TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[drum118]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1420403510743556100

Sorry, but the number of riders shown for the articulated bus is BS as you are lucky to get 70-80 on it these days with crush load and that is during the summer months. Once you put on a coat and stuff in your hands with no stroller, numbers will be less. Add walkers, strollers and an accessibility rider, the number will be even lower. We are not all one size nor fit all that will reduce the numbers more.

Were is Adam these days???

 

[W. K. Lis]

Sorry, but the number of riders shown for the articulated bus is BS as you are lucky to get 70-80 on it these days with crush load and that is during the summer months. Once you put on a coat and stuff in your hands with no stroller, numbers will be less. Add walkers, strollers and an accessibility rider, the number will be even lower. We are not all one size nor fit all that will reduce the numbers more.

Were is Adam these days???

That'll be using Rob Ford's packing the buses formula, when he cut services to "save gravy". He would not consider "walkers, strollers, and an accessibility rider". Or even his or his brother's body types.

He (and Ford Nation and other non-transit users) would consider the following "normal" as "spacious".

From link.

 

[Towered]

Sorry, but the number of riders shown for the articulated bus is BS as you are lucky to get 70-80 on it these days with crush load and that is during the summer months. Once you put on a coat and stuff in your hands with no stroller, numbers will be less. Add walkers, strollers and an accessibility rider, the number will be even lower. We are not all one size nor fit all that will reduce the numbers more.

Were is Adam these days???

Maybe enough time has passed since his sex scandal that he can re-enter the local political scene.

 

[Northern Light]

Were is Adam these days???

Mr. Giambrone is currently working in Saudi Arabia, as he has been for a number of years.

He is the Director of Mobility - Neom

For those wondering:

Neom is a planned cross-border city in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia.

As per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neom

 

[drum118]

TTC subway air quality has 'improved substantially' in past 10 years, new study finds

July 30, 2021

The TTC has made significant improvements to air quality in its subway system, a new report from Health Canada, the National Research Council of Canada and the University of Toronto has found.

The Subway Air Quality Initiative was carried out between 2018 and 2020 and concluded that new trains and updated braking technologies and protocols that reduce friction contributed to reduced levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) inside vehicles and on platforms when compared to previous measurements taken in 2011.

A summary of the research was published today and is available at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.engineering.utoronto.ca%2Fnew-trains-and-reduced-friction-braking-improve-air-quality-in-torontos-subways%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7C8738761552ef48923b4708d95361c454%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637632501632740176%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=kusXf8lGdN9c11me2V5wkdc%2BUQvJu7mOmMj0pPcdKXk%3D&reserved=0

"This is excellent news for our employees and customers and it confirms that the steps we have taken to date are having a positive impact on air quality," said Betty Hasserjian, the TTC's Chief Safety Officer (Acting). "We will keep modernizing our infrastructure and our operating procedures to ensure we are continuing to make gains in this area."

PM2.5 refers to particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or smaller in size. PM2.5 particles are found indoors and outdoors, although their composition varies depending on the setting.

The TTC adopted several long-term measures and strategies that will further improve air quality, including ongoing monitoring and mitigation strategies. One such measure, the implementation of Automatic Train Control (ATC) has optimized the acceleration, deceleration and braking of the subway trains on Line 1. This has reduced the amount of friction during the braking process, leading to a reduction in PM2.5.

"I'm pleased to see the work the TTC is doing has resulted in a lowering of PM2.5 levels in the subway system," said Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa. "There are numerous benefits that public transit offers with respect to the city's overall air quality by reducing traffic congestion and associated air pollution."

As with previous studies, Health Canada did not look at health impacts of the air quality, only the levels of PM2.5. Observed levels fall well below the occupational exposure limits and are now as much as 10,000 times lower than they were in the first such study, conducted in 1995.

The research also found that air quality in Toronto's subway system is comparable to those found in other large underground rail systems, and in some cases is better than other major subway systems such as New York City and Boston.

 

[W. K. Lis]

TTC disinfects its buses frequently to fight COVID-19. But the agency’s own data shows the cleaning might be making things worse​

From link.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the TTC has made frequent cleaning of its vehicles a staple of its pandemic response.

The transit agency instituted enhanced disinfection protocols even before officials declared COVID-19 a global emergency, and TTC officials have cited their early adoption of frequent cleaning as evidence of the organization’s proactive approach to fighting the virus.

But that attention to cleanliness appears to have come with a potentially troubling tradeoff. According to a Star analysis of the most recently available TTC data, vehicle cleaning has become the leading cause of bus service delays during the pandemic.

That has some observers urging the agency to rethink its approach, particularly in light of increasingly clear evidence that the risk of transmitting the virus via surfaces is low, and the fact that delays have the potential to exacerbate crowding on buses that could be more dangerous.

“They should reconsider it,” said Colin Furness, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

“If surface cleaning is causing bus delays to the extent that it’s possibly causing more crowding on buses, that’s incredibly counterproductive.”

