[cplchanb]

I scrolled up to Thursday and don't see any posts on last Thursday's Metrolinx Board meeting. Here's the time-marked link to what CEO Phil Verster said about the Eglinton Crosstown LRT:

cc @Northern Light in case I missed anything. I haven't seen any media reports covering this.

From the transcript via YouTube (with some light editing for clarity; emphasis added):

• I have to share with you that our focus on Eglinton Crosstown LRT remains relentless, and we continue to make progress.
  
  
• We are working together with our supply chain with CTS and with a combination of other suppliers to make sure that we can open this line as soon as possible but open it safe and punctual. We've been giving you updates on the five key points on that at technical reviews and consistently.
  
  
• Let me do that again:
  • [Firstly] on physical construction broadly done. City of Toronto is completing the inspections and we are tending to and clearing minor defects as they are identified;
    
    
  • Secondly, testing and commissioning. Our site acceptance testing is now at 91.4% and the really crucial one, system integration testing, is at 69.2%. [These are] really important deliverables. While I talk about testing commissioning, I want to talk about the signaling and train control system which is like the nerve center that moves trains around and make sure that trains are safe relative to one another, safe relative to the operation, and operating punctually.
    • The signaling train control system is the most important system. Trains don't steer themselves, saying the obvious, it's the train control system that steers trains and move trains. The release five (5) was a software version that had several software defects in it, and in May-April-May we had a real breakthrough with release six (6) which removed substantially removed defects to the extent that infrastructure was declared ready by us for train-the-trainer and for crew training to start, which was an important precondition from our colleagues in the TTC and from ourselves and that has started.
  • Third area that's really important is therefore the operator training because that is now a very important part of the critical path. 17 trainers have now completed the train-the-trainer program. To give you a sense of this, the train-the-trainer program then translates into operator driver training to get 95 operators trained so that we can get to a completion of training and [so that] services can start in in year - - in the months to follow;
    
    
  • The fourth area that's really important is the certification of design. That's really the paperwork. This is an important piece of work where construction certificates must be issued to us by CTS. There are 46 of these construction certificates of which five have been issued. This is systematic steady progress. Clearly, the construction certificates can only be issued after all of the testing is done and all of the deficiencies [are] closed out. So the sequence there is really important. This is the certification that the asset is safe and the asset is what we have bought. It's really important to complete that; [and]
    
    
  • The last area [fifth] that's also positive to share is occupancy permits whereby the facilities [are] certified by the City of Toronto as safe to be occupied. We now have 36 of the 40 occupancy certificates which is also steady and relentless progress. So learning from [the] Ottawa [LRT opening], we are planning to when we get to substantial completion to have a bedding-in [breaking-in] period probably two (2) to three (3) months whereby we'll run the full service and at capacity and make sure that we:
    • Iron out all of the operational issues that may exist between maintenance teams;
    • Crews running assets;
    • Trains performing as they should;
    • System performing as they should; to
    • Make sure that on opening day we run a service that is punctual [to] the customers and the market's expectation.
      
• We are not declaring an opening date yet but we will declare an opening date three (3) months in advance of that first day of [revenue] service when we expect to run our first [revenue service] trains.

I wonder how long it will take to complete systems integration from 61%...

 

[Allandale25]

^ Let's not go backwards. Per the text above it's "69.2%"

 

[cplchanb]

^ Let's not go backwards. Per the text above it's "69.2%"

Oops misread but same question....how long for that final 30%?

 

[crs1026]

• Let me do that again:
  • [Firstly] on physical construction broadly done. City of Toronto is completing the inspections and we are tending to and clearing minor defects as they are identified;

I interpret this to say that the construction forces have generally demobilised, except for where they are performing commissioning and testing and/or correcting defects.

• • 
    
    
  • Secondly, testing and commissioning. Our site acceptance testing is now at 91.4% and the really crucial one, system integration testing, is at 69.2%.

Drives me crazy how the ML Board tosses easy pitches. So, what was the comparable statistic for the past two quarters (I should look these up, but if ML were running proper metric-based reporting we wouldn't have to) 69.2% sounds impressive - but only if it's a significant movement from a quarter or six months ago.

• Third area that's really important is therefore the operator training because that is now a very important part of the critical path. 17 trainers have now completed the train-the-trainer program. To give you a sense of this, the train-the-trainer program then translates into operator driver training to get 95 operators trained so that we can get to a completion of training and [so that] services can start in in year - - in the months to follow;

To be balanced, this does sound like progress.

