ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[bgb_ca]

Making it a little harder for motorists not to notice the tracks in Uptown:

Won't stop them. The other day I saw a vehicle pop out between King Street trio and earthwinds. Plus the hundreds of cars I've seen going down the tracks to and from the parking lot. I think the only thing that will stop them is a severe tire damage spike, and even then I doubt it will work.

[danbrotherston]

Making it a little harder for motorists not to notice the tracks in Uptown:

Won't stop them. The other day I saw a vehicle pop out between King Street trio and earthwinds. Plus the hundreds of cars I've seen going down the tracks to and from the parking lot. I think the only thing that will stop them is a severe tire damage spike, and even then I doubt it will work.

More confusing is why they chose to encourage this with a roll curb instead of a barrier curb.

[Square]

Red Light Cameras, but give tickets for driving in the do not enter areas, lol

[ijmorlan]

Making it a little harder for motorists not to notice the tracks in Uptown:

Won't stop them. The other day I saw a vehicle pop out between King Street trio and earthwinds. Plus the hundreds of cars I've seen going down the tracks to and from the parking lot. I think the only thing that will stop them is a severe tire damage spike, and even then I doubt it will work.

Automatic retracting bollards between the rails. Hook them into the railway the same as a normal crossing: when crossing gates would be active, lower the bollards. One on each side would pretty thoroughly block off the freight track from motor vehicle traffic. If needed, put normal permanent bollards on either side of the track, as close as possible without infringing on the freight loading gauge.

[Square]

I guess 508 coming here will give us seven sets here, and another seven at Bombardier, so the work for the equipment install can be balanced between the two locations. And I am going to assume that the "specialized" equipment (isn't most of the equipment on our LRT specialized anyway?) hasn't arrived yet so its install hasn't started yet.

What's the correct term for this "specialized equipment" that we are waiting for? Signaling and communication equipment? Something else?

The Kitchener Today article said that only 4 vehicles are getting the specialized equipment installed at Kingston, the first being delivered late summer/August 30.

[Canard]

...and that number may drop still further.

My inkling is that the system the Region/GrandLinq selected still hasn’t completely arrived (some components have) and they’re now at the point they realize they simply need to have getting the vehicles physically here trump everything else.

Tbe correct formal term is Specialized Equipment. I had previously been referring to it as the In-Cab Signaling System, since that is a major part of it... but it is not the only part. That is now the term used by everyone involved in the project.

To your comment, Tom - no, our vehicles are the “Standard” FLEXITY Freedom... or as Standard as Bombardier could develop it, with what little input Metrolinx finally provided for what they wanted. Remember: these vehicles were a variant of the FLEXITY 2 from Europe, customized for Canada’s weather, with the understanding that building 182 of them for Toronto’s many LRT lines would enable Metrolinx to help design the vehicle to what suited them.

[tomh009]

OK, thanks. To me that's such an opaque term, it could be almost anything. Even "system-specific equipment" would be better for me. But if that's what everyone wants to call it, then "specialized equipment" it is.

[Canard]

I guess it’s the industry term. I also hate “bottom bracket” and “saddle”. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It’s worth noting (I think) that they didn’t select Bombardier’s own system - developed in Kingston, no less... which absolutely boggles my mind. Why they’re shooting themselves in the foot with this, I don’t know.

[JoeKW]

Was Metrolinx obligated to provide this equipment? Can they be held liable?

[Canard]

   

[KevinT]

Was Metrolinx obligated to provide this equipment?  Can they be held liable?

At the very least they were obligated to spec it, but didn't bother as they were trying to dump Bombardier altogether. (They lost that battle in court and still have to take half of the original vehicle order at a higher unit cost than before, our unit cost didn't change.)  Bombardier can't call Metrolinx out as they're still a major customer for the remaining half of the vehicles plus loads of GO Bi-level cars, and I suspect the region won't dare call them out as they still want/need provincial money for phase 2.  The province chipping in half the cost to the region for extending the system commissioning contracts was probably a backroom settlement / admission of guilt for the trouble they caused us.  (That's pure conjecture on my part as I have no inside information. Sure wish that I did!)

[trainspotter139]

It would seem Bombardier is sending us 2 at once. KevinT spotted them while from Via #64 while passing through the Millhaven area https://www.facebook.com/groups/81680629...490384051/

[Rainrider22]

Has there been any testing of trains on the streets lately ? It seems very quiet...

[jason897]

Has there been any testing of trains on the streets lately ? It seems very quiet...

506 is out testing today, at this moment they are heading up to Uptown from Borden area. They were not out Friday, but should be out most days for the next while doing more testing/operator training.

[bgb_ca]

It would seem Bombardier is sending us 2 at once. KevinT spotted them while from Via #64 while passing through the Millhaven area https://www.facebook.com/groups/81680629...490384051/

So Wednesday or Thursday for delivery up the spur?