[muller877]

They probably can be, but Caterpillar tunneling is completing its wind down after this project ends. Caterpillar had a buy-back on them, but doubt that will be exercised now. The Sheppard Subway TBMs ended up in Russia.

Historically, other manufacturers have refurbished competitors' machines, so a contractor could buy them and have someone else fix them, likely for a BRIC-country project. Turkey for example, is a huge market for used TBMs these days.

Is that due to the repair costs (and safety standards)? That it is cheaper for us to buy a new machine than the constant repairs on an older machine? Or do we buy shiny new things for the press release?

 

[rbt]

Is that due to the repair costs (and safety standards)? That it is cheaper for us to buy a new machine than the constant repairs on an older machine? Or do we buy shiny new things for the press release?

Speed is the main reason. TBMs have reliably gotten ~20% faster per decade (from memory, may not be exact) and more energy efficient at the same time. So, tunnelling costs drop by a similar about since manpower is one of the larger expenses.

If you've got a $500M tunnelling contract, a 10% price reduction pays for new TBMs (break-even) and you get your project finished 6 months earlier.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Official groundbreaking for the Keelesdale Station. See link.

Construction begins on first Eglinton Crosstown LRT station

Construction on the first Eglinton Crosstown LRT station began on Thursday, with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Toronto Mayor John Tory on hand for the ground-breaking ceremony.

Wynne, Tory and other officials were at Keele Street and Eglinton Avenue, the site of the new Keelesdale Station.

“Every dollar we spend on transit – here in Toronto and across Ontario – grows our economy, creates jobs and strengthens our cities and communities,” Wynne said in a statement.

“The Eglinton Crosstown LRT project is part of our record investment in infrastructure.”

Keelesdale Station will have three entrances as well as an off-street bus loop with four bus bays.

Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is scheduled to finish by 2021.

The new LRT line will have 25 stations and stops along Eglinton between Weston Road and Kennedy Station, and will also link to 54 bus routes, three TTC interchange subway stations and GO Transit, Queen’s Park said.

I can understand not having Mike Harris at the groundbreaking, but why wasn't Patrick Brown (Leader of the Ontario PC Party) not there?

 

[gweed123]

I can understand not having Mike Harris at the groundbreaking, but why wasn't Patrick Brown (Leader of the Ontario PC Party) not there?

I don't see why he would be. The Opposition Leader has no affiliation with this project whatsoever. The Premier, the Mayor, and probably the MP, MPP, and Councillor at least have had some stake in the project.

You didn't see Tom Mulcair at any of the Economic Action Plan announcements.

 

[CharmAlarm]

I can understand not having Mike Harris at the groundbreaking, but why wasn't Patrick Brown (Leader of the Ontario PC Party) not there?

Ummm...because this is a project funded by the provincial government and he is neither the premier nor a representative of the governing party???

 

[Tuscani01]

I think construction has also begun on Don Mills Station. Crews have been dismantling billboards and Science Centre signage at the South-West corner, and construction fencing has gone up around the North-East corner. Lot's of heavy equipment on site and the landscaping is being torn up.

 

[salsa]

Official groundbreaking for the Keelesdale Station. See link.

Are we gonna have a groundbreaking ceremony for every other station and surface stop too?

 

[Palma]

Are we gonna have a groundbreaking ceremony for every other station and surface stop too?

View attachment 69576

hurray, that's my stop. I do not see the MPP or councillor in that photo though. Guess we will need to get prepared for development along keele. The old court house on Keele (south of Lawrence ) is up for sale. Humber Hospital on Keele already sold.

I am still trying to understand why 5 years to construct. I thought it takes 3 years to build stations. At Metrolinx meeting last week they sais 25 years

 

[gweed123]

hurray, that's my stop. I do not see the MPP or councillor in that photo though. Guess we will need to get prepared for development along keele. The old court house on Keele (south of Lawrence ) is up for sale. Humber Hospital on Keele already sold.

I am still trying to understand why 5 years to construct. I thought it takes 3 years to build stations. At Metrolinx meeting last week they sais 25 years

I think that 5 years is the opening date for the line, not the station itself. The station will probably be finished earlier, but it will likely sit empty until the line opens. I'd much rather have that than a York U scenario, where the line opening is held up by incomplete stations.

 

[Palma]

I think that 5 years is the opening date for the line, not the station itself. The station will probably be finished earlier, but it will likely sit empty until the line opens. I'd much rather have that than a York U scenario, where the line opening is held up by incomplete stations.

bur I thought the reason they waited to start construction is they wanted to construct all the stations at once. Well, all the tunnelling west of Bathurst is complete so why not start construction on those stations or at least up to Eglinton West (The Allen)?

 

[Tuscani01]

I think that 5 years is the opening date for the line, not the station itself. The station will probably be finished earlier, but it will likely sit empty until the line opens. I'd much rather have that than a York U scenario, where the line opening is held up by incomplete stations.

What's the difference between the two scenarios? Neither scenario leads to getting people on a train.

 

[Edward Skira]

Well, all the tunnelling west of Bathurst is complete so why not start construction on those stations or at least up to Eglinton West (The Allen)?

Look at the picture above, they are starting construction on the stations west of Bathurst. And since the line is opening all at once there's no point in rushing these stations. The hardest one to build is at Yonge and they've got a while yet to start there.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Are we gonna have a groundbreaking ceremony for every other station and surface stop too?

View attachment 69576

Maybe to some degree. Press conferences are like crack for politicians.

 

[Palma]

Look at the picture above, they are starting construction on the stations west of Bathurst. And since the line is opening all at once there's no point in rushing these stations. The hardest one to build is at Yonge and they've got a while yet to start there.

well if they are starting all the stations at once, why does metrolinx say at a community meeting will take 2 1/2 years for stations to be completed, and then on their communications it says 5 years, and then the post above that says "5 years is the opening date for the line, not the station itself". Why all different dates? So if they complete stations in 3 years they can say they came in on time

 

[EnviroTO]

They are starting almost all the stations at once. Residents all along the line have received notice in the past few weeks that work is starting, even in places the tunnel hasn't passed yet. By summer almost all the the sites will have been demolished and prepped. The design of Keelesdale just got across the finish line first, likely because it is a relatively standard station which is furthest west where the tunnel was bored first. Likely they will use a significant amount of the design work they did on Keelesdale over and over again on the other stations. I doubt there will be any stations that will not have started construction by the end of the year.