[MrsNesbitt]

I remember someone claiming to be a Metrolinx employee posting here once. The employee said that they do lurk. But who knows if we can trust that. But I'm sure they lurk. It's impossible to search for anything Toronto transit related that's somewhat technical without stumbling across countless UT forum posts.

And I find the lurkers kind of creepy. UT is our secret clubhouse, and they're peeping in at us like a bunch of creepers. Come out and say hello sometime.

As it so happens that's exactly how I stumbled across these forums. I'm not the biggest poster - though I would be if I could find the time - but I found it hard not to start mouthing off about something, with enough time spent lurking

And of course the TTC/Metrolinx reads these forums - and of course they're not going to tell us that they do, because then we'd stop being so candid!

Theme park industry members read all of the major forums, and quite often make subtle changes at the parks based on feedback from enthusiasts. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they decide to go with a different livery for the rt refurb, if we were vocal enough. Would love to see them give 44 North's vision a shot; it's light years ahead of what's proposed.

I suppose also that the community of GTHA transit enthusiasts isn't the most numerous, so we could be a wealth of knowledge for them. I'll echo that 44 North's livery could be a great branding opportunity for the TTC, and it could at least change public opinion a little by linking the aging SRT to the modern, slick Flexities, if nothing else but in colour.

Side note, just out of interest: if the track were refurbished as necessary and suitable catenary installed, could the Flexity Outlook negotiate the curves on the SRT? Chiefly, around the infamous Midland/Ellesmere curve? They were after all designed for the tight 90-degree turns of the downtown streetcar network, so they might have a decent chance.

 

[Duck]

That was the second plan - to use FLEXITY Freedon (Crosstown, ION) LFLRV's on the rt ROW. They'd have no problem with any of the rt's track geometry.

(plan 1 was ICTS MK II, plan 2 was FLEXITY Freedom, plan 3 is now subway/rt demo)

As much as I hate to suggest it, retrofitting a few FLEXITY Freedom's with side-power pickup to use the existing rt infrastructure would be the least costly option... Just build up the track with a lead in/out so the floor is flush to the existing high platforms.

 

[44 North]

Oh man, I couldn’t help but compare the first few minutes of that doc to an action movie from the 80s or 90s. Early dawn in the big city, ominous music in the military-like control centre at 0:55, cuts to moustached guys on the train platform carrying large cases at 2:53, there was even a building exploding at 4:40. It started out like Diehard 1 or 3, but it also had the wailing saxophones like Lethal Weapon.

 

[MrsNesbitt]

That was the second plan - to use FLEXITY Freedon (Crosstown, ION) LFLRV's on the rt ROW. They'd have no problem with any of the rt's track geometry.

(plan 1 was ICTS MK II, plan 2 was FLEXITY Freedom, plan 3 is now subway/rt demo)

As much as I hate to suggest it, retrofitting a few FLEXITY Freedom's with side-power pickup to use the existing rt infrastructure would be the least costly option... Just build up the track with a lead in/out so the floor is flush to the existing high platforms.

Certainly would be a more immediate and cost-effective choice than the subway. If the Flexities can perform well enough in the snow on downtown streets, they can likely do the same out in the Scarborough RT ROW as well. But giving Scarberians "streetcars" would never fly in the post-Ford world

 

[nfitz]

All the renderings I've seen for Waterloos ION's LRVs have been on ION blue and white livery, so if that's an indication of things to come, Toronto's LRVs should be in red and white.

Ontario is only paying 33% of the cost of the Waterloo LRVs, with the ownership after completion going to the Region. Metrolinx are paying 100% of the cost of the Eglinton LRVs, with the ownership after construction going to Ontario.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Good point. I wasn't aware of that.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Certainly would be a more immediate and cost-effective choice than the subway. If the Flexities can perform well enough in the snow on downtown streets, they can likely do the same out in the Scarborough RT ROW as well. But giving Scarberians "streetcars" would never fly in the post-Ford world

Everything on rails that isn't in a hole in the ground is a streetcar in Ford's world.

