[eglinton1661]

Transcribing Lali's presentation:

Lali: So what does, what does phased opening mean? How will that differ from what we did on line six? Well, this allows us to monitor performance, validate it collectively, and also allows upgrades that we know are coming to be phased in in a controlled manner. And only once that occurs will we jointly fully announce the line to move on from phased opening into a full opening.

That said, on February 8th, when this phased opening commences, the first rides for customers on line 5 will be free.

In respect to phased opening, we'll be communicating very clearly, not only to our customers, but also our workforce, our operators, in terms of what that means. We'll be leveraging customer feedback again, taking on the lessons from line 6, holding the right teams accountable. I think we've been working through that very, very diligently in the last few weeks, particularly for line 5. Moving only to full operation when all performance indicates that we are ready to open as a line.

There'll be further enhancements in respect to line five in March and in May with respect to the software and the speed. We've also taken learnings in terms of supervisor, management and crew support, not only during the shadow running perspective, also actual running, in terms of what coaching, what mentorship do they require, and how we take the any technical inputs from that into the CEO reviews

Going to continue transcribing the Q&A (which is very interesting) shortly

 

[Thaboss]

No, we gotta make room for the people who are gonna spend the next month demanding that the world give them credit for the brave, bold, genius prediction that a transit line which opened five years behind schedule might have a shaky launch.

I know you joke but the sucess of failure of line 5 launch will shape every future transit project in ontario for the next couple decades. We should absolutly be interested in how it performs both on the tracks and in terms of daily passanger count.

How TSP is implimented, speed adj.etc.
Matters for every light rail line from Hamilton to kitchener, to missauga.

and, I for one am very curious to see if those suggesting capacity issues on line 5 will prove to be right or wrong.


In the end, if you are interested in torontos public transit strategy, you want line 5 to succeed or LEAD to better and more successful transit lines in the region.

Large scale failure of line 5 imo might see transit funding take further backseat to tried and true cars brained policies.


As a proof point. Today, TTC board meeting had presentation on multi phased transit signals and conversations about improvements to street car ROW in line with whats seen in line with those seen in rotterdam. That is a huge conversation that idk would've been had if transit needs complained and complained and the public complained some more...

 

[Full Metal Junkie]

No, we gotta make room for the people who are gonna spend the next month demanding that the world give them credit for the brave, bold, genius prediction that a transit line which opened five years behind schedule might have a shaky launch.

Whomp-whomp.... There goes my prediction...

I can just see the opening line of a front page story that will run once Crosstown finally opens some unknown number of years in the future:
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen...

They had to open a couple of months early just to spite me, didn't they?

 

[EllaW]

So they claim it will now take 35 minutes from Kennedy station to Yonge street on line 5. We will see how well that claim holds up on Sunday.

 

[Northern Light]

From the meeting today:

Cllr Saxe: Will this LRT be faster than the bus its replacing?

CEO Lali: Yes

Cllr Saxe : Are you sure?

CEO Lali: Yes

 

[Chaplinurbex]

Can we pause the pessimism for one day? This is good news everybody. We will see what it looks like Sunday morning. I'll be on the first train.

 

[Richard White]

I'll be on the first train.

Good luck with that. You and 10000 other people.

 

[McGillicuddy]

I know you joke but the sucess of failure of line 5 launch will shape every future transit project in ontario for the next couple decades. We should absolutly be interested in how it performs both on the tracks and in terms of daily passanger count.

How TSP is implimented, speed adj.etc.
Matters for every light rail line from Hamilton to kitchener, to missauga.

and, I for one am very curious to see if those suggesting capacity issues on line 5 will prove to be right or wrong.


In the end, if you are interested in torontos public transit strategy, you want line 5 to succeed or LEAD to better and more successful transit lines in the region.

Large scale failure of line 5 imo might see transit funding take further backseat to tried and true cars brained policies.

I don't object to people sharing information and talking about lessons learned.

