TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

[nfitz]

There are 3 on 509 right now. (Sunday evening.) First time I have seen more than one on the route in a while. Today, during the day, 510 was 100% Flexities. 514 is next, but we have been warned that they will pop up on other routes and generally be mixed into the fleet after that from what I have read.

Assuming a 21% spare rate they'll have enough to start converting 514 starting in about September - and then if it's 10 cars for 514, then 511 would start in March 2017 and 505 in November.

When's the 506 Carlton route (Main Stn to High Park) planned to move to the new cars, based on revised delivery schedules? The turn at Parliament and Carlton will be interesting to watch, plus Parliament and Gerrard once Regent Park redevelopment at that corners gets underway.

Based on the current schedule, and if it remains last in the schedule - spring to Summer 2019 we'll start seeing them on 506. Though I have seen training cars run through there already while I've been waiting for a 506 - seems about the same as other corners.

 

[TransitBart]

When's the 506 Carlton route (Main Stn to High Park) planned to move to the new cars, based on revised delivery schedules? The turn at Parliament and Carlton will be interesting to watch, plus Parliament and Gerrard once Regent Park redevelopment at that corners gets underway.

Remember the training cars have been over each curve 10s and maybe 100s of times. Also, when they are running in the new deliveries they run them over the entire network. There are no pieces of track a Flexity has not covered dozens of times.

 

[nfitz]

There are no pieces of track a Flexity has not covered dozens of times.

Other than Cherry - where they are now ripping out concrete at Distillery Loop.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Remember the training cars have been over each curve 10s and maybe 100s of times. Also, when they are running in the new deliveries they run them over the entire network. There are no pieces of track a Flexity has not covered dozens of times.

I'm sure the track and equipment is fine. But the half dozen times I've seen a new car on that turn were always outside of rush hour, often in the dark of night.

With its narrow sidewalks and many people and cars jostling about, I've seen several minor streetcar collisions with automobiles, and I often see the streetcars struggling to make those turns, and many times seem them hang in the intersection after their traffic signals have turned red, blocking pedestrian crossings. It's rare that I see a ALRV on that route, presumably due to lack of available vehicles and lower demand, but also I bet due to ease of maneuvering.

The Flexys will add a whole new factor to Carlton, with their huge length blocking pedestrian crossings and other vehicle's ROW.

 

[TransitBart]

I'm sure the track and equipment is fine. But the half dozen times I've seen a new car on that turn were always outside of rush hour, often in the dark of night.

With its narrow sidewalks and many people and cars jostling about, I've seen several minor streetcar collisions with automobiles, and I often see the streetcars struggling to make those turns, and many times seem them hang in the intersection after their traffic signals have turned red, blocking pedestrian crossings. It's rare that I see a ALRV on that route, presumably due to lack of available vehicles and lower demand, but also I bet due to ease of maneuvering.

The Flexys will add a whole new factor to Carlton, with their huge length blocking pedestrian crossings and other vehicle's ROW.

There is no doubt the Flexities will change how drivers drive. I frequently camp next to a CLRV at the back door to pass when it's stopped. I calculate that with the length of the Flexity, that on the non-ROW routes, there will be trains of streetcars followed by dozens of cars in the future. Downtown King, Queen, Dundas and College will become (largely) undrivable as this situation evolves.

 

[dowlingm]

There is no doubt the Flexities will change how drivers drive. I frequently camp next to a CLRV at the back door to pass when it's stopped. I calculate that with the length of the Flexity, that on the non-ROW routes, there will be trains of streetcars followed by dozens of cars in the future. Downtown King, Queen, Dundas and College will become (largely) undrivable as this situation evolves.

And the answer to that will be to change road use, not stop running streetcars (e.g. the King concept where traffic is restricted in alternate directions in successive blocks.) Dublin, a medieval city with virtually no grid, is about to have 55m cars run north south on surface through its centre.

 

[TransitBart]

I'm sure the track and equipment is fine. But the half dozen times I've seen a new car on that turn were always outside of rush hour, often in the dark of night.

With its narrow sidewalks and many people and cars jostling about, I've seen several minor streetcar collisions with automobiles, and I often see the streetcars struggling to make those turns, and many times seem them hang in the intersection after their traffic signals have turned red, blocking pedestrian crossings. It's rare that I see a ALRV on that route, presumably due to lack of available vehicles and lower demand, but also I bet due to ease of maneuvering.

The Flexys will add a whole new factor to Carlton, with their huge length blocking pedestrian crossings and other vehicle's ROW.

Admiral. I know from what I know (which is nothing), but I will try and address your concerns. The new Flexities actually negotiate turns better than even a CLRV. The ALRVs are long, and have only one point of flexion. The Flexities are longer, but bend in four places so each module is; in effect, about half the length of a CLRV. If you look closely, the Flexities actually stay much more closely centred on the track than even a CLRV. Look at the lines painted in an intersection to show where drivers should stay away from to avoid the protruding bits of a turning CLRV or a ALRV and you will see that the Flexities turn much more tightly. This is because the ALRV's have the single point of flexion at a truck, and the Flexities bend in two places between each set of trucks, but the centre truck is actually under the third module which reduces the need to project beyond the centerline of the vehicle during a turn. I think pedestrians and drivers will adapt and I hope that your concerns will prove unfounded. The true pros here can correct me if necessary.

 

[DSC]

Yes, they are fixing some concrete at Cherry loop but it is quite normal to see this after they lay special track work - I have sent them have to do it for years, long before the Flexities. In the case of the Cherry spur I think the Flexities were the first cars there - about 3 weeks ago.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Wonder when the CLRV will appear "officially" on a Canadian stamp? Hopefully, before the last Outlook arrives.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Perhaps they tested them in Village Of The Grange tracks as well.

 

[Amare]

I'm looking forward to the Flexities getting caught on a light between Lansdowne and Jameson. Traffic will literally be gridlocked until the Flexity can move out of the way.

It's time for the city to acquire some land so they can connect with each other.

 

[drum118]

Caught 4420 At Union today and the #1 fare machine fail to work at all for any type of fare media all the way to the Bloor-Spadina Loop. Riders had to go to the #2 fare box and good thing ridership was light.

Told the enforcers a Bloor of this issue so they didn't ticket riders who couldn't get ant POP to show they pay their fare. They wrote the issue up.

Can't understand why riders refused to pay for their fare while waiting for a car on the platform, other than trying the fraud route.

Never saw an CLRV or ALRV on Spadina unless they were between King and Queen that I pass. Most likely the 501's.

 

[Megaton327]

Never saw an CLRV or ALRV on Spadina unless they were between King and Queen that I pass. Most likely the 501's.

I saw one CLRV on 510 yesterday (Sunday May 22nd), no ALRVs except detouring 501s, rest were LFLRVs. Odd that the exception was a CLRV instead of an ALRV but the TTC has never been good with vehicle allocation.

 

[Steve X]

I saw one CLRV on 510 yesterday (Sunday May 22nd), no ALRVs except detouring 501s, rest were LFLRVs. Odd that the exception was a CLRV instead of an ALRV but the TTC has never been good with vehicle allocation.

They never did. Yes there was a CLRV on Sunday.
Many of the 501 runs that is suppose to be an ALRV is replaced by a CLRV. Many of the Dufferin buses, some Bathurst, Finch and Keele buses are 40 ft. instead of artics. Half the time they are really packed. In some cases, I think TTC is saving electricity/fuel by putting out a smaller vehicle. Especially Keele where all runs that operate past 10pm will be dispatched with a 40 ft bus.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Weren't the articular buses rusting away? Perhaps they're not available?