TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

[DavidH]

I share the concern about the grey colour. I'm hoping that it will be nice and bright with very little red. I really dislike all the red on the current streetcars.

Colour the red rockets something other than red? Shocking!

 

[TOareaFan]

I share the concern about the grey colour. I'm hoping that it will be nice and bright with very little red. I really dislike all the red on the current streetcars.

Don't worry....I am sure they will all be wrapped with cell phone and underwear ads....there will be very little TTC colouring showing!

 

[Automation Gallery]

Bombardier must be kicking themselves they didn't bid $1.4 billion

Maybe not, they will probably just make up for it in the next couple TTC purchase orders for the new proposed Toronto LRT lines.

 

[DavidH]

Maybe not, they will probably just make up for it in the next couple TTC purchase orders for the new proposed Toronto LRT lines.

Well, those are options not guarantees. If they price themselves badly, TTC will go to open tender on it.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

The inside rendering looks completely different on Bombardier's new website http://www.thestreetcarredefined.ca/ Everything is different, seat layout, materials, compartment shape, straps instead of lots of convenient rails to hold onto.

The outside rendering is very different too, with different door positions, different windows, and a pantograph.

The website is outdated - it was developed for when the prototypes were brought to the CNE a couple years ago.

 

[nfitz]

Ah, I thought it was new ...

 

[Second_in_pie]

Now that we know who's got the bid, when are we gonna see some funding? Better yet, when are we gonna see some streetcars?

Also, are we going to be using these streetcars with single-cars? I think that the TTC should think about switching the way the service works a bit, and use double cars on lines like King and Dundas, maybe even 3 cars on Queen.

 

[nfitz]

Now that we know who's got the bid, when are we gonna see some funding? Better yet, when are we gonna see some streetcars?

As the pricing from Bombardier is only good until the end of June, and McGuinty and Miller have both hinted that there should be a funding announcement soon, I predict that we will see a funding announcement sometime this Spring. Prototypes in 2011, and first units arriving 2012

Also, are we going to be using these streetcars with single-cars? I think that the TTC should think about switching the way the service works a bit, and use double cars on lines like King and Dundas, maybe even 3 cars on Queen.

Single-cars??? these are 30-m long units, compared to the current 23-m long ALRVs and 15-m long CLRVs. By 2020 or so (ignoringTransit City doesn't occur) all the TTC LRTs will be these 30-m long units.

 

[W. K. Lis]

http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Co.../Apr_27_2009/Reports/Commission_Report_Lo.pdf

Bombardier seriously undercut Siemens' price... $993M v. $1.5B

Ah, for the days in the 1950's, when the TTC could buy a slightly-used PCC for USD $17,500. Still with air-conditioning, twice the length, low-floor, more energy-efficient, and LED signs, (and spare parts, foreign currency adjustments, and options) it seems acceptable.

I wonder if it comes with cup holders?

 

[Second_in_pie]

Single-cars??? these are 30-m long units, compared to the current 23-m long ALRVs and 15-m long CLRVs. By 2020 or so (ignoringTransit City doesn't occur) all the TTC LRTs will be these 30-m long units.

Yeah, that's what I was talking about. I imagine the TC cars will be like 2 or 3 of the streetcars put together, especially if they can only run once every 5 minutes!

 

[Komiksulo]

Torontoist has a rendering of the inside layout:

http://torontoist.com/2009/04/bombardier_wins.php

That's a very interesting background in the picture of the outside. Two copies of the Simpson Building?

 

[nfitz]

Yeah, that's what I was talking about. I imagine the TC cars will be like 2 or 3 of the streetcars put together, especially if they can only run once every 5 minutes!

Depends on the route ... perhaps on Eglinton if it stays LRT, or the SRT if it get's converted. The vehicles are pretty modular, Bombardier has been churning them out many different lengths, from about 27 to 45 m. So probably not 2 or 3 units strung together, but a single unit, possibly of a longer length - though I wouldn't be surprised if it stays the same.

 

[EnviroTO]

I hope they don't go with that much grey.

 

[DavidH]

The 204 will replace the 196 CLRVs. The ALRVs,as you state, have an extra few years on them. Not to mention there's always the option to order more once they start coming.

Steve Munro says (today) that 204 will replace the CLRVs and ALRVs:

http://stevemunro.ca/?p=2041

(See Darwin Connor's comment and Steve's response), reposted here:

Darwin O'Connor Says:
I under the impression this order only replaces the CLRVs and does not cover replacing the ALRVs.

Steve: No, it replaces everything. 204 new cars with a capacity roughly double that of a CLRV. This gives effectively 408 CLRV equivalents. By comparison, we currently have the original 196 CLRVs, less one scrapped, plus 52 ALRVs, say 78 CLRV equivalents, for a total of 273 CLRVs. Even allowing for some overstatement of the new cars’ capacity, there is still a lot of headroom.

Note that additional cars for the waterfront lines are funded separately through those projects and would be add-ons to this order. TTC is already muttering about extending this batch, but that’s a decision for about 2015, not today.

 

[khris]

The Bombardier design is a bit odd. The windows don't all open, which makes the design from the outside look less fluid.

However, it's still nicer looking than the Siemens model.

Also, this is not final until City Staff approve it.