robmausser
Senior Member
Thats because you havent seen an LRT project given so much attention for every little problem. Your perceptions are swayed by news media.
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Ottawa Transit Developments
- Thread starter Reecemartin
- Start date
Thats because you havent seen an LRT project given so much attention for every little problem. Your perceptions are swayed by news media.
tmlittle
Active Member
For example, the ION project had its share of issues that local observers were aware of, but which were rarely discussed in the anti-LRT local media because it was genuinely too clueless to pay attention aside from churning out variations of the same op ed complaining about LRT "stealing road space" every 2-3 months. The only issue they really picked up on aside from that was the obvious delays in getting the LRVs, not stuff like the signals issues that were never fully ironed out until months after launch.
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
But that's not the same, wheel lifespan should exceed 6 months, and cracks this early on are unprecedented. I suspect Alstom or the wheel subcontractor didn't do their homework on Ottawa's climate when they engineered the bogies. That is negligence.
Every single megaproject project gets insane media attention for its shortcomings. iON had its fair share too, even with regards to more abstract issues.
Remember the Metro line in Edmonton? How about the MUNI Central subway? The Toronto Streetcar Fiasco? The North Shore Project in Pittsburgh? The Green Line extension? The 512 LRT Conversion? The ECLRT? Pretty much every "modern streetcar" line? All these projects received immense criticism for poor planning, construction, or serviceability, and yet, none of them have experienced near the number of issues as the Confederation line.
What about the criticism of other transit projects (those that aren't light rail)? HART, the SAS, East Side Access, Gateway, the Silver Line Extension, BART expansions to San Jose, California HSR, the R179 Fiasco, the Canada Line, NYC subway revitalization, the Sheppard Subway, the TYSSE, the Red/Purple Lines, the Union Station modernization, among so many other transit expansions were massively criticized by their local media sources for issues they experienced.
This isn't some conspiracy of the Ottawa Newsmedia screwing over LRT, it's an issue of poor engineering and management of the consortium.
I recall extensive reporting on the lack of ATP. The difference between iON's issues and Ottawa's is that the lack of ATP on iON delays a run by like 2 minutes and maintains frequencies 2 minutes worse than what a system with ATP. That's hardly a dealbreaker from a service standpoint, whereas we've seen train failures left, right, and center in Ottawa.
If the confederation line is regularly down >50% of scheduled service due to vehicle issues, that's not an anomoly, that's a flaw.
Bureaucromancer
Active Member
Capital MetroRail in Austin is arguably more commuter than light rail, but was delayed two years after completion with nonsense signalling issues.
Streety McCarface
Senior Member
Capital meaning new infrastructure.
Amare
Senior Member
I dont get how some people think this is some witch hunt against the Ottawa LRT. What is fact is fact; many of the issues this system is facing is far beyond regular "teething" issues at this point. I wouldn't describe cracked wheels as a teething issue. Nor would I describe regular contact wire issues a "teething" issue.
I'd be more than happy to bring out a pen a paper and describe what would be considered a "teething issue" compared to what would be considered a structural deficiency.
I'd be more than happy to bring out a pen a paper and describe what would be considered a "teething issue" compared to what would be considered a structural deficiency.
OCCheetos
Active Member
Again, no one is saying that those are just teething issues.
But the "witch hunt" started even before the teething issues.
We're at a point where a lot of people refuse to even believe that sun kinks are a normal occurrence in the summer thanks in part to shoddy coverage of the issue.
Case in point:
Mis-reporting a quote about rail cracks in the winter (which to be fair, were a non teething issue) but about sun kinks instead. Woops! Turns out there have been 34 occurrences of heat-related speed restrictions in the last 5 years, but now no one's going to believe that.
smallspy
Senior Member
I'm very glad that you touched on not just the "problems" with the system, but more importantly Mrs. Chianello's frequently factually-incorrect reporting of the issues around the Confederation Line.
While she is certainly not the only one in the media, she does seem to be the one beating the drum the loudest.
Dan
Coolstar
Senior Member
Ottawa LRT under investigation by Transportation Safety Board
Cracks found in four wheels of Ottawa LRT vehicles has prompted the Transportation Safety Board to launch an investigation into the $2.1-billion transit system.
ottawacitizen.com
Allandale25
Senior Member
kEiThZ
Superstar
Shouldn't they ask the NCC instead?
Wm Perkins Bull
Active Member
Ottawa commuters are unamused
Contra
Senior Member
What a nightmare of a project this has been. Specifically picked Alstom because of their track record (pun intended) with cold weather but everything around it has issues with the ice and now has issues with the heat. Sure Ottawa is a tough place to build with a potential 60º+ swing in temperature across the year but you have to be prepared for that with a project this big.
robmausser
Senior Member
Correct me if Im wrong, but Alstom built the trains only, and the majority of heat and cold/ice/snow issues has been with the overhead and track.
kEiThZ
Superstar
This is what happens when you try to build a heavy rail system on the cheap.