 

[howl]

Side note, just out of interest: if the track were refurbished as necessary and suitable catenary installed, could the Flexity Outlook negotiate the curves on the SRT? Chiefly, around the infamous Midland/Ellesmere curve? They were after all designed for the tight 90-degree turns of the downtown streetcar network, so they might have a decent chance.

The approved plan, as Duck pointed out, was to run the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT up the SRT right-of-way to the SCC, but they weren't going to use the same track. Apparently the SRT track is in dire need of repairs (much like the Gardiner) and the cost of refurbishing to handle LRT vehicles is prohibitive. It was more cost-effective to tear down the overhead track and build the new tracks on the ground with new bridges at a number of locations.

 

[BurlOak]

The approved plan, as Duck pointed out, was to run the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT up the SRT right-of-way to the SCC, but they weren't going to use the same track. Apparently the SRT track is in dire need of repairs (much like the Gardiner) and the cost of refurbishing to handle LRT vehicles is prohibitive. It was more cost-effective to tear down the overhead track and build the new tracks on the ground with new bridges at a number of locations.

Is this Transit City we are talking about.

How come for the option of SkyTrain, the tracks were NOT in dire need of repairs, which eliminated (minimized) the cost and time of the refurbishment.

 

[smallspy]

The approved plan, as Duck pointed out, was to run the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT up the SRT right-of-way to the SCC, but they weren't going to use the same track. Apparently the SRT track is in dire need of repairs (much like the Gardiner) and the cost of refurbishing to handle LRT vehicles is prohibitive. It was more cost-effective to tear down the overhead track and build the new tracks on the ground with new bridges at a number of locations.

This is the second time that I've read that on UT that the plan was to tear down the elevated structure/guideway and rebuild the line at-grade.

What and where is the reference to this? It was never an option at any of the EA meetings. What was discussed at those meetings was that the guideway *may* need to be rebuilt to handle the new equipment, but I can't find any references to anything beyond that.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

+1. I've never heard that until someone mentioned it on UT a few weeks ago.

 

[nfitz]

+1. I've never heard that until someone mentioned it on UT a few weeks ago.

Sounds like BS to me. Not in the EA, which was already amended and with the RFP issued. They couldn't do that for a PPP, if they were going to change the design that significantly!

 

[CDL.TO]

This is the second time that I've read that on UT that the plan was to tear down the elevated structure/guideway and rebuild the line at-grade.

What and where is the reference to this? It was never an option at any of the EA meetings. What was discussed at those meetings was that the guideway *may* need to be rebuilt to handle the new equipment, but I can't find any references to anything beyond that.

Thank you Dan. I was also wondering where this strange idea had some from.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I think most people think that if the 2 Bloor-Danforth subway is extended from Kennedy Station northeast to Scarborough Town Centre and beyond, it would be with the same headways as the current Line 2.

Look at the 1 Yonge-University-Spadina. During the morning rush, trains get short-turned at St. Clair West Station. Plans have been made, unfortunately usually "postponed", to change the short-turn from St. Clair West to Glencairn Station. Still waiting to see that.

Anyways, if there isn't enough riders on such a Line 2 extension, they may have to put in a short-turn situation, as well. We may end up with a morning rush hour short-turn at Kennedy. Worse would be a short-turn during the evening rush hour. Even worse, a short-turn in the evening. Even more worse, a short-turn in all hours.

Consider this as well. The 4 Sheppard Line runs 4-car trains at 5 minute headways at all times, even during the rush hours. Both Line 1 & 2 run at 2 to 3 minute headways during the rush hours, except during the morning rush north of St. Clair West Station (at 5 minute headways), using 6-car trains.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Consider this as well. The 4 Sheppard Line runs 4-car trains at 5 minute headways at all times, even during the rush hours. Both Line 1 & 2 run at 2 to 3 minute headways during the rush hours, except during the morning rush north of St. Clair West Station (at 5 minute headways), using 6-car trains.

What fractions of trains are short turned at St. Clair West?