ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[ijmorlan]

I would go so far as to say that in some circumstances the train should not use its emergency brakes. If a toddler runs out from the sidewalk onto a street-running section then emergency brake application is appropriate; but if people are trespassing on an exclusive right of way section, then they’re responsible for their own injuries and/or death and have no business imposing injuries and/or death on fragile occupants of the train.

Except that it would take an emotional toll on the operator no matter who is at fault.

I think it would either way: hitting someone, or having a passenger die due to an emergency brake application.

But for that matter I would expect it to be difficult for an operator to have a passenger die even if it was nothing to do with their operation of the vehicle, and also difficult if their train completed a well- (badly-) timed suicide attempt; most people get affected if they are in any way involved in a death, even if they have no blame by any reasonable measure. But this is probably a good thing to an extent; we have to have some distance from all the death happening all around the world in order to function, but if we’re actually near it it’s probably best that we can’t just shake it off instantly.

[Acitta]

Except that it would take an emotional toll on the operator no matter who is at fault.

I think it would either way: hitting someone, or having a passenger die due to an emergency brake application.

But for that matter I would expect it to be difficult for an operator to have a passenger die even if it was nothing to do with their operation of the vehicle, and also difficult if their train completed a well- (badly-) timed suicide attempt; most people get affected if they are in any way involved in a death, even if they have no blame by any reasonable measure. But this is probably a good thing to an extent; we have to have some distance from all the death happening all around the world in order to function, but if we’re actually near it it’s probably best that we can’t just shake it off instantly.

My father was a locomotive engineer and crashed into vehicles on more than one occasion. I believe that it affected him.

[plam]

I was riding around the LRT today and looking at my GPS to tell the speed again. The track design between Mill and Block Line is really terrible. I should time how long it takes to go through 15km/h section. Going north, heading into Mill, the train can't even quite reach 70km/h before it has to slow down again for the stop. Unfortunately, I think that the solution right there involves money and land expropriation (or road narrowing), not more realistic safety standards.

The other thing is that I was having a bad time with it being cold outside and my fingers therefore being cold and trying to operate the easyGO recharging machine.

The Traynor crossing seems fine, though it really was a production to get it done.

[danbrotherston]

I was riding around the LRT today and looking at my GPS to tell the speed again. The track design between Mill and Block Line is really terrible. I should time how long it takes to go through 15km/h section. Going north, heading into Mill, the train can't even quite reach 70km/h before it has to slow down again for the stop. Unfortunately, I think that the solution right there involves money and land expropriation (or road narrowing), not more realistic safety standards.

The other thing is that I was having a bad time with it being cold outside and my fingers therefore being cold and trying to operate the easyGO recharging machine.

The Traynor crossing seems fine, though it really was a production to get it done.

Having to shift to Courtland through Hayward is an issue of property acquisition.

The issue of the insane 400m 15 km/h straightaway leading up to Hayward is an issue of engineering insanity that nobody will talk about.

Like, a *"speed up loop" is as believable an explanation as any.

*speed up loop being a trick where programmers inserted a loop that did nothing but wasted time in a program, so later they could remove it and "improve" the performance of the software.

[jeffster]

So for out first major snow storm since the Ion started service, it looks like they're going to have to look a better snow removal options.

So my kid had a dental appointment today, and on the way back home, we took King/Charles/Ottawa. Every Ion we saw was stuck, one a Market Station, one between Mill and Borden stations. Looking at the tracks, it looks like they'd be stuck for a while, being that the tracks were snow covered.

Really, lots of stuck vehicles on the road too, including a couple abandoned GRT buses (and by abandoned I mean literally, no one on the bus, not even a driver).

[tomh009]

So my kid had a dental appointment today, and on the way back home, we took King/Charles/Ottawa. Every Ion we saw was stuck, one a Market Station, one between Mill and Borden stations. Looking at the tracks, it looks like they'd be stuck for a while, being that the tracks were snow covered.

Were they actually stuck, or waiting for an obstruction further along the track to be cleared?

Snow on the tracks should not stop any kind of modern train.

[timio]

Service was suspended earlier this morning. I believe it's running again, but may not be on schedule.

[jeffster]

So my kid had a dental appointment today, and on the way back home, we took King/Charles/Ottawa. Every Ion we saw was stuck, one a Market Station, one between Mill and Borden stations. Looking at the tracks, it looks like they'd be stuck for a while, being that the tracks were snow covered.

Were they actually stuck, or waiting for an obstruction further along the track to be cleared?

Snow on the tracks should not stop any kind of modern train.

They both were stuck. The one was stuck just before Courtland, they had a team outside the LRT trying shovelling around the train. The train at Market Station (southbound) just couldn't move, and the operator was standing there on a phone calling for help.

What was weird was seeing abandoned busses. This is something I have never witnessed.

   

[ac3r]

I heard someone drove down the tracks near Borden Station which explains one of the delays.

When I was downtown earlier today, there appeared to be another train idling at a Victoria Park Station as well and a Keolis van was approaching. I didn't stick around to see what was going on given the weather.

I'm in the region this week and am not sure whether to bother taking the train home this evening or use a bus. I don't want to get stranded at any point, especially since the forecast says there will be severe snow drifts. The trains are already barely able to get up minor inclines (hello Hayward and Cortland) so I don't want to get stuck since they won't let you depart depending where you are when they can't move. I guess I'll just take the bus and hope that gets me home in a reasonable time.

