TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[kevhu]

what map is this?

The map can be found here. It's really cool that it even shows the old streetcar routes that have been long gone.

 

[44 North]

I was on Line 2 westbound from Bathurst when it was announced on the subway cars....except *no-one* in the car I was in could hear or understand WTF the announcement was about.

I was on Line 2 when that was announced. I too couldn't understand the garbled-ness, but have to say other times announcements can come out quite clear. And over recent years progressively on-point and helpful. Haven't followed the back and forths on this issue, but am I to understand that messages from the driver are clear and ones from HQ are not? Or is that just my takeaway.

Similar to this does Toronto prioritize paving along the +10 min bus routes? (or paving at all?)

It was on a Express route off peak and I guess the higher speeds are what brought the rattling to a level I could no longer bear. I don't even care about "paving" anymore..asphalt in this city doesn't seem to cut it. For me I'd like to see pouring of roads. As in concrete. I think it could be the secret to prevent the humpy broken pavement we've become too accustomed to.

 

[Richard White]

It was on a Express route off peak and I guess the higher speeds are what brought the rattling to a level I could no longer bear.

Nothing is worse than the fishbowls. Those things would rattle over every bump. I once hit a speedbump on the 86E in one, I am quite surprised the windows remained intact. The windows rattled but somehow didn't break from shaking around in the frame.

 

[steveintoronto]

but am I to understand that messages from the driver are clear and ones from HQ are not? Or is that just my takeaway.

Let me answer that by observing that *almost all* announcements from a direct source (e.g. not wireless) are of good audio quality. The acoustics on a platform or large echoing space are another consideration, but that's not the point of discussion.

It's the (ostensibly inductive or RF signal) coupling from operations to the train where the signal path is compromised...and yet communications from operations to the crew are quite legible, albeit like most communication mediums, very shaped and filtered (think telephone audio quality) but very coherent.

Since the transmitted signal to the passengers from operations is so poor (and crew and prerecorded station announcements to passengers are perfectly clear most times), then logic indicates the crew member most able or tasked relays an announcement from operations via their (4 channel?) analog com by verbally relaying it, or at least the gist of it, to the passengers at the same level and intelligibility as the station announcements via the on-board public PA, instead of the highly distorted broken feed being patched through.

 

[Amare]

It was on a Express route off peak and I guess the higher speeds are what brought the rattling to a level I could no longer bear. I don't even care about "paving" anymore..asphalt in this city doesn't seem to cut it. For me I'd like to see pouring of roads. As in concrete. I think it could be the secret to prevent the humpy broken pavement we've become too accustomed to.

Concrete is much, much worse for driving believe me. The minute it starts to crumble, there's no amount of pothole filling in the world that would make it a pleasant experience to drive on. With asphalt you can just remove the top layer, and repave if necessary. With concrete it literally involves digging the whole thing out and starting the paving process from scratch.

Although concrete has a longer lifespan, it's much worse and harsher on tires in general. Tires tend to wear out quicker due to the amount of heat generated, and the resulting in tread loss. However, concrete is good at dealing with very heavy equipment, which is why you see them in bus terminals and airport runways/aprons.

The U.S loves to use concrete everywhere, especially with their freeways but the difference is night and day compared to driving on asphalt (in other words, asphalt gives a much better driving experience). Americans will even tell you that when they drive in Canada they find the experience much more pleasant.

 

[44 North]

Nothing is worse than the fishbowls. Those things would rattle over every bump. I once hit a speedbump on the 86E in one, I am quite surprised the windows remained intact. The windows rattled but somehow didn't break from shaking around in the frame.

Those things were like beasts though. One time I saw a fishbowl jump a 50ft gap in the LA freeway . Though that was movie, and I think in real life the bus was a bit worse for wear (skip to 0:35). Speed: bus jump: how they did it.

Concrete is much, much worse for driving believe me. The minute it starts to crumble, there's no amount of pothole filling in the world that would make it a pleasant experience to drive on. With asphalt you can just remove the top layer, and repave if necessary. With concrete it literally involves digging the whole thing out and starting the paving process from scratch.

Although concrete has a longer lifespan, it's much worse and harsher on tires in general. Tires tend to wear out quicker due to the amount of heat generated, and the resulting in tread loss. However, concrete is good at dealing with very heavy equipment, which is why you see them in bus terminals and airport runways/aprons.

The U.S loves to use concrete everywhere, especially with their freeways but the difference is night and day compared to driving on asphalt (in other words, asphalt gives a much better driving experience). Americans will even tell you that when they drive in Canada they find the experience much more pleasant.

There certainly is a difference with concrete, especially at speed. On sections of concrete expressway here I'm not a fan. Makes a whine, and I find my car to weave a bit. But can't discount that there are benefits to it, or that asphalt has its drawbacks. On paper, but in real life. With the weights that our roads see asphalt can be too plastic and warp, but simultaneously not plastic enough that it cracks. In other words it either becomes humpy, or broken. Or both.

Then all the weights we're seeing. Dump truck after dump truck with entire blocks getting redeveloped. Even without that just the weights from average road users is increasing. The average sedan has become progressively obese over the decades. But now we're moving away from cars to SUVs, which are even heavier. Ford, the mainstay of typical cars, won't even be building them anymore. I guess the 4/AWD and lots of vertical clearance will help traversing crumbling roads. But in my eyes there's certainly a problem with asphalt that we're overlooking.

