The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Beedok]

I like elevated. It makes the layers of urban growth visible. Also gives you a view out the window rather than just the dark of a subway.

[Metro-One]

Yeah, I love the layered feeling elevated infrastructure gives to a city.

That is one the major factors that gives cities such as Tokyo and Osaka such a crazy metropolis feel is all the insane layering (bullet trains over top of highways over top of local trains over top of pedestrians all done with awesome lighting effects and cool spaces snugged in between).

All the elevated skytrain guide ways have really added to metro Vancouver's urban feel. My favorite spot is the guide way interchange on the Canada line (basket weave) next to Bridgeport station.

Having the elevated lines also allow having such cool features as the North Arm Bridge and the Expo Line Bridge on a transit system.

[MonkeyRonin]

I like elevated when it looks like this.




Not so much this.

[Metro-One]

Sadly it is not the 1920s anymore.

The majority of elevated infrastructure looks like skytrain in Japan.

I find your taste interesting, in that the old style you like is far more invasive / difficult to build in and around than the new style (Evergreen Line).

Also the style you like appears to block a lot more light / has a lot more sight-lines, making for a more inviting area for crime.

You must be a big steam punk fan

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And what is wrong with elevated transit? It used in many large cities throughout the world (especially in Asia).

And the last time I checked, trunk corridors are the perfect places for a metro. Also, station spacing along urban corridors are no different from traditional subways when using elevated rail such as skytrain. it is only in the long, non urbanized / suburban stretches where station spacing becomes wide.

Also, if you think elevated rail is ugly (which IMO it is not, it ads a nice urban texture) then you must really hate the Gardner.

Iionview is a 1960s midrise community on Eglinton and the potential is there to extend the midrise form with a greater mix of uses and better street interaction for blocks on end. would hate for the views to be obstructed by pillars supporting the elevated rail in the middle of Eglinton Avenue as well by the shadows it would casts.



I don't know why you bring up the Gardiner. No one likes it but, everyone understands removing it doesn't correct the mistake. Haven't driven it in a year either..

In fact, not sure why you bring up a subway either.

[Metro-One]

I brought up the Gardner because it is an elevated piece of infrastructure far more invasive than an elevated rail line.

Also, I brought up the subway because one of your complaints regarding elevated rail was the large station spacing, direct quote here:

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

An elevated line?!? A big no thank you.

It's freakin' ugly. It absolutely sucks in winter. It will no doubt be more commuter focus with far flung stations backed by a local Eglinton bus. Eglinton as a whole needs to be urbanized. A hybrid elevated lrt that acts as metro/communter rail is not an answer.

So I was telling you that along an urban corridor elevated rail essentially has the same spacing as a subway, so why would that be bad for this route? If you cant see the connection there I don't know what else to tell you.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

My favorite spot is the guide way interchange on the Canada line (basket weave) next to Bridgeport station.

Surely the Broadway-Commercial Drive interchange is better...?




Edit: re above discussions.... I thought u Torontonians are all about loving those big dark shadows cast by highrises, (even so far as to prefer a more imposing structure of the same density lol), so why not transit?

[1overcosc]

The climate of southern Ontario is a lot harsher on elevated structures than the climate of Vancouver is. I imagine any elevated transit solution in Toronto would have higher life cycle costs.

[ssiguy]

I like elevated transit but like all things there is a time and place for everything.

Elevation can really wreak havoc on older established areas and ruin the urban feel. they are, however, very effective thru current rail/hydro corridors and along current suburban roads where all they do it block the view of Walmart and McDonald's. Vancouver has done an excellent job on elevated transit while making sure than anything too close to the city is tunnelled.

I thought the Calgary SE line was going to be a Transitway or have they changed it to an LRT?

You would think of all places that have the money to build good transit it would be Alberta but having a booming economy and population can be a double edged sword. It makes land acquisition more expensive and construction materials and labour costs are much higher. Just because the city is booming doesn't mean it has lots of money lying around and doesn't mean senior levels of government are willing to chip in. Also when a city is booming those transit infrastructure funds are competing for dollars from other worthwhile infrastructure needs such as water, waste management , roads, parks, schools, recreation centres, social and health services.

[GlassCity]

How elevated looks depends a lot on the context. Over Lougheed? Great. If the Canada Line was elevated over Cambie? Hell no. The Canada Line in Richmond? Debatable.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Sadly it is not the 1920s anymore.

The majority of elevated infrastructure looks like skytrain in Japan.

I find your taste interesting, in that the old style you like is far more invasive / difficult to build in and around than the new style (Evergreen Line).

Also the style you like appears to block a lot more light / has a lot more sight-lines, making for a more inviting area for crime.

You must be a big steam punk fan

I'm with Monkey in much preferring the old elevated systems over the new. That streetscape in New York looks awesome, the one in Vancouver is mind numbing. I wouldn't want to spend a second on that sidewalk. Besides, you'd think in rainy Vancouver getting a covered street would be a plus.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I brought up the Gardner because it is an elevated piece of infrastructure far more invasive than an elevated rail line.

Also, I brought up the subway because one of your complaints regarding elevated rail was the large station spacing, direct quote here:



So I was telling you that along an urban corridor elevated rail essentially has the same spacing as a subway, so why would that be bad for this route? If you cant see the connection there I don't know what else to tell you.

I see the connection but, you missed my point. I'm all for a speedy but maybe not quite as rapid surface route here and not a subway.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by dleung

Surely the Broadway-Commercial Drive interchange is better...?




Edit: re above discussions.... I thought u Torontonians are all about loving those big dark shadows cast by highrises, (even so far as to prefer a more imposing structure of the same density lol), so why not transit?

You're an idiot at times.

why must everything have to be a city vs city thing with you?


I'll take the modern elevated track pictured above over the prewar one any day. I get the Gotham City vibe but, it's not enough to hide it's ugliness

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by isaidso

I'm with Monkey in much preferring the old elevated systems over the new. That streetscape in New York looks awesome, the one in Vancouver is mind numbing. I wouldn't want to spend a second on that sidewalk. Besides, you'd think in rainy Vancouver getting a covered street would be a plus.

I think the pedestrian friendliness differences have more to do with the scale of the road, sidewalk, streetscape, and pretty well everything other than the elevated rail. The Vancouver one isn't even anywhere near the sidewalk, so I don't see how it could make an impact. (I might be wrong though, I've never been near either in real life, maybe it's disconcerting when a train goes past on the new one?)

[PhilippeMtl]

Not related to Canada but this new Darth Vader tram will be in Moscow street pretty soon:








source: https://imgur.com/a/kNnzB#xxQNrdj

[matt602]

That literally looks like it's a prop from star wars. Sometimes Russia, you're awesome.

[caltrane74]

3 weeks exactly until the new Toronto Streetcars go into operation first on the Spadina Right of Way.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by matt602

That literally looks like it's a prop from star wars. Sometimes Russia, you're awesome.

The interior screams Star Trek from the 1980s. (modern grey instead of 1980s pastels)

[J.OT13]

Downtown Ottawa tunnel progress:

Politician photo-op:



Article and many more pictures of actual tunnel:

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/ontario-premier-to-visit-lrt-tunnel-monday

[Innsertnamehere]

Union station second platform opens Monday.