• 
  
• The fourth area that's really important is the certification of design. That's really the paperwork. This is an important piece of work where construction certificates must be issued to us by CTS. There are 46 of these construction certificates of which five have been issued. This is systematic steady progress. Clearly, the construction certificates can only be issued after all of the testing is done and all of the deficiencies [are] closed out. So the sequence there is really important. This is the certification that the asset is safe and the asset is what we have bought. It's really important to complete that; [and]

Back to my last-quarter question. Only five of 46 complete does not sound like "systematic steady progress", especially if the number reported last quarter was non-zero. How many are projected to be complete by the next quarterly report?

The bigger-league question that never seems to be pitched: there have been rumoured or reported structural deficiencies, some of which while never voiced officially sure sounded serious, eg the alleged defects in the underpinning at Eglinton-Yonge. So, to set the record straight once and for all - has ML concluded that there are no serious quality concerns and/or outstanding issues which would require some significant further construction work? Is the entire structure built to the quality expected and life span as contracted? Are any of the remaining 41 seen as problemmatic?

Second big league question - of the remaining known defects and correction orders that are being worked down, which one has the longest projected time to completion? (Another way of asking - if something is at least x months from correction, that would mean no opening for that many months yet, right?)

• we are planning to when we get to substantial completion to have a bedding-in [breaking-in] period probably two (2) to three (3) months whereby we'll run the full service and at capacity and make sure that we:
  • Iron out all of the operational issues that may exist between maintenance teams;
  • Crews running assets;
  • Trains performing as they should;
  • System performing as they should; to
  • Make sure that on opening day we run a service that is punctual [to] the customers and the market's expectation.
    
• We are not declaring an opening date yet but we will declare an opening date three (3) months in advance of that first day of [revenue] service when we expect to run our first [revenue service] trains.

Basic math then says that if we are running a bedding period of 2-3 months and the intent is to not announce a starting date until 3 months prior to opening, the start of the bedding period is a big hint about opening date.... but even then we will have to see how well the full test performs.

- Paul

 

[lead82]

I’m surprised they can say construction is basically finished and they are only testing and doing integration work while Eglinton station shows there is still lots of work to do to get Eglinton on Yonge line ready. Unless the plan is to leave Eglinton on Yonge line in a decrepit state unworthy of a new transfer station.

 

[Allandale25]

I interpret this to say that the construction forces have generally demobilised, except for where they are performing commissioning and testing and/or correcting defects.



Drives me crazy how the ML Board tosses easy pitches. So, what was the comparable statistic for the past two quarters (I should look these up, but if ML were running proper metric-based reporting we wouldn't have to) 69.2% sounds impressive - but only if it's a significant movement from a quarter or six months ago.



To be balanced, this does sound like progress.



Back to my last-quarter question. Only five of 46 complete does not sound like "systematic steady progress", especially if the number reported last quarter was non-zero. How many are projected to be complete by the next quarterly report?

The bigger-league question that never seems to be pitched: there have been rumoured or reported structural deficiencies, some of which while never voiced officially sure sounded serious, eg the alleged defects in the underpinning at Eglinton-Yonge. So, to set the record straight once and for all - has ML concluded that there are no serious quality concerns and/or outstanding issues which would require some significant further construction work? Is the entire structure built to the quality expected and life span as contracted? Are any of the remaining 41 seen as problemmatic?

Second big league question - of the remaining known defects and correction orders that are being worked down, which one has the longest projected time to completion? (Another way of asking - if something is at least x months from correction, that would mean no opening for that many months yet, right?)



Basic math then says that if we are running a bedding period of 2-3 months and the intent is to not announce a starting date until 3 months prior to opening, the start of the bedding period is a big hint about opening date.... but even then we will have to see how well the full test performs.

- Paul

Re comparable stats...it would take digging but I remember posting them from the February Board meeting where I think Verster did a similar verbal update. It also goes back to the Fall of 2023 when they had a display board for media at a press conference (or two).

 

[Coolibop]

... so that we can get to a completion of training and [so that] services can start in in year - - in the months to follow;

Was that a slip of what they hope to achieve (by year end)?

 

[Allandale25]

Was that a slip of what they hope to achieve (by year end)?

I didn't really do any heavy editing in that section from the transcript YouTube made. So for greater clarity you may want to click on the time marked link and go to that section in the transcript to listen for yourself.