 

[steveintoronto]

Asphalt vs. Concrete: Not a Black and White Choice

• By Ayres
  
• May 25, 2016

https://www.ayresassociates.com/asphalt-vs-concrete-not-black-white-choice/

 

[cplchanb]

Asphalt vs. Concrete: Not a Black and White Choice

• By Ayres
  
• May 25, 2016

https://www.ayresassociates.com/asphalt-vs-concrete-not-black-white-choice/

IMO they should really look at doing the busy sections of the 4xx in concrete like 407. The benefits of it in terms of maintenance and lifespan vs asphalt is there.
There seems to be perpetual roadworks on the 401 that just never seems to end. At least after concrete is laid there will be a 5 year respite before they need to do repairs.

 

[muller877]

IMO they should really look at doing the busy sections of the 4xx in concrete like 407. The benefits of it in terms of maintenance and lifespan vs asphalt is there.
There seems to be perpetual roadworks on the 401 that just never seems to end. At least after concrete is laid there will be a 5 year respite before they need to do repairs.

There is a lot of concrete with a layer of asphalt on top being installed right now. If you look in the burbs they use concrete at busy bus stops and then asphalt elsewhere (note that Mississauga has realized if you colour the bus-only areas red more people will obey the law but that would blow the mind of our bureaucrats).

There are lots of options out there. The problem is Toronto/TTC does nothing.

 

[lenaitch]

IMO they should really look at doing the busy sections of the 4xx in concrete like 407. The benefits of it in terms of maintenance and lifespan vs asphalt is there.
There seems to be perpetual roadworks on the 401 that just never seems to end. At least after concrete is laid there will be a 5 year respite before they need to do repairs.

The 401 across the top of Toronto was concrete originally and a lot of it remained well into the 80s, especially on ramps. Concrete inevitably cracks and once salt and the freeze-thaw cycle gets into the structure it causes spalling and the surface starts breaking apart. It also gets polished which destroys its wet surface safety. I recall some spots where there was a camber you could barely walk it was so glazed, even when dry. As far as I am aware, the current construction standard is a base of concrete then a lift of asphalt then a final lift of asphalt that has a rubber component. Water is meant to seep through the top layer and drain off between the two asphalt layers; the concrete provides the solid base. Also, as a motorcyclist, I find riding on concrete to be extremely fatiguing with the steady rhythm of the control ('expansion') joints.
Building heavily used bus bays on a base of concrete seems like a good idea. Those 'knuckles' can be brutal.

 

[44 North]

Asphalt vs. Concrete: Not a Black and White Choice

• By Ayres
  
• May 25, 2016

https://www.ayresassociates.com/asphalt-vs-concrete-not-black-white-choice/

Last night I did a quick check on that article's Colorado DOT' project on Powers Blvd of using half asphalt and half concrete. Obviously not scientific but easy to spot on aerial, and the first streetview section I plonked to showed nice smooth concrete, then rotated 180 to see asphalt with a big warp near the shoulder. Checked a couple more spots, asphalt with lots of patches, concrete with sections of stripped tar. Their 15y study should've concluded by now, though I think it wouldn't give a great reference since it's an expwy and I'm more referring to high-volume low-speed surface network.

There is a lot of concrete with a layer of asphalt on top being installed right now. If you look in the burbs they use concrete at busy bus stops and then asphalt elsewhere (note that Mississauga has realized if you colour the bus-only areas red more people will obey the law but that would blow the mind of our bureaucrats).

There are lots of options out there. The problem is Toronto/TTC does nothing.

Would love to see coloured asphalt in TO. Can't see why we don't. The QEW project starting now from East Mall to Cawthra is supposed to use fibre-reinforced asphalt. Could be better than the standard.

 

[Neutrino]

Yes, the city is installing concrete pads at bus stops, but these pads crack. The two resulting planes jut out at an angle (that gets larger over time) to each other and eventually make for a poor ride quality. Is Toronto using low quality asphalt? Perhaps there is a more durable brand out there?

 

[Kitsune]

... its our winters that feature what feel like a gazallion freeze / melt cycles. That will, and does, wreak havoc on any kind of ashphalt.

 

[drum118]

Part of TTC's Line 1 closing early Monday to Thursday nights

October 26, 2018

In order to expedite modernization of its subway signalling system and carry out important maintenance, the TTC will close Line 1 (Yonge-University) between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations at 11 p.m. this coming Mon., Oct. 29 to Thurs., Nov. 1. Shuttle buses will run and Wheel-Trans will provide service to customers requiring accessible connections.

The early closures Monday to Wednesday will allow the TTC to extend Automatic Train Control (ATC) operations south of Sheppard West Station to Spadina Station by the end of this year. Currently the system is only operational between Sheppard West and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre stations. Thursday's early closure is for state of good repair and winter preparedness work.

Similar early closings are scheduled for next week, Nov. 5-8 between Spadina and St. Andrew stations. Additional early week night closings are also planned for next spring.

 

[nfitz]

And how does that hinder the system today?

If there was a wye, then there'd be a fewer people changing at Yonge-Bloor from Line 2, as they'd be more likely to stay on their train, and go around the loop. This would have reduced the dwell time at Yonge-Bloor station allowing for increased frequency on Line 1.

Of course, this is all moot now that they build the Spadina extension.

They were designed to run trains at 2.5 minute headways, but not much beyond that.

Given how much the Line 2 trains seem to back up approaching both Kipling and Kennedy during peak, I'm taking that current 2.5 minute design with a grain of salt!

I would suggest that it (and the loop at Dundas West) can easily handle the current demand if the TTC were to think a bit more critically.

Only one Flexity can fit on the 504 (or 505) platform at Broadview. To easily handle current demand, there'd never be bunching; even with the new 504 service pattern I've seen bunched 504s on Broadview in both directions (and a lot more 15-minute gaps than I used to see!). They need to be able to fit 2 or 3 Flexitys at Broadview so they can schedule recovery time.

I'm not as familiar with Dundas West, so I won't comment further.