Standard vs TTC gauge; An LRT Standard in Ontario?

[Railization]

There was a posting on Metronauts lately that raised the question of an LRT standard for track gauge in Ontario since the TTC has the only existing network to base a standard off of.

What do you think?

 

[Dan416]

TTC. Let's just be consistent and call it the Ontario standard.

 

[kEiThZ]

I vote TTC. If other municipalities use anything else, we can forget about crossing TTC boundaries. I don't know if it needs to be a province wide standard but it certainly should be a GTHA standard.

 

[Whoaccio]

Standard gauge. I don't even think T/C should be TTC gauge, it is just ridiculous. It slows acquisition processes and raises cost for no gain. And as good as it sounds, interregional LRT is never going to exist. Nobody will take a tram in from Durham, across Scarborough at 20km/h and then transfer to god knows what. Maybe if we are talking about some kind of highspeed tram-train set up, but that would just give even more incentive to use standard gauge.

Does the Sheppard EA mention what track standard it is using?

 

[nfitz]

It slows acquisition processes and raises cost for no gain.

????????????????????????????? How does a 3-cm adjustment to the centre of each wheel slow the aquisition process and raise the cost??

 

[RedRocket191]

????????????????????????????? How does a 3-cm adjustment to the centre of each wheel slow the aquisition process and raise the cost??

+ 1

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

????????????????????????????? How does a 3-cm adjustment to the centre of each wheel slow the aquisition process and raise the cost??

spacers cost money.

 

[ShonTron]

Doesn't matter, particuarly for Ottawa, Kitchener and Hamilton - and conversion isn't tough. It wasn't a big deal when Toronto purchased PCCs from elsewhere or sold PCCs to Alexandria, Kenosha, or various transit musems (HCRY excepted) or even leased PCCs to San Francisco or CLRVs to Boston.

I'd only suggest that Dundas and Hurontario consider using TTC gauge, but even then, I don't see the need. Theoretically, even the TC lines could be standard gauge!

And what if Ottawa's LRT ends up crossing the Ottawa River? Would we then see Quebec stuck with Anglo-Canadian track gauges?

 

[dunkalunk]

Doesn't matter, particuarly for Ottawa, Kitchener and Hamilton - and conversion isn't tough. It wasn't a big deal when Toronto purchased PCCs from elsewhere or sold PCCs to Alexandria, Kenosha, or various transit musems (HCRY excepted) or even leased PCCs to San Francisco or CLRVs to Boston.

I'd only suggest that Dundas and Hurontario consider using TTC gauge, but even then, I don't see the need. Theoretically, even the TC lines could be standard gauge!

And what if Ottawa's LRT ends up crossing the Ottawa River? Would we then see Quebec stuck with Anglo-Canadian track gauges?

+1

 

[Second_in_pie]

I'd only suggest that Dundas and Hurontario consider using TTC gauge, but even then, I don't see the need. Theoretically, even the TC lines could be standard gauge!

When you say that even the TC lines should be standard gauge, I see some biig problems that could arise, mainly being that there are some opportunities for some TC lines to connect to downtown streetcar lines (namely Jane, Scarborough and Don Mills) for seamless commuter trips, something that would be impossible with separate track gauges.

Btw, I voted for TTC gauge being the norm

 

[ShonTron]

When you say that even the TC lines should be standard gauge, I see some biig problems that could arise, mainly being that there are some opportunities for some TC lines to connect to downtown streetcar lines (namely Jane, Scarborough and Don Mills) for seamless commuter trips, something that would be impossible with separate track gauges.

Btw, I voted for TTC gauge being the norm

Uh, I wrote could, not should, and "theoretically". Since TC will have its own car houses, and be of a different design (double-ended), the systems don't even have to be compatible. Not that I would suggest otherwise though.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

all i gotta say is SRT. lets keep a certain standard (wagon gauge) in and around our city.

 

[afransen]

Building TC using standard gauge would make some sense. Perhaps in the long run Toronto should consider moving existing lines to standard gauge as well, perhaps as part of rebuilding tracks.

 

[Dan416]

I'm very much a fan of choosing one thing and sticking to it. If the TTC wants to build TC as standard gauge, then fine, as long as you're going to convert the rest of the system to it too.

 

[kEiThZ]

I'm very much a fan of choosing one thing and sticking to it. If the TTC wants to build TC as standard gauge, then fine, as long as you're going to convert the rest of the system to it too.

They won't ever do it. Imagine the expense, effort and time to rip up all the streetcar tracks in the city to add a few centimetres. Senior governments don't give Toronto enough money to add new rail, there's no way they'd give money to re-standardize.