TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[DSC]

Though the City are now working on installing the new streetcar tracks on Adelaide St from Spadina to Victoria and have finished the section east of York and are about to start from York to Victoria I have heard nothing about the new southbound track on York between Richmond and Adelaide. This was originally to be built by Metrolinx who were originally supposed to install the Adelaide track from York to Victoria. The Council info about this change from Metrolinx to the City makes no mention of who will do the work on York. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/gg/bgrd/backgroundfile-234587.pdf

 

[DSC]

I just walked along Wellington from Church to York and up York to Queen. The TTC has started some (preliminary) overhead work on the blocks from Church to Yonge (and on Church from King to Wellington). From Yonge to York they seem to have realised that they need some new poles on the north side of the street (something they might have thought about a while ago) and on York Street I notice that between Wellington & King the existing poles are mostly the old and thinner ones. I am betting that when they get to doing that block they will realise that it too needs new poles and the project will be further delayed. They do seem unable to plan projects so they can be implemented without needing some vital component. I really like the TTC but they do need to be shaken up!

 

[drum118]

I just walked along Wellington from Church to York and up York to Queen. The TTC has started some (preliminary) overhead work on the blocks from Church to Yonge (and on Church from King to Wellington). From Yonge to York they seem to have realised that they need some new poles on the north side of the street (something they might have thought about a while ago) and on York Street I notice that between Wellington & King the existing poles are mostly the old and thinner ones. I am betting that when they get to doing that block they will realise that it too needs new poles and the project will be further delayed. They do seem unable to plan projects so they can be implemented without needing some vital component. I really like the TTC but they do need to be shaken up!

TTC had installed a fair number of new black poles at Church with a few support wires strung to a few poles some months ago. Nearly all the poles between Church and Yonge are black poles with brackets arm off them to support the OS. It look like a few black poles been place west of Yonge and never walked that way to have a look.

There always been a fight between TTC and Toronto Hydro because Hydro is not supposed to replace poles that are supporting TTC OS if there is still life in them when TTC is upgrading their system. This type of delays go back to the days with St Clair was being rebuilt where Hydro refused to bury the existing overhead for both the city and TTC as the poles and wires still had life in then according to standards set by the province. This was delay work on St Clair to the point council said to Toronto Hydro since Toronto own then that we do not care if there life on not in the system delaying this project. You are hereby order to replace everything as required to complete the project regardless of the cost since we are paying for it in the first place along those lines. It told council to light the fire under Toronto Hydro to get the work done in the end.

This could be a case where TTC is delaying things so money can be use elsewhere and no real need to do on their end.

 

[max]

Looks like work to install the York & Adelaide intersection may be in progress. The CBC article on downtown construction includes the following photo:

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-downtown-construction-traffic-map-1.6877478

EDIT: I expect I'm being too optimistic above and this is just demolition to do the watermain work that's happening along Adelaide, though the photo caption does say it's for the tracks.

 

[DSC]

Looks like work to install the York & Adelaide intersection may be in progress. The CBC article on downtown construction includes the following photo:

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-downtown-construction-traffic-map-1.6877478

EDIT: I expect I'm being too optimistic above and this is just demolition to do the watermain work that's happening along Adelaide, though the photo caption does say it's for the tracks.

I think the new watermain is finished in that area (they seem only to have the area at Yonge-Victoria being worked on) but the City announced last week that:

"Starting the week of June 12, TTC streetcar track removals will begin. Residents will see an increase in construction activities on Adelaide Street from York Street to Victoria Street during this time."

Of course, as part of all this work, they need to relocate or rebuild several utility vaults and this could also be part of one of these sub-projects too. Bottom line..... something is going on and (eventually) we will have operations streetcar track on Adelaide and York will revert to .two-way.

 

[DSC]

I just got confirmation from the City's Adelaide St project team that Metrolinx are still going to be installing the new streetcar track on York. Sounds an odd decision to me since the Adelaide track project was moved back to the City to simplify things but..

"That’s correct and Metrolinx will be tendering and constructing streetcar tracks on York St from Adelaide St to Queen St. The work on York St will be a separate work zone and will have a different contractor.

I know they were in the process of awarding the tender for construction a few weeks ago, but I don’t have any more details on that process. Questions related to York Street can be directed to Metrolinx at OntarioLine@metrolinx.com or 416-202-5100"

 

[max]

Oh boy, any idea who's responsible for the York & Adelaide intersection then?

 

[Noisystreets]

Hello all -
Can you guys sign my petition regarding streetcar noises on our streets if you're interested? Would really appreciated!!

My link: https://chng.it/pc9nWsTbMy

 

[DSC]

Oh boy, any idea who's responsible for the York & Adelaide intersection then?

Steve Munro told me that he has been told that the TTC are responsible for the special track work (the curves) on York and Metrolinx for the tangent (straight) track on York from Queen to Adelaide. Why anyone thinks this is a good idea is unclear as it sounds a perfect recipe for a mess!

