ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Yeah, that was my first thought, too.

Trying to get an update if it left Alliston early this morning or not. If it did, it'll be coming up this route today, likely as far as the yard off Courtland. If not, it'll be tomorrow. Has anyone heard anything otherwise?

[Canard]

Just got word it's still in Alliston, leaving on CP 235 about 3am. So it'll be there all day (Spence Yard, just south of Alliston).

[kps]

Cambridge is getting an LRT! Take that, nay-sayers!

Even a couple miles overlap with “LRT phase 0”. Would be neat to get an update of one of the old postcards…

   
   

[isUsername]

Won't "Ion Phase 1" discussion be included with Grand River Transit once it's actually operational? We only have one transit system.

In any case, though, Phase 1 and Phase 2 should be separated for Markster's reason above, that they are in completely different stages of implementation. The types of discussion during EA and route selection are very different than when the system is about to be commissioned.

Echoing my support for a separate thread. Is there any opposition?

[urbd]

Won't "Ion Phase 1" discussion be included with Grand River Transit once it's actually operational? We only have one transit system.

In any case, though, Phase 1 and Phase 2 should be separated for Markster's reason above, that they are in completely different stages of implementation. The types of discussion during EA and route selection are very different than when the system is about to be commissioned.

Echoing my support for a separate thread. Is there any opposition?

I agree. It should be a separate threat given the very different stages they are at.

[Canard]

...so I'm standing staring straight at our brand new train

[JoeKW]

Can't wait for pics

[Canard]

Decided to take a drive up to Alliston, Ontario today to see our first train! It was here all day at the Spence Yard, just south of Alliston. Rumour has it that it'll leave here sometime tonight.

Standard disclaimer: All photos taken from public property (11th Line). Finally got to give my 600mm lens a good workout!

   

   

   

   

[Rainrider22]

Decided to take a drive up to Alliston, Ontario today to see our first train! It was here all day at the Spence Yard, just south of Alliston. Rumour has it that it'll leave here sometime tonight.

Standard disclaimer: All photos taken from public property (11th Line). Finally got to give my 600mm lens a good workout!


Did anyone doubt you would be the first to get a pic or set your eyes on it???

Thanks for all your effort

I hope you are able to document it's home coming 

[Canard]

Thanks, Rainrider! The next few days will be challenging, for sure. There's going to be a lot of shuffling around and I don't think it's going to be so easy to track... but, a big, shiny new train in Cambridge should be fairly easy to spot! I just wish we knew with a little more certainty when exactly things will be happening. I didn't realize just how "dynamic" and "flexible" the whole freight industry is.

1/2 Monday, February 20, 2017

Here are just a few more photos from today - I've tried to just pick and choose a couple as so not to flood the forum too much (sorry!).

   
At the Fairway terminus, things are shaping up great.

   
Both anchor walls and canopy structures are up.  There are snap lines installed for lining up the glass, so I'm sure they're getting to install those panels very soon.

   
Here's a tamper and ballast sweeper on Courtland.

   
A crew was out today on Courtland, installing tensioner weights inside the towers at the end of the OCS segments.

   
Easy does it!

[Canard]

2/2 - Monday, February 20, 2017

   
Block Line station. It's hard to tell, but this platform is very, very steep! It's most noticeable when driving by on Courtland.

   
Hayward is a beast. Pinned with embedded track curves at either end, it's ballasted track, with two deck-plate crossings. I really can't help but wonder why they didn't just make this entire stretch embedded. Trucking in a tamper here every time they need to do some touch-up alignment on this short segment is going to be a real pain in the butt.

   
Huron Spur, from Hayward.

   
Huron Spur, from the end of Overland. I know it looks like I took this from inside the tunnel - I assure you, I didn't! Just zoomed in from the turnaround loop there at the end of the road.

   
Huron Spur, looking back toward Hayward.

[DHLawrence]

Cambridge is getting an LRT! Take that, nay-sayers!

And as usual, we're losing it to Kitchener

[Bob_McBob]

CTV is now reporting on the Metrolinx CEO comments about our first LRV being shipped incomplete. No information whatsoever of course, leading to usual rampant speculation and anti-LRT sentiment on Facebook.

Does anyone have any more information about what is "incomplete" with our first LRV and whether we were expecting to receive a prototype that would need refurbishment before use? Considering how far off the official unveiling is, it seems like officials were expecting this.

http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId...tPageNum=1

[Canard]

They need to be fitted with signaling and control equipment specific to our system - this was always the plan, from day one. Rolling off the flatbed, no, it won't be able to run down the tracks instantly. It'll take a few weeks to a month or two before we see it out on the line. Bombardier will be here on-site for the duration of power-up finishing off controls software and so on.

Metrolinx, on the other hand, won't take delivery of the Pilot, because they have nowhere to run it. If Bombardier started delivering their vehicles tomorrow, they'd be completely screwed.

Metrolinx has completely screwed this up and is trying to save face by throwing Bombardier under the bus. They gave no clear direction on what the Pilot should be or do: Just, "Build us a train and we'll tell you then what we want changed". From a manufacturer's perspective, this is a catastrophically inefficient and expensive way to work. It would be better for them to stay involved at all phases of development, but they won't do it.

Metrolinx only needs about 100 vehicles for projects under construction. But they have 182 on order. They are, in my eyes, simply looking for any legal way possible with the best optics for them to get out of the order (or reduce it in scope somehow).

As usual, media chooses to go for the sensational report, by using the delivery of our first train as the method by which to drum up more anger and hate.

Have a read through this thread, starting here.

[Markster]

Phase 2 has been split into its own thread:
http://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/s...hp?tid=683
I'd make it sticky like the main ION thread... but something seems to be slightly broken with the moderation tools at the moment.