[TOtramz]

Noticed most of the equipment at McCowan/401 is now gone, maybe the TBM is fixed and moving again? One can hope

So actually it seems like the opposite is true. I saw at least 2 large excavators at the 401 ramp site and a lot of workers walking around and patrolling the entrance to the site.

Meanwhile traffic has been at a standstill on mccowan because some people from “salus” were setting up a road monitoring camera.

There’s also a relatively deep excavation pit near mccowan and triton road, not sure what that is for.

No sign of any changes at the launch site, no trucks. Just workers milling around and patrolling the entrance.

 

[JBR]

So actually it seems like the opposite is true. I saw at least 2 large excavators at the 401 ramp site and a lot of workers walking around and patrolling the entrance to the site.

Meanwhile traffic has been at a standstill on mccowan because some people from “salus” were setting up a road monitoring camera.

There’s also a relatively deep excavation pit near mccowan and triton road, not sure what that is for.

No sign of any changes at the launch site, no trucks. Just workers milling around and patrolling the entrance.

Ya the 2 crane trucks disappeared so I was hopeful.

 

[TOtramz]

I still don't understand what all the headwall construction is for? They have one at the 401, ellesemere and south of ellesmere. Are they for intervention purposes or simply for emergency escape buildings?

https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload/v1740582400/Images/Metrolinx/SSE/Updated_Lane_reductions.pdf

"underground support structure" --> what does that mean?

 

[TOtramz]

A part of me wants to believe the TBM has been advancing beyond the 401 given how many "underground support structures" and other works are being done

I mean what's the point in doing all this preliminary surveying work if the TBM is still years away from reaching those points...

 

[Allandale25]

Construction notice received:

 

[TOtramz]

I found this on the infrastructure ontario page for the Scarborough Subway Extension – Stations, Rail and Systems contract.
It looks like they started designing in 2022 and contract awarded quite recently?

So does this mean we will see more technical details about the stations soon?

 

[generalcanada]

View attachment 636401

I found this on the infrastructure ontario page for the Scarborough Subway Extension – Stations, Rail and Systems contract.
It looks like they started designing in 2022 and contract awarded quite recently?

So does this mean we will see more technical details about the stations soon?

very interesting.
Metrolinx being silent as usual.

Note that on-corr development has fully concluded as well....

 

[NIV]

What’s happening with the intervention shaft at the 401? Will there be two intervention shafts for maintenance? Perhaps changing cutter heads every 1-2 km? The original one south of Brimorton is now being worked on again. This is just under 2 kilometres from where the TBM is now.
The original Brimorton intervention shaft community letter stated that construction was scheduled to be worked on Oct/23 - July/24.

 

[TOtramz]

View attachment 636520
What’s happening with the intervention shaft at the 401? Will there be two intervention shafts for maintenance? Perhaps changing cutter heads every 1-2 km? The original one south of Brimorton is now being worked on again. This is just under 2 kilometres from where the TBM is now.
The original Brimorton intervention shaft community letter stated that construction was scheduled to be worked on Oct/23 - July/24.

what I can say is that I pass by the 401 intervention site almost every day yet never see any of the machines working.

On the other hand, there’s so much activity at the launch site. The crane is always active and they built 2 giant blue sscaffolding towers rising out of the launch pit. My theory is that they want to pull something out from the back.

Also, they love secrecy so much, they installed a privacy screen near mccowan and ellesemere for the intervention shaft work. There’s a lot of digging there and lots of machinery in the parking lot and mccowan.

 

[Steve X]

The truly sad part is they’ll probably never attempt a large single bored tunnelled again. They have Eglinton West vs this Scarborough tunnel to compare.

 

[TOtramz]

Are all the concrete headwalls they are digging mainly for maintenance of the TBM as it rolls along? They seem to dig them less than 250m from each other.

MX claims that they're for emergency exits but I find it hard to believe they are constructing them so far in advance........

I also noticed a lot of tunnel segments piling up at the launch site, but I'm not sure when those were delivered.

 

[NIV]

Are all the concrete headwalls they are digging mainly for maintenance of the TBM as it rolls along? They seem to dig them less than 250m from each other.

MX claims that they're for emergency exits but I find it hard to believe they are constructing them so far in advance........

I also noticed a lot of tunnel segments piling up at the launch site, but I'm not sure when those were delivered.

I believe there are 7 emergency exits being constructed along the extension. The headwalls are in place at either end of the exits, the TBM will drill through these. This is happening for the 3 stations as well. The maintenance/intervention shaft at the 401 was not in the design plans as an emergency exit, however the intervention shaft at Brimorton is.

 

[Metroscapes]

Another construction notice:

View attachment 632238

I’m not particularly upset with the loss of these trees, but I expect better transparency from ML.

I’m sure there’s a good reason but they’re laughing if they want us to believe the station construction requires tree removal more than 100m from the station box.

I don't understand why they need to remove trees near a waterway, which should be avoided as a mitigation measure. I get that it's an urbanized channel, but isn't that all the more reason to protect what's there?

Unless this is part of an overall restoration of that reach of the creek, I don't understand this.

 

[TOtramz]

I believe there are 7 emergency exits being constructed along the extension. The headwalls are in place at either end of the exits, the TBM will drill through these. This is happening for the 3 stations as well. The maintenance/intervention shaft at the 401 was not in the design plans as an emergency exit, however the intervention shaft at Brimorton is.

Anecdotally, I’ve not seen too much progress at the 401 site, just a few concrete blocks have been laid.

I wonder what they’re even doing given it’s been almost a year of working on the site.

 

[NIV]

Anecdotally, I’ve not seen too much progress at the 401 site, just a few concrete blocks have been laid.

I wonder what they’re even doing given it’s been almost a year of working on the site.

My guess would be that Strabag is waiting on parts from Europe (possibly a new cutter head assembly). They will most likely have to close off one or both of two eastbound on-ramps to set up for the excavation and room for the cranes to operate.