[rbt]

Yup. Subway trains in a 6 car set are about 200,000kg. An individual streetcar is 48,000 kg.

The LRT is still heavier per meter in length.

Also, a 6-car LRT (Eglinton will run up to 3-car trains; a functional train pushing a disabled train makes 6-cars in total) weighs 288,000kg.

 

[Electrify]

In Frankfurt, they call their LRT (Stadtbahn) system a "subway" (U-Bahn).

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Subways and LRT aren't mutually exclusive.

 

[nfitz]

In Frankfurt, they call their LRT (Stadtbahn) system a "subway" (U-Bahn).

In England they call a pedestrian underpass at a busy intersection (with no transit anywhere) a "subway".

I don't believe the Germans actually use the word "subway".. U-bahn is short for Untergrundbahn which literally means Underground Train.

I'd call our new Eglinton line, on which we'll run underground trains of LRT cars a U-Bahn.

Still, I don't see the issue of what one calls it. The origin of the word light rail is from the level of service and capacity, not the weight of the vehicles or weight of the rails. This is well documented.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Still, I don't see the issue of what one calls it. The origin of the word light rail is from the level of service and capacity, not the weight of the vehicles or weight of the rails. This is well documented.

Well documented for those who follow transit issues. Not so much to a regular guy on the street.

 

[M II A II R II K]

There's rapid express long range transit, and rapid local transit that can also be long range if there's no better way of getting where you're going. All of which on it's own ROW of course and never be on the streets.

 

[ehlow]

Subways and LRT aren't mutually exclusive.

The Boston Green line runs LRVs underground and on street ROW and it's called a "subway".

This may upset some people on this forum, but there will be many people calling Eglinton a subway because of it the underground section. The average person doesn't care or pay attention to transit technology details like most who read this forum do.

 

[BMO]

The Boston Green line runs LRVs underground and on street ROW and it's called a "subway".

This may upset some people on this forum, but there will be many people calling Eglinton a subway because of it the underground section. The average person doesn't care or pay attention to transit technology details like most who read this forum do.

They also call a pedestrian underpass or a street underpass a subway.

 

[Electrify]

In England they call a pedestrian underpass at a busy intersection (with no transit anywhere) a "subway".

I don't believe the Germans actually use the word "subway".. U-bahn is short for Untergrundbahn which literally means Underground Train.

I'd call our new Eglinton line, on which we'll run underground trains of LRT cars a U-Bahn.

Still, I don't see the issue of what one calls it. The origin of the word light rail is from the level of service and capacity, not the weight of the vehicles or weight of the rails. This is well documented.

'Bahn' actually translates directly to 'way,' or at least 'way' when it is used with a transport corridor (ie: stairway, railway, parkway, etc). So yes, 'untergrundbahn' translates almost directly to 'subway,' as the 'sub' is short for 'sub-terrain.'

 

[doady]

"Subway" is a synonym for "metro". There is a grey area, but generally if it's light rail then its not subway, simple as that.

The current subway system is not even all underground. To say a line is part of the subway system simple because it has an underground section makes no sense at all.

And let's not forget, the current streetcar system is partly underground too.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

So does anyone think if Ford wins again this will become a subway?

 

[rbt]

So does anyone think if Ford wins again this will become a subway?

No. Last election had a very high turnover of councillors (most retired, few incumbents defeated). I expect council after the election to look pretty similar to what we have now. Obviously, if Ford wins Stintz will not be on council.

That said, a provincial election between now and October could certainly shake things up; though I suspect the choices are LRT in 2020 or subway in 2040. Hudak will quickly cancel the LRT but if he's funding from the existing taxes the DRL will be forced to be funded first and will take 5 to 10 years to do it; the banks and Board of Trade will insist on it.

He would be short even if Finch, Sheppard LRT, and chunks of Eglinton were cancelled. I expect Yonge would take priority over Sheppard too from a provincial political view. Ford's relationship to Hudak was pretty weak even when Ford was at his peak popularity.

 

[howl]

In England they call a pedestrian underpass at a busy intersection (with no transit anywhere) a "subway".

I don't believe the Germans actually use the word "subway".. U-bahn is short for Untergrundbahn which literally means Underground Train.

I'd call our new Eglinton line, on which we'll run underground trains of LRT cars a U-Bahn.

Still, I don't see the issue of what one calls it. The origin of the word light rail is from the level of service and capacity, not the weight of the vehicles or weight of the rails. This is well documented.

Regardless of the actual weight and using the general North American terminology, one normally assumes that the safety features and stopping distances of an LRT type vehicle is such that it can operate in mixed traffic at a reasonable speed if it needs to. A HRT generally isn't designed to safely operate in mixed traffic. If you start taking a Toronto subway car and making it safe for mixed traffic you'll end up with something very similar to a standard LRT vehicle.

 

[BurlOak]

No. Last election had a very high turnover of councillors (most retired, few incumbents defeated). I expect council after the election to look pretty similar to what we have now. Obviously, if Ford wins Stintz will not be on council.

That said, a provincial election between now and October could certainly shake things up; though I suspect the choices are LRT in 2020 or subway in 2040. Hudak will quickly cancel the LRT but if he's funding from the existing taxes the DRL will be forced to be funded first and will take 5 to 10 years to do it; the banks and Board of Trade will insist on it.

He would be short even if Finch, Sheppard LRT, and chunks of Eglinton were cancelled. I expect Yonge would take priority over Sheppard too from a provincial political view. Ford's relationship to Hudak was pretty weak even when Ford was at his peak popularity.

If the election were 6 months ago, there would be enough money to have a Sheppard subway from Downsview to STC, and an Eglinton subway from Mount Dennis to Malvern (elevated through Scarborough). Now, I am not sure what options Hudak and Ford have left.

Much like the SRT/LRT and B-D extension to STC, we know that the Sheppard subway debate will repeat at least a half dozen more times before they actually start construction.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

If the election were 6 months ago, there would be enough money to have a Sheppard subway from Downsview to STC, and an Eglinton subway from Mount Dennis to Malvern (elevated through Scarborough). Now, I am not sure what options Hudak and Ford have left.

What makes you think this?