The TTC implemented a regimen of daily vehicle disinfections in January 2020, about two months before the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. According to the transit agency, as of April it had spent about $14 million on vehicle disinfection since the start of the crisis, or roughly $1 million per month.

Causes of TTC bus delays​

Most frequent delay incidents on TTC bus routes, March to June 2021.

The protocols require surfaces and common touch points inside buses to be sprayed with a hospital grade disinfectant. Each bus is cleaned twice a day, and the process usually takes about five to 10 minutes per bus. Most buses can be cleaned overnight or at the end of their runs, but the TTC has to take about 300 vehicles out of service each day and return them to a garage for disinfection.

Cleaning wasn’t listed in TTC data as a significant cause of bus delays before the pandemic. A Star analysis of delay statistics published to the city of Toronto’s Open Data portal shows that between March and June 2021, the most recent period for which the TTC says it has accurate figures, vehicle cleaning was far and away the most frequent cause of bus service delays.

About 7,500 delay incidents were attributed to cleaning over the four months. The next most common causes of delays were mechanical problems, which accounted for about 4,190 incidents, and operator issues, which accounted for 2,940.

Cleaning made up just under 40 per cent of all delay incidents. The average minimum time for each cleaning delay was greater than 12 minutes.

The TTC says the delays attributed to cleaning include scheduled COVID-19 disinfections as well as unscheduled cleanings, like those for spills that happen mid-route. But the agency didn’t dispute that pandemic protocols are the driving force behind the higher numbers.

Transit agency spokesperson Stuart Green said the delay data isn’t reflective of the service riders experience, because the TTC is diligent about deploying free-floating spare buses, called “run-as-directed” vehicles, to replaced vehicles that are held for cleaning.

He said that “wherever possible we are carrying out cleanings in such a way that we can fill gaps in service” and ensure there is “no impact on customers.”

However, the TTC deploys run-as-directed buses to deal with all manner of service disruptions, including other delays, crowding, or when subway shutdown requires shuttle buses.

Green acknowledged that using spare vehicles to plug service gaps caused by enhanced cleaning puts a strain on resources, and leaves fewer buses to address other service issues. That can leave some routes short of buses and lead to crowding.

The extent COVID-19 spreads on public transit remains unclear. The latest advice from Public Health Ontario is that evidence is “mixed” and the degree to which riders are vulnerable “is still largely unknown.” Toronto Public Health says it has not observed any outbreaks associated with transit use, but recommends riders to keep their distance from other passengers whenever possible and always wear a mask.

But whatever the risks are, there is now consensus that transmission is much more likely to be a result of close contact with other bus riders than touching a contaminated surface.

Federal health authorities and medical experts agree the virus that causes COVID-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets and aerosols expelled by an infected person. By contrast, a brief issued by the U.S. Centres of Disease Control in April said evidence suggests a person who comes in contact with a surface contaminated with the virus has a less than one in 10,000 chance of contracting an infection, and “there is little scientific support for routine use of disinfectants” in indoor community settings.

However, guidance issued by Public Health Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation still advises transit agencies to frequently disinfect vehicles. In a statement Tuesday, PHO said transmission via surfaces “is less common but not impossible” and “it’s important to have multiple layers (of anti-virus measures).”

While the practical effect of regularly disinfecting vehicles is debatable, TTC surveys have found cleanliness is a main driver of customer satisfaction during the pandemic. The agency plans to highlight its disinfection regime in a public-relations campaign designed to draw wary passengers back to the system, which like networks everywhere has suffered historic ridership and revenue declines during the crisis.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, said frequent bus cleaning could be seen as a type of “hygiene theatre” that reassures riders and is not necessarily negative, “as long as you’re not ignoring the other aspects that are keeping people safe.”

“Focusing on wiping off surfaces, while helpful for other infections, is not going to be the most helpful for COVID-19,” he said, adding that masking, proper ventilation and allowing riders to spread out are more effective at preventing transmission on transit.

Vincent Puhakka, a spokesperson for advocacy group TTCriders, said cleaning vehicles and reassuring riders is important, but crowded buses will also keep passengers away.

“If you have an absolute choice between, we’re going to clean this bus or we’re going to put it in service, you might want to put it in service,” he said.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The usual excuse given for no grass on the TTC's streetcar right-of-way, is that emergency vehicles can't use the right-of-way because of the grass.

Tell that to Europe.

Giant fire trucks on track​

The Diabolo Tunnel links Brussels Airport with Europe's high-speed railway network and by using the Eurostar and Thalys super trains, travelers can proceed to Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris or London without changing.

Accordingly, in order to provide the traveling public with maximum safety, the Belgian railway operator Infrabel ordered two special, road-rail fire trucks from Rosenbauer. The vehicles are built on MAN chassis and fitted with 540hp engines. On roads, they use 6x6 all-wheel drive while on the unusual terrain of the tunnel track they employ rail-traveling devices.

