Calgary Public Transit II

[J-D]

Originally Posted by freeweed

This seems to be the common perception, but I'll be honest - I find the 7th Ave performance is pretty damned good, all things considered. Yes, it could be better. Yes, sometimes you wait for lights. But I find most of the "waiting" time seems to be people holding doors, pedestrians crossing against the lights, and just the stops in general. The only really bad times are when the entire line gets backed up due to something happening outside of the core (broken train, etc).

I dunno. It just doesn't seem to be the "crawl" that people describe. I've been using the train to do some inter-downtown trips again lately (getting too lazy to walk and often short on time) and I find it's ridiculously fast. Seems to get up to 30-40km/h between stations, which is as fast as a subway would go given the short separations.

I think the main problem is that these bottlenecks are exacerbated by the issues you mention. You get 2-3 people in a row holding the doors and forcing themselves onto the train, a pedestrian crossing against the lights, and then the entire train has to wait for the next light.

[RyLucky]

The pinch point for the lights is 4th, 5th, 6th aves where you have thousands of drivers and bus commuters verses thousands of train commuters. There's only so much that can be done without burying 201, which will drastically improve road and train capacity all over downtown.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

The pinch point for the lights is 4th, 5th, 6th aves where you have thousands of drivers and bus commuters verses thousands of train commuters. There's only so much that can be done without burying 201, which will drastically improve road and train capacity all over downtown.

Yeah. These lights seem the worst by far.

One answer is to start timing them to accommodate the trains, as I believe they used to be. Right now they're timed for vehicle movements only.

I'd say that during rush hour, trains get priority - because the entire system hangs due to so many trains being back-to-back. Outside of rush hour? Let a train wait the extra minute, it ain't gonna hurt anyone. And yes, I have no problem punishing only rush hour downtown drivers, because I think they're partially insane.

[sim]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Yeah. These lights seem the worst by far.

One answer is to start timing them to accommodate the trains, as I believe they used to be. Right now they're timed for vehicle movements only.

To my knowledge the lights currently are "optimised" for trains as is. That is not to say they are adaptive (which they might be but I believe not) or preemptive, which they probably should be and meaning that so long as a train is approaching, regardless of what else is going on with other movements, it is given green.

However, urban traffic control (and the signalling that come with it) has got to be one of the most complicated sciences there is. It isn't usually apparent to the single user, who seems to have all the answers anyway by just yelling "green wave".

If given preemptive signalling, what about the ever important pedestrian movements downtown? You may get cases where you have exorbitant waiting times for them. What if preempting interferes with the vehicle network so much so that it ends up re-interfering with the train's movements? i.e. a preemptive green is given, although the vehicles cannot viably clear the intersection as they are being heldup to an extent further down the network because a preemptive green was given there.

Just a couple quick examples.

I'd say that during rush hour, trains get priority - because the entire system hangs due to so many trains being back-to-back. Outside of rush hour? Let a train wait the extra minute, it ain't gonna hurt anyone. And yes, I have no problem punishing only rush hour downtown drivers, because I think they're partially insane.

I disagree with your first sentiment. Waiting time is 2 - 3 or more times more onerous than in-vehicle moving time. Rush hour might be important, but prioritizing the system for all times is just as vital. I agree with the second sentiment wholeheartedly.

[J-D]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Yeah. These lights seem the worst by far.

One answer is to start timing them to accommodate the trains, as I believe they used to be. Right now they're timed for vehicle movements only.

I'd say that during rush hour, trains get priority - because the entire system hangs due to so many trains being back-to-back. Outside of rush hour? Let a train wait the extra minute, it ain't gonna hurt anyone. And yes, I have no problem punishing only rush hour downtown drivers, because I think they're partially insane.

I feel much more insane crammed on the train with a plethora of odd smells, sounds, and body fluids around me. Driving in rush hour downtown is way more peaceful, I just can't afford to

[CTrainDude]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Yeah. These lights seem the worst by far.

One answer is to start timing them to accommodate the trains, as I believe they used to be. Right now they're timed for vehicle movements only.

I'd say that during rush hour, trains get priority - because the entire system hangs due to so many trains being back-to-back. Outside of rush hour? Let a train wait the extra minute, it ain't gonna hurt anyone. And yes, I have no problem punishing only rush hour downtown drivers, because I think they're partially insane.

Some sort of CTrain preemption will come back along 9th Street soon enough (it was taken away about 5 years ago for the benefit of rubber-wheeled traffic) - you can't run four cars trains without it, so it's only a matter of time. The choice is signal preemption, or being blocked by a four car CTrain that doesn't fit between N-S blocks.

[floobie]

Originally Posted by J-D

I feel much more insane crammed on the train with a plethora of odd smells, sounds, and body fluids around me. Driving in rush hour downtown is way more peaceful, I just can't afford to

Speaking as someone who used to have this exact attitude: That's hyperbole to the max. I've commuted by train every day now since my last year of university... going on four years now. Sounds? Yeah, people do sometimes talk. Body fluids - I've never witnessed this. Smells... I think I've experienced maybe two obvious train farts over the years. The rest of the time, the most offensive smell is that air conditioning refrigerant smell, which is hardly exclusive to trains. Keep in mind: During rush hour, the train is largely inhabited by downtown office workers. Ie. generally clean people who mind their own business and just want to relax and get home. If it's that unbearable to you, I won't argue with you. Some people really just hate crowds and stuff. Fair enough. But, I was able to get over it. All it took was shaking a few preconceived notions on my part.

