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New Streetcars

They should put the power lines underground like they should have done in the first place, and do do when new neighbourhoods sprout up.
 
From the Toronto Archives:

s0071_it9915.jpg


Open doubledeck car number 11, the first car to operate on the Lake Shore line; this photo was taken at the old Sunnyside crossing after the Toronto Railway Company took over the line in 1893; motorman standing at right of platform is Wm Jamieson, now badge 188, Roncesvalles Division, photo taken by J.W. Griffin of the Cashier's Office; about 1900, upper deck was removed and car lengthened
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Unfortunately, the double-decker streetcar would have been high-floor, like our current streetcars, making too high for use system-wide. Being open to the air, who needs air-conditioning if they can move without the traffic congestion we have today.
 
They are doing massive streetcar work at Bingham Loop right now (that is near the Victoria Park and Kingston Rd. area. I hope they widen the center platform, the streetcar tracks are already in place but I wish they would widen the center platform by moving the bus lane slightly north. The reason that I would like this is that so a proper bus shelter would fit on the center platform to shelter us from the weather in the winter or a heavy rainstorm. I imagine making waiting for our transfers a little more comfortable at all our major tranfer points and loops might help increase ridership as well.
 
At the TTC's website, they have a Frequently Asked Questions section. I've cut and paste a few interesting points:

The LRVs are even longer than the TTC’s current streetcars - why are they called “light†rail vehicles?

It’s a relative term in the rail industry because these urban rail transit vehicles are smaller, lower in capacity and lighter compared to “heavy†rail vehicles such as GO trains and freight locomotives.

Why spend money on streetcars? Why not use buses?

The existing streetcar network of 11 routes carries in the range of 285,000 people per day. The busiest streetcar routes operate as frequently as every two minutes. The routes are among the busiest TTC surface routes, and among the busiest surface transit routes in Canada. These ridership levels are well in excess of what could be effectively or comfortably accommodated by a bus service. The ridership levels on our streetcar routes are highly attributable to the presence and quality of ride provided by streetcars. Toronto’s streetcar heritage, and the positive contributions which streetcars bring to the City and the TTC, are valued by many Torontonians and visitors alike.

Why are we ordering new vehicles?

The TTC’s existing streetcars (which were made between 1977 and 1989) are coming to the end of their economic lives, are not accessible, and are insufficient in capacity to keep up with ever increasing ridership. The new, 100% low-floor, accessible, modern, and much longer vehicles will dramatically improve service and customer comfort.

Will the LRVs go faster than today’s streetcars?

The new LRVs will be designed to accelerate and brake similar to our present streetcars. When travelling along the road our Operators are governed by the same speed limits as all other traffic. All-door boarding and alighting, and reduced crowding, will reduce the time spent at streetcar stops, thus speeding up service for everyone.

What is the maximum speed that the new LRV's will be able to reach?

The LRVs will be capable of reaching a service speed of 70 km/h. However, the vehicle must be operated within the posted speed limits of Toronto’s roads.

How will the new LRVs reduce bunching and improve service?

On our very busiest routes, where the new higher capacity 30 metre LRVs will replace existing 15 metre streetcars, rush hour service will change from every two or three minutes to every four or five minutes. This will help reduce bunching of streetcars, and will also allow the priority traffic signals for the streetcars to work better than they currently do. At off-peak times, and on less busy streetcar routes, we expect to have little or no change to the frequency of service. The new LRVs will provide more capacity than is provided by the current service.

How many sections will each LRV have?

Each LRV will have five sections. The front section contains the operator’s cab. The second will be the designated accessible section, including a deployable ramp for those needing this type of assistance boarding the vehicle. The fourth section will contain designated bicycle positions.

Can the new LRVs be coupled together in two-car trains similar to cities now operating LRVs in Europe?

The vehicles can be coupled together for maintenance purposes, but it is not necessary for the purposes of passenger-related services. The new LRVs already have significantly more capacity than the existing streetcars which minimizes the need for coupled trains in service.

Will you continue to use today’s smaller streetcars during times of less demand like evenings and weekends?

The new LRVs will be phased-in over a period of roughly 5 years, starting in early 2013 with the intent of replacing the entire existing fleet of existing streetcars. The TTC may elect to retain a small number of the current streetcars for heritage or special charter purposes.

How about heating and cooling?

The new LRVs will be fully air-conditioned and/or heated, as appropriate. Temperatures will be controlled by advanced electronics and sensors. Similar LRVs operate in cities with very hot climates and in cities with winters like ours in Toronto. The vehicles will be designed to provide a comfortable environment for riders at all times of the year.

How will the doors open and close?

When the vehicle is safely stopped the Operator will remotely unlock the doors. Customers, both inside and outside the vehicle, can then press a brightly lit, easy-to-reach, tactile button on the door. This is common practice for many LRVs in use around the world. Doors will close after a set amount of time or when the Operator chooses to close the doors remotely. Warning lights and audible tones will let people know when the doors are opening or closing.

Will there be door chimes like on the subway?

There will be unique audible signals to indicate when the doors will be opening and when they will be closing.

Does the TTC have to change the existing streetcar system to run the new LRVs?

The new vehicles will be designed to run on the same tracks and use the same overhead wires as our current streetcars do – including incorporation of special provisions for Toronto’s steep grades, tight corners and winter conditions.

How will the new LRVs be equipped to handle Toronto’s harsh winter conditions?

The new streetcars for Toronto are based on LRV designs used in other cities in the world. For example, a similar vehicle currently operates in a comparable environment in Innsbruck, Austria which receives significant snowfall and cold winters. TTC has also required the critical areas of the vehicle to be made of stainless steel to prevent rust from the road salt.
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The new, 100% low-floor, accessible, modern, and much longer vehicles will dramatically improve service and customer comfort.
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New AND modern? The person who wrote that must belong the TTC's Department of Redundancy Department.
 
GenerationW said:
New AND modern? The person who wrote that must belong the TTC's Department of Redundancy Department.
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Why? We could have (in theory) bought used modern vehicles from another agency using Flexities. Or one could buy new vehicles that wouldn't be described as modern (for example, simply starting production on more CLRVs).
 
Hey ... your the one who raised the issue, when you mistook "modern" to be a synonym for "new". Given your need to raise the issue, you may qualify as department head!
 
It's irrelevant what the TTC could have bought (in theory). This TTC FAQ release deals with the actual purchase (in reality) of a recent design of streetcars.
 
GenerationW said:
It's irrelevant what the TTC could have bought (in theory). This TTC FAQ release deals with the actual purchase (in reality) of a recent design of streetcars.
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Yes, the recent purchase of new modern streetcars. I'm just not seeing why this wording is such a huge issue for you!
 
The individual streetcars are newly manufactured -- their design is modern.

Contrast this with, for example, the production of the classic VW Beetle design that remained largely unchanged for many decades. In the 1980s you could buy a new, fresh-off-the-assembly-line Beetle, but it was certainly not a "modern" car.
 
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