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TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

Yes, but is there any streetcar system in North America that would have a tighter turning radius than Toronto?

Boston. Philadelphia's minimum radius is only slightly more generous than Toronto's - I think about 41 or 42 feet (Toronto's is 38 feet).

If anything, the narrower "standard" gauge should make Bombardier's cars turn even sharper? Bombardier should be winning contracts on radius.

It depends on the design of the car, and how the trucks are constructed. Inside-bearing trucks, which are current rage for many railcar designs, would actually make things more difficult with narrower gauges of track.

Dan
 
So, the watermain and road work on Dundas between University and Bay that was preventing streetcars from running is FINALLY done.

Where are the Flexities?
 
So, the watermain and road work on Dundas between University and Bay that was preventing streetcars from running is FINALLY done.

Where are the Flexities?
If the 506 is still less Flexity than CLRV's, how can 505 have any Flexity at all??

When is the next board change?? You may see some Flexity then, but very few.

4400 still in the service bay along with 4578, 4585, 4586 and 4587 still not tracking. 4588 could be off loaded now as it was drop off on Sunday, or tomorrow. 4589 should be in Toronto any day,

Still 16 more to come plus 4401 that been rebuilt to a production car as well the 2 flood damage cars that were ship to TB from NY. Then there are the cars in QC, as well out of service cars up at Hillcrest or in the yard. You going to have around 6 car MIA for the next few years that are having their welds fix.

TTC talks about having the same number of Flexities in service for peak time like the CLRV's in the past. It doesn't allow for more riders using the system today than yesterday without buses been use to carry the extra ridership. Big mistake retiring the last 30 CLRV"s this year, but MTO calling the shots on that.
 
The other thing about the Philly cars is that as far as I recall the body width is similar to CLRV/Flexity. As a straight replacement the dimension that I thought might give some grief is height - I think the Fs are taller than the Kawasaki’s and Philly has tunnels
 
Wonder if the TTC could sell some used CLRV's to Philly? It worked with the PCCs when Philly had their fires.

See link.

TTC-4750_unloaded_Penn-Central-RR-yard_51st-St_Columbia-Av_Philadelphia_March-1976_Evening-Bulletin_1024x798.jpg
 
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary (or any) evidence.
Even though Ontario has a drop dead date of 2025 for things to be accessibly, MTO felt that it needed to happen sooner for Transit.

It started back around 2008/10 when I spooked with MTO in person and by email about the requirement that "ALL" transit system where to have low floor buses by 2011/12. High floor buses that had have seen or in the process of having mid life rebuilt were allow to remain in service for a few more years after 2012, but should be replace as soon as possible.

TTC streetcars were to be accessibly by 2015 based on the order underway with BBD. It then was pushed back to 2018 when delivery of the cars went south and then to 2019.

Today, 2019 date remain the same, but TTC would be allow to have some high floor cars in service at peak time until more cars can be order to deal with ridership increase as well delays by BBD.

TTC CEO prefers to see the existing fleet gone by year end for various reasons by using buses to supplement the increase of ridership on various routes to the point a few routes would be bus only while other routes that have Flexity would see longer headway. Until there is funds to purchaser more cars, buses will have to fill in to deal with ridership and quality of service.

One only needs to talk with MTO over the years about the requirement like I have about these requirements. Haven't spoke with MTO the last few years and some changes may have taken place, especially by the Ford Government..
 
Even though Ontario has a drop dead date of 2025 for things to be accessibly, MTO felt that it needed to happen sooner for Transit.

It started back around 2008/10 when I spooked with MTO in person and by email about the requirement that "ALL" transit system where to have low floor buses by 2011/12. High floor buses that had have seen or in the process of having mid life rebuilt were allow to remain in service for a few more years after 2012, but should be replace as soon as possible.

TTC streetcars were to be accessibly by 2015 based on the order underway with BBD. It then was pushed back to 2018 when delivery of the cars went south and then to 2019.

Today, 2019 date remain the same, but TTC would be allow to have some high floor cars in service at peak time until more cars can be order to deal with ridership increase as well delays by BBD.

TTC CEO prefers to see the existing fleet gone by year end for various reasons by using buses to supplement the increase of ridership on various routes to the point a few routes would be bus only while other routes that have Flexity would see longer headway. Until there is funds to purchaser more cars, buses will have to fill in to deal with ridership and quality of service.

One only needs to talk with MTO over the years about the requirement like I have about these requirements. Haven't spoke with MTO the last few years and some changes may have taken place, especially by the Ford Government..

See, the problem with all of this, Drum....

Until late last year, the TTC wasn't going to retire the CLRVs until a much later date, as late as 2024. And the full order of Flexities were always supposed to be in service by the end of this year. I have no idea where you are getting your 2015 number, because that was never in the original contracts with Bombardier.

The 2019 retirement date of the CLRVs is an entirely arbitrary date made totally by people within the TTC. There was and is no outside force dictating to the TTC that the CLRVs need to be retired right now.

Dan
 
With the 2025 accessibility date for all streetcars, they could keep a few CLRV's around until they put in a new order for additional low-floor streetcars from whoever.
Ultimately having a small fleet makes life difficult because then you have to keep more operators trained/current. As has been seen with the PCCs, if "preserved" cars aren't working, they don't run, too bad so sad; different story if you have to roster them. Look how the "we'll try and run some ALRVs in mid 2019" worked out.

I suspect the drop dead date really originated from someone in TTC figuring out that the Russell refit couldn't proceed efficiently without clearing house, which hadn't been put into previous fleet plans, left hand not knowing what the right hand doing.
 
Another question is where are the extra buses used to supplement streetcar routes being pulled from?
 
Another question is where are the extra buses used to supplement streetcar routes being pulled from?

Thankfully, extra buses have been baked into the fleet plan for the past couple of years already due to the delays from Bombardier.

Dan
 

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