Metrolinx: Bombardier Flexity Freedom & Alstom Citadis Spirit LRVs

[Catenary]

Ah, okay - it might have been the third-rail power supply I was seeing (lots of snow and wasn't really looking at the rails - I was looking up!). I seem to recall reading at some point they can physically move one of the rails to "regauge" the whole test track.

It's Page 7 of this PDF here:

http://www.bombardier.com/content/d...ston_Testing_Services_Brochure_2014_05_V1.pdf

 

[Duck]

Thanks!

Important thing to take away here is that they are installing OCS on the TR/MOVIA track. Which confirms it is the track where FLEXITY Freedom will do its high-speed testing on, not the other little S-curve track that the CLRV/ALRV's stretched their legs on.

 

[Catenary]

Thanks!

Important thing to take away here is that they are installing OCS on the TR/MOVIA track. Which confirms it is the track where FLEXITY Freedom will do its high-speed testing on, not the other little S-curve track that the CLRV/ALRV's stretched their legs on.

It does also mention that this could be upgraded to a full loop in the future, which would be interesting. I'm a bit surprised they aren't using the streetcar track or adding OCS to the LIM track, both of which are standard gauge, but I don't know how hard it actually is to regauge the subway track. The streetcar track could also be extended and updated, but my guess is that it hasn't seen use in a while and would need modernization. The brochure mentions that the Movia track and Monorail track share a TPSS, so there's probably flexibility there to add the OCS as well, and it's pretty new.

The Millhaven facility obviously has close ties to the various transit projects in Toronto both past and present, and it says a lot about Toronto's transit that it takes three completely separate tracks to test all the different vehicles. Even a place like London, England, with a long history of rail transport technologies can test the majority of their rail vehicles on one track.

 

[Duck]

Hopefully it also hints at a bright, elevated, single-railed future for Toronto as well.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Perhaps they should start the process of constructing them and delivering them from now so by the time a line opens we would have all the cars available on time.

 

[Duck]

Here are some photos from Bombardier's Millhaven test facility!

View attachment 64058 ICTS/ALRT Test Loop and control tower, with a Kuala Lumpur MK III train being towed out of the shops.

...and today Bombardier just released this fantastic video showing the production of the Kuala Lumpur trains, with shots inside the Millhaven facility as well as the train running around the test loop!!

I love Bombardier so much

 

[crs1026]

What was the vehicle visible in the background at about 3:21 in the video?

- Paul

 

[Duck]

That's the prototype MK III set. It's just got red accents instead of blue. In my photos from Friday, it's the one out back that got tagged.

 

[dowlingm]

Anyone know why testing is in Kingston and not Thunder Bay? Is it a Queens thing, or needing to be within reach of La Pocatiere as well?

 

[Duck]

Low-speed testing of FLEXITY Freedom will be at Thunder Bay, basically just jogging around the yard at walking pace.

High-speed testing (~80 km/h) will be in Kingston on the MOVIA/TR line (the L-shaped one along the North edge of the facility). I am not sure what you mean by Queens.

 

[Catenary]

Anyone know why testing is in Kingston and not Thunder Bay? Is it a Queens thing, or needing to be within reach of La Pocatiere as well?

Low-speed testing of FLEXITY Freedom will be at Thunder Bay, basically just jogging around the yard at walking pace.

High-speed testing (~80 km/h) will be in Kingston on the MOVIA/TR line (the L-shaped one along the North edge of the facility). I am not sure what you mean by Queens.

I think the simple answer is because the test track is already there. It also gives them a good reason to regauge the track and install OCS, which makes the facility much more useful for future orders. We have seen Bombardier products from Plattsburgh
in Ottawa recently for testing, it would make sense to use the Kingston track for testing Plattsburgh orders as well.

 

[dowlingm]

I think the simple answer is because the test track is already there. It also gives them a good reason to regauge the track and install OCS, which makes the facility much more useful for future orders. We have seen Bombardier products from Plattsburgh
in Ottawa recently for testing, it would make sense to use the Kingston track for testing Plattsburgh orders as well.

My question was more: how did the test track facility end up in Kingston to begin with, as opposed to why Kingston is still used.

 

[wopchop]

My question was more: how did the test track facility end up in Kingston to begin with, as opposed to why Kingston is still used.

The provincially established Urban Transportation Development Corporation setup the facility in the late 1970s. UTDC was acquired by Bombardier in the early 1990s (from Lavalin, I believe, before the SNC takeover).

 

[the lemur]

Perhaps they should start the process of constructing them and delivering them from now so by the time a line opens we would have all the cars available on time.

Has there been any indication of what sort of livery the Crosstown will wear?

 

[Duck]

I believe both ion and Crosstown will have almost identical livery - Crosstown with a green stripe, and ion with a blue. Very, very good, in my opinion. I love things being consistent. I would love for Hamilton's to have a yellow stripe, but keep the same overall look.