Gronk!
Senior Member
Yes. Trains were testing today.
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
Yes. Trains were testing today.
Glenco
Senior Member
EdwardEdm
Active Member
Beaumont Transit is moving from Heritage Valley to the Mill Woods Transit Centre for May 1.
Basic history around Beaumont Transit:
ETS operated when started, ran to Century Park.
Suspended service due to Covid. During suspension contract up for renewal, opted to contract with PWT which allowed more service for the same cost.
BNR rolled out. Century Park became a very full and busy transit centre at peak times. Beaumont still suspended.
Beaumont Transit resumes service, no space at Century Park so the best they could do was Heritage Valley, which then requires a 700x to to get to Century Park to connect to LRT (or practically any other bus route)
Beaumont since then has had a note on their website that they are waiting to get into Mill Woods Transit Centre.
My assumptions: ETS didn't allow them into Mill Woods TC initially due to lack of space, and for Beaumont, the VLSE LRT wasn't running. Once VLSE LRT opens, that will effectively free up 2 bays used by the 73 at Mill Woods TC. Technically one bay is a layover bay, but, the reality is it is a second bay for the 73.
So... I personally see this as a sign the VLSE LRT opening is in sight.
I'm surprised they moved now without the VLSE LRT open, but, that might have been a decision made with the end of post secondary.
Right now my prediction is that the VLSE will open to coincide with the ETS Summer 2023 sign up in late June/ early July.
Basic history around Beaumont Transit:
ETS operated when started, ran to Century Park.
Suspended service due to Covid. During suspension contract up for renewal, opted to contract with PWT which allowed more service for the same cost.
BNR rolled out. Century Park became a very full and busy transit centre at peak times. Beaumont still suspended.
Beaumont Transit resumes service, no space at Century Park so the best they could do was Heritage Valley, which then requires a 700x to to get to Century Park to connect to LRT (or practically any other bus route)
Beaumont since then has had a note on their website that they are waiting to get into Mill Woods Transit Centre.
My assumptions: ETS didn't allow them into Mill Woods TC initially due to lack of space, and for Beaumont, the VLSE LRT wasn't running. Once VLSE LRT opens, that will effectively free up 2 bays used by the 73 at Mill Woods TC. Technically one bay is a layover bay, but, the reality is it is a second bay for the 73.
So... I personally see this as a sign the VLSE LRT opening is in sight.
I'm surprised they moved now without the VLSE LRT open, but, that might have been a decision made with the end of post secondary.
Right now my prediction is that the VLSE will open to coincide with the ETS Summer 2023 sign up in late June/ early July.
The_Cat
Senior Member
Even with a delay in LRT service, Beaumont would save at least 10 minutes on transit service to Downtown.
Yegpeople
New Member
My guess would be the same that it might open on July 2 nd with summer sigh up by looking at the graph provided by transed but it has nothing to do with Beaumont changes as they wanted to this from long time and 73 will continue to run for some time even if it opens
EdwardEdm
Active Member
While I believe there will be an overlap service period, I cannot imagine 5 minute peak service will be maintained on both the 73 and VLSE. Gotta wean the bus riders onto LRT, and with the issues and perception of TransEd, riders might not be too compelled to switch if the route 73 service is just as easy to access as it is today. There have long been Councilors salivating at the idea of redirecting route 73 service hours to other parts of the bus network. The problem is though the 73 service hours are funded out of LRT contingency, and therefore, there would have to be actual changes to budgets made to move the money around.
Once the VLSE LRT is operational, the City of Edmonton is then paying TransEd agreed up monthly fees for service. And remember, ETS has gone from one of the lower level service tiers (single car trains, every 5 minutes peak times) to one of the highest service level tiers (majority of peak trains being 2 cars every 5 minutes), which means more $$$$$$$$. So, 73 overlap service will be of a limited nature I suspect. I can't see it lasting beyond 2023 if this line opens this summer/ fall.
retiredfire
Active Member
Bridge over Groat rd
Can you share where you read/heard this?
MacLac
Senior Member
Like these Marigold folk.....not wasting anytime!
The_Cat
Senior Member
In the watching grass grow news, I saw single and double trains test at 12:30 pm, going to 102 Street Station every five minutes. I wonder if TransEd is on to the next phase.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
This council report says there are a total of 14 service levels. Edmonton originally approved funding for service level one (the lowest), but administration reported that it would not be sufficient for opening day service since more riders were now projected to use the service. A bump to service level eight was approved as part of the Spring 2021 Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment.
"With this Service Level, 7 of the 13 trains operating in weekday periods will be two-car trains, with 5-minute frequencies in the AM and PM weekday peak periods. [...] The Project Agreement outlines an increasing scale of 14 different service levels that can be operated on the Valley Line Southeast, utilizing variations in the number of one-car and two-car trains, with Service Level 1 using all one-car trains and Service Level 14 using all two-car trains. Frequencies on the Valley Line Southeast will be generally consistent with those on the Capital Line, with five minute frequency anticipated during peak periods, 10 minute frequency off-peak, and 15 minute frequency during evenings and Sundays."
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Glenco
Senior Member
Look familiar
EdwardEdm
Active Member
Is something broken Downtown?
Watching trains this afternoon Downtown, they would crossover at 100 St and utilize the southbound platform at the 102 St. The next train would hold at Churchill until the train at 102 St departed and cleared 100 St. Trains were not utilizing the northbound platform at 102 Ave, and inspecting the the crossover an outbound train would have been using, the rail was rusted with no sign of recent movement over that rail.
Watching trains this afternoon Downtown, they would crossover at 100 St and utilize the southbound platform at the 102 St. The next train would hold at Churchill until the train at 102 St departed and cleared 100 St. Trains were not utilizing the northbound platform at 102 Ave, and inspecting the the crossover an outbound train would have been using, the rail was rusted with no sign of recent movement over that rail.
The_Cat
Senior Member
Just get it fixed
CplKlinger
Senior Member
It sounds like they were testing the PAs yesterday, you can hear it a couple of times near the end of the video. It's interesting to note that they're using a different voice than ETS. I could be wrong, but it sounds like the announcements are saying "train from Mill Woods/102 Ave" instead of "Train to..." Also, I noticed that it gives two announcements per train: A 30 second warning, and a heads up that the train arrived.
Testing seemed pretty smooth, except for a period of around ten minutes where a 2-car train was held up at 100A St, also blocking traffic at 101 St. It was waiting for the signal to go toward Churchill, but that signal didn't come. The operator finally switched ends, at which point the signal finally starting flipping again, but they continued back to the 102 Ave terminus anyway.
Here's a picture I also took yesterday and I'm just proud of lol.
Testing seemed pretty smooth, except for a period of around ten minutes where a 2-car train was held up at 100A St, also blocking traffic at 101 St. It was waiting for the signal to go toward Churchill, but that signal didn't come. The operator finally switched ends, at which point the signal finally starting flipping again, but they continued back to the 102 Ave terminus anyway.
Here's a picture I also took yesterday and I'm just proud of lol.