ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

6/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
Ballasted track awaits tamping on the Huron Spur, at Borden.

   
The embedded track curve from Borden onto the Waterloo Spur hasn't received any attention for the past few weeks.

   

   
From the North: the massive King St. Grade Separation project.

   
When I'm on my bicycle (as I was here), I very much appreciate that the orange construction barrels have been removed! Normally they were stored on the roadway, reducing the effective width by about a metre. It's much more relaxing biking through here, now!

[Canard]

7/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
At long last, the first crossover components have appeared for the KCI crossover in midtown!

   

   
Platform edge rework for the CL-to-track issue at Allen.

   
That 12 km/h sign is going to drive my OCD nuts every time I pass by it. It's because of the curves (C12-3 and C12-4) immediately prior to it, but still... could we not have rounded this up or down to a nice nominal 5 km/h increment?

   
What's this I spy?

[Canard]

8/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
At long last: Track marches into the base of Uptown Waterloo!

   

   

   
The curb-pooper was busy pooping out curbs, too.

   
Further North: the Waterloo Spur, near the Perimeter Institute.

[Canard]

9/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
I'm not sure what these signs are attempting to communicate.  On one hand, this sign says to go to the other side, but then...

   
...this sign says to go to the other.  I'm a bit uncomfortable with these, because I see a lot of people already illegally trespassing on the tracks, here - these signs would seem to only encourage them to continue their illegal behaviour, implying that it's a valid pathway.  Just as I took these photos, some guy in a suit came strolling down the tracks.  This has got to stop!

   
Platform edge/rebar grounding rework completed at University of Waterloo.

   
Oh dear... R+T Park station started it's rework for the grounding issue in July.  It looks like it too is a casualty of the Rail-to-CL issue, because all that concrete they just finished repairing was being dug up again by about 8 guys.

   
This station just can't get a break!

[Canard]

10/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
I hate to sound negative, but I'm not really happy with how these pedestrian crossings turned out for trail crossings on the Waterloo Spur.  I hate to use the term, but they feel hostile.  I'm not sure what could be done to improve the look or feel of them.

   
Showing the new 6-lamp crossing lights - the two lamps facing the tracks are white, and indicate to train operators that the signal is in fact activated (they flash at the same time as the two red ones facing those wishing to cross).

   
Concrete rework complete at Seagram/Laurier/Waterloo Park.

   
Back to Kitchener; the King St. Grade Separation from the other side.

   
At Conestoga Terminal, here's how things look now without the army of workers covering up what they were doing!

[Canard]

11/11 - Saturday, October 15, 2016

   
I saved the best for last: the crossover at Conestoga!  I just love all the fixture work for securing this very complex piece of special trackwork.

   

[danbrotherston]

I hate to sound negative, but I'm not really happy with how these pedestrian crossings turned out for trail crossings on the Waterloo Spur.  I hate to use the term, but they feel hostile.  I'm not sure what could be done to improve the look or feel of them.


Showing the new 6-lamp crossing lights - the two lamps facing the tracks are white, and indicate to train operators that the signal is in fact activated (they flash at the same time as the two red ones facing those wishing to cross).

Hostile is exactly the word to use. You are not the only one to feel this way.

[Pheidippides]

Are these signals and lights and barriers only necessary because the line carries heavy freight rail or is it some other law? i.e. if it were a dedicated LRT right of way with no other train traffic would the same precautions be taken?

[danbrotherston]

Are these signals and lights and barriers only necessary because the line carries heavy freight rail or is it some other law? i.e. if it were a dedicated LRT right of way with no other train traffic would the same precautions be taken?

This was my thought, but as was pointed out to me, similar barriers and fences are in place along the Hydro Corridor which carries no freight.

[Smore]

Canard, some of those pics look like the rails turn down William St E!

[clasher]

There is a 65km/h speed along that stretch and electric trains are kinda quiet so that's probably part of the reason that they have those gates. Is there an off-the-shelf solution besides these kinds of gates?

[timio]

Lost-esque sonic barriers?

[KevinL]

Two separate issues.  The media is correct that the new platform rework that started in the past few weeks was for the distance to the rail CL.  They don't know about the grounding issue.

So here's what I don't get. if this new issue has nothing to do with the grounding of the rebar, why are they removing concrete so far back? Can't they just bring in a cutter and shave off those few errant millimetres?

[GtwoK]

I think most of the hostility comes form the fencing. If they were

A) not grey chianlink fences, or at least covered by some shrubs / trees, and
B) didn't have the 2 perpendicular pieces and the opening that look like they are "funnelling" people though,

it would look a lot nicer.

[danbrotherston]

There is a 65km/h speed along that stretch and electric trains are kinda quiet so that's probably part of the reason that they have those gates. Is there an off-the-shelf solution besides these kinds of gates?

On the other edge of the park there is a similar ROW that carries traffic often moving at 65 km/h and sometimes no noisier than the LRT.  It's called a road.

It has everything to do with the general railway regulations and nothing to do with the specific conditions and needs of this particular installation.