 

[Coolibop]

I didn't really do any heavy editing in that section from the transcript YouTube made. So for greater clarity you may want to click on the time marked link and go to that section in the transcript to listen for yourself.

I did. 16:15. The transcript is accurate.

 

[Parkdalian]

Well, I guess it's good that he didn't slip up and say "years to follow" - at least the outer bound is a year?

 

[grammin]

Thanks for the great summary on here. I thought this was a much more positive presentation than we have seen in recent times. I think, I hope, that the TTC is taking what appears to be a very positive approach to this will really boost the progress through. Enthusiasm is infectious.

I note that they received their version 6 software a month or two earlier as Versteer had said it was going to be a June update at the earliest. They seem to have gotten well ahead of that.

I was intrigued that the Ontario Line stations are being dug out ahead of the bores, this is a sea change from the approach at Crosstown and the west extension is it not? Would save a tonne of time.

 

[generalcanada]

Thanks for the great summary on here. I thought this was a much more positive presentation than we have seen in recent times. I think, I hope, that the TTC is taking what appears to be a very positive approach to this will really boost the progress through. Enthusiasm is infectious.

I note that they received their version 6 software a month or two earlier as Versteer had said it was going to be a June update at the earliest. They seem to have gotten well ahead of that.

I was intrigued that the Ontario Line stations are being dug out ahead of the bores, this is a sea change from the approach at Crosstown and the west extension is it not? Would save a tonne of time.

I think it was mentioned for the Ontario line presentation that they want the station excavated before the TBM's reach the stations and i quote "so they can push them through"

 

[smallspy]

I’m surprised they can say construction is basically finished and they are only testing and doing integration work while Eglinton station shows there is still lots of work to do to get Eglinton on Yonge line ready. Unless the plan is to leave Eglinton on Yonge line in a decrepit state unworthy of a new transfer station.

There is very, very little to do left at Yonge & Eglinton, at least when it comes to serious work. Almost all of the street-level work is completed, and they haven been steadily removing the hording from around the various vertical accesses and passageways within the existing station.

There may be some small deficiencies left to correct, but the picture to those of us who use the station regularly is that it is opening soon.

(Of course, we know that "soon" is a pretty subjective thing, but after all that has gone on, it does seem like there is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.)

Dan

 

[jordanmkasla2009]

Back to my last-quarter question. Only five of 46 complete does not sound like "systematic steady progress", especially if the number reported last quarter was non-zero. How many are projected to be complete by the next quarterly report?

The bigger-league question that never seems to be pitched: there have been rumoured or reported structural deficiencies, some of which while never voiced officially sure sounded serious, eg the alleged defects in the underpinning at Eglinton-Yonge. So, to set the record straight once and for all - has ML concluded that there are no serious quality concerns and/or outstanding issues which would require some significant further construction work? Is the entire structure built to the quality expected and life span as contracted? Are any of the remaining 41 seen as problemmatic?

Second big league question - of the remaining known defects and correction orders that are being worked down, which one has the longest projected time to completion? (Another way of asking - if something is at least x months from correction, that would mean no opening for that many months yet, right?)

A lot of the certificates are very site-specific and there may be multiple certificates that will be issued for certain sites (i.e. Cedarvale, Eglinton-Yonge).

The underpinning of Eglinton-Yonge was a well-known and public problem as they had to pause work on underpinning the station in order to reinforce the caissons of Eglinton-Yonge as those (built in the 1950s) had deteriorated more than anticipated over the almost 70 years of it's life and were now defective and needed serious work to correct. That work contributed heavily to the delays in construction of the Eglington-Yonge Lower Concourse and Eglinton-Yonge Lower Station as there were fears that the underpinning work itself might cause the caissons to fail and significantly affect the structural integrity of both the existing station and the underpinning work they were doing.

I think if the caissons on Eglinton are any indication of anticipated lifespan (which I wouldn't even begin to know where to find that kind of information about them since they were built in the '50s) versus actual lifespan its that you can build for 100 year lifespans and still have things fail prematurely (looking at you Calgary's water transmission trunk main). NB: Now that Metrolinx knows that the caissons were failing prematurely at Eglinton they'll be able to anticipate the possibility of that being the case at Queen Station on the Ontario Line as well and will likely have factored that possibility into the work that will happen there as well.

Let's just see where we are after all the rail grinding is 100% completed as that would give everyone a better indication of what defects still remain.

 

[Aplus23]

Just seen some work crews doing track grinding at Eglinton and warden