News   Mar 28, 2024
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TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

4490 is finally in service on 509 after being here 21 days and a week sitting in the yard for something.

4491 is in the service bay and 4489 still where it was yesterday on the east end.
 
4478 also got caught in the flood at King/Atlantic
Why are we driving our streetcars into known flood zones? It seems this happens each time we have a significant rain event. Why not stop the vehicle before proceeding below grade?
 
Wtf is going on in that third photo? The water is half way up the side of the vehicle.
My immediate WTF was why the hell don't people turn their cameras?

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Why are we driving our streetcars into known flood zones? It seems this happens each time we have a significant rain event. Why not stop the vehicle before proceeding below grade?

The first streetcar was blocked by a vehicle that stalled in the water. The operator had notified CIS that the water was high, which told them to go through but be cautious as two cars had proceeded through shortly before. Things were going well until that vehicle in front died.

The operator of the second streetcar was notified to hold back, but the water ended up getting so high that it got swamped as well.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.
 
It's entirely possible that the operator saw the flooding starting, stopped before the underpass and then over the next few minutes it rose quickly and flooded the car. It's not like they can just throw it in reverse at a moment's notice and back up to get away. I've seen them operating the Flexities in reverse from a set of controls in the rear of the car, but I would guess that requires some permissions from Transit Control or even a supervisor on scene before that can happen. You might be able to argue that the operator could have said screw it and just backed up and accepted the consequences, but it might also have been too late since it sounds like the water came up very quickly.
 
I would guess that requires some permissions from Transit Control or even a supervisor on scene before that can happen. You might be able to argue that the operator could have said screw it and just backed up and accepted the consequences,
I don't want the operator to risk safety or their jobs. I suggest it's time for some formal SOPs for floods or flood warnings.
 
If a water main break, the driver is in shit creak as there is nothing they can do unless speeding up if they can, since it only take second to fill the area up. The time it takes the driver to get from one end to the other, open the control; panel and put the car in reverse, it was too late to do anything.

My sister lost her car as she was driving under an underpass when the water main broke and ended up on the hood of the car, as the car was under water in seconds. She got out through the window and was removed by the fire department. This wasn't in Toronto, just off hwy 404 to the north on a clear day.

How many times has Simcoe underpass been flooded since it been built???? Not a great track record so far.
 
I don't want the operator to risk safety or their jobs. I suggest it's time for some formal SOPs for floods or flood warnings.

No kidding. That particular underpass has been there since what - 1913? It predictably floods in every heavy rain. At the very least, paint a “do not enter if water is this high” marker on the wall. Instructing the operator to go ahead and take a chance is lame - and potentially an OHSA violation.

- Paul
 
No kidding. That particular underpass has been there since what - 1913? It predictably floods in every heavy rain.

Exactly. We should be smarter than this. There needs to be a SOP that if Control sees a major storm on the way (heck, just check the Weather Network on someone’s phone), streetcars are to divert away from known flood-prone sections. It isn’t rocket science.
 

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