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ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit
(12-18-2015, 11:17 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Oh wow, are the Northbound tracks crossing Caroline from the Waterloo parking lot already in? Didn't think they'd repave it until those were done!

There's a large amount of track reconfiguration that needs to be done before the Erb/Caroline intersection will be in it's final configuration It's going to be a huge job when it happens. This is just the original spur line with temporary ties around it for the winter now that they've finished utility work in the area.
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I always use Park and Ride when visiting other cities and riding their systems downtown. I love Park and Ride, it's perfect for visitors to the region who might be apprehensive about driving and parking downtown. Sure most commuters might not use them, but some might, if a monthly pass for ion is less than their monthly parking bill at their office.

Caroline/Bridgeport/Erb is draging on foreverrrrrrrrr! Wish they could just finish that one up. I thought for sure the guys who did Benton/Charles would be jumping over there next. Sounds like it might be summer 2016 before its finished.

Had a dream last night the maintenance facility had an open house and they got Bombardier to send us one almost-completed train to run up and down the spur for rides. The wheel farings were off and I could see the bogie geometry and motors and brake discs and I got all excited and was taking pictures and then I woke up completely depressed because that's still a year away. Sad
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(12-19-2015, 07:39 AM)Canard Wrote: Caroline/Bridgeport/Erb is draging on foreverrrrrrrrr! Wish they could just finish that one up. I thought for sure the guys who did Benton/Charles would be jumping over there next. Sounds like it might be summer 2016 before its finished.

Unlike the other Spur Line crossings that were pretty much 1:1 track replacement, Caroline / Erb is a whole re-configuration and involves much more than just the intersection.  The new northbound tracks will need to be in place through Waterloo Park, and the spur will need to be re-located the entire stretch between King and Erb/Caroline.  Likely they'll have to run to the new track alignment through the former parking areas of WTS first before reconfiguring the King St. end and Erb St. intersections in long weekend push.

See diagram here:

[Image: wbwF5fB.jpg]
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Just discovered these this morning and couldn't stop grinning.  It's the little things that really make something special.

   

   
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Oh, that is brilliant.
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Disappointed those covers weren't made in Canada. 

The little logo on top reminded me of something purely Canadian though.

[Image: SGpnJR4.jpg]
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Well, maybe there isn't a Canadian manufacturer of custom manhole covers.
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This looks a bit more complex than a manhole cover - it's actually bolted down at four points and I think is a bit smaller. This particular item may be trickier than a Canadian foundry could produce (or Grandlinq couldn't find one that was cost-effective).
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Northbound Track is now in place along the Spur!

   
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From behind Albert McCormic Arena, and at Quiet Place, some more shots of the Northbound track:

   

   

   

   
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Research & Technology:

   

   

   

Work along Caroline:

   

   
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Caroline, continued:

   

   

   

   

And one final shot of Borden, almost completely rebuilt.

   
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(12-20-2015, 12:52 PM)KevinL Wrote: This looks a bit more complex than a manhole cover - it's actually bolted down at four points and I think is a bit smaller. This particular item may be trickier than a Canadian foundry could produce (or Grandlinq couldn't find one that was cost-effective).

Noooo. There are plenty of Canadian operations that can handle orders plenty more complicated than this. You may well be right about the "cost-effective" part, though. This East Jordan company apparently specializes in exactly this, so maybe not surprising that it could do it cheaper than a local alternative.

The U.S. is permitted to include "Made in America" provisions in infrastructure contracts, but unfortunately for us to do it would contravene NAFTA.
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The Record's view: Out of a sad loss, new hopes rise at the former Schneiders factory in Kitchener
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(12-20-2015, 11:57 AM)Canard Wrote: Just discovered these this morning and couldn't stop grinning.  It's the little things that really make something special.

Great future for ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit.  Your post on this find was number 2500 in this thread.   Big Grin
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