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TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

High water table around the south end of Grenadier Pond. Boreholes were dug at the end of the previous year, before our wet spring.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Imagine a place that was a swamp before it was infilled has a high water table.

Seriously before they got quotes some pilot holes should have been drilled to confirm the water table where they know there might be an issue. Instead of getting a competitive quote they are paying premium dollars for out of scope work.

The procurement department in the TTC needs to become professional.
 
Imagine a place that was a swamp before it was infilled has a high water table.

Seriously before they got quotes some pilot holes should have been drilled to confirm the water table where they know there might be an issue. Instead of getting a competitive quote they are paying premium dollars for out of scope work.

The procurement department in the TTC needs to become professional.

hmm fair enough on needing to reengineer the structural part of this. Another fine example of the competency of TTC infrastructure management
 
This from the link in the Rick Leary story above:

In an email Friday, a spokesperson for the company insisted it remains “on track to deliver all 204 streetcars by the end of the original contract deadline.”

I'm glad Mr Leary has called out Bombardier on their nonsense. You cannot be "on track" if you are not up to date on the incremental deadlines. Bombardier can say they intend to complete the contract by end of 2019, but that is not the same thing. In addition to the 76 units promised for 2018, they will eventually need to make up for the missed shipments from 2017, as the schedule they issued in November has not officially been updated. So depending on your interpretation, either 33 or 35 cars from 2017 plus 76 for 2018 would mean the 111th vehicle should be at least built, if not shipped by 12/31/18. If not, they are not on track.
 
This from the link in the Rick Leary story above:

In an email Friday, a spokesperson for the company insisted it remains “on track to deliver all 204 streetcars by the end of the original contract deadline.”

I'm glad Mr Leary has called out Bombardier on their nonsense. You cannot be "on track" if you are not up to date on the incremental deadlines. Bombardier can say they intend to complete the contract by end of 2019, but that is not the same thing. In addition to the 76 units promised for 2018, they will eventually need to make up for the missed shipments from 2017, as the schedule they issued in November has not officially been updated. So depending on your interpretation, either 33 or 35 cars from 2017 plus 76 for 2018 would mean the 111th vehicle should be at least built, if not shipped by 12/31/18. If not, they are not on track.

have they sent anything out last week? Doesnt give much confidence if they didnt hit 2018 running.
 
4458 is still having issues and looks like it fail its first testing based on the amount of burn in runs it has been doing since it started the burn in. It been in the Barns since Sat and was expecting it to be in service now, but up north somewhere based on the GPS location.

Only 7 ALRV's out in service with one as a black arrow, what every that means and is new.

Any sighting of 4461 that was supposed in transit before year end??

Lets see what Jan 30 say for delivery as it will set the stage for another year of miss deliveries.
 
Imagine a place that was a swamp before it was infilled has a high water table.

Seriously before they got quotes some pilot holes should have been drilled to confirm the water table where they know there might be an issue. Instead of getting a competitive quote they are paying premium dollars for out of scope work.

The procurement department in the TTC needs to become professional.

How is the TTC - or the contractor - supposed to anticipate an almost historically wet winter and spring? When they drilled the boreholes in the fall, things were fine. The problems only arose when they went to excavate the ROW in the spring and found water at the bottom of the excavation.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
There is 8 ALRV on 501 running west only as far as Roncy Loop. The black is now for 501con

Just reported
The auction for the 29 Salt Lake City ex-San Jose UTDC cars closed already. Only one was officially sold. The rest had “Reserve Partially Met” prices ranging from USD $850 to $1900. So far, I’ve been unable to determine the buyers. But except for the one “Sold” car, looks like they’re going to scrap.

4458 still lost up north
 
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Yes, February. I've seen nothing but streetcars on 506 all weekend. And now it's going to be warm for the next week, streetcars will be back.

Well today there are more buses running on the 506 than usual, but its not as bad as last week.

The auction for the 29 Salt Lake City ex-San Jose UTDC cars closed already. Only one was officially sold. The rest had “Reserve Partially Met” prices ranging from USD $850 to $1900. So far, I’ve been unable to determine the buyers. But except for the one “Sold” car, looks like they’re going to scrap.

Used cars aren't a possilitity. All the costs, trouble, and time that would be incurred just don't make sense.
 
Well today there are more buses running on the 506 than usual, but its not as bad as last week.



Used cars aren't a possilitity. All the costs, trouble, and time that would be incurred just don't make sense.
What do you think TTC bought when they had the largest PCC fleet in the 60's as well in the late 50's???
 
How is the TTC - or the contractor - supposed to anticipate an almost historically wet winter and spring? When they drilled the boreholes in the fall, things were fine. The problems only arose when they went to excavate the ROW in the spring and found water at the bottom of the excavation.

I thought engineering for things like this were done on the basis of 100-year (or longer) projections. If the last spring was above the 100-year high mark, then that's impressive, but engineers are supposed to think for the long term. (The same principle is how the Fukushima nuclear plant had seawalls that were perfect for a 100-year tidal pattern but weren't high enough for a certain 1-in-500-years tidal wave, by the way).

It is certainly a no-brainer to appreciate that the whole Queensway line is damn close to water level, and the water table may rise every few years, boreholes or not.

- Paul
 
Yes, but these are REALLY old cars and (I assume) not AODA compliant.
Of course they are old cars and non AODA compliant since they are almost the same that we have today that aren't AODA and only will exist until 2024/25 at best. The Salt Lake cars maybe in better shape than the ones we have now, but up to TTC to say yes or no.
 
It is certainly a no-brainer to appreciate that the whole Queensway line is damn close to water level, and the water table may rise every few years, boreholes or not.

You would think someone would have realised to check for issues with the water table. The area around high park has had so many man made changes over the years there is likely a record somewhere of what they did.

If they built something over what was once a swamp, lake or the gates to hell there ought to be a record of it. Once those records are located and analysed they would have a good idea of the potential site conditions. Common sense would tell you that if you build something on top of a lake or swamp that you might just have water penetration somewhere.
 
We should start talking about the very likely possibility that Snake Oil Co. will not deliver all the Flexities in the contract by 2019. I don’t care that they say they will fulfill the terms; their words mean nothing. What are the penalties in the contract when that occurs?
 

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