[yeggator]

Not sure it was a smart move to put both major OMFs right next to each other on the eastern end of the line. I’m imagining that if we ever wanted to do any major mulligans on the line in the far future (namely, elevating the line by Bonnie Doon), this would make it quite challenging to deploy trains to the west leg. Maybe the city should have just made the Lewis Farms facility a full-fledged OMF.

 

[Habibfazil]

Not sure it was a smart move to put both major OMFs right next to each other on the eastern end of the line. I’m imagining that if we ever wanted to do any major mulligans on the line in the far future (namely, elevating the line by Bonnie Doon), this would make it quite challenging to deploy trains to the west leg. Maybe the city should have just made the Lewis Farms facility a full-fledged OMF.

I can't quite recall the details, but I read that the dispatched from the 2nd+ shops gain access to the line using the same tracks as the 1st set of shops... anybody confirm or deny?

 

[SarcasticMarmot]

Not sure it was a smart move to put both major OMFs right next to each other on the eastern end of the line. I’m imagining that if we ever wanted to do any major mulligans on the line in the far future (namely, elevating the line by Bonnie Doon), this would make it quite challenging to deploy trains to the west leg. Maybe the city should have just made the Lewis Farms facility a full-fledged OMF.

I imagine there are staffing and operational efficiencies from having both shops next to each other, but you are right about it being at the cost of redundancy.

 

[Yegpeople]

I imagine there are staffing and operational efficiencies from having both shops next to each other, but you are right about it being at the cost of redundancy.

This means transed is operating the west line as well but will trains will have to travel to Lewis farms to start service that might not be cost effective

 

[thommyjo]

Some not great pics out the window.

 

[EdwardEdm]

I can't quite recall the details, but I read that the dispatched from the 2nd+ shops gain access to the line using the same tracks as the 1st set of shops... anybody confirm or deny?

Same tracks yes.

I imagine there are staffing and operational efficiencies from having both shops next to each other, but you are right about it being at the cost of redundancy.

Maybe, maybe not. While in all likelihood TransEd will be running the WLRT as well, that doesn't necessarily mean they will also be contracted to maintain the Rotem fleet. Given the separate facilities, Edmonton could choose to maintain the cars in house, contract out to someone else. I was surprised to find out that there will be a separate AVIS shed for the Stage 2 facilities, rather than using the existing AVIS.

This means transed is operating the west line as well but will trains will have to travel to Lewis farms to start service that might not be cost effective

Well no, because there is the storage facility at Lewis Farms.

 

[Barnaby]

This means transed is operating the west line as well but will trains will have to travel to Lewis farms to start service that might not be cost effective

Plenty of trains will sleep at the Lewis Farms facility.

 

[J_gordo]

Same tracks yes.

Maybe, maybe not. While in all likelihood TransEd will be running the WLRT as well, that doesn't necessarily mean they will also be contracted to maintain the Rotem fleet. Given the separate facilities, Edmonton could choose to maintain the cars in house, contract out to someone else. I was surprised to find out that there will be a separate AVIS shed for the Stage 2 facilities, rather than using the existing AVIS.

Well no, because there is the storage facility at Lewis Farms.

According to the project agreement, the second Avis is because it would be awkward to move both sets of train on a single track (as the AVIS leads right into OMF A). You would figure the city / transed would have planned the location of the VLSE AVIS to better accommodate the west…

 

[MacLac]

Whewww! Too see the boondoggle happening in YYC now with their Green line. I am sssssooo glad we’re getting a 27Km line for under $5B! Compared to their 10Km / $6.2B fragmented line. How can they justify $600M/Km?! Mind blowing shit!

 

[Kosy123]

I'm glad the only cost overruns for us were for the Capital Line extension. I would hate it there were scope reductions for the Valley Line. Genuinely feels like we dodged a bullet there based on sheer timing (and the fact that for some reason, the Green Line is heavily politicized)

 

[northlands]

Whewww! Too see the boondoggle happening in YYC now with their Green line. I am sssssooo glad we’re getting a 27Km line for under $5B! Compared to their 10Km / $6.2B fragmented line. How can they justify $600M/Km?! Mind blowing shit!

Looking back, VLSE really was great value for money, considering it included tunneling, a beautiful river crossing bridge, 12 stations (including an elevated one), and 30 years of O&M for $1.8b.

Gotta think TransEd completely lost their shirt on this. No idea how they could have turned any sort of profit after all the construction issues + inflation. Per their original agreement, I believe they were supposed to forfeit a few million every month that it wasn't open as well (albeit likely COVID invoked some fore majeur protection).

 

[David A]

I'm glad the only cost overruns for us were for the Capital Line extension. I would hate it there were scope reductions for the Valley Line. Genuinely feels like we dodged a bullet there based on sheer timing (and the fact that for some reason, the Green Line is heavily politicized)

Perhaps the more modest cost in comparison made it easier for politicians to go ahead with our LRT expansion, whereas the more expensive Green Line seemed to cause more hesitation and delay and is now facing an even higher cost. And yes there was and is a lot of political bs involved with it too.

 

[yeggator]

I'm glad the only cost overruns for us were for the Capital Line extension. I would hate it there were scope reductions for the Valley Line. Genuinely feels like we dodged a bullet there based on sheer timing (and the fact that for some reason, the Green Line is heavily politicized)

The bullet dodging in Edmonton started back in the 70s when we decided to tunnel the Capital Line downtown.

 

[Barnaby]

The Green Line is a terrible design to compared to the Valley Line or the Capital Line.

It's like they decided to pick the worst aspects of both and combine them into a frankensubway.

The Green Line will NEVER have the capacity potential of the Capital Line subway area.

I'm actually pretty happy with how the central areas of Edmonton's Valley Line is turning out. I'll be using it a ton once it's 100% done.

 

[thommyjo]

One argument I’ve heard that’s interesting is that we should have done the valley lines as true trams. Do the “festival line” and 124th street and 118th ave type routes to serve the central city. Then anything going outside of the original ring road should be skytrain style, automated light rail or metro approach.

Cause the biggest downside with the valley lines will definitely be speed and capacity for the suburbs and no alternatives will be built anytime soon transit wise.