Calgary Public Transit II

[Calgarian]

So the C-train lines will basically see continuous construction for the 20-30 years is what you are all saying. lol

[srperrycgy]

Considering parts of the system are over 30 years old now....yeah lots of work to come.

[halifaxboyns]

My understanding about the 4 car train reno's is (from what I've heard from CT staff):

Whitehorn is the test case for renos in the NE - which I believe someone mentioned; so that post is correct - if it works well; then stations from Bridgeland to Whitehorn will see renos done in the same fashion. I also understand that similar renovations will occur to University and Dalhousie stations (since they are built mostly on the same model).

Over the next few years leading up to 2012 deployment of the West LRT, the remaining stations on the south line will be modified for the 4 car system - however the actual deployment of 4 car trains may be after the West LRT gets started - 2013/14 roughly. However the West LRT stations will be built with capability. The focus for the near term is getting 7th avenue done, then it will be on the NE stations and then the rest.

I forsee problems for the Sunnyside station (it seems a little pinched for room) as will be 39th avenue - but the rest should be a piece of cake.

[halifaxboyns]

One more thought on the 24 hour Ctrain service - probably won't happen except for special events.

Even if the population of downtown doubles/tripples - I just can't see a service like that running mainly because of the maintenance issues (which has already been mentioned). What may be considered (or might be more practical) would be a blue light bus system similar to Toronto and Vancouver.

Or if they do run the service; it may be a very limited service. So instead of every 15 minutes; maybe every 30?

[jeffwhit]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

So the C-train lines will basically see continuous construction for the 20-30 years is what you are all saying. lol

Theoretically, I don't see why C-train construction/expansion should ever stop, we're building new roads continuously.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

Theoretically, I don't see why C-train construction/expansion should ever stop, we're building new roads continuously.

Shouldn't just not stop, it should continuously accelerate. As more lines are built, more areas become accessible, increasing the overall appeal and use of the system, thus creating more demand. There should be non-stop construction of the West, Southeast and North Central lines, with inner-city streetcars being implemented simultaneously.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

Theoretically, I don't see why C-train construction/expansion should ever stop, we're building new roads continuously.

Fair enough...

[tdurden5573]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

The LRVs are manufactured at Siemens' plant in Sacramento, CA. not Germany.

More Info on the Manufacturing: http://www.mobility.siemens.com/usa/en/pub/services_and_solutions/manufacturing.htm

Are they assembled in Sacramento or actually manufactured there? The site seemed to indicate it was more of a parts hub and assembly facility.?

[srperrycgy]

Originally Posted by tdurden5573

Are they assembled in Sacramento or actually manufactured there? The site seemed to indicate it was more of a parts hub and assembly facility.?

Read a bit further.

[DizzyEdge]

They should pre-fab the extensions offsite, then roll them down some sort of flatcar to the stations and crane em into place

[DarkKeyo]

Originally Posted by CTrainDude

I think the idea is that when you go to four-car trains, you reduce the number of trains out there, not just add to the 42 trains we already have in rush hour.

So, if we run 4-car trains, but (if I get what you're saying properly) reduce the number of trainsets out there, and therefore the frequency.... don't those two things cancel out any increase in overall capacity?

With the number of people using transit during rush hour, we'll need the same number and frequency of trains, but with most or all of them having a 4th car, thus increasing capacity by ~35-40% (a rough guess since I can't really do the math right now) ... with the extensions and general increased ridership over the years, we'll need that capacity.

[DarkKeyo]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

My understanding about the 4 car train reno's is (from what I've heard from CT staff):

Whitehorn is the test case for renos in the NE - which I believe someone mentioned; so that post is correct - if it works well; then stations from Bridgeland to Whitehorn will see renos done in the same fashion. I also understand that similar renovations will occur to University and Dalhousie stations (since they are built mostly on the same model).

Over the next few years leading up to 2012 deployment of the West LRT, the remaining stations on the south line will be modified for the 4 car system - however the actual deployment of 4 car trains may be after the West LRT gets started - 2013/14 roughly. However the West LRT stations will be built with capability. The focus for the near term is getting 7th avenue done, then it will be on the NE stations and then the rest.

I forsee problems for the Sunnyside station (it seems a little pinched for room) as will be 39th avenue - but the rest should be a piece of cake.

I've looked pretty carefully at the stations... Sunnyside should have just enough room, although the ramp might need to be shorter... and 39th there's just enough room to cram enough platform in before the tunnel... Lions Park would be tricky, they'd have to move the bus stop at the east end of it. The problem stations are SAIT, which has buildings at both ends, and Fish Creek, which has stairs/ramps at each end.

Renovating the 25 year old NE stations will be good, and I can see them wanting to renovate the 29 year old South stations as well, particularly Chinook to Anderson (and 3 of those have TOD plans that show a renovated station in their renderings). SAIT station, which leaks, is generally unattractive, and has buildings at both ends, could use a major redo as well. And the north platform surface at Lion's Park is crumbing.

And I think you mean Brentwood and not Dalhousie, Dalhousie is only 6 and a bit years old.

[jeffwhit]

^^Sunnyside might just have to move the crossing gate few meters to the south, which is no big deal at all.

