ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[jason897]

Just FYI, there will be Testing & Training today on the alignment, starting at 10am!

Spokes, get out there!

Today's got to be my day!!

And you can go gawk at the two new arrivals at Lancaster 

[Canard]

You mean these two round bois?

   

   

   

   

The one marked "16" should be 514, and the one with no marking must be 501!

[jason897]

You mean these two round bois?









The one marked "16" should be 514, and the one with no marking must be 501!

I guess the yellow tape is 501's marking

[danbrotherston]

So, I watched a train go through Northfield back down onto the spur, SB. The arms went up, but the lights stayed on. A GrandLinq crew was doing some concrete work nearby with a WRPS car protecting them, and they all ignored the problem and didn’t direct traffic. The cop sat in the car looking at her phone.

Then I heard on the radio that the signals at Beranger were also stuck, due to an NB LRV.

Then I heard GRT saying that all the traffic lights were messed up at Conestoga area, because of the LRV.

How is it that after a year of testing with vehicles, this is not figured out?

This is like 70 year old technology. How is this still happening?!

Are we the next Edmonton?

This! I'm willing to give a fair bit of benefit of the doubt to the experts, but at a certain point, I'm starting to lose faith.

[KevinL]

All fourteen are in the Region, if not fully delivered. Great to know.

[Canard]

1/2 - Saturday, December 1, 2018

   

   

   

   

   

[Canard]

2/2 - Saturday, December 1, 2018

   

   

   

   

   

[jamincan]

I forget if it was ever explained, but does anyone know why they raised the tracks so high on the Northfield bridge? It seems it would add a lot of extra weight on the bridge, and I can't think of what the benefit would be.

[danbrotherston]

I forget if it was ever explained, but does anyone know why they raised the tracks so high on the Northfield bridge? It seems it would add a lot of extra weight on the bridge, and I can't think of what the benefit would be.

They're on ballast there right?  I would assume the ballast needs a certain depth, which is usually dug into the ground, but over the bridge, there is obviously a floor.

[trainspotter139]

I forget if it was ever explained, but does anyone know why they raised the tracks so high on the Northfield bridge? It seems it would add a lot of extra weight on the bridge, and I can't think of what the benefit would be.

They made a decision to use ballasted track instead of replaceable ballast-less track (like they use at the two double crossovers) with expansion joints to reduce long-term maintenance costs as the ballasted track would be more flexible as the temperature changes. It's heavier than ballast-less track but easier to correct deficiencies that will happen over time by just running a tamper over it whereas the expansion joints will wear on ballast-less track resulting in a need for more frequent rail replacement (not to mention the ride over the bridge will be smoother).

[KevinT]

My assumption has always been that they couldn't drill into the bridge to set pandrol clips for fixed track because it would compromise the structure, and that pouring an additional layer of concrete would weigh more than ties and ballast. Has there been an actual statement from a project engineer about smoothness and expansion allotment?

[Canard]

There are no expansion joints - in fact, I can't think of a single expansion joint on the entire system anywhere, and I've essentially crawled over the entire system for the past 4 years!  I specifically noticed the ones in Cincinnati, on some sections of their streetcar which was built over an existing parking structure/highway, because they looked so alien to me.  If anyone can find one and take a photo of it, I'd love to see it!

The ballasted track was chosen to specifically avoid needing expansion joints, and because of mass (it's lighter than the embedded track slab that would have otherwise been required), which saved them rebuilding the bridge from scratch.  The convex bow in the bridge profile, plus the somewhat flexible ballast, makes expansion joints unnecessary.

(Safety disclaimer - I took these photos early on a weekend morning, shortly after construction had wrapped up in the area - obviously don't head out there now!

   
Here you can see the interface between the ballasted and embedded track - it's welded.

   
The extra piece of rail is simply a restraining rail, for safety.

   
Conventional ballasted track over the top - you can see the convex bow in this shot very well.  If the bridge were flat, this technique wouldn't have worked.

[KevinL]

If you take switches, gauntlets and crossovers out of the equation, the rails are essentially four very long strips of steel. It's amazing how modern metallurgy keeps them the same length despite our seasonal temperature swings.

[plam]

This is like 70 year old technology. How is this still happening?!

Are we the next Edmonton?

I think that one of the operators told me that the FIE talks to the crossing (presumably to reduce arms-down time to a minimum?). The FIE is decidedly not 70 year old technology; I bet it hasn't seen its last software upgrade yet. I don't say this with 100% confidence, but I'm reasonably sure that this is the case.

[Canard]

Of the two vehicles out yesterday, one had it, one didn't (512 and 507), so I suppose there was a glitch with either of them that hadn't yet been sorted.

@Spokes, if you didn't see any action yesterday, I just happened to flip on the radio and heard 506 and 510 getting ready to go for the day! If you really really want to see one, I'd suggest parking at Seagram and going for a walk down the Central Promenade to Erb/Caroline and back - with the time that takes, you'll almost certainly see at least one pass by.

Edit - 511 is already out, just passed Green!

Edit 2 - 510 isn't feeling so well, so only 511 and 506.