I object to "Me! I, predicted this! Me, a unique genius! And none of you listened! You didn't appreciate my insight! No, no, you said foolish things like 'put down the knife' and 'you are frightening the other passengers'! But I was right! Like Copernicus, like Darwin, like Courtney Love, history has borne me out, and I am now here to collect!"

Give it time. You'll see.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Now we wait for the first paying passenger to make their appearance...

 

[eglinton1661]

Bravo: How does the phased opening interplay with existing bus service on Eglinton? Will there be any plans to have or have there been consideration of having a sort of redundant or extra bus service? Particularly, I'm worried about the commute on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Lali: So just to clarify, it will be a phased opening in respect to when we open, because it's reduced hours. And yes, we will have shuttle buses available. Should we require them. But I'd also take on board that two thirds of the line is below ground

Bravo: So the shuttle buses will be available if there is a disruption of line five, but not it will be operating alongside in the initial days?

Lali: We won't have a parallel service shadowing line five. We'll have the bus changes that we did back in October was as part of the full migration over to the schedules to interlink with line five, and the bus changes that happen on the 8th will solidify that. Like with any changes we do, we always have the ability to provide shuttles, and this will be no different.

Saxe: Why are we charging full fares if we're not providing full service on line five? Have you considered that?

Lali: Charging less on this the first day is a goodwill gesture. With regard to the comment on it being slower. It will be traveling at 60km/h in the tunnels for a period of up until end of March, until that's upgraded, and then it'll be at full speed.

The reduced aspect of it is from the fact that it'll start at circa 5.40 in the morning and end at 22.40 in the evening. So the you'll still be getting from A to B, it'll still be relatively quick. So I'm not sure why you would want to provide that as free.

Saxe: is this going to be faster than the current bus service?

Lali: Yes.

Saxe: Are you sure?

Lali: Yes.

Saxe: You mentioned that we've learned lessons from the deep disappointment around the opening of line six. What lessons have we learned?

Lali: It's a new way of working. We're getting into the rhythm in respect to what we need to do and how we need to do it and be more challenging of Metrolinx and the maintainer, and that's bearing fruit in respect to the activities that respective chief operating officers are going through, and looking at the granular detail, not only in the performance, but also the failures. We now also have access to their data warehouse, which previously we did not. So again, that ensures that we have the same data as them. We now also did the dynamic testing on the 22nd which again, we did not do for line 6.

This is an ongoing process. It won't just cease because of the phased opening on the 8th. They'll continue until we get the slight increase within the tunnel sections. It'll continue post software upgrade to ensure that we get the performance and the OTP characteristics, and it'll continue as we monitor service and report back in terms of the actual performance.

 

[Chaplinurbex]

Good luck with that. You and 10000 other people.

I bet you're fun at parties.

 

[txlseries4]

Saxe: is this going to be faster than the current bus service?

Lali: Yes.

Saxe: Are you sure?

Lali: Yes.

Similar exchange at the previous board meeting:

Saxe: Do we have any reliable evidence that Eglinton Crosstown is going to be faster and more reliable than the bus if we open it this month or next?

Staff: Line 5 is operating at a very different context than on Finch, the scheduled travel times that we're expecting on Line 5 are a significant improvement to the bus, especially when you consider the Eglinton corridor, especially on the surface section, is a very context than it is on Finch where it's constantly congested at all hours of the day.

Saxe: Do we have good evidence that it will be faster than the bus?

Staff: Yes

 

[Richard White]

I bet you're fun at parties.

Very much so. I am just saying that I am smart enough to wait until the crowds die down before venturing out.

 

[doublemint]

It feels so surreal that this is happening... I would be scouring this thread for the last few years looking at what people would be saying about the line, and have learned so much from everyone here; to think that people could be riding as soon as this Sunday...

 

[urbanclient]

So they claim it will now take 35 minutes from Kennedy station to Yonge street on line 5. We will see how well that claim holds up on Sunday.

Where and when did they claim this? Not saying you're wrong or misheard, just curious what the source was? The ongoing board meeting?