A more apt comparison would be Rome Line C, which at 109m long trains (and mind you has train specs similar to what Metrolinx has been claiming would have) has a capacity of 1200 passengers, multiplying that by 40TPH gives us an alleged capacity of seemingly 48000PPHPD (I'm probably wrong because these seems kinda sus, but if it's true, wow this is amazing).
a 750-passenger train would have a capacity of 30,000 pphd with 90 second frequencies - which is what Metrolinx has been aiming for here since the start.
It really isn't unrealistic. The Vancouver Skytrain can operate at more than 40tph. Many systems around the world operate at 40tph no problem. From what we've heard from Metrolinx, the Ontario Line is specifically being designed for more than 40tph specifically so that it can hit that 40tph no problem.
120 seconds is basically what the TTC does at peak hour already without full automatic signaling and other assistances like platform screen doors, properly designed terminus stations, etc. The TTC is actively planning ~100 second headways on Line 1 once ATC is completed.
yes - they don't intend to operate it immediately as it won't be needed. Expected initial demand will only be enough to fill up about 20tph - so 30tph will be more than enough.
Aren’t they designing it for 60tph? Could’ve sworn Reece Martin talked to someone on the project stating that was the internal design goal to ‘ensure they can hit 40tph’ or something to that effect. I don’t think they’d attempt to operate at 60 second headways, but who knows how much demand there will be between Queen and Pape at rush hour.
I mentioned this earlier but yes. The way they're insuring that they can run it at 40tph, is by designing it around running faster than that.
Not sure about 60, but I believe something like 75s is theoretically possible. The issue that occurs when you approach the 90s barrier is that to maintain such high headways is that the margin for error in terms of any form of delay quickly approaches 0. If you're at a station and someone holds the doors open for even just a second, you can say goodbye 60s headways. However if we think of a space in the land of purely imaginary theoreticals, assuming you don't have any disruption with passengers holding doors or whatever, then in theory 60s is entirely possible. Back in the day interurbans all over this continent reached those headways on a regular basis. The Hollywood Tunnel in LA that was used by the Pacific Electric railway had 880 trains pass through it, which is around a train every 3.2 minutes per direction on average in a 24h period (IE, it was effectively 60s during peak periods), all done via the signalling power of Line of Sight. Something similar would occur on the NYC Subway where on the local tracks, subway trains would basically arrive back to back also thanks to the power of Line of Sight (trains would run slow enough that this was practical, also safety standards were far lower at that time).