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Hello all -
Can you guys sign my petition regarding streetcar noises on our streets if you're interested? Would really appreciated!!

My link: https://chng.it/pc9nWsTbMy

Unfortunately your opinion are very misinformed and I highly doubt that you will get anyone from here to "sign" your petition plus it's not likely going to result in anything happening at all. Streetcars have a higher capacity then buses and require less staff to operate then the equivalent number of buses that would be needed to replace them, the TTC used to say that it was two to three buses for the older streetcars that the new ones replaced just to make up the number of passengers they take.

You also said in your petition that Toronto is the only city in North America to have streetcars which is untrue. Both Boston and New Orleans have had streetcars as long as we have and haven't gotten rid of them either. Many other cities in the US and Canada also have them or building streetcar/ light rail as public transportation.

 

[robmausser]

Unfortunately your opinion are very misinformed and I highly doubt that you will get anyone from here to "sign" your petition plus it's not likely going to result in anything happening at all. Streetcars have a higher capacity then buses and require less staff to operate then the equivalent number of buses that would be needed to replace them, the TTC used to say that it was two to three buses for the older streetcars that the new ones replaced just to make up the number of passengers they take.

You also said in your petition that Toronto is the only city in North America to have streetcars which is untrue. Both Boston and New Orleans have had streetcars as long as we have and haven't gotten rid of them either. Many other cities in the US and Canada also have them or building streetcar/ light rail as public transportation.

The ban is silly but there are ways to dampen the vibrations through the use of vibration dampers in the tracks. I do believe that these should be installed everytime the track is repaired moving forward.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

The ban is silly but there are ways to dampen the vibrations through the use of vibration dampers in the tracks. I do believe that these should be installed everytime the track is repaired moving forward.

Maybe but apparently according to the person who wants us to sign their petition they do nothing and we should be like other cities like Scarborough and north York and only have buses. Clearly they have done a lot of research before they posted a petition on change.org, which by the way has had very few successful outcomes from them because they have no official bering on anything and people can sign with any names they want.

 

[evandyk]

If you think streetcars are noisy, what will you think of having three times as many buses going down your street. They are noisy too!

 

[drum118]

Hello all -
Can you guys sign my petition regarding streetcar noises on our streets if you're interested? Would really appreciated!!

My link: https://chng.it/pc9nWsTbMy

I will be the blunt one and say you have 2 choices for the noise. Either live with it or move.

None of use were alive when streetcar tracks and vehicles that came mode for moving people in the city.

Streetcars and tracks have change over that 130 years plus and will do so as time goes on, but you will get some type of noise from them. The noise is less than all the traffic on your street, yet people like you think its easier to go after streetcars/subway/buses since they are part of the city that the city has control over than deal with the real problem, the cars.

For the past 20 years dealing with transit, noise is one of a number of standard complaints that surface at all meetings not only on transit, but for development as well.

If you want the the sound of the country, you need to move 100 km away from the city as the city lives 7/24 and will become more noisier as more people move into it.

Have said that, there are things that TTC and the city needs to do to reduce some noise.

Bombardier stated from day one the the new fleet would have no squealing sound when turning, yet the night of the first break testing for 4400 prototype at Exhibition Loop, you could hear the squealing sound as it turn south on to Bathurst St from Hillcrest and have a video of that move. Major failure on Bombardier end.

Because TTC turning radius are below the standards that are needed for the system for over 50 yeas, you get some squealing from the new fleet where it was common on the old fleet.

TTC has rebuilt most of the system to a new standard to reduce noise and replacement timeframe that the tracks are supposed to last 20 years for straight tracks and around 15 for curves. When it comes to replacing the rails, only the topcoat is removed to get to the rail clips that allows a faster removal and replacing the rail with a new topcoat faster than the past. Have seen some done only after 10 years. The base for holding the clips that on steel ties are to supposed to last 50-75 years and the whole thing is supposed to be 100 years. Got about 35-60 years to get to the replacement of the base.

They have also place Streetcar Greasers at various locations.

If TTC had the money along with the backbone, all existing switch should be replace with the new standard ones as well a larger turning radius. The loops themself need to increase in radius, but no land to do it other than going to duel end cars requiring only a stub track to turn.

End of the day, I don't see anyone here sign things like this with traffic doing a number on the streetcar system that the topcoat has to be replace in various location sooner than it should. Want to stop noise, start with traffic.

 

[nfitz]

Steve Munro told me that he has been told that the TTC are responsible for the special track work (the curves) on York and Metrolinx for the tangent (straight) track on York from Queen to Adelaide. Why anyone thinks this is a good idea is unclear as it sounds a perfect recipe for a mess!

I'd think letting Metrolinx install any streetcar track would be a perfect recipe for disaster. I'd hope that TTC staff are on-Site observing and measuring. Bonus points for heckling.