ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[ijmorlan]

23:16 - I wonder where 508 was when 512 asked to proceed immediately? I can’t tell for sure but it’s entirely possible 508 was already in the single-track segment, meaning somebody would have to wait because of the single track, never mind the freight crossing through Uptown.

23:35 - 506 went on the usual southbound track? I’m just wondering because if 512 had arrived northbound, 506 could have reverse-run on the northbound track.

At 23:16, 508 was just crossing over to reverse run at Northfield, so 512 wouldn't have been able to use the regular northbound track, and I assume the other track was locked out for CN. At 23:35, 506 departed Northfield using the regular southbound track just as 512 arrived on the regular northbound track, so CN must have already switched to the third track and crossed Northfield. I've prepared a highly technical diagram for other people who want to visualize this sequence of events. It would be neat to see this kind of pass in person but it's a total crapshoot what happens every night.

Thanks! During the free week I managed to catch a reverse-running LRV to see how that worked. Some nights it would be pretty interesting to hang out on Northfield Station platform or at Erb and Caroline.

[ZEBuilder]

The ion is not running between mill and fairway. The shuttle busses at block line are full heading towards Conestoga. It took well over twenty minutes for the first shuttle bus to start heading towards mill. They need to solve the problem of getting replacement shuttles into service and not wait until a bus ends it route.

[Momo26]

It was already delayed about one and a half to two train's worth of time this morning leaving Fairway (~17 to 20mins). I experienced 5 or 6 mins delay personally which was plenty in the frigid cold. No explanation 'no real time data available' written on the displays. Had to call GRT. Dozen+ people huddled in a tiny shelter that does not block wind well, + about another dozen on the platform. Standing room only and no room to navigate by about Market Station.

[Bob_McBob]

Some of the delays this morning were so bad they actually had a train at Waterloo Town Square 30 minutes behind proceed to the crossover and then just turn around and go southbound instead. Is this all weather-related or what? Listening on the scanner for a couple hours this morning, there are so many malfunctioning gates. One e-brake near-miss with a pedestrian, truck blocking the tracks, car under a gate...

[taylortbb]

Is this all weather-related or what?

A car skidded out and ended up over the curve and on the ballasted track along Courtland. https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/12...40033?s=19

I'd call that indirectly weather related.

[Bob_McBob]

That's an impressive bit of driving.

[danbrotherston]

Some of the delays this morning were so bad they actually had a train at Waterloo Town Square 30 minutes behind proceed to the crossover and then just turn around and go southbound instead. Is this all weather-related or what? Listening on the scanner for a couple hours this morning, there are so many malfunctioning gates. One e-brake near-miss with a pedestrian, truck blocking the tracks, car under a gate...

At least one car on the tracks. I wouldn't call it weather, I'd call it bad driving. I came to a realization today, when reading the WRPS tweet stating they had 80some collisions reported in the past 12 hours, we all remark during the first snowfall that everyone forgot how to drive in snow--but that isn't the case, drivers are never good in snow, we just forget how bad it is, every year, so the first snowfall isn't "oh so many crashes, they'll get better" its, "oh, so many crashes, we'll get used to it".

[bgb_ca]

Just learned something interesting. Apparently the platform's utility boxes have a local PA Mike inside of them.

They were testing this system at Allen with someone at the box going "testing" and it coming out of all the speakers.

[jwilliamson]

Some machinery was delivered and site prep started today for the R&T Park station area improvements.    

[avernar]

Some machinery was delivered and site prep started today for the R&T Park station area improvements.

I've been watching them dig up the site over the last few months.  What are they trying to do here?

[urbd]

Some machinery was delivered and site prep started today for the R&T Park station area improvements.

I've been watching them dig up the site over the last few months.  What are they trying to do here?

I think improvements to the public space, something like a park/plaza with the trail running through it.

[bgb_ca]

I've been watching them dig up the site over the last few months.  What are they trying to do here?

I think improvements to the public space, something like a park/plaza with the trail running through it.

I heard its going to be a greenspace with a trail that connects the philip st. side of the trail to the main trail so people won't have to walk down the platform to connect to the laurel trail.

[KevinL]

Too bad the gray substation fills so much of the view space. Hopefully they can disguise it somehow.

[ac3r]

Too bad the gray substation fills so much of the view space. Hopefully they can disguise it somehow.

A vinyl art mural would be nice wrapped around it, provided it wouldn't get vandalized with graffiti or anything. They could open up a call to artists, and with UW Fine Art faulty nearby, they could get something that would look good.

[bgb_ca]

Another colission reported on Ottawa according to reddit.