[jeffster]

I heard someone drove down the tracks near Borden Station which explains one of the delays.

When I was downtown earlier today, there appeared to be another train idling at a Victoria Park Station as well and a Keolis van was approaching. I didn't stick around to see what was going on given the weather.

I'm in the region this week and am not sure whether to bother taking the train home this evening or use a bus. I don't want to get stranded at any point, especially since the forecast says there will be severe snow drifts. The trains are already barely able to get up minor inclines (hello Hayward and Cortland) so I don't want to get stuck since they won't let you depart depending where you are when they can't move. I guess I'll just take the bus and hope that gets me home in a reasonable time.

I could see that being a problem as well, I almost got stuck close to Central Station.

It did appears that in many areas the plow operators dumps a lot of snow in and around track locations. Obviously not intentional, but the reality is that this is our first 'major' storm in a long, long time, I am guessing over a decade since we had something like this. It'll be a learning experience for everyone involved I am sure.

It was nice doing a bit of shopping -- being the only person in the store. I loved it.

[ac3r]

The trains are not operational between Willis Way and Mill Stations. So much for a train being able to plow though anything heh. 301R buses aren't operational either, which is odd because the main roads aren't bad now. They should be able to run shuttles if all other bus routes are fine.

I guess that's what you get when you build a surface level rapid transit system and don't think about clearing the tracks despite spending just under 1 billion dollars. I guess I'll be taking a bus home tonight whilst trying to traverse sidewalks nobody bothers to shovel. You do you, Waterloo Region.

[jeffster]

The trains are not operational between Willis Way and Mill Stations. So much for a train being able to plow though anything heh. 301R buses aren't operational either, which is odd because the main roads aren't bad now. They should be able to run shuttles if all other bus routes are fine.

I guess that's what you get when you build a surface level rapid transit system and don't think about clearing the tracks despite spending just under 1 billion dollars. I guess I'll be taking a bus home tonight whilst trying to traverse sidewalks nobody bothers to shovel. You do you, Waterloo Region.

Likely the real issue is not being able to plan for an event that happens once every 10 years or so. Toronto had to close the Gardener and Don Valley today.

On the bright side, my PHEV had almost zero issues with the deep snow, except at one spot where I almost ended up in the southbound LRT at Central Station (it had been plowed in).

My battery powered snow thrower(s) managed to tackle it as well, though I killed the battery(ies). I would say that I would invest in a 2-stage battery unit, but hardly seems worth it when we rarely get dumps like this.

[plam]

The trains are not operational between Willis Way and Mill Stations. So much for a train being able to plow though anything heh. 301R buses aren't operational either, which is odd because the main roads aren't bad now. They should be able to run shuttles if all other bus routes are fine.

I guess that's what you get when you build a surface level rapid transit system and don't think about clearing the tracks despite spending just under 1 billion dollars. I guess I'll be taking a bus home tonight whilst trying to traverse sidewalks nobody bothers to shovel. You do you, Waterloo Region.

Likely the real issue is not being able to plan for an event that happens once every 10 years or so. Toronto had to close the Gardener and Don Valley today.

On the bright side, my PHEV had almost zero issues with the deep snow, except at one spot where I almost ended up in the southbound LRT at Central Station (it had been plowed in).

My battery powered snow thrower(s) managed to tackle it as well, though I killed the battery(ies). I would say that I would invest in a 2-stage battery unit, but hardly seems worth it when we rarely get dumps like this.

That's the whole thing, right. One shouldn't prepare that much for the 100 year event except for making sure that, as much as possible, it doesn't cause any other damage; and prepare just a bit for the 10 year event.

[jeffster]

Likely the real issue is not being able to plan for an event that happens once every 10 years or so. Toronto had to close the Gardener and Don Valley today.

On the bright side, my PHEV had almost zero issues with the deep snow, except at one spot where I almost ended up in the southbound LRT at Central Station (it had been plowed in).

My battery powered snow thrower(s) managed to tackle it as well, though I killed the battery(ies). I would say that I would invest in a 2-stage battery unit, but hardly seems worth it when we rarely get dumps like this.

That's the whole thing, right. One shouldn't prepare that much for the 100 year event except for making sure that, as much as possible, it doesn't cause any other damage; and prepare just a bit for the 10 year event.

Right.

It's been a long time since we had this type of crazy snow. CTV is saying 25-35 cm in the region, which might be the most in 20+ years.

Can't say were weren't warned, though I still feel bad for people stuck on highways (portions of the 401 in Toronto were closed as well). But at the same time, sometimes you just need to stay indoors until thing cleaned up.

[ijmorlan]

My battery powered snow thrower(s) managed to tackle it as well, though I killed the battery(ies). I would say that I would invest in a 2-stage battery unit, but hardly seems worth it when we rarely get dumps like this.

Are those a thing? I have a second-hand plug-in snow thrower which looks like a toy but actually does pretty well. I had assumed that battery operation was infeasible for this application due to the amount of energy required. What sort of operation time do you get? How big are the batteries? My lawn mower is battery operated, which works great: the benefits of gas (no cord) but none of the downsides.