The Great Canadian Transit Thread

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Good comparison. I see Vancouver's Skytrain and Ottawa's O-Train as systems using the BART or DC Metro Rail concepts (with lower capacities, however). Underground in the city, cheaper above ground rail where possible, fewer stations, higher speeds.

Montreal and Toronto's subways are more akin to New York City or Paris, where they are supposed to serve the dense inner area, supplemented by commuter lines. Montreal's is doing well building the REM, similar to Paris, in order to bolster its commuter rail options. Toronto was on the right track with the RER, but that seems dead under Ford (?) in favour of ridiculous subways to suburbs mentality.

Don’t think it’s dead, Fords base is in the burbs and despite his ridiculous statements RER planning is continuing with the MoT saying he wanted is sped up

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Isn't there like 3x more service in the corridor than in the rest of the country combined? I doubt there'd be a use for that many diesel locos in the rest of the country after HFR corridor electrification. They'd have to sell them. Besides, the goal was for electrification to be rolled out across the corridor over time so they wanted dual-mode to allow them to take advantage of the electrified sections before the whole thing was completed.

It’s a non issue, even with HFR they still plan to service the current route. Even if that wasn’t the case the Chargers could be sold to a Us city for Commuter rail or Amtrak

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

It’s a non issue, even with HFR they still plan to service the current route. Even if that wasn’t the case the Chargers could be sold to a Us city for Commuter rail or Amtrak

I don't believe the locomotives need to be sold when conversion to electric poser takes place. The locomotives are supposed to be hybrids so that they can be converted to run on both diesel fuel or electricity without total swapping out the prime mover. This means the conversion of the rail lines to electricity can take place over a period of the time and the same locomotive will be able to operate under wire and/or under diesel fuel. This was one of the prerequisites of the contract. The locomotives are supposed to be similar to the Bombardier locomotives used by AMT in Montreal on both electrified and non-electrified lines.

[J.OT13]

Confederation Line update.

December 20, 2018
Construction updates

This will be the final construction update for 2018 as the year comes to a close. Weekly updates will recommence in January 2019. Construction and testing activities have progressed to the point of many stations across the alignment seeing finishing architectural works, electrical and mechanical finishing works underway. Guideway and testing activities continue to progress with trains running in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) between Blair and Tunney’s Pasture Stations.



West Stations

Tunney’s Pasture Station
Crews continue the mechanical and electrical finishing works.

Bayview Station
Finishing works continue and Multi-Use Pathway (MUP) lighting installations occur northeast of the station.

Pimisi Station
Miscellaneous mechanical and electrical finishing works are underway.



Central Stations

Lyon Station
Public art installation occurs. Testing and commissioning activities continue. Finishing works and final touch-ups are underway.

Parliament Station
Ceiling structure installations at the concourse progress, and platform-level artwork is installed. Finishing works and final touch-ups are underway while testing and commissioning activities are ongoing.



Rideau Station
The digital signband is installed at the platform. Finishing works and final touch-ups are underway while testing and commissioning activities are ongoing.

uOttawa Station
Final touch-ups are underway as testing and commissioning activities continue.



East Stations

Stations along the eastern alignment, including Lees, Hurdman, Tremblay, St-Laurent, Cyrville and Blair Station, are undergoing final touch-ups as testing and commissioning activities continue.



Guideway and Testing

Testing and commissioning is progressing at the western stations. New vehicles are being tested and introduced into the fleet.



Upcoming Construction Activities

In the coming weeks, the following construction activities are scheduled to occur:

• Installation of public art at Tremblay Station
• Advanced testing and commissioning of systems in the west
• Installation light standards along Nicholas Street by uOttawa Station
• Increased vehicle testing

https://www.ligneconfederationline.ca/news/construction-update-205/

[Nouvellecosse]

I've just realized why the new streetcars just never look as cool to me as the old CLRV and ALRVs even though I like their styling. You can't see their wheels! They look like big slugs or caterpillars or something rather than an actual railcar. Honestly the coolest and most interesting thing about streetcars is that they're basically miniature trains rolling down the middle of the street. It's unique from every other road vehicle from the smallest econobox to the largest artic bus or transport truck which all ride on rubber tires. Why try and hide it?

[gunnar777]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I've just realized why the new streetcars just never look as cool to me as the old CLRV and ALRVs even though I like their styling. You can't see their wheels! They look like big slugs or caterpillars or something rather than an actual railcar. Honestly the coolest and most interesting thing about streetcars is that they're basically miniature trains rolling down the middle of the street. It's unique from every other road vehicle from the smallest econobox to the largest artic bus or transport truck which all ride on rubber tires. Why try and hide it?

I wonder if it's a safety thing. Maybe it makes it less likely for a cyclist in particular to end up under the wheels.

[The Chemist]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

City Councillor for Rideau-Vanier, Mathieu Fleury posted a higher quality picture of Rideau. Worth re-posting. You'll see the rendering followed by the photograph.




https://twitter.com/MathieuFleury/status/1073965926570229760

Ceiling seems to have been value-engineered and the barriers are taller than originally depicted, white finishing on the wall seems a little different, otherwise pretty similar.

