[M II A II R II K]

They make these things up as they go along so who knows.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Will these vehicles have TTC logos and branding on them or no? Having Metolinx branded LRVs on what is to the customer a TTC vehicle could be confusing. Imagine being a tourist who was told to take the TTC ECLRT westbound. A newcomer to Toronto may get confused when they see a green Metrolinx branded LRV rolling down the street while they're used to seeing red TTC vehicles.

Unless there is some practical purpose to the green colour, there is no reason for them to be green. Though it's not a huge issue, red is clearly the better choice for colours for customers. Beyond hurting Metrolinx's pride, I really don't see why they shouldn't be red.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Speaking of that, I think that the reason Metolinx want's the LRVs to be have Metrolinx branding may be to make people in Toronto more friendly to the idea of Metrolinx eventually taking over the TTC. As of now, I doubt that Torontonians are very supportive of the Province running the TTC. Having these vehicles Metrolinx branded will be a small, but important step to improving confidence in Metrolinx among Torontonians.

Think of it as psychological warfare.

 

[DavidH]

I expect to see Green since they are own by Metrolinx in the first place to match GO Transit colours which is already under Metrolinx control.

The obvious counter-argument is Union-Pearson Express, which won't be green.

 

[nfitz]

The obvious counter-argument is Union-Pearson Express, which won't be green.

Looks like shades of green to me. What would you call the colours that aren't the orange stripe or stainless steel? Or is their website out of date?

 

[jamincan]

GO, UPX and Presto are all distinct brands within Metrolinx. It doesn't necessarily follow that the Crosstown would be subordinate to any of them.

I would think that the Crosstown would be akin to the situation with VIVA in York Region, but maybe more knowledgable people could chime in. In any case, Metrolinx states that: "York Region will oversee all day-to-day operations and routine maintenance decision-making and delivery for all elements of the bus rapidway. They will also operate the Viva service and administer all service contracts. Metrolinx will be responsible for asset preservation and replacement decision making and funding."

Why should the TTC be any different with the Crosstown LRT?

 

[DavidH]

Looks like shades of green to me. What would you call the colours that aren't the orange stripe or stainless steel? Or is their website out of date?

To me, they're an olive-green, not a pure green, and not what most people would simply call "green". To me, that's sufficiently different from the GO livery that it makes it clear there is no such single colour as "Metrolinx green".

 

[k10ery]

It seems pretty clear to me the vehicles should NOT be TTC red.

Even if TTC is operating them for now, Metrolinx needs to have a credible option to take the operations contract away from TTC and give it to the private sector. That's easier to do if the private sector is taking over a vehicle that all of us can see is NOT a TTC operated vehicle.

The threat to go private is what will keep TTC honest in negotiations over the operating subsidy, and keep the ATU honest in negotiations over wages.

 

[innsertnamehere]

changing the colours of the vehicles won't change the legal owner, and therefore won't change how they can be haggled with. Metrolinx has every option to go to a private operator, and that won't change whether they are red or green.

red for me, they are designed to compliment current TTC service, not current GO service. the TTC colour is red, and so these should be too. I don't care about the TTC logo quite as much though.

 

[officedweller]

I think that providing different liveries would provide notice to passengers that the line is either under different ownership or a different operator.
In Vancouver, the Canada Line has a different livery than the rest of the SkyTrain system. Although TransLink owns the stations, tunnels and the guideway, the vehicles are owned by the InTransitBC (the operator).
In the case of the Crosstown, if the vehicles are owned by MetroLinx, MetroLinx could allow TTC to paint the cars red to identify the operator - but as owner, if I were MetroLinx, I would require TTC to bear the high cost of repainting (to get rid of TTC colours) if TTC's contract is terminated or expires.

 

[k10ery]

changing the colours of the vehicles won't change the legal owner, and therefore won't change how they can be haggled with. Metrolinx has every option to go to a private operator, and that won't change whether they are red or green.

Sure it would. Same colour and the average rider won't know what's what. Then if ECLRT were operated badly by a private operator, TTC would unfairly bear the reputational cost of that. And conversely if they were operated better than TTC. Paint them green. Nobody will confuse them with GO trains, surely.

 

[innsertnamehere]

But the thing is that the TTC will be operating them, so it would be their fault if a customer received a bad experience.

 

[nfitz]

It's a miracle that transit riders know what to do when the streetcar shows up in a wrap, rather than in red. With the beliefs of some that the colours cause confusion, you'd think they'd be panicking when it shows up in BMO blue.

 

[W. K. Lis]

If not Toronto Transit Commission red, then maybe Toronto Civic Railway green:

 

[k10ery]

But the thing is that the TTC will be operating them, so it would be their fault if a customer received a bad experience.

not necessarily forever. Um, thats the whole point