News   Mar 28, 2024
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News   Mar 28, 2024
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News   Mar 28, 2024
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Metrolinx: Bombardier Flexity Freedom & Alstom Citadis Spirit LRVs

Just realizing that is the actual livery. I assumed the livery hadn't been put on yet. Wow, boring. Transit vehicles should stand out a bit more.
Don't forget that Line 3's original livery didn't contain the colour blue (it contained a grey stripe along the train's length instead).
 
Three of these are in cities which honestly we should not be emulating from a transit perspective, the last as you say has a connection to the RER which is high capacity and not really comparable to our subways much less Eglinton. I don't think anyone would complain if after Eglinton being connected to YYZ as a grade separated line, Finch came into the airport at grade . . .

As we know the UP as nice as it is, is simply not build for major passenger volumes which means whatever the standard rail connection is will get a ton of patronage, add to that the fact that Pearson is a massive employment zone and the transfers from the transitway, and new TOD's and new transit users spurred by the central section of the Crosstown significantly cutting travel times and its easy to see why this line should be grade separated, if not for speed and convenience for capacity.
Fully agree on the first point, I wasn't trying to argue that Eglinton should be at grade, just that at grade airport links do exist. Really the only case where at grade median LRT is a good idea is when we basically are just trying to get a bus route but higher capacity, like Finch. Otherwise, the step up to elevated metro is probably worth it.

However, I wouldn't be so optimistic about ridership. I think Ridership on UPX and the Pearson branch of EWLRT will probably be crap unless we figure out the last mile problem in the airport employment zone. The airport alone probably won't generate amazing ridership, and the surrounding area is extremely hostile to pedestrians.
I'd have thought orange was a no-brainer. If they really wanted grey, they could have used that on Line 6, which is grey on the map.
Exactly, just like how the refurbished SRT livery is blue, or like Boston's coloured trains. Grey is so drab. Even the stations have orange accents.
 
Exactly, just like how the refurbished SRT livery is blue, or like Boston's coloured trains. Grey is so drab. Even the stations have orange accents.
I guess we should know what colour the Finch trains will be. They seem to have gone out of their way in hiding the colour in the last photograph!

Hopefully any colour but grey.

My money is on grey.
 
I guess we should know what colour the Finch trains will be. They seem to have gone out of their way in hiding the colour in the last photograph!

Hopefully any colour but grey.

My money is on grey.
It will be grey. But to be fair to Finch, the line is coloured grey at least.
 
Fully agree on the first point, I wasn't trying to argue that Eglinton should be at grade, just that at grade airport links do exist. Really the only case where at grade median LRT is a good idea is when we basically are just trying to get a bus route but higher capacity, like Finch. Otherwise, the step up to elevated metro is probably worth it.

However, I wouldn't be so optimistic about ridership. I think Ridership on UPX and the Pearson branch of EWLRT will probably be crap unless we figure out the last mile problem in the airport employment zone. The airport alone probably won't generate amazing ridership, and the surrounding area is extremely hostile to pedestrians.

Exactly, just like how the refurbished SRT livery is blue, or like Boston's coloured trains. Grey is so drab. Even the stations have orange accents.
There are substantial numbers who work at the airport proper, and there will be significant transfer numbers to the transitway, last mile for a lot of businesses is important but I think it would be solved pretty quickly with better access to the airport.
 
There are substantial numbers who work at the airport proper, and there will be significant transfer numbers to the transitway, last mile for a lot of businesses is important but I think it would be solved pretty quickly with better access to the airport.
Just to note, I was talking about the airport branch specifically. That is, the section past Renforth. I said in a post earlier that the transitway was the main reason grade separation is important, and I fully agree that many people will be transferring onto the transitway.
And yes, I do know that many people work at the airport, but what I was saying is that the airport alone won't generate amazing ridership.

The important thing is that when EWLRT opens, routes like MiWay 74, 57, 43, 39, 54, 7 and TTC routes like 112C and 45B will be getting robust service well integrated with EWLRT, FWLRT, and Woodbine GO (in terms of fares, schedules, and routings), at least during peak hours. Some of these routes also need to be changed to be less wiggly and loopy, with the loss of coverage replaced by more routes. Shuttle bus services run by businesses would also be extremely beneficial. Missing and discontinuous sidewalks also need to be fixed (the Fasken Dr-Campus Rd-Viscount Rd route stands out as one of the worst offenders, as well as Airport Rd and numerous others - it's ridiculous how many buildings in the area have no legal or safe pedestrian access routes whatsoever). Real separated bike paths or MUTs combined with good bike parking at stations would be very beneficial too.
 
Author was corrected that it's a Crosstown LRV.

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