Not sure where the original discussion was, but this is an OK thread for an update: I was pleased to notice this evening that the operation of the signal on King at the Spur Line has been corrected. When the pedestrian signal to cross King is activated, the LRT no longer gets a proceed signal, and the pedestrian signal along the sidewalk remains on the walking person indication. I’d love to know the details of (a) how it got set up wrong in the first place, and (b) exactly what had to be done to fix it. But regardless, it seems somebody is looking out for minor issues and corrections are still being made.
I’ll be interested to see if pedestrians will always get a walking person to cross King when the LRT comes, even if the button has not been pressed.
(02-05-2018, 10:43 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure where the original discussion was, but this is an OK thread for an update: I was pleased to notice this evening that the operation of the signal on King at the Spur Line has been corrected. When the pedestrian signal to cross King is activated, the LRT no longer gets a proceed signal, and the pedestrian signal along the sidewalk remains on the walking person indication. I’d love to know the details of (a) how it got set up wrong in the first place, and (b) exactly what had to be done to fix it. But regardless, it seems somebody is looking out for minor issues and corrections are still being made.
I’ll be interested to see if pedestrians will always get a walking person to cross King when the LRT comes, even if the button has not been pressed.
Well thank goodness for that. I would also like to know (a)....it was basically training people to ignore crossings.
The light at Moore is similarly broken.
(02-03-2018, 12:30 AM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]Another tent popped up across from the existing one outside Famoso Pizza in uptown; basically both ends of the curve:
It occurred to me this evening that the ends are the spiral parts of the curve. I wonder if there is a greater chance of error on those parts? Are the other curve re-work areas at the ends of curves?
Re:Isn't a ground a ground? Why can't they share a ground?
The rails aren't superconductors, although their resistance is low it's still a resistance, so if the vehicle draws a few hundred amps of current through them they will develop a voltage between where they are grounded at the substation and where the vehicle is touching them in accordance with ohms law. That's the reason for the rubber boots, to ensure that they ground out only at the intended point at the substation connection, so that nearby pipes and structures don't pick up current from an unintended ground path and galvanicly corrode as a result. Now imagine the skimpy little signal wires from a DC signalling circuit providing an unintended ground path for hundreds of amps. Not good...
(02-06-2018, 12:19 AM)KevinT Wrote: [ -> ]Re:Isn't a ground a ground? Why can't they share a ground?
The rails aren't superconductors, although their resistance is low it's still a resistance, so if the vehicle draws a few hundred amps of current through them they will develop a voltage between where they are grounded at the substation and where the vehicle is touching them in accordance with ohms law. Â That's the reason for the rubber boots, to ensure that they ground out only at the intended point at the substation connection, so that nearby pipes and structures don't pick up current from an unintended ground path and galvanicly corrode as a result. Â Now imagine the skimpy little signal wires from a DC signalling circuit providing an unintended ground path for hundreds of amps. Â Not good...
Ah, that does make sense. I had figured they would have it regularly grounded along the length of the rail.
Two iON related observations today:
1) E/B Ottawa St (N/B by Kitchener Compass) at Mill. I was in the left lane to continue E/B on Ottawa. When the light went green, I proceeded, and a pickup truck blew past me in the right line (marked for right turns onto Mill only), then continued driving on the unplowed tracks. He stayed there for a few blocks until there was a visible pylon in the centre of his "lane" and he merged over.
So since the iON going N/B isn't controlled by railway signals, and the only protection is a NO RIGHT TURN LED... There seems to be nothing to stop Captain "Jump-The-Light" from smashing into the side of a train.
2) WRPS had a cruiser in the s/b tracks on Caroline at Allen... there was an SUV parked there and a guy with a large caliper like device measuring track. This is at a curve as well, so maybe we might have to expect a pop-up tent....
Coke
I can't wait to see how people blame Bombardier for bad track geometry.
Is it safe to say temperature has some influence on the aberrations that are being discovered? I imagine the recent cold might have caused a certain amount of shift in areas that were not perfectly aligned originally...
Maybe, but my bet is someone different this time is holding the tape measure...
In other fun news, it’s now public: Millhaven is getting in on the TTC Flexity Outlook action! New test track is being installed, and at least one production bay in the new hall will be dedicated to them. They are also (finally) getting a rail connection to the freight spur (being installed now).
(02-07-2018, 09:12 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe, but my bet is someone different this time is holding the tape measure...
In other fun news, it’s now public: Millhaven is getting in on the TTC Flexity Outlook action! New test track is being installed, and at least one production bay in the new hall will be dedicated to them. They are also (finally) getting a rail connection to the freight spur (being installed now).
Millhaven didn’t have a rail siding? Did they truck the vehicles a short distance and then transfer them to the flat car outside of the facility? This seems surprising!
(02-07-2018, 09:39 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ]Millhaven didn’t have a rail siding? Did they truck the vehicles a short distance and then transfer them to the flat car outside of the facility? This seems surprising!
That's exactly what they did, the vehicles were transferred from a truck onto the flatcar parked on a siding about 300 metres east of the plant on the corner of Taylor Kidd Blvd. and Jim Snow Rd. Here's the pic I got of 504 on her loading day, unfortunately I didn't get there in time to observe the operation:
![[Image: 23899348197_bccb23f3c9_b.jpg]](https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/23899348197_bccb23f3c9_b.jpg)
If you look on Google Maps' satellite view, you can see the empty bed for the track to Bombardier (above Direct Coil Inc.) that's being re-layed:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.2138012,-...!1e3?hl=en
Mike Farwell reported on 570 News this morning that testing from Erb Caroline to Fairview Park Mall was to begin today, weather permitting, and take several days for the vehicle to get all the way there and back. He doesn't think it will happen with today's weather and on the face of it I'm inclined to agree with him.
That said, although the south yard gate wasn't open at the OMSF this morning when I drove by around 10:00 a.m., there was a Mass. Electric Construction Co. truck (GrandLinq's electrical contractor) parked at the Bearinger Rd substation along with a police cruiser, so perhaps it will...
(02-07-2018, 11:56 AM)KevinT Wrote: [ -> ] (02-07-2018, 09:39 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ]Millhaven didn’t have a rail siding? Did they truck the vehicles a short distance and then transfer them to the flat car outside of the facility? This seems surprising!
That's exactly what they did, the vehicles were transferred from a truck onto the flatcar parked on a siding about 300 metres east of the plant on the corner of Taylor Kidd Blvd. and Jim Snow Rd. Â Here's the pic I got of 504 on her loading day, unfortunately I didn't get there in time to observe the operation:
If you look on Google Maps' satellite view, you can see the empty bed for the track to Bombardier (above Direct Coil Inc.) that's being re-layed:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.2138012,-...!1e3?hl=en
This kind of blew my mind.... So odd that the company that makes rail vehicles is the only company in that area without a rail connection....
Coke
Does that mean they will be using the SB Caroline route both ways rather than the King St route for the Uptown section? The hoarding is still up in Uptown Square, is it not?
If it takes a few days to get down there, might they be hopeful its corrected for the return trip? Or will they wait until its fixed and do NB route both ways?
Saw a Purolator truck parked on the tracks by Allen.... I REALLY HOPE the Grandlinq team has a tow truck and police/by-law officer leading the parade....
Coke