ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[urbd]

Anyone know if there is any testing happening today or tomorrow?

Wouldn't it be safe to assume that from now on testing will be happening almost every single day?

[timc]

I saw a train crossing Columbia heading north on my way into work this morning.

[JCnb]

Something I am beginning to notice as I regularly encounter an LRV turning to or from Northfeild:

Once the train has cleared the intersection and is either heading back down the spur or down Northfeild, once the crossing lights turn off and the gates come up, the pedestrian crossing lights remain red for a few seconds longer. Each and every-time, at least a dozen or so vehicles proceed through the red light before it turns green. This only affects the north/eastbound side of Northfeild.

Since the red light is only activated in addition to the crossing signals i.e. not a pedestrian crossing as the south/westbound side of Northfeild is still flowing, would a timing adjustment make sense here? Drivers are clearly only focusing on the gates coming up and not seeing that the traffic light is still red...

EDIT: This happened this morning therefore yes, ION is testing today

[KevinT]

Once the train has cleared the intersection and is either heading back down the spur or down Northfeild, once the crossing lights turn off and the gates come up, the pedestrian crossing lights remain red for a few seconds longer. Each and every-time, at least a dozen or so vehicles proceed through the red light before it turns green. This only affects the north/eastbound side of Northfeild.

Since the red light is only activated in addition to the crossing signals i.e. not a pedestrian crossing as the south/westbound side of Northfeild is still flowing, would a timing adjustment make sense here? Drivers are clearly only focusing on the gates coming up and not seeing that the traffic light is still red...

I noticed this at the University Ave crossing on two separate occasions a few weeks ago, and there the pedestrian signal continued to block both pedestrians and cars for an extended period of time, like 3 or 4 extra minutes.

There's clearly integration between the rail signals box and the street signals box, but they're probably under two different jurisdictions which means getting it sorted out is going to be painful.  I fear that each side will simply finger point to the other before grudgingly agreeing to sit down together and work it out.  Hopefully that won't be the case.

I tried calling the region to report the University one, but all they would say is 'testing is active in that area'.  Not even a thank you, or a "we'll take that under advisement". 

[Canard]

Anyone know if there is any testing happening today or tomorrow?

Wouldn't it be safe to assume that from now on testing will be happening almost every single day?

No, there was no testing on... Tuesday I think.

[danbrotherston]

Something I am beginning to notice as I regularly encounter an LRV turning to or from Northfeild:

Once the train has cleared the intersection and is either heading back down the spur or down Northfeild, once the crossing lights turn off and the gates come up, the pedestrian crossing lights remain red for a few seconds longer. Each and every-time, at least a dozen or so vehicles proceed through the red light before it turns green. This only affects the north/eastbound side of Northfeild.

Since the red light is only activated in addition to the crossing signals i.e. not a pedestrian crossing as the south/westbound side of Northfeild is still flowing, would a timing adjustment make sense here? Drivers are clearly only focusing on the gates coming up and not seeing that the traffic light is still red...

EDIT: This happened this morning therefore yes, ION is testing today

Even better, train gates at all ped crossings

You're right, it totally makes sense to sync them up.

[trainspotter139]

[Spokes]

I would hope they would test every day. If trains need X hours of testing, every day that they don't test is another day that operations is pushed back is it not?

[Canard]

Thanks, I was just asking. I work insane hours and can’t always have the radio on and it’s very rare I get to slip away to watch the fun. Still very much a magical unicorn to me.

[plam]

I noticed this at the University Ave crossing on two separate occasions a few weeks ago, and there the pedestrian signal continued to block both pedestrians and cars for an extended period of time, like 3 or 4 extra minutes.

There's clearly integration between the rail signals box and the street signals box, but they're probably under two different jurisdictions which means getting it sorted out is going to be painful.  I fear that each side will simply finger point to the other before grudgingly agreeing to sit down together and work it out.  Hopefully that won't be the case.

I tried calling the region to report the University one, but all they would say is 'testing is active in that area'.  Not even a thank you, or a "we'll take that under advisement". 

I think that's been fixed? I was checking how long the gates and signals were blocking this week and it seemed just right.

[JJTL]

Just finished a late lunch at the Duke Food Block and within a less than 30 min span I saw 3 different trains out. Last one I saw was 511. Before that might have been 507 or 505. Certainly looks like lots of activity today.

[tomh009]

Just finished a late lunch at the Duke Food Block and within a less than 30 min span I saw 3 different trains out. Last one I saw was 511. Before that might have been 507 or 505. Certainly looks like lots of activity today.

I saw 505, 507 and 509 yesterday. The odd trains are definitely doing more testing!

[JJTL]

Just finished a late lunch at the Duke Food Block and within a less than 30 min span I saw 3 different trains out. Last one I saw was 511. Before that might have been 507 or 505. Certainly looks like lots of activity today.

I saw 505, 507 and 509 yesterday. The odd trains are definitely doing more testing!

Oh for sure! Trains 5, 7 and 11 I saw today are... prime...examples of that   .

[trainspotter139]

Just finished a late lunch at the Duke Food Block and within a less than 30 min span I saw 3 different trains out. Last one I saw was 511. Before that might have been 507 or 505. Certainly looks like lots of activity today.

I saw 505, 507 and 509 yesterday. The odd trains are definitely doing more testing!

The even-numbered trains (506 & 508) I think are unavailable for testing at the moment.

[KevinT]

I noticed this at the University Ave crossing on two separate occasions a few weeks ago, and there the pedestrian signal continued to block both pedestrians and cars for an extended period of time, like 3 or 4 extra minutes.

There's clearly integration between the rail signals box and the street signals box, but they're probably under two different jurisdictions which means getting it sorted out is going to be painful.  I fear that each side will simply finger point to the other before grudgingly agreeing to sit down together and work it out.  Hopefully that won't be the case.

I tried calling the region to report the University one, but all they would say is 'testing is active in that area'.  Not even a thank you, or a "we'll take that under advisement". 

I think that's been fixed? I was checking how long the gates and signals were blocking this week and it seemed just right.

Glad to hear it.  I know from the radio that they were doing signal timings in the University area earlier this week with 511, I think the Automatic Train Protection signalling is layered on top of traditional rail predictors, so where before they were dialing in the traditional system which will probably remain as backup, now they're dialing in the stuff based on communicated train positions and speeds.  That should give us a much tighter system, a boon to car drivers when the LRV headways are short during peak time.