ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[tomh009]

Also, it feels lonely here without Canard. It's pretty sad that he left this forum mere weeks before launch date. It would be nice to hear his thoughts at this stage of the project and after opening.

I think he has even stopped posting to the LRT group on FB.

[tomh009]

Some Canard content for the day:

[KevinL]

The crossing lights at Northfield clearly still need some work. They activated before a northbound train has finished pulling into the station, and when it stopped at the platform and didn't proceed, they turned off. So a full cycle of lights and arms for nothing.

[Acitta]

Also, it feels lonely here without Canard. It's pretty sad that he left this forum mere weeks before launch date. It would be nice to hear his thoughts at this stage of the project and after opening.

He posts regularly on Twitter. Canardiain

[ijmorlan]

The crossing lights at Northfield clearly still need some work. They activated before a northbound train has finished pulling into the station, and when it stopped at the platform and didn't proceed, they turned off. So a full cycle of lights and arms for nothing.

Unfortunately I have an idea this may be intentional. I believe the reason one would get if one asked (and got anything but crickets, so I’m not talking about asking @rideIONrt on Twitter) would relate to the case of the train overshooting, but I think this is basically safety paranoia. We don’t make vehicles approaching a green light stop, and then proceed only when traffic coming the other way has stopped. An LRV approaching the road (but not intending to cross yet) is no different from a large truck or bus approaching a red light.

[taylortbb]

The crossing lights at Northfield clearly still need some work. They activated before a northbound train has finished pulling into the station, and when it stopped at the platform and didn't proceed, they turned off. So a full cycle of lights and arms for nothing.

Unfortunately I have an idea this may be intentional. I believe the reason one would get if one asked (and got anything but crickets, so I’m not talking about asking @rideIONrt on Twitter) would relate to the case of the train overshooting, but I think this is basically safety paranoia. We don’t make vehicles approaching a green light stop, and then proceed only when traffic coming the other way has stopped. An LRV approaching the road (but not intending to cross yet) is no different from a large truck or bus approaching a red light.

Yep, my understanding (from forums, I'm no expert) is this is intentional behaviour required by regulations. If the arm didn't come down, and the LRV didn't stop at the station, then by the time the LRV was past the station the crossing arms wouldn't be able to come down far enough in advance of the LRV's arrival at the crossing as the regulations require. Technically there's no signal there telling trains to stop, and they're free to skip Northfield station and proceed directly onto Northfield. I'm not sure if putting a signal there for the train, that was red until the LRV stopped at the station, would change the rules (probably not, because railway regulations are ancient).

[KevinL]

Yikes. Nobody will want to drive eastbound on Northfield ever again...

[timio]

This happens at train stations next to roads as trains pull in. When the train stops, the arms go up until it's time to move again.

[jeffster]

Also, it feels lonely here without Canard. It's pretty sad that he left this forum mere weeks before launch date. It would be nice to hear his thoughts at this stage of the project and after opening.

I think he has even stopped posting to the LRT group on FB.

Does anyone have any reason why?

[urbd]

I think he has even stopped posting to the LRT group on FB.

Does anyone have any reason why?

I'm wondering the same... I know we all had our clashes sometimes but did it get too bad or something?

[ijmorlan]

This happens at train stations next to roads as trains pull in. When the train stops,  the arms go up until it's time to move again.

This is part of why I think taylortbb is right. For passenger trains which come on very long headways, the extra stopping of traffic is small enough that I don’t really care; also the potential hazard is more believable. For LRT I think it’s really an inappropriate application of rules that are made for heavy rail. But there is lots of that, as has been discussed here before.

There is no reason why there couldn’t be a signal that turns green only on request. The idea would be that requesting the green (either press an explicit button for that purpose, or switch to “forward” mode after being in “stop” within the station i.e., what currently triggers the crossing protection when they leave the stop) would trigger the crossing protection, and the light would go green once it is sufficiently engaged. For non-stopping express or out of service moves, they could press the button before entering the station, or the system could simply know that the move is non-stopping and trigger crossing protection as usual. Alternately, the LRV operators could use the white lights which inform them whether the protection is engaged to tell whether they are OK to go.

[Acitta]

Also, it feels lonely here without Canard. It's pretty sad that he left this forum mere weeks before launch date. It would be nice to hear his thoughts at this stage of the project and after opening.

I think he has even stopped posting to the LRT group on FB.

He responded to a post there on May 13.

[tomh009]

I think he has even stopped posting to the LRT group on FB.

He responded to a post there on May 13.

Yes. But a huge drop activity there, too.

[timio]

Not a good idea to speculate. His reasons are his own.

[tomh009]

Not a good idea to speculate. His reasons are his own.

Not speculating. Just stating facts. He's not here, and not very active on FB any more.