ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Trust me, I'm all over that!

[kps]

ok so, who's adventurous enough to draw the full route on a map, as a piece of information for those of us that don't know it all?

Here is the likely route from the Millhaven testing grounds to the local thingy, extracted from the Ontario Railway Map Collection by Paul Delamere under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

[Canard]

Awesome job!

What's not entirely clear yet is if our train 1 will actually make a side trip to Millhaven or not. Metrolinx' pilot LRV's both have to go there, because there's nowhere else for Toronto to play with them, at the moment. But we have our own test track (Northfield-Erb/Caroline), so unless they go to Millahven for Bombardier's own internal sign off, I think they might be coming straight here from Thunder Bay.

Also: What, nobody's edited Google Maps to show the OMSF track layout yet?

[tomh009]

The Record article previously posted does raise a good point: how to coordinate snow removal from both the tracks and public roads (and subsequently where to put it). It sounds like lots of logistics are yet to be determined.  My concern is some boulevards along King (near CKCO for example) are almost nonexistent. Also the new concrete boulevard in front of Sun Life (briefly discussed earlier in this thread), isn't an ideal place to pile snow. Here's hoping it doesn't create any additional dangers for pedestrians/motorists along the route where limited space exists for the piling of snow.

They need coordination, but as far as the snow volume or where to put it, none of this is unique to the LRT.  Many streets don't have boulevards, including some rather wide ones.  Cities have solved this problem before, it's mainly the coordination that needs to be worked out.

[danbrotherston]

The Record article previously posted does raise a good point: how to coordinate snow removal from both the tracks and public roads (and subsequently where to put it). It sounds like lots of logistics are yet to be determined.  My concern is some boulevards along King (near CKCO for example) are almost nonexistent. Also the new concrete boulevard in front of Sun Life (briefly discussed earlier in this thread), isn't an ideal place to pile snow. Here's hoping it doesn't create any additional dangers for pedestrians/motorists along the route where limited space exists for the piling of snow.

They need coordination, but as far as the snow volume or where to put it, none of this is unique to the LRT.  Many streets don't have boulevards, including some rather wide ones.  Cities have solved this problem before, it's mainly the coordination that needs to be worked out.

Definitely no unique issues here, also, really no issues whatsoever.  The median between the trains is enormous, and the lanes are exceptionally wide in most places, there's plenty of snow storage space.  Moreso than on many roads.

[Canard]

What's not entirely clear yet is if our train 1 will actually make a side trip to Millhaven or not.  Metrolinx' pilot LRV's both have to go there, because there's nowhere else for Toronto to play with them, at the moment.  But we have our own test track (Northfield-Erb/Caroline), so unless they go to Millahven for Bombardier's own internal sign off, I think they might be coming straight here from Thunder Bay.

Train 1 is coming straight here from Thunder Bay.  Since the rest are being built in Millhaven anyway, they've got access to the MOVIA test track there on the North side of the property, if they need it.

So that's good, timetable-wise, anyway.

[ert86]

Curbs have finally been poured on Wilson Ave, also what looks like a new mall access.

[KevinT]

I keep wondering precisely where the flatcar will offload, even with ramps it seems hazardous to do so under catenary wiring.

Does the OMSF have a short piece of unwired track? Will they do it on the Waterloo spur beside the platforms at Northfield? Across Northfield?

Guess we find out at the open house tomorrow, assuming I'm not so dazed that I forget to ask...

[KevinT]

Here is the likely route from the Millhaven testing grounds to the local thingy, extracted from the Ontario Railway Map Collection by Paul Delamere under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Bombardier's been shipping to Toronto with CP though. If they do that for our vehicles it will come up from Cambridge past Freeport, Fairway, Ottawa/Mill etc. A lot of excellent viewing opportunities there, if we know when to look.

[urbd]

ok so, who's adventurous enough to draw the full route on a map, as a piece of information for those of us that don't know it all?

Here is the likely route from the Millhaven testing grounds to the local thingy, extracted from the Ontario Railway Map Collection by Paul Delamere under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Thanks a lot!!!! I was literally trying to follow the rails myself but totally lost my way. Thank you

[KevinL]

Sidewalks getting poured on Frederick today.

[Pheidippides]

Seems like a bit of a stretch...

"Healthy Foods and more" on Devitt/Bridgeport is citing LRT construction for causing it to shut down (and competition from big box stores):
http://www.570news.com/2016/11/24/lrt-co...-waterloo/

[Canard]

Yeah, I didn't want to dignify that with a post here because it's so bogus.

Without saying too much I can assure you that LRT construction had virtually nothing to do with that place closing.

(One could even argue that LRT construction gave them additional traffic passing by)

[Markster]

I moved within a block of that grocery 2 months ago, and haven't gone there yet.  If a friend hasn't randomly told me about it, I never would have known it existed, despite having walked right across the street from it several times.

And I don't think you can blame me. Would you guess that this is a grocery?
   

And not to mention, that this would have meant crossing a 4-lane Bridgeport Rd twice, without a crosswalk. Not exactly the nicest experience.

I think that roughly 0 blame should be put on LRT. They've been taken down by
1) Increased competition from other natural food stores (i.e. Vincenzo's)
2) Competition from across the street (Walmart, Sobey's)
3) Changing local demographics (More students, who are more price conscious)
3) Terrible street presence/access in a neighbourhood that is becoming increasingly pedestrian focused

[ijmorlan]

Yeah, I didn't want to dignify that with a post here because it's so bogus.

Without saying too much I can assure you that LRT construction had virtually nothing to do with that place closing.

(One could even argue that LRT construction gave them additional traffic passing by)

Agreed very much. Now if Central Fresh had closed I might have been forced to accept it as a victim of LRT.