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TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

There are a set of traffic lights at both ends of the underpass. Under what you propose, we wouldn't have streetcars running under the underpass any time it rains.

If there were traffic signs and enforcement requiring that autos stay out of the path of streetcars, rainy day or otherwise......

- Paul
 
While initial reports indicated the flooding was the result of a burst water main, and the comment above implies the flooding resulted from a broken sanitary sewer line, in all probability, the water backing up into the underpass was from the City's storm sewer system. The underpass being the low point in the area, when during a downpour the storm sewers get overloaded, they will back up either into basements, or in other low point locations similar to this, out of the storm drain manhole cover. And there was a major downpour at the time.

So very unlikely contamination from toilets or other human waste - the big issue here would be the typical problem of storm water runoff contaminated by animal and bird feces - the same stuff which has a history of contaminating Toronto's beaches after a major rainfall.

Well i guess the insurance appraiser will determine the extent of the damages and whether it will be worth the price of salvage.
 
Well i guess the insurance appraiser will determine the extent of the damages and whether it will be worth the price of salvage.
Does the TTC actually buy insurance on their vehicles? It is not uncommon in very large organizations (the Canadian Armed Forces for example) to self insure their vehicles (self insurance being a euphemism for not insuring but being comfortable they have the resources to manage/absorb any loss/cost).
 
How did the cars even end up in a position to be flooded? Wasn't the TTC monitoring weather conditions? Why did the streetcar proceed into a flooded tunnel?
 
Does the TTC actually buy insurance on their vehicles? It is not uncommon in very large organizations (the Canadian Armed Forces for example) to self insure their vehicles (self insurance being a euphemism for not insuring but being comfortable they have the resources to manage/absorb any loss/cost).

From my experience with the provincial government, they would only carry liability insurance to comply with the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. Any costs incurred to the fleet would be covered under a budget line.
 
According to the 2017 Annual Report, there is a "TTC Insurance Company Limited" (from link).

The Insurance Co. was established in 1994 in order to provide insurance coverage for compulsory automobile personal injury and accident benefit claims for the TTC. At December 31, 2017, $141.4 million (December 31, 2016 – $174.5 million) of the unsettled accident claims liability is related to the Insurance Co.’s payable for all automobile claims incurred. This portion of the TTC’s accident claim liability is guaranteed by the City. The TTC has purchased insurance from third‐party insurers to cover tort claims in excess of $5.0 million on any one accident. The remainder of the unsettled accident claims liability, $15.2 million (December 31, 2016 – $17.7 million), relates to general liability claims of $18.5 million (December 31, 2016 – $21.5 million), less $3.3 million (December 31, 2016 – $3.8 million) of expected HST rebates.
 
TTC service returns to Broadview Ave. this weekend

August 9, 2018

The TTC's 504 King, 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton service will return to regular routing through the Broadview Ave./Gerrard St. intersection this Sun., Aug. 12, at 7 a.m.

Temporary diversions had been in place since July while the TTC and City of Toronto replaced aging streetcar tracks. With crews working around the clock work in favourable weather conditions and with no complications, the work was completed four weeks ahead of schedule.

All three routes will operate with replacement buses when the intersection opens. Streetcars return to 504 King and 506 Carlton on Sept. 2 once overhead power is restored and testing of the new tracks is completed. 505 Dundas will continue to operate using buses for several months due to fleet availability and to accommodate track work at Dundas St. W. and Lansdowne Ave.

Customers are advised to check ttc.ca and follow @TTCNotices on Twitter for service updates.
 
The trucks and underframe are brand new and are painted and coated to resist exposure over longer periods to harsher agents such as road salt etc. I’m skeptical that one diluted poo-soaking would lead to their replacement. Strip them down and power wash, sure.

Getting the odour producing material out of every nook and cranny is the challenge. Anyone with a house pet knows how odour works in humid weather. I’m not knowledgeable about how Flexities’ HVAC is laid out but I bet there are heater grids along the baseboards somewhere. There’s your odour nightmare. Is there innsulation between the interior surfaces and the carbody? That kind of stuff might have to be replaced.

Bottom line - strip to painted metal, scrub, order some new parts, reassemble. But the trucks and body shells will be fine.

- Paul
The car wasn't designed to be soaked underwater. The frame would be fine but I'm petty sure it got into all the wiring and electronics considering the operator cab was under water.
 
By the time the Special Weather Statement was issued a swath of 4 to 5 inches of rain had already fallen and the storm was drifting south. Part of the problem is that Environment Canada completely dropped the ball (and is worth prolly another thread as you would not believe how many times that happens), they also should issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning & Rainfall Warning but for some reason neglected to do so.
 
Maybe it is time for a better sewage and rainwater protection storage since this kind of stuff would happen more regularly in the future. There will be many more flooded streetcars to come.
 
Maybe it is time for a better sewage and rainwater protection storage since this kind of stuff would happen more regularly in the future. There will be many more flooded streetcars to come.

15 or 20 wrecked streetcars is likely quite a bit cheaper than constructing improved drainage for the locations that flooded. I'd rather place an order for 50 more cars, expecting to lose half over 20 years, than pay the equivalent amount in street drainage improvements.

Improved drainage for the subway line though will definitely be cheaper than building additional lines.
 

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