Also, in terms of generally inconsiderate behaviour, I've noticed that the most clueless, rude transit users are the ones who generally don't use transit. They have an air of entitlement about them. They're the ones who barge onto the train before letting passengers get off, and complain about all the people getting in their way. They're the ones who tend to hold the doors open and try to push their way on, and, once again, complain about being packed in like cattle (while waiting for the next train almost always completely avoids that). It's a trend I've noticed every time there's a football game on at McMahon and I'm passing through. The regular commuters are fine, but a few of the ones riding in for the game can't seem to shake the attitude that the world revolves around them.

To shift gears completely:

Three car/train collisions since Friday, and not one mention of it here?

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by floobie

Three car/train collisions since Friday, and not one mention of it here?

• Video Link

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by floobie

Some people really just hate crowds and stuff. Fair enough. But, I was able to get over it. All it took was shaking a few preconceived notions on my part.

All it took for me was a little creativity on my part.

I'm one of those people. Anyone who knows me in person knows that I am a very "limited contact" individual. I value my personal space more than just about anyone. I am not a hugger, I do not like people in my face. Etc. I really, really dislike large crowds in general and being crowded into them specifically. I live in the suburbs primarily because I cannot stand the teeming hordes of people that cities are most loved for.

Yet I handle the train just fine. How? I do my best to not ride the trains during the absolute peak times (which is 30 minutes max, twice a day). When forced, I'll simply wait for a train or 2 and then get on a less packed one. This breaks down 2-3 times a year when the entire system gets so backed up that every car for an hour is jam-packed, but beyond that? Hell, I'm almost always sitting. And this includes leaving downtown at 5pm.

But I'm not a germophobe. I work with a couple of guys who refuse to ride the train because "you never know who touched the pole before you did". That's just a level of public intolerance that even I can't quite reach. So I suppose public transit isn't for the truly neurotic.

[ByeByeBaby]

Originally Posted by freeweed

But I'm not a germophobe. I work with a couple of guys who refuse to ride the train because "you never know who touched the pole before you did". That's just a level of public intolerance that even I can't quite reach. So I suppose public transit isn't for the truly neurotic.

Do these guys use a cart or basket at the grocery store? Pump gas? Heck, do they open doors? At least we all have single-user phones in our pockets now.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by ByeByeBaby

Do these guys use a cart or basket at the grocery store? Pump gas? Heck, do they open doors? At least we all have single-user phones in our pockets now.

In offices I've worked in, there's often a garbage can immediately outside of the men's bathroom (oddly enough, women don't seem this OCD). As was explained to me, it's so you can use a paper towel to open the bathroom door, and then immediately deposit it into the can.

In at least one instance, not 5 feet away from that was another door you had to open, to access the actual office proper.

The resident germophobes didn't understand why this was hilarious.

Also, most grocery stores now provide sani-wipes and hand sanitizers so you don't have to get people's icky germs on your hands. Of course you then proceed to load your cart/basket with all sorts of items that have been handled by god-knows-whom.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by freeweed

In offices I've worked in, there's often a garbage can immediately outside of the men's bathroom (oddly enough, women don't seem this OCD). As was explained to me, it's so you can use a paper towel to open the bathroom door, and then immediately deposit it into the can.

In at least one instance, not 5 feet away from that was another door you had to open, to access the actual office proper.

The resident germophobes didn't understand why this was hilarious.

Also, most grocery stores now provide sani-wipes and hand sanitizers so you don't have to get people's icky germs on your hands. Of course you then proceed to load your cart/basket with all sorts of items that have been handled by god-knows-whom.

Good points. I mean I wash my hands after using the washroom, and of course when cooking, and especially after touching uncooked meat. But other than that, hell, get germs on your hands. It builds antibodies and resistance. Germophobes are people who have no concept of microbiology and how much bacteria there is everywhere all the time. Hell, your own body is mostly bacteria cells (your cells are much, much larger, but ~90% of the cells in your body are bacteria- mostly in the stomach). If it wasn't for bacteria, none of use would be able to digest anything and we would all die.

But also get your flu shots and get vaccinated for absolutely everything.

[simster3]

I find it funny/annoying when people walk into the bathroom, turn the water on and get a run of paper towel out of the dispenser, then proceed to do their deed in the name of not touching anything while/after washing their hands. If everyone touched the dispenser after washing their hands, it would still be clean. I just don't get germaphobes rationale.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by fusili

But also get your flu shots and get vaccinated for absolutely everything.

This. You know from me relating my saga on FB but I've never been a germophobe aside from the cautions you mention here- we NEED to be exposed to nature especially as kids. Helps immunity and prevent auto-immune issues. And until late August I hadn't had so much as a sniffle in more than two years.

