The white superstructure is the conveyor system that brings the excavation spoils out of the tunnel and places it in holding areas at the far east end, to be transferred to dump trucks to be hauled away.
- Paul
When you say white superstructure - are you talking about the tall structure or the long white structure running the length of the launch shaft and TBM support area?

The long white structure makes obvious sense for a conveyer for but I don't see how the tall structure integrates with the conveyer system.

This is all very exciting to see. I've seen footage of TBMs before, but I don't think I have ever seen it in the launch shaft with all the support operations. It's really quite a site to see how many different parts there are in and around the launch shaft. So much so that you can hardly see in the shaft unless you're looking from a close to the side & high altitude. Unfortunately because of all these other pieces, you won't be able to see into the shaft from the pedestrian bridge when it opens again in the Spring.
 
When you say white superstructure - are you talking about the tall structure or the long white structure running the length of the launch shaft and TBM support area?

The long white structure makes obvious sense for a conveyer for but I don't see how the tall structure integrates with the conveyer system.

I was referring to both, but I'm not knowledgeable about what does what.... I assume that the tall structure is somehow involved in raising the spoils above the tunnel level, processing them (they are measured and weighed somewhere along the process) along with perhaps managing the lengths of the in-tunnel conveyor belt which must be added as the TBM advances.


This is all very exciting to see. I've seen footage of TBMs before, but I don't think I have ever seen it in the launch shaft with all the support operations. It's really quite a site to see how many different parts there are in and around the launch shaft. So much so that you can hardly see in the shaft unless you're looking from a close to the side & high altitude. Unfortunately because of all these other pieces, you won't be able to see into the shaft from the pedestrian bridge when it opens again in the Spring.

It's very cool. Seems that many of us are latent sidewalk supervisors who are as absorbed by the construction process as the end product.

- Paul
 
I was referring to both, but I'm not knowledgeable about what does what.... I assume that the tall structure is somehow involved in raising the spoils above the tunnel level, processing them (they are measured and weighed somewhere along the process) along with perhaps managing the lengths of the in-tunnel conveyor belt which must be added as the TBM advances.
Cool, thanks for your insight!
 
In Japan, for example, the transit companies OWN the rental commercial, office, and residential buildings at and surrounding the stations, and get a source of revenue from the leases. The TTC and Metrolinx could do the same.
I noticed it in Hong Kong and Singapore too. It should be incorporated with the OL stations for sure as the stations are still in early stage works. For the existing TTC stations, it will be more complicated as the stations will have to be underpinned.
 
I hope they announce some projects/partnerships and the stations are underpinned to allow those developments. The City and Province can actually achieve affordable housing goals as well as family-sized units if the mandate is controlled by the government. Many of the developments surrounding the new stations are still tiny condos.
 
I mean....https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/en/what-we-do/development/transit-oriented-communities-subways/
As far as I am aware, our "TOC" is basically just "We are going to let developers build around here because there's a subway". This is significantly different from the JR model, of "We are going to buy the land and build around here ourselves." The latter model provides a long-term cash inflow to the rail company, allowing it to be self-sufficient and reliably make money from expanding public transit. The former does not- any benefit it does gain is in the form of taxes which the City or the Province reaps, and then indirectly must be wrangled into the Transit company, causing politicking. At most we ask developers to build or redevelop a transit station, as the GO TOC model.
 
1540 Bloor Street West has been languishing for decades. The Bloor-Dundas Mobility Hub is currently under construction. If the TTC could join up with Trinity Group at 1540 Bloor Street West as part owner to build OVER Dundas West Station, they could use that as an example for Ontario Line 3 stations to follow.
 
As far as I am aware, our "TOC" is basically just "We are going to let developers build around here because there's a subway". This is significantly different from the JR model, of "We are going to buy the land and build around here ourselves." The latter model provides a long-term cash inflow to the rail company, allowing it to be self-sufficient and reliably make money from expanding public transit. The former does not- any benefit it does gain is in the form of taxes which the City or the Province reaps, and then indirectly must be wrangled into the Transit company, causing politicking. At most we ask developers to build or redevelop a transit station, as the GO TOC model.
Right the JR method is not what STM is doing though.
 
Wild that BMW Toronto's flagship building is getting torn down soon.

I remember when it went up about 20 years ago!

I guess everything is disposable these days, but man, so wild that a perfectly good, modern building is just getting demolished.

Yeah, yeah, I know why it has to go, I'm not a dummy, and of course this is for the greater good yada yada....

I'm just marvelling at the fact that all of a sudden it will be gone and I remember when it first opened!

Screenshot 2026-03-17 at 6.44.33 PM.png
 

Back
Top