[andrewmaps]

Nobody is proposing a station east of the bridge. It's just a tail track. See the diagrams in my post above, the platforms are just the two existing ones.

You need to design the transfer time around the slowest user, not the fastest user. And no matter how well you position yourself on the bay platform, you're never going to match the convenience of the tail track option that drops you off on the same platform where the next train picks you up.

Adding retaining walls and acquiring property would definitely be more expensive than adding a second set of spans to a bridge that already has the abutments for them.

That was the image Google Maps gave me, not sure why you're getting an older one. Maybe you have 3D buildings on, they don't update 3D imagery very often.

In any case my go-to for recent images is Google Earth via its Time tool. Many cities also have their own online mapping tool that may have more recent imagery than Google Maps.

Oh, ok, I get it... the DMU stops at the existing platform, then accesses the trail track before coming back? yes, that seems much easier! Thanks for the clarification

 

[CapitalSeven]

It's interesting that the tail track operation described is just what Ottawa designed, paid for, and built for the airport line. Then before they even got to final trials they abandoned it for a simpler operation which at least triples the transfer time. So there is some risk on designing around complex moves.

 

[reaperexpress]

It's interesting that the tail track operation described is just what Ottawa designed, paid for, and built for the airport line. Then before they even got to final trials they abandoned it for a simpler operation which at least triples the transfer time. So there is some risk on designing around complex moves.

My understanding is that the 7-minute same platform transfer I illustrated is actually the pattern currently used at South Keys. The original design was a more complex operation with 2-minute cross-platform transfers and trains running in both directions on both tracks.

 

[CapitalSeven]

It's still a same-platform transfer but 7 minutes instead of 2. Instead of using the pocket track while the main line trains meet, it's timed so that it simply arrives, loads, and departs halfway through the 12 minute cycle using the western track. The switches and pocket track are not being used. They may try to go back to the original eventually, but neither the city nor the media will discuss this issue publically.

None of these issues are a surprise. Ottawa always cheaps out at the expense of future expansion, and places no priority on efficient transfers or fast service.

As it happens I may be riding it to the airport this afternoon. If so I'll report in the Ottawa thread.

 

[nfitz]

Wow, epic fail. Google maps tells me the quickest way from the Airport to Lyon station is take the 97 bus to Herdman (17 minutes), and then 5 minutes later take Line 1 to Lyon (11 minutes). That's 33 minutes total.

Alternatively take the 97 bus 6 minutes to Greenbro, then 8 minutes later take Line 2 to Bayview (19 minute trip) and than 5 minutes later take Line 1 to Lyon (4 minutes). Total time 42 minutes.

If you play with the options enough, it will come up with Line 4 (7 minutes) to South Keys, wait 7 minutes and then take Line 2 to Bayview ( 21 minute trip) and than 5 minutes later take Line 1 to Lyon (4 minutes). Total time 44 minutes.

So best thing to do by far is ignore Line 2 and Line 4, and take the 97 bus.

Surely a direct bus from the airport to downtown would be faster than changing twice on 3 different LRT lines. They should call this new system Transfer City!

 

[CapitalSeven]

It's true that the train adds 15 or 20 minutes from downtown, another thing the media haven't noticed, though it is more dependable. Ottawa buses have become very unreliable. It was always a vanity project, never about speed or capacity. The question for Cambridge to Guelph should hinge on those 2 factors.