[Full Mountain]

Originally Posted by DarkKeyo

I've looked pretty carefully at the stations... Sunnyside should have just enough room, although the ramp might need to be shorter... and 39th there's just enough room to cram enough platform in before the tunnel... Lions Park would be tricky, they'd have to move the bus stop at the east end of it. The problem stations are SAIT, which has buildings at both ends, and Fish Creek, which has stairs/ramps at each end.

Renovating the 25 year old NE stations will be good, and I can see them wanting to renovate the 29 year old South stations as well, particularly Chinook to Anderson (and 3 of those have TOD plans that show a renovated station in their renderings). SAIT station, which leaks, is generally unattractive, and has buildings at both ends, could use a major redo as well. And the north platform surface at Lion's Park is crumbing.

And I think you mean Brentwood and not Dalhousie, Dalhousie is only 6 and a bit years old.

From what I've seen from the plans at an open house a couple of years ago it will take a fair bit if work to get sunnyside to 4 cars, there were a couple of options on the table at that point,

1. extend the station north, taking out the Commercial building on the west side of the tracks and condos behind it

2. extend it south taking the warehouse (CBE's I believe) out and rerouting 9a Street

The issue that they were facing was the curve of the rail in that location as the station has curves on both the south and north sides as well as grade issues with the climb up the hill to SAIT, as well as the switch that must fit between 2nd Ave and the station crossing

Simply extending the platform to the south wouldn't leave enough room for a proper ramp and crossing before the warehouse on the east side of the tracks and would then place the crossing south of 3rd ave and would cause issues with traffic on 9a Street (ie making anything other than pedestrian traffic impossible, an issue for the transit routes that use it)

With the SAIT station I believe there is some plan on the part of SAIT to rebuild that station when they renovate the Campus center and the ACAD building (when ACAD moves out)

[MalcolmTucker]

With the N & S lines in particular there is also the consideration of providing for 5 car trains, since little reason to do a big change to get a platform up to 4 cars then 5 - 10 years later do another wholesale change to get to 5.

[evolv]

I thought SAIT had plans to put the station underground?

[mersar]

Originally Posted by Full Mountain

2. extend it south taking the warehouse (CBE's I believe) out and rerouting 9a Street

Its actually a city warehouse now, and is slated to be closed down this fall (this came up as one of the two historic aircraft that the city owns are stored in parts in it, and council was asked for $80k to bring in specialists to relocate it from that warehouse before it closes). So depending on the plans I could see that building coming down anyways, making that option quite easy.

I thought SAIT had plans to put the station underground?

Nope. But there are plans to remove the level crossing (at least in the SAIT campus master plan) that is to the west, which would make extending the platform west easy. Its actually possible they could do it even before then, as that little building is actually quite long and there should be enough room in my estimation.

[hulkrogan]

Amazing that Fish Creek is a problem station. How old is it? How could they not see 4 car trains coming?

Are there any LRT systems in the world that aren't grade separated that have the equivalent length of if we had 5 car trains? 4 already seems to be pushing it for feasibility before you have to go for grade separation.

[RicoLance21]

Has anyone posted this article here?




American new voice of C-Train
Last Updated: Thursday, June 10, 2010 | 7:04 PM MT Comments56Recommend28
CBC News
Announcements on Calgary C-Trains now come from an American voiceover artist.Announcements on Calgary C-Trains now come from an American voiceover artist. (Courtesy D'Arcy Norman)

The new voice of the C-Train — an American voiceover artist — is receiving rave reviews from Calgary transit commuters.

"That's fabulous. It's a big change. The last one was just annoying for the last number of years now," one man told CBC News. "I fall asleep with the first one, but this one, oh, sounds good."

Karen Hutton, who lives in California, was hired for the new station announcements on the C-Train. She said she's surprised at the positive feedback.

"That's lovely, what a compliment," Hutton told CBC News on Thursday.

Hutton replaces the voice of a Calgary Transit administrator who had been the recorded announcement of the C-Train stops since 1981 — the year the LRT began.

"We decided to go more of a professional voice, a clearer voice," explained Ron Collins, a spokesman for Calgary Transit.

"[The former announcer] was very good at it, but this took away from her other daily chores with Calgary Transit. She's also at the point now where she could retire at any time and so we want to be able to look out into the future and make sure that we have somebody who would be able to pick this up."
Voice called trippy, sexy, seductive

The new voice, which debuted this week, got noticed and shared on social networking site, Twitter.

King Chung Huang (@kinghuang) called the voice "trippy," while Rob Lloyd (@ROBLCOPTER) said she sounded "a lot more seductive now."

The new voice was "a bit more sexy and a lot less excited about life," wrote Faby Martin (@lydyzze).

"We were thinking in terms of something warm and soothing and might make you feel good and calm in a public place," explained Hutton, who has done train announcements for three American cities including Denver. Calgary is her first Canadian train city.

"I love doing it," said the performer who makes her living on TV and radio voiceovers. "There's just something about knowing that you're talking to all these people and kind of imagining they're at rush hour and you can tell them what the next stop is."

Collins said he did not know how much Hutton was paid for the C-Train voiceover work.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2...uncer-hutton-american.html#ixzz0qguUY6DY


Karen Hutton website:
http://www.karenhutton.com/

[TallDrinkofWater]

when are those gateway stations going to be completed by city hall? have they begun building them yet?

also what will be the most eastern stations that are open in january on the 7th ave ctrain line downtown?

much appreciated - I'll be needing this for work.