The heavy rail lines around MTL aren’t suited for high-frequency service. There aren’t any fixed rail bridges across the St Lawrence’s, so it would not be able to serve the south shore frequently.

The original Seltrac system is based on LZB, which has been in use on mainlines in Austria, Germany & Spain since the 70s, and some metro systems in the German-speaking world. You can get 30tph with EMUs with LZB or ETCS L2 with very short blocks (as is done on the Munich S-bahn core section)...

There are fixed-block signalling systems where there is no lineside signalling, such as ETCS Level 2, LZB, TVM and BACC. Transmission of the MA occurs by radio (ETCS L2), induction loop (LZB) or coded track circuit (TVM & BACC), so there is no need for lineside signals (there's usually a marker...

The TTC doesn't currently use the Witt, PCC or CLRV for revenue service. Outfitting them with pantographs is at the bottom of their spending priorities, especially given the current funding situation. I don't want funds that could be used to improve service being used to refit vehicles that will...

The same will happen to the New York subway as it migrates to CBTC. Once the system is near-completely migrated, you won't be seeing heritage trains running there either. Not that it's a bad thing: the agency's job is to run a public service.

The interlining within divisions is why interoperability is needed in New York, and why it is an inappropriate comparison case for Toronto. Much like Toronto, each line in Paris has its own staff and depot(s), so there's no need for equipment to be transferred within hours. My concern is more...

The New York Subway has extensive interlining, so it may not be the best comparison case. In places where there is no interlining (e.g. Paris), different CBTC signaling systems have been used for Different lines, and rolling stock is not shared even though the loading gauge is the same for lines...

I don't understand the obsession here with building the line to TTC Loading Gauge. We're talking about a completely new line (not an extension), that will not interline at all with existing lines. There is no reason that the design of existing TTC lines should constrain the OL design. Overhead...

For this to happen, the exact same signaling system needs to be used on all lines, or trains have to be fitted for the signaling system on every line. In the case of the TTC's legacy signaling, which doesn't require a lot of train-based equipment, the fitting that equipment on a train meant for...

Thanks for the response, though my thought was more toward the design of the OL right-of-way. A less constraining loading gauge could be useful when designing the alignment at difficult locations compared to using TTC loading gauge.

Has the TTC ripped out the legacy wayside equipment on line 1 yet? TTC Subway loading gauge is very wide compared to most other metro systems. This could be an issue at hard points on the line (such as the ROW in Leslieville), though I don't know for sure. Every system has degraded modes where...

The reason it’s done at many other railways is that it reduces variability in departure times (and therefore reduces the amount of buffer time required in station areas).

I think I should have been more clear when describing the system. In PSDs (globally), and on trams & trains in German-speaking countries, the sensitive edge is augmented with light barriers (of the type used in elevators) used to detect pinned objects after the door is fully closed (if you stick...

I am from a culture where it is customary to tip the wait staff at a restaurant, so I would normally leave a tip. At the same time there are cultures out there when it is not customary to tip, or where tipping is rude (such as Japan, China and South Korea). While I understand it is good...

Are there any other situations in our daily life (outside of public transit vehicles) where a power-operated door won’t reopen for you if you put your hand in? I can’t think of any in my own life. All power doors I experience in my life either have a light-based sensor in the door (elevators)...

Could you link to these communications? I have never seen one from either company, and I regularly rode the TTC for years. It is unreasonable to expect the average passenger, who has never had to pass a safety training course, should have a detailed understanding of how doors work, and how they...

I don’t understand how it’s inherently unsafe to stick your hand in a door. I and many other passengers do it all the time in elevator doors. Metrolinx has no control over passenger perceptions of safety at the doors unless it embarks on a campaign to remove safety protections from all elevators...

I understand that there is a reasonable person test for safety-related things. If passengers could reasonably believe something is safe to do, it needs to be safe. The case I was referring to (sticking your hand in a door) is a scenario that passengers reasonably see as a safe thing to do, so...

Railways generally only care about on-time arrivals, as that is what the passenger is interested in. Departing late on its own is not a big deal, unless it causes a conflict between trains in the station area.

If a subway train departs with a passenger’s hand in the door, they could be seriously or fatally injured. In the US, there were two fatal trap-and-drags last year (in Boston and New York). At some point, the doors have to reopen. The best doors from a safety perspective are those on German...