[smallspy]

I think there is a difference between streetcars and trolley buses. See: "A trolley bus uses two overhead wires to draw power with two trolley poles, while a streetcar (or tram) only needs one overhead wire as it uses the rails as the return path, meaning it only needs one trolley pole to collect electricity; essentially, a trolley bus is a bus that runs on rubber tires powered by overhead wires, while a streetcar runs on rails and is also powered by overhead wires but only needs one wire due to the track acting as the return path." As long as the streetcar is on the tracks, it is grounded.

Absolutely correct.

I looked it up and apparently trolley poles in general are either wood or metal. The pole itself doesn't conduct electricity it's the shoe or trolly that makes contact with the wire. The shoe has a pice of carbon in it that is used to conduct the power down a wire on the trolly pole. From what I found other than trolly buses having two poles there isn't any difference between the two types of poles.

On a streetcar the pole itself does absolutely conduct power - it is the base that is insulated. That's why in an emergency they can hold the pole up against the wire instead of just the shoe. It's not ideal, but it can get a car off of an insulator if it becomes stuck.

There is a substantial difference between the poles of streetcars and buses. The poles for buses must be non-conductive. The ones for streetcars aren't.

Dan

 

[generalcanada]

speaking of catenary and trolley poles....
Thats quite a bit of damage.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

So much incompetence.

AoD

 

[evandyk]

I heard about that in the elevator of my office tower. Talk of the town.

 

[T3G]

Is the situation really that bad in the trucking industry that their only requirements are that the person has to have a pulse? This is getting really out of hand. When is someone going to come down on these troglodytes for continuously hiring people that put the general public in danger?

 

[AHK]

The King Spadina OCS damage is really extensive - so much so that, from comments on site, the damaged components are unrepairable - they must be cut down completely, and then rebuilt from scratch. It will take days, not hours.

The final photo does not show any damage, it was the sign in the passenger side front widow of the truck - just very appropriate under the circumstances:

A sign for the intersection:

 

[jje1000]

Is the situation really that bad in the trucking industry that their only requirements are that the person has to have a pulse? This is getting really out of hand. When is someone going to come down on these troglodytes for continuously hiring people that put the general public in danger?

I mean, between this and the general rise of accidents across the trucking industry in Ontario, I would imagine that part of this also relies on cracking down on the pay-for-licenses in the trucking industry as well as the immigration scheme-driven emergence of underqualified truck drivers from certain parts of the world.

 

[81-717]

Is the situation really that bad in the trucking industry that their only requirements are that the person has to have a pulse? This is getting really out of hand. When is someone going to come down on these troglodytes for continuously hiring people that put the general public in danger?

Reminds me of all those trucks driving with their bed raised and hitting highway signs, or trucks getting stuck at rail crossings. Funny the first few times, but after the millionth time it gets old and just annoying when you're just asking yourself "how the hell does the exact same thing keep happening over and over again"

 

[evandyk]

The guy who closed the Burlington Skyway for four days went to jail for a year.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/trucker-who-crashed-dump-truck-in-burlington-skyway-sentenced-to-jail-time-1.3683838#:~:text=The%20crash%20on%20the%20bridge,about%2080%2C000%20vehicles%20a%20day.

But the answer is, we just don't take damage caused by cars and trucks as seriously as we would if it was caused by anything else. We just call it an accident. Oooops! And we move on.

 

[reinventingthewheel]

Shameful. It’s high time we see the pillory make a comeback.

In all seriousness, after many incidents of this sort with special purpose trucks (not specifically in Toronto), I think we need to pass on some liability beyond the drivers to see some changes made. In this instance I think GFL or their vehicle supplier should consider introducing interlocking mechanisms to prevent exceeding say 5-10 km/h with arms raised. Consider even more obvious status indication to drivers.

At the least, studies should be performed. What is the cost of a safety retrofit on 300 Toronto waste collection vehicles vs. the full, indirect costs of this one incident.

 

[evandyk]

I imagine this is going to have a significant impact on GFL's insurance premiums. But some insurer should be made to pay the full cost of this so they incentivize the industry to make changes. Unfortunately, the indirect costs to the people delayed/inconvenienced due to this will never be considered. Unless there's an enterprising class action lawyer out there who wants to take this on.

 

[Northern Light]

Reminds me of all those trucks driving with their bed raised and hitting highway signs, or trucks getting stuck at rail crossings. Funny the first few times, but after the millionth time it gets old and just annoying when you're just asking yourself "how the hell does the exact same thing keep happening over and over again"

Shameful. It’s high time we see the pillory make a comeback.
View attachment 620198
In all seriousness, after many incidents of this sort with special purpose trucks (not specifically in Toronto), I think we need to pass on some liability beyond the drivers to see some changes made. In this instance I think GFL or their vehicle supplier should consider introducing interlocking mechanisms to prevent exceeding say 5-10 km/h with arms raised. Consider even more obvious status indication to drivers.

At the least, studies should be performed. What is the cost of a safety retrofit on 300 Toronto waste collection vehicles vs. the full, indirect costs of this one incident.

Is the situation really that bad in the trucking industry that their only requirements are that the person has to have a pulse? This is getting really out of hand. When is someone going to come down on these troglodytes for continuously hiring people that put the general public in danger?

Its not just the 'arms raised' issue.......though that would have likely done much the same damage here if that were the extent of it............

Look at the image..........he's still got the @#$% bin up in the air.........

The driver left a job site with the bin on the arms, in the air...............

 

[jje1000]

The guy who closed the Burlington Skyway for four days went to jail for a year.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/trucker-who-crashed-dump-truck-in-burlington-skyway-sentenced-to-jail-time-1.3683838#:~:text=The%20crash%20on%20the%20bridge,about%2080%2C000%20vehicles%20a%20day.

But the answer is, we just don't take damage caused by cars and trucks as seriously as we would if it was caused by anything else. We just call it an accident. Oooops! And we move on.

Strange how there's no mention of fines for whatever trucking firm/transport company hired him?

 

[gabe]

Is the situation really that bad in the trucking industry that their only requirements are that the person has to have a pulse? This is getting really out of hand. When is someone going to come down on these troglodytes for continuously hiring people that put the general public in danger?

Yep! These companies pay like crap and have a revolving door of bottom of the barrel workers. You got a pulse and two legs you're hired. Just in my area the power-lines have been take out twice this year by incompetent drivers who forgot to put the forks down as they were exiting strip mall parking lot! I was also stuck on bus in traffic last year when a truck's forks took out the traffic light.

 

[Richard White]

The King Spadina OCS damage is really extensive - so much so that, from comments on site, the damaged components are unrepairable - they must be cut down completely, and then rebuilt from scratch. It will take days, not hours.

The final photo does not show any damage, it was the sign in the passenger side front widow of the truck - just very appropriate under the circumstances:

View attachment 620178

View attachment 620179
View attachment 620181


View attachment 620182

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A sign for the intersection:

View attachment 620184

King and Spadina is a Grand Union. I wonder how this will impact the network.