Danforth Line 2 Scarborough Subway Extension

[kd86]

Funny how the TTC is only just getting around to updating 30 years old trains and has no MK11 and Vancouver is already moving onto MK111 which can be 100 meter articulated trains.

Also, instead of spending $3 billion a new subway why don't they just fix that tight curve that inhibits MK11/111 trains and save the billions making the Egl/SRT one long grade separated route as was originally planned before Miller proposed his LRT or nothing plan?

Well I can answer that question..............................The city lacks common sense. Were spending billions of dollars on a subway line that will add NO NEW KM of rapid transit to the city and to make matters worse were going to destroy a perfectly fine grade-separated infrastructure in the process. A light metro connecting Eglinton and the SRT would have easily solved Scarborough's transit issues however we end up with a convolute transit mess initiated my David "EVIL" Miller and exacerbated my Rob "DUMB" Ford.

 

[ssiguy2]

I thought I would also mention for the SRT haters that it is no longer proprietary.

Kuala Lumpur is currently expanding it's SkyTrain {Bombardier ART exactly the same as SkyTrain} by 38 km and the bids have gone out for the trains themselves............that's right it's not just Bombardier any more. CSR Zhazhou which built the linear induction system for the Guanghzou Metro is also bidding on the contract. They will require slightly different width trains which will be built to their different track specifications exactly like Bombardier/Siemen's/Alstom did for the TTC streetcar purchase.

BTW, the automated SkyTrain in KL is still the only line in their system that makes money. As for the snow, Vancouver has taken care of that problem. Contrary to popular belief Vancouver does get snow and when it gets one it REALLY gets hammered. A few years ago Vancouver got hit with 40cm in 2 days and the temps dropped to minus 10. What did Vancouver do to keep the system running.................something totally bizarre.............they kept one little MK1 train running all night along on the 50 km system to keep the snow from accumulation.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Very good interview with John Tory and Steve Paikin.

[video]https://youtu.be/YdHUUcK8PEg?t=16m20s[/video]

Watch from 16:20.

Towards the end of the interview, Tory appears to indicate that he believes the SSE doesn't make sense to build and that he'll reluctantly support it because of the political landscape.

It's interesting to watch Tory gradually switch from vigorously defending the SSE, to essentially admitting that the project doesn't have much merit.

 

[salsa]

Very good interview with John Tory and Steve Paikin.

[video]https://youtu.be/YdHUUcK8PEg?t=16m20s[/video]

Watch from 16:20.

Towards the end of the interview, Tory appears to indicate that he believes the SSE doesn't make sense to build and that he'll reluctantly support it because of the political landscape.

It's interesting to watch Tory gradually switch from vigorously defending the SSE, to essentially admitting that the project doesn't have much merit.

If cost or ridership becomes even more unfavorable by the time the studies are done, that might be a good time for Tory to try to reinstate the LRT plan. All that's needed are a couple of councillors to change their mind.

 

[Rainforest]

Very good interview with John Tory and Steve Paikin.

[video]https://youtu.be/YdHUUcK8PEg?t=16m20s[/video]

Watch from 16:20.

Towards the end of the interview, Tory appears to indicate that he believes the SSE doesn't make sense to build and that he'll reluctantly support it because of the political landscape.

It's interesting to watch Tory gradually switch from vigorously defending the SSE, to essentially admitting that the project doesn't have much merit.

IMO, Tory reiterated his firm support for SSE in this interview. His line was, basically, "there are both merits and demerits in the subway plan, but that plan has been agreed upon by all 3 levels of government and I am not going to reopen the debate".

He repeated that 10 times or so, with slight variations.

There is one more issue that he did not mention but that his advisers probably keep in mind. If we were to go back to the LRT plan, it has to be proven that the LRT line and SmartTrack can co-exist in the Uxbridge sub corridor. It is not obvious that the corridor is wide enough for both lines, especially if both lines have stations at Lawrence and Ellesmere.

 

[CDL.TO]

As the bridges at both Lawrence and Ellesmere not only have have the existing GO and SRT tracks underneath, but also a two-way street on each side of the tracks which could be narrowed or dead-ended, plus parking lots, I have no doubt that there is plenty of room for both.

There is A LOT of room under those underpasses.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Forget about the LRT.

What I want is a spur of SmartTrack using the SRT corridor to reach STC and further on to Malvern and future Seaton. The province and Feds are devoted to funding a subway, not an LRT. Tory is selling his SmartTrack as a surface subway.

 

[k10ery]

Forget about the LRT.

What I want is a spur of SmartTrack using the SRT corridor to reach STC and further on to Malvern and future Seaton. The province and Feds are devoted to funding a subway, not an LRT. Tory is selling his SmartTrack as a surface subway.

I'm sold on the SCC spur if there's room for the curve (is there?). But you'd take the Belleville sub to get to Malvern surely wouldn't you?

 

[nfitz]

I'm sold on the SCC spur if there's room for the curve (is there?). But you'd take the Belleville sub to get to Malvern surely wouldn't you?

You could, but to use the SRT alignment, presumably you'd use the Canadian Northern alignment as originally planned for the SRT to Malvern and then join the Bellville subdivision at Neilson if you wanted to go further east.

 

[sixrings]

Id prefer a smart track branch as well and use the subway money to finish eglinton and finch

 

[gweed123]

Forget about the LRT.

What I want is a spur of SmartTrack using the SRT corridor to reach STC and further on to Malvern and future Seaton. The province and Feds are devoted to funding a subway, not an LRT. Tory is selling his SmartTrack as a surface subway.

Bang on. Both "sides" in this debate get what they want. It would have the coverage of the LRT option, the cost of the LRT option, and the convenience of the subway option (no transfer at Kennedy).

You could, but to use the SRT alignment, presumably you'd use the Canadian Northern alignment as originally planned for the SRT to Malvern and then join the Bellville subdivision at Neilson if you wanted to go further east.

That's what I had figured as well. There's a couple hundred metres in Malvern that may require an interesting solution, but once you've switched to the Belleville Sub it would be relatively smooth sailing to Pickering.

 

[k10ery]

You could, but to use the SRT alignment, presumably you'd use the Canadian Northern alignment as originally planned for the SRT to Malvern and then join the Bellville subdivision at Neilson if you wanted to go further east.

Is that the route considered for the SRT extension during the Miller years? As I recall it was killed by resident objections. I can't imagine they'd be more favourable to RER trains in their backyards than they were to LRT trains.

 

[sixrings]

Is that the route considered for the SRT extension during the Miller years? As I recall it was killed by resident objections. I can't imagine they'd be more favourable to RER trains in their backyards than they were to LRT trains.

If people cared about residents then the gardner expressway would be coming down. Sometimes people just say screw it and do it as long as there isn't so many people that they can get voted out.

 

[gweed123]

If people cared about residents then the gardner expressway would be coming down. Sometimes people just say screw it and do it as long as there isn't so many people that they can get voted out.

A direct-to-downtown surface subway may also help change their mind. Their property values would also probably skyrocket, given the increased access the neighbourhood would have.

 

[nfitz]

Is that the route considered for the SRT extension during the Miller years? As I recall it was killed by resident objections. I can't imagine they'd be more favourable to RER trains in their backyards than they were to LRT trains.

I don't recall any significant objections. Nor do I recall it being killed. The 2010 reversal of the McGuinty promise of full funding from Sheppard to Malvern didn't seem to be related to resident's complaints.

The completed EA used that alignment, and it's been protected since at least the 1980s.