King Street underpass at the transit hub

[BrianT]

They were working Saturday to take advantage of the weather.

[GtwoK]

Wow, those overhangs!

Is anybody else weirded out by the fact that this structure is going to be completely dug out underneath, yet this will remain in place, unmoving? It's sitting on dirt right now, but has the ability to completely suspend itself, something feels really unsettling about that to me.

[Canard]

It is pretty neat.

And yeah, those overhangs are awesome!

As a mechanical designer, I'm very curious what attachment points and so on they've tried to future-proof the platforms for, not having a station design in place at this point.

That view really makes it look like it's just one track with a platform on either side... not two or three tracks.

[jamincan]

I think that view is probably a bit deceptive as it kind of looks like an elevated platform on either side of the track, but I suspect it's actually a box girder design and the track level would be flush with the top.

[Canard]

Hmm, I see what you're saying, but I don't think that's the case. Have a look at the photos on page 11; you can see that the track portion is definitely sunk, and the two "flanges" on either side are meant to be passenger platforms.

[BrianT]

The sketches look like they have made provisions for a third track to be added in the future, just like Weber Street. http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/..._Part5.pdf

[kps]

The sketches look like they have made provisions for a third track to be added in the future, just like Weber Street. http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/..._Part5.pdf

Good find! (I looked for something like that, but the documents aren't searchable.)

[BrianT]

Top deck for the overpass. Looks like there's room for two tracks on the deck.


They will soon be digging out the King Street lanes.

[Canard]

Wow, great shots! How did you get so close? I've never been able to get that close, because of the fences. Are they down now?

[BrianT]

Wow, great shots! How did you get so close? I've never been able to get that close, because of the fences. Are they down now?

The fences were open today. Anyone could walk through. Just after I left, one of the longest freight trains that I've seen in a while went through. It was well over 100 cars.

[kps]

Removal of the dome foundations has begun.

   

[kps]

Today in the under(pass)world, they dug out an old retaining wall south of the tracks…

   

… while a rail crew assembled…

   

… a little isolated bit of track.

   

I wonder if it wants to be friends with the little isolated bit of track east of Duke.

[isUsername]

A third track certainly fits, but it seems like it would be a bit of a tight squeeze. Not enough for even a service laneway behind the Breithaupt Block, I think.

[kps]

A third track certainly fits, but it seems like it would be a bit of a tight squeeze. Not enough for even a service laneway behind the Breithaupt Block, I think.

It fits (after all, you can see the old abandoned siding underneath) but it's clearly even more temporary than the temporary track, if that's where it's staying, since there isn't even a token attempt at ballast.

I *think* the rail right of way extends right up to the edge of the Breithaupt Block building.

[isUsername]

I know that the track is temporary, but I believe that the design is supposed to allow for an eventual third track.

It seems you're right about the right of way.