Underground stations were designed by IBI Group.

They also seem to have gone with a solid rail for the overhead power rather than wires as depicted in the rendering.

[White Pine]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I've just realized why the new streetcars just never look as cool to me as the old CLRV and ALRVs even though I like their styling. You can't see their wheels! They look like big slugs or caterpillars or something rather than an actual railcar. Honestly the coolest and most interesting thing about streetcars is that they're basically miniature trains rolling down the middle of the street. It's unique from every other road vehicle from the smallest econobox to the largest artic bus or transport truck which all ride on rubber tires. Why try and hide it?

That's because they're low floor trams. the stairs up to the interior of the CLRVs were hard to climb for some people.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Love that station!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

They also seem to have gone with a solid rail for the overhead power rather than wires as depicted in the rendering.

That's right; the underground sections (downtown tunnel and St-Laurent Station) have the solid rails as opposed to the wires.

[SkahHigh]

A few updates of the REM project. Things should really pick up in 2019.

Mont-Royal Station


by me on mtlurb

Doney Spur rail viaduct demolition (back in November)



Pillars over the A10 giving access to the South Shore terminal station



Elevated structure construction along the A40 in Pointe-Claire



Édouard-Montpetit Station



Temporary maintenance centre in Saint-Eustache

[MTLskyline]

The portion of the REM out past A30 is completely unnecessary. It should have headed east toward areas that have already been built up such as St. Hubert (or west toward the built up areas of La Prairie and Candiac) to support their densification. And the CAQ's idea of further extending the REM way out into the farthest reaches of the suburbs is a bit crazy. Not sure why we're encouraging sprawl into Quebec's best farmland.

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by MTLskyline

The portion of the REM out past A30 is completely unnecessary. It should have headed east toward areas that have already been built up such as St. Hubert (or west toward the built up areas of La Prairie and Candiac) to support their densification. And the CAQ's idea of further extending the REM way out into the farthest reaches of the suburbs is a bit crazy. Not sure why we're encouraging sprawl into Quebec's best farmland.

The stretch you're talking about is just 500m past the A30, where there's hardly any quality farmland. They needed someplace large where they could build a regional feeder station and a maintenance centre.

I'm not sure where it would be possible going East towards St-Hubert or West towards La Prarie/Candiac given there is nothing East of the 30. The rest is already built up, it's very difficult to implement an elevated rapid transit structure. Devimco is building more than 5,000 TOD units opposite the DIX30 so there will be densification and the creation of an employment hub.

The idea of going to Chambly is indeed very idiotic but the CAQ is suburb-oriented so no surprise there.

[The Chemist]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

That's right; the underground sections (downtown tunnel and St-Laurent Station) have the solid rails as opposed to the wires.

I'm not really sure what the advantages / disadvantages of the solid rail overhead rather than wires are. The Shanghai Metro runs almost entirely on overhead power (only two lines have third rail power), and some of them have overhead wires while others have the overhead solid rail. My guess is that there's basically no difference between the two.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by The Chemist

I'm not really sure what the advantages / disadvantages of the solid rail overhead rather than wires are. The Shanghai Metro runs almost entirely on overhead power (only two lines have third rail power), and some of them have overhead wires while others have the overhead solid rail. My guess is that there's basically no difference between the two.

According to Wikipedia, the rails allow for tighter clearance in tunnels. I imagine it's also easier to install and replace than wires.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overhead_line

[Treplow]

Originally Posted by ainvan

First new SkyTrain Mark III train enters testing routine in Vancouver

How will the Mark IIIs increase capacity on the Canada Line? Doesn't that line use completely different technogy/rail stock?

[Chadillaccc]

The Bombardier Innovia Metro 300 (Mark III) trains have nothing to do with the Canada Line. They will be on the Expo, Millennium, and Evergreen lines. The Canada Line uses a completely different technology, Hyundai Rotem EMU.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Treplow

How will the Mark IIIs increase capacity on the Canada Line? Doesn't that line use completely different technogy/rail stock?

I think you missed part of the article. They're ordering 12 new two-car Hyundai Rotems for the Canada Line.

"Six more trains (24 cars) will arrive in early-2019, and a second batch of seven trains (28 cars) will arrive by the end of the same year. Both batches of new trains for the Expo Line and Millennium Line will cost $210 million, while a separate order of 12 two-car trains for the Canada Line from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem will cost $88 million.

The new cars will increase capacity on the train systems significantly, with a 10% increase on the Expo Line, 23% increase for the Millennium Line, and 30% increase for the Canada Line."

http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-mark-iii-train-testing-december-2018

[caltrane74]

Ottawa looks like a big city with this system.

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

A few updates of the REM project. Things should really pick up in 2019.

Mont-Royal Station

Now that the Deux Montagnes line is closed and being torn down, does that mean that Canada is the only developed country in the world with zero kilometers of electrified mainline railroad?