[Woodbridge_Heights]

The article might be wrong. Spadina has signal priority installed but not activated to my knowledge

 

[drum118]

The article might be wrong. Spadina has signal priority installed but not activated to my knowledge

Signals are in place, but the city traffic folks will not turn them on.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

I've been told they'll be on at the end of the year using a new algorithm.

 

[CityPlaceN1]

Let's hope it speeds the streetcars up. Right now its a mess.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Signal priority can only do so much on Spadina. The main problem is the extremely lengthy dwell times at stops - particularly at Dundas, but in the afternoon rush hour, at virtually every stop going northbound. Both operators and customers need to learn how to minimize this by:
A) Operators being strict and not letting any more customers on if there's a streetcar waiting behind it
B) Customers being more considerate and not boarding if there's a streetcar waiting behind

I've suggested that northbound Spadina stops be changed to how the Harbourfront streetcar works on summer weekends and allow all door boarding with payment at a crash gate at Spadina Station - at zero cost, since there's already a spare operator who monitors the rear door at Dundas/Spadina, who would move up to Spadina Station. The idea was dismissed by Giambrone since there's a proof-of-payment study going on right now - despite my pointing out that this isn't actually proof-of-payment.

 

[nfitz]

A) and B) are nice ideas ... but unlikely to ever change.

Simply instituting Queen-style POP would help.

Would it help moving some of the ALRVs from Queen here?

 

[299 bloor call control.]

A & B may happen when the new LRVs arrive - the doors will likely operate much more like a subway train, with chimes and doors closing and the driver will be enclosed in their own cab. Also, proof-of-payment will likely go streetcar system wide at the time the new vehicles arrive.

Having ALRVs on Spadina might be useful in reducing bunching of streetcars, as fewer of them would be necessary, but if there is no all-door boarding, it'd aggravate service times at stops even more - since there would be more people at the stop waiting to board.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Open House on July 29th

Iondale Heights United Church, 115 Ionview Road, Scarborough (Kennedy/Eglinton)
Wednesday July 29, 2009 – 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

In case you missed the previous open houses, the last of the current crop of open houses on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, from the TTC website:

Public Consultation: We are holding an Open House where you can learn more about this transit project, ask questions, and share your comments.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and the City of Toronto are conducting preliminary planning for a new Light Rail Transit (LRT) route along Eglinton Avenue from Kennedy Subway Station to Pearson International Airport. The LRT would link to the Yonge Subway at Eglinton Station and the Spadina Subway at Eglinton West Station. As part of the Transit City light rail network, important connections will be provided to the proposed Don Mills LRT and Jane Street LRT.

The Eglinton Crosstown would provide modern, accessible and comfortable light rail transit service. Within the central section between Brentcliffe Road (just west of Leslie Street) to Keele Street, the LRT would operate underground as the width of Eglinton Avenue in this area is too narrow to accommodate LRT. For the remainder of the route, the LRT would operate in surface transit lanes in the centre of the street.

Responses to questions and comments submitted during consultations held in 2008 will be posted in the Frequently Asked Questions and Answers section on the City of Toronto, Transit City project website This is an external site and it will open a new window.

At the July 2009 Open House, TTC and the City will present proposed station and station entrance locations for the central underground section (Brentcliffe to Keele). For the rest of Eglinton Avenue, proposed platform locations and traffic management strategies to provide fast and reliable LRT service will be displayed. Alternative corridors for the extension from Martin Grove Road to Pearson International Airport will also be exhibited.

The preliminary planning for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will lead to a Transit Project Assessment under the Environmental Assessment Act.

If you wish to make comments to the TTC go to the open house, or send an e-mail to eglintontransit@toronto.ca with your comments or suggestions.

 

[toraerach]

Would it help moving some of the ALRVs from Queen here?

I thought it was impossible to use ALRVs on Spadina for some reason (something about Spadina/Union stations perhaps?).

 

[rbt]

I thought it was impossible to use ALRVs on Spadina for some reason (something about Spadina/Union stations perhaps?).

Pushing a broken down or derailed ALRV up the exit ramp would be challenging, so they tend not to send them in places they can get stuck.

Perhaps one of the specs of the new cars was the requirement that a single LRV could push another disabled vehicle up that grade of slope?

 

[golodhendil]

How steep are the QQ and Spadina portals?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Pushing a broken down or derailed ALRV up the exit ramp would be challenging, so they tend not to send them in places they can get stuck.

Perhaps one of the specs of the new cars was the requirement that a single LRV could push another disabled vehicle up that grade of slope?

All the Transit City lines will have gentler inclines and gentler curves. The TC double-ended low-floor light rail vehicles will not be able to be used for revenue service on the inner city streetcar tracks. The new single-ended streetcar order will have all wheel drive, while the Transit City version will not.

 

[W. K. Lis]

How different would the modified left turns on Eglinton be than the intersections would have been for the Richview Expressway in Etobicoke. Take a look at the proposal maps:

The original 1960's version has just a 6 lane Richview Expressway intersecting with the arterials, while the 1970's version had a 6 lane Richview Expressway transferring with a 4 lane Eglinton service road which would then intersect with the arterials. Both ended at a 400 extension.

A greatly reduced 6 lane Eglinton Avenue West was rejected in 1994 by the public. Same as a plan for one with a bus right-of-way on the sides.

Those intersections are now reappearing (sort of) in the form of modified left turns, but without 6 lanes of traffic, it will remain as 4. With LRT in the center this time. This LRT plan seems to be acceptable, with more detailed variations coming.

 

[adma]

Interesting how the Richview apartment node didn't factor into the 70s scheme--was it deemed that "dead" already that the apartment towers popped up right away?

 

[Ansem]

Eglinton Crosstown

Speed:
22Km/h on surface
30 Km/h underground

Cost:4.6 Billion-->33KM
Cost per KM: Approx 140 millions

VS

Canada Line Vancouver

Speed: Average 45 Km/h
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)

Cost 2 Billion
Cost per KM:approx 104 Millions

-------------------------------------------------------
Montreal Metro Trains :
Train Length: 152.4 m (9 car train set)-1 Train=16.9m
Car Width: 2.5 m

VS

Canada line Trains:
Train Length: 41 m (2 car train set)-1 Train=20.5m
Car Width: 3 m
-------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion:
-Canada line will be faster
-less expensive
-better looking stations http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/soundslides/canadaline/
-most likely bigger trains than Eglinton LRT...

Something is seriously wrong here....