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Or maybe we should make the streetcar lanes for streetcars only

Or at minimum, restrict the use of streetcar lanes immediately after an intersection (problem intersections) for the length of a streetcar. That way, the streetcar always has enough space to clear the intersection. (This assumes that enforcement also happens)
 
Or at minimum, restrict the use of streetcar lanes immediately after an intersection (problem intersections) for the length of a streetcar. That way, the streetcar always has enough space to clear the intersection. (This assumes that enforcement also happens)

Ok....I'll pay devil's advocate using the example I saw today. The cars turning left from SB University onto King EB are supposed to turn into the right lane then? The same place the cars turning right from NB University are going? That seems totally unworkable.

Nobody likes blocked intersections but I think they are, and are going to be in increasing numbers (how much I don't know) a function of running streetcars in mixed traffic environments.....I think we should just accept it and exempt streetcars from the blocked intersection rule (they may be now if not in law in practice) and on the occasions it happens the traffic going in the intersecting directions are just gonna have to accept it.
 
Ok....I'll pay devil's advocate using the example I saw today. The cars turning left from SB University onto King EB are supposed to turn into the right lane then? The same place the cars turning right from NB University are going? That seems totally unworkable.

How is that unworkable? It wouldn't be the only place where left-turning traffic is forced into a single lane. Simply re-paint the turn lines to direct vehicles into the right lane, and paint the streetcar lane with an island like marking, with cross-hatching to show that it is not a traffic lane.

Left turning traffic always has to wait on right turning traffic unless it has the right of way (signalized left). That's nothing new.

Just look at the Fort York ROW for an example of this. Cars turning left from Spadina onto Fort York are forced into a single westbound lane. They cannot drive on the ROW as it is a raised island. I'm not calling for a raised island, simply markings on the street that make it clear that the lane is not for traffic.
 
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The cars turning left from SB University onto King EB are supposed to turn into the right lane then? The same place the cars turning right from NB University are going? That seems totally unworkable.
Why not simply eliminate cars turning left from SB University to King, and encourage them to turn at Adelaide (that has a turning lane). Which seems a lot more sensible much of the time anyways.
 
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How is that unworkable? It wouldn't be the only place where left-turning traffic is forced into a single lane. Simply re-paint the turn lines to direct vehicles into the right lane, and paint the streetcar lane with an island like marking, with cross-hatching to show that it is not a traffic lane.

Left turning traffic always has to wait on right turning traffic unless it has the right of way (signalized left). That's nothing new.

Just look at the Fort York ROW for an example of this. Cars turning left from Spadina onto Fort York are forced into a single westbound lane. They cannot drive on the ROW as it is a raised island. I'm not calling for a raised island, simply markings on the street that make it clear that the lane is not for traffic.

It is unworkable in the example I gave because both lanes were blocked .....there are very few times when King is blocked in one lane but wide open in the other...and it certainly was not today.

Forcing left turning vehicles into the right lane in that situation is akin to banning left turns at all.....and you/me/we may think that is a good idea but it fundamentally changes the role of University avenue as a main inner-city thoroughfare and shifts the discussion.

All that forcing left hand turns into the right lane would do is shift the clog (or part of it) away from King and cause backups along University that would lead to whole other issues.
 
Why not simply eliminate cars turning left from NB University to King, and encourage them to turn at either Wellington, or Richmond (that has a turning lane). Which seems a lot more sensible much of the time anyways.

to be clear...it was (today) the SB left turn to King that is the issue in specific discussion......but, sure, you could open up those discussions but there has to be a reason we currently allow this turn....it may have something to do with access to businesses/buildings/garages....I am not sure.
 
to be clear...it was (today) the SB left turn to King that is the issue in specific discussion......but, sure, you could open up those discussions but there has to be a reason we currently allow this turn....it may have something to do with access to businesses/buildings/garages....I am not sure.
Oops, I misread your post. But same theory holds (I edited my response).
 
Looks like 4404 will be in service on Spadina next week

Where is your proof? The article did not say that. Are we just supposed to believe you?

Assuming that 4404 goes into service next Monday, Dec. 1, that means it took 20 days (from Nov. 11) from arrival in Toronto to service. It takes 20 days to travel the (ridiculously) necessary 600 km? That's a bit of a joke.
 
Assuming that 4404 goes into service next Monday, Dec. 1, that means it took 20 days (from Nov. 11) from arrival in Toronto to service. It takes 20 days to travel the (ridiculously) necessary 600 km?
Of course not. They'd have to have inspected it from one end to another, do various tests, etc.

That's a bit of a joke.
As opposed to the back seat drivers who all know vastly more about how to procure new equipment than the experts.
 
Where is your proof? The article did not say that. Are we just supposed to believe you?

Assuming that 4404 goes into service next Monday, Dec. 1, that means it took 20 days (from Nov. 11) from arrival in Toronto to service. It takes 20 days to travel the (ridiculously) necessary 600 km? That's a bit of a joke.
There a lot more to testing than driving around the streets for 600km.

TTC has the lowest burn in of systems I know of at is point. 1,000 is the lowest I have seen. Some systems use training as part of their burn in also.

As for going into service, we will wait and see, considering I said 4404 & 4405 would be this month and 4406 in Jan after the strike was over. I did say Looks like next week, not Dec 1 and that is two different.

You never know with TTC as it one thing one day another thing the next day.
 
What do you use your unimog for?

I use it for snow blowing, snow plow, back hoe, front end loader, sander, towing, pulling out stuck farm tractor, combines etc etc.

The state of Oregon uses theirs for stringing new cable wire when not towing broken down cars, trains etc etc.
They are also driven with remote control.
Mine is rated at 1000 metric tonne pulling, the TTC Unimog is rated at 600 metric tonne.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfgEwQOR9eg
 
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Late last night, my streetcar passed 4404 going the opposite direction with a "Not in Service" destination sign, clearly undergoing shakedown testing. We were stopped alongside for a brief moment and I noticed it's been fully outfitted with Presto equipment.
 

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