02-27-2019, 01:18 PM
Sandbags are stand-in passengers for Ion testing
Quote:Ion trains are taking unusual passengers for a ride.https://www.therecord.com/news-story/919...n-testing/
Heaps of sandbags — the equivalent of a train's 200-passenger capacity — are loaded on as part of the ongoing testing of vehicles and light rail infrastructure.
"There's quite a few sandbags on there," said Brendon Simon, senior Ion project manager with the Region of Waterloo. "It fills up the train from end to end."
The sandbags simulate a full vehicle, giving the driver a feel for how it handles and brakes compared to travelling along the line when it's empty.
"The vehicle performs a big differently," Simon said. "It just gets that practice in."
The weighted train also tests out the infrastructure along the line, including the power supply to keep it moving along at the right speed.