ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Viewfromthe42]

You could probably flip the middle stair segment from one side to the other, with a few changed bolts/welds, depending on what's holding it together. One obviously cheaper and quicker than the other.

[Canard]

As an engineer, I can tell you that while that sounds simple and easy in principle, that won't work here, for a number of reasons.

[timio]

As someone who is not an engineer, I recommend a super fun happy slide as the logical replacement for these stairs: https://youtu.be/NilkQeGsAVY

[Viewfromthe42]

Canard, we are the same type of engineer working in the exact same industry. Does it always work? No. Have I looked in great detail at that structure? No. Have I done exactly what I'm describing in similar situations? Yes. Does that mean it will or will not work here? I can't say for sure. The railing is the only clearly non-reversible element in the structure. The landings are both C-shaped, the stair segments don't have any directionality (to clockwise/counter-clockwise), and you could potentially shift the middle flight to the other side, while shifting the landings to that side as well. It is probably welded, meaning you would need to grind through a lot of weld (painful). The support column would need to be moved. Depending on how standardized a replacement could be, it might sadly be cheaper than repurposing. But please, Canard, be a little slower to whip to such judgements.

[panamaniac]

I know I already voted, but tear that overpass DOWN! It's brutal, even by Market Square standards.

[KevinL]

Frederick paving is continuing today, now across King and up Benton. King could open tomorrow or Saturday (and possibly Benton too).

[Canard]

Canard, we are the same type of engineer working in the exact same industry. Does it always work? No. Have I looked in great detail at that structure? No. Have I done exactly what I'm describing in similar situations? Yes. Does that mean it will or will not work here? I can't say for sure. The railing is the only clearly non-reversible element in the structure. The landings are both C-shaped, the stair segments don't have any directionality (to clockwise/counter-clockwise), and you could potentially shift the middle flight to the other side, while shifting the landings to that side as well. It is probably welded, meaning you would need to grind through a lot of weld (painful). The support column would need to be moved. Depending on how standardized a replacement could be, it might sadly be cheaper than repurposing. But please, Canard, be a little slower to whip to such judgements.

Sorry, Viewfromthe42,

In my experience, it would be far easier from an:

1. Engineering
   
2. Documentation
   
3. Certification
   
4. Logistics
   

...standpoint to simply demolish the existing staircase, and rebuild a new one at a clean "interface point" - in this example, cutting off at the door up above, and cutting flush with the roadway below. In the last 30 years, standards could have also significantly changed which would make reworking an existing structure far more complicated than simply building a new one from scratch.

Think, for example, of what happens when you hire a contractor to cut this apart and rework it. Who's certifying that his or her welds are safe? How do you even handle that?

I'm an engineer in industrial automation, though, so I have to defer to your judgement if you work in construction/"people structures" and do think it's very workable or worthwhile. I'd just hate to be the person responsible for managing that - because I can just imagine how horrible a can of worms that would be. Way easier to just start over. Material costs higher, sure, but labour hours for engineering & paperwork go way down.

[Viewfromthe42]

Yes, it probably legitimately is easier to scrap the whole thing. I'm also working in industrial automation. Really, I just like to reuse and adapt what's already there, rather than use something new. I always feel it's less wasteful, even if a fulsome analysis could show otherwise. I tend to try to design things more like lego, where you could more easily swap bits and pieces out and reconfigure them, like the idea for the Google ARA phone.

[KevinL]

So, are they going to be cutting a hole for the track like with Francis, or are they waiting until the spring, like with Allen?

We already have an answer on this - the asphalt put in yesterday was cut and extracted today. Quick work!

[Square]

I looked at that staircase today.  Looked all rusted and unsafe to me.  Also perfect timing for me, I got to see the TPSS arrive for Charles and Cedar street area.

[KevinL]

Afternoon shots of the paving - from the overpass itself!





And the rail gap being pulled out on the Duke intersection.

[p2ee]

Frederick paving is continuing today, now across King and up Benton. King could open tomorrow or Saturday (and possibly Benton too).

Latest update says the opening of King/Frederick and Frederick/Duke will be in late-December.

[Canard]

I believe it's just temporarily opening for the weekend for some parade.

[Viewfromthe42]

...King and Duke?

[KevinL]

Santa Claus Parade is tomorrow (on King).