Then I caught whooping cough. And I passed it on to at least 5 people in my department just by showing up for an orientation get together... I had the cold-like prodroma before the real agony kicks in and because I thought I had a cold didn't shake hands with anyone. I gave to it my TA and the only contact we had was a brief hallway conversation and I handed her a copy of the course textbook and with pertussis, that is enough. Luckily I got diagnosed finally, after 3 weeks of being symptomatic and two wrong diagnoses, and could let affected people know to get screened which they did- my TA started AZT only about 5 days into having symptoms and it stopped the disease completely. Me? I'm now more than 9 weeks into this and coughed so badly on the way to the LRT this morning I had to lean against a pole from being so dizzy. 9 weeks in and no complete end in sight.

All of this would have never happened if I'd had, and had KNOWN to have, a pertussis booster. My last one was in 1993. There is NO WAY to avoid this without immunity and sadly most adults who eg haven't had a baby and had the boosters themselves (to protect the baby, who can die from this) have zero. Booster wears off in 10 years- maximum.

Just some things to think about. I also now have hyperreactive lungs for perhaps months and did get the flu shot I always get (am asthmatic) but this year it was especially necessary for me.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by Rusty van Reddick

This. You know from me relating my saga on FB but I've never been a germophobe aside from the cautions you mention here- we NEED to be exposed to nature especially as kids. Helps immunity and prevent auto-immune issues. And until late August I hadn't had so much as a sniffle in more than two years.

Then I caught whooping cough. And I passed it on to at least 5 people in my department just by showing up for an orientation get together... I had the cold-like prodroma before the real agony kicks in and because I thought I had a cold didn't shake hands with anyone. I gave to it my TA and the only contact we had was a brief hallway conversation and I handed her a copy of the course textbook and with pertussis, that is enough. Luckily I got diagnosed finally, after 3 weeks of being symptomatic and two wrong diagnoses, and could let affected people know to get screened which they did- my TA started AZT only about 5 days into having symptoms and it stopped the disease completely. Me? I'm now more than 9 weeks into this and coughed so badly on the way to the LRT this morning I had to lean against a pole from being so dizzy. 9 weeks in and no complete end in sight.

All of this would have never happened if I'd had, and had KNOWN to have, a pertussis booster. My last one was in 1993. There is NO WAY to avoid this without immunity and sadly most adults who eg haven't had a baby and had the boosters themselves (to protect the baby, who can die from this) have zero. Booster wears off in 10 years- maximum.

Just some things to think about. I also now have hyperreactive lungs for perhaps months and did get the flu shot I always get (am asthmatic) but this year it was especially necessary for me.

I'll definitely check into it. I got crazy amounts of boosters and new vaccinations when I went to Peru about 6 years ago (Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, MMR, HepA/B and even Rabies), but I should check if I had my pertussis booster. With a microbiologist father who works developing vaccines, perhaps I should be a bit more diligent with this.

[freeweed]

Rusty - wow. As a microbio major in another life, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I've forgotten entirely that pertussis immunity is short-lived. We do a piss-poor job of booster shots for adults, I guess because this sort of thing is generally rare. And before the anti-vaxers let loose with their insanity, there just weren't many of the usual carriers (children).

You mentioned someone taking AZT? Pertussis is a bacterial infection. Was there something else going on? Cuz that's kinda scary given what AZT is usually used for.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by freeweed

You mentioned someone taking AZT? Pertussis is a bacterial infection. Was there something else going on? Cuz that's kinda scary given what AZT is usually used for.

Okay, thanks Wikipedia, I am an idiot. I thought azithromycin was AZT and it isn't. Sorry about that.

You need to take one of erythromycin, clarithromycin, or azithromycin. One of my colleagues was misdiagnosed with pneumonia and given the wrong swab (has to be nasopharyngeal, and idiot doc gave her a throat swab which came back clean because you cannot get pertussis bacteria from a simple throat swab) and he put here on amoxicillin which does not kill pertussis.

I did a 10-day course of clarithro (Biaxin) but my TA did azithro and only had to for 5 days and she was completely recovered but she was treated after only 5 days of being symptomatic- I was her guardian angel, heard her cough and said GO TO STUDENT HEALTH CENTRE NOW- whereas I was only treated properly after more like 23 days and it probably did not good at all.

[freeweed]

My internet bio geek is positively gushing at the conversation here. I won't keep it up though. Don't wanna attract the thread po-po.

Thanks for the details. Your suffering at least provided a tiny bit of ... well I don't to use the word enjoyment, but .. interest. Cold comfort, I'm sure.

Your story does have me listening a little more closely to coughs on the C-Train though. November is always the month they pick up, as the air just dries out completely.

[5seconds]

According to Scott Dipple at the CBC, the Transit smart card system is not coming to Calgary in 2014

"Projected cost of new electronic fare card system for Calgary Transit: $11m over 2015-18. Not happening in '14."

[J-D]

Originally Posted by 5seconds

According to Scott Dipple at the CBC, the Transit smart card system is not coming to Calgary in 2014

"Projected cost of new electronic fare card system for Calgary Transit: $11m over 2015-18. Not happening in '14."

Ugh.