specifics.

Gatineau does own the ROW. I forget who transferred ownership, but I believe it predates QGRY. In any case, they don't need to file for discontinuance since the line that they own doesn't fall under federal regulation. Chelsea didn't have to either when they pulled up their tracks.

Myriam Nadeau has stated that the Rapibus will eventually be converted to rail though, so I wouldn't expect them to ever bother pulling up the track.

Acajack · #**585** Posted **May 28, 2021, 6:26 PM**

I believe the tracks were restored (and even slightly moved?) during the initial Rapibus construction phase. That was part of the project. Not sure how or why that was the case, e.g. if it was imposed upon the STO by powers "up above".

Truenorth00 · #**586** Posted **May 29, 2021, 12:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

There still some industry along the tracks in old Gatineau, Thurso and others, so I imagine they are used, but quite rarely I', sure. As a kid living near the tracks, trains came by maybe a few times a week, but that was nearly 2 decades ago.

It's never made sense to me. Isn't it just cheaper for the the companies and railroad to just sell the corridor to STO and then truck their supplies. They could have built LRT here instead of BRT.

swimmer_spe · #**587** Posted **May 29, 2021, 1:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

It's never made sense to me. Isn't it just cheaper for the the companies and railroad to just sell the corridor to STO and then truck their supplies. They could have built LRT here instead of BRT.

It may not be that simple. A company I worked for would get a train a week of cars for their operations. When the threat of the line closing happened, they figured they would need at least 1 transport truck an hour, on top of the existing truck traffic. Not only that, but the cost to do that would skyrocket.

Dengler Avenue · #**588** Posted **May 29, 2021, 2:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Are the tracks adjacent to the Rapibus lanes used at all? They seem to go out of their way to preserve them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a train on those tracks. Or is it for future conversion to LRT?

Are you wondering that because we've had a conversation about having the Ottawa-Montreal train run on the Quebec side?

le calmar · #**589** Posted **May 29, 2021, 2:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Are you wondering that because we've had a conversation about having the Ottawa-Montreal train run on the Quebec side?

That is what got me thinking yes, although upon reflection I don’t think that would a realistic option. There are simply way too many constraints to take into consideration if they were to run trains on the Quebec side. Anyway, that was more fantasy talk than anything

Acajack · #**590** Posted **May 29, 2021, 11:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

It's never made sense to me. Isn't it just cheaper for the the companies and railroad to just sell the corridor to STO and then truck their supplies. They could have built LRT here instead of BRT.

Avoiding conflitcts with freight trains on the tracks was not the main reason they chose BRT over LRT.

Truenorth00 · #**591** Posted **May 29, 2021, 11:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Avoiding conflitcts with freight trains on the tracks was not the main reason they chose BRT over LRT.

Fair enough. Was LRT considered at all at the time? My understanding (could be wrong) was that they simply set out to build a version of what Ottawa had.

Acajack · #**592** Posted **May 30, 2021, 4:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Fair enough. Was LRT considered at all at the time? My understanding (could be wrong) was that they simply set out to build a version of what Ottawa had.

I don't think it was ever stated that it was a copy or a mimic of Ottawa's Transitway, but the reasons given for choosing that over LRT (for which there were pressures) were the same as those heard in Ottawa in the early 1980s: passenger volumes and population density don't justify rail, and the ROW can be converted to LRT at that point in the future when they do.

J.OT13 · #**593** Posted **May 30, 2021, 11:18 AM**

At the time, I was vigourasly opposed to the RapiBus. In my mind, they were building between two wide, underutilized boulevards. Bus lanes would have sufficed.

Seeing it today, it seems to have grown (peak) ridership quite well. Stations are nice and functional. It serves a few key nodes, but little density or residential. A few lost opportunities (skywalks for better connections over wide boulevards, grade separation, single lane Pont Noir), but those could be fixed when converted, as done in Ottawa.

DelinquentCanadian · #**594** Posted **Apr 14, 2022, 2:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by le calmar

Are the tracks adjacent to the Rapibus lanes used at all? They seem to go out of their way to preserve them, but I don’t think I have ever seen a train on those tracks. Or is it for future conversion to LRT?

I do hope it is going to be converted to LRT, maybe during Stage 2? Since they are building a train to Aylmer and Plateau anyways, converting the RapiBus to LRT would mean better system integration and possibilities for interlining. If they use low floor trams, there is no need to replace the stations and shelters themselves.

Just a side note, if you go on Google maps and follow the tracks south of UQO, you can see the ruins of the bridge that used to carry the Hull Electric Railway along the side of the river.

See it for yourself here:https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4216848,-75.7310951,360m/data=!3m1!1e3[IMG]

rocketphish · #**595** Posted **Apr 14, 2022, 11:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelinquentCanadian

I do hope it is going to be converted to LRT, maybe during Stage 2? Since they are building a train to Aylmer and Plateau anyways, converting the RapiBus to LRT would mean better system integration and possibilities for interlining. If they use low floor trams, there is no need to replace the stations and shelters themselves.

Just a side note, if you go on Google maps and follow the tracks south of UQO, you can see the ruins of the bridge that used to carry the Hull Electric Railway along the side of the river.

See it for yourself here:https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4216848,-75.7310951,360m/data=!3m1!1e3[IMG]

Welcome to the forum!

Acajack · #**596** Posted **Apr 14, 2022, 2:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelinquentCanadian

Since they are building a train to Aylmer and Plateau anyways, ]

They *might* be building a train to Aylmer and Le Plateau.

PHrenetic · #**597** Posted **Apr 14, 2022, 3:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DelinquentCanadian

...........

Just a side note, if you go on Google maps and follow the tracks south of UQO, you can see the ruins of the bridge that used to carry the Hull Electric Railway along the side of the river.

...........

Good Day.

You can also see the practical location for a station at the SW corner of Tache and Eddy.
It is an old rail wares house on that old freight rail line, repurposed for commercial/retail and other purposes,
but undoubtedly is re-configurable back to rail useage, either at grade or above/below, for Gat LRT and/or Trillium Line.

And also - Welcome!

My 2 cents. EnJoy.

DelinquentCanadian · #**598** Posted **Apr 14, 2022, 5:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Welcome to the forum!

Thank you.

Uhuniau · #**599** Posted **Jun 7, 2022, 9:21 PM**

Anyone know what the status of construction is on the Rapibus extension in back of Lac Beauchamp?

Acajack · #**600** Posted **Jun 7, 2022, 9:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Anyone know what the status of construction is on the Rapibus extension in back of Lac Beauchamp?

Looks like it's happening as this radio report from a few days says rats have been disturbed by the work and are ending up on people's properties.

https://www.fm1047.ca/nouvelles/faits-di...lement-cause-le-probleme-chez-un-citoyen