Metrolinx: Bombardier Flexity Freedom & Alstom Citadis Spirit LRVs

[nfitz]

Actually, those are Bombardier Flexity Outlook trams from Belgium, when they were on loan to Vancouver during the Olympics.

Uh ... that's what I said from the beginning. The Flexitys on Olympic Line had 2+1 seating. Yes, significantly narrower - that was quite clear when you were on them.

Those photos show the type of seating I was talking about, in the truck sections, (where the wheels are) which is the sections that people are complaining require 2+2 seating in the Toronto cars.

Ah ... I hadn't understood what you meant. Yes, the picture shows that well! And that corridor looks quite wide - imagine what another foot would do, with the wider vehicles. The wheels don't seem to be the constraint, as so much as the seating that TTC and Metrolinx have used. Even then though, will it be any narrower than where they have 2x2 seating on the current streetcars?

 

[W. K. Lis]

There are those who have concerns about snow slowing down or stopping the new light rail vehicles. This is despite the fact that light rail is being used in colder and snowier climates than Toronto.

But what about other obstacles that may slow down the vehicles...

...like squirrels?

[video=youtube;FoeY9PzosZ4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoeY9PzosZ4[/video]

 

[Red October]

It should have kept going. Natural selection at work.

 

[W. K. Lis]

It should have kept going. Natural selection at work.

Wonder if any kind of trains running on automatic have some sort of detection system for animals, fallen trees branches, etc.

 

[CDL.TO]

Wonder if any kind of trains running on automatic have some sort of detection system for animals, fallen trees branches, etc.

Definitely. Wouldn't be safe without the ability to sense track blockages. Though I wonder about something as small as a squirrel...

 

[DKsan]

Related to the Metrolinx order of LRVs from Bombardier for the TTC LRT lines, the planners for the Region of Waterloo want to piggyback on the Metrolinx order for KW's LRT line.

Given the status of the current procurement in Toronto and the potential benefits for future
operations and maintenance, the Region could achieve maximum value through direct negotiations
with Metrolinx on their existing contract with Bombardier. The Bombardier vehicle was selected by
Metrolinx in a competitive procurement process run by Toronto Transit Commission in 2008 and has
a lengthy track record of performance throughout Europe. It is important to note that the
procurement process was approved by the Metrolinx Board of Directors in 2009 and was also
independently reviewed and approved by the Province of Ontario.

ITEM N

 

[nfitz]

That's interesting!

14 vehicles for 19 km of track in Waterloo. For comparison the Transit City numbers for the 182 vehicles are:

76 vehicles for 33 km of track on Eglinton.
23 vehicles for 17 km of track on Finch West.
48 vehicles for 11 km of track on Scarborough.
35 vehicles for 14 km of track on Sheppard East.

 

[mpd618]

14 vehicles for 19 km of track in Waterloo. For comparison the Transit City numbers for the 182 vehicles are: ...

Those 19km are supposed to take 38 minutes by LRT, though it'll likely be less. They're talking about 7.5 minute headways to start, so that makes 10-12 vehicles operating at any time, with a few spares.

 

[nfitz]

Those 19km are supposed to take 38 minutes by LRT, though it'll likely be less. They're talking about 7.5 minute headways to start, so that makes 10-12 vehicles operating at any time, with a few spares.

38 minutes per one-way trip. So with terminal time, ... 80-minute round trip ... if they use 11 vehicles, they can do 7.5 minute headways and have an 82.5-minute round-trip. And that gives them 3 spares - 27%.

Seems reasonable. The document talks of possibly needing 30-35 vehicles by 2031 with population and employment growth ... so that would be headways of 3 to 3.5 minutes.

 

[Dan416]

Mississauga should be piggybacking on this Metrolinx order...

 

[nfitz]

Mississauga should be piggybacking on this Metrolinx order...

If Missisauga ever decides to build light rail, and then acquires funding - so they should!

 

[Dan416]

If Missisauga ever decides to build light rail, and then acquires funding - so they should!

Mississauga has decided to built LRT. At least, that was the recommendation. Now they're making work until they get funding. So it's all u to the province at this point.

 

[nfitz]

Mississauga has decided to built LRT. At least, that was the recommendation. Now they're making work until they get funding. So it's all u to the province at this point.

It's not up to the province. In Waterloo, they got provincial funding, only after they had put up their own funding, and convinced Ottawa to put up funding as well. Mississauga hasn't tried that approach.

 

[gweed123]

Mississauga should be piggybacking on this Metrolinx order...

So should Ottawa. They're starting construction in early 2013, completion by 2018, which puts it on a similar timeframe to many TC projects.

 

[innsertnamehere]

why don't they just all team up and order 500 of the damn things! they can go down in history for the largest single order of rail vehicles in history lol.