The trucks are equipped for extinguishing and rescue operations and possess a comprehensive, top quality system for both their own protection and firefighting. The operational responsibilities linked to this latter area include the 2.127 km-long Diabolo Tunnel, which runs under Brussels Airport. The trucks are driven to the tunnel portals on wheels and then, via a ramp, run onto the track where the six-axle track traveling device is lowered. The vehicles can then race through the tunnel at speeds of up 40 km/h.



Right down the line

Each of the trucks is ready to run on rails in roughly three minutes and no technical aids or lifting gear are required. This railing procedure can be controlled externally via remote cable control, or directly from the driver's cab and the crew does not have to leave the vehicle at any time. Auxiliary cameras on each of the truck's axles monitor this process, in order that the track-traveling device is brought precisely into line. At the same time, the 12 m-long vehicle is lifted hydraulically and the wheels are retracted, thus making the truck ready to run. The cockpit display shows the rail travel mode in which the steering wheel is mechanically blocked. Everything else remains the same for the driver as on the road. The accelerator pedal speeds up the truck and the brake pedal slows it down.



Powerful pumpers ...

As far as extinguishing is concerned, the two identical vehicles are fitted with powerful N55 pumps (output: 5,000 l/min at 10 bar), AQUAMATIC combi-foam proportioning systems and RM25C fender turrets. Depending on requirements, the double AQUAMATIC controls two differing foam tanks, one containing 375 l of Class B foam and the other 125 l of Class A. The water tank holds 2,500 l and LED tank gauges are mounted on the left and right of the bodywork.

Outside the tunnel, during fires in buildings, vehicles and wildland, the road-rail vehicles are deployed as classic rescue pumpers although clearly their special features are in particular demand in the Diabolo Tunnel.



... with special features

These consist primarily of an extensive selection of safety devices. Both vehicles have a pump&roll operational capacity, which means that can move and extinguish simultaneously, as well as spray nozzles for the protection of the cabs. The nozzles are seated on stainless steel lines that run around the outside of the vehicle. The trucks also possess a considerable range of gas measurement technology, in order to determine the concentrations of noxious substances (carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, etc.) in the tunnel. In addition, 90,000 l of oxygen are carried in reserve for the crew. All the cabin seats, including those of the driver and co-driver, are fitted with a holder for a long-time SCBA (twin-pack devices with 2x 6.8 l bottles) including a direct filling connection. As a result, every crew member has sufficient oxygen for at least three hours.

Furthermore, should the truck's diesel engine shut down due to a shortage of oxygen, it can still leave the tunnel thanks to an auxiliary, emergency drive system. This consists of an e-motor with a capacity of around 16 kW and two lead-acid battery packs. Infrared cameras mounted at the front and rear of the truck provide the crew with vision even if the tunnel is full of smoke and they retain their sense of direction by means of a special, GPS-based navigation system. All the measurement data and the infrared images are shown on the cockpit display.



A full range of rescue equipment

The equipment of the 33 t rescue pumpers includes highly efficient lifting systems such as hydraulic jacks, wedge rams and high-pressure cushions, which allow railway wagons to be raised and re-railed. In addition, a hydraulic winch that can be used in both road and rail operations is integrated into the chassis frame. A set of hydraulic rescue equipment is also installed in the vehicles to free people from trapped wreckage.

The vehicles are fitted with FLEXILIGHT lighting masts in order to illuminate the operational scene or tunnel. The power required is generated from within the vehicle using an integrated 40 kVA generator, which is indirectly driven by the engine via hydraulic pumps.

SPANISH FIRE TRUCK, RAILROAD FIRE ENGINE FOR AN EXERCISE IN THE PERTHUS TUNNEL, HIGH_SPEED RAILROAD BETWEEN SPAIN AND FRANCE, PYRENEES_ORIENTALES 66, FRANCE​

From link.

Road-rail vehicle specialist Zweiweg will be showing one of its modified fire and rescue vehicles at InnoTrans 2016

From link.

 

[Coolstar]

One-Person Train Operation has started on Line 1 between Vaughan and St George on Sunday's only.

OPTO starting on a portion of Line 1 – Sundays only

The Toronto Transit Commission is the quick, convenient and safe way to get around Toronto. The subway system is linked with buses and streetcars to get you around Toronto on one fare, provided it's a one-way trip with no stopovers. You can travel on the TTC every day.

www.ttc.ca

This will be expanded to 7 days a week on November 21st.

 

[Richard White]

One-Person Train Operation has started on Line 1 between Vaughan and St George on Sunday's only.

OPTO starting on a portion of Line 1 – Sundays only

The Toronto Transit Commission is the quick, convenient and safe way to get around Toronto. The subway system is linked with buses and streetcars to get you around Toronto on one fare, provided it's a one-way trip with no stopovers. You can travel on the TTC every day.

www.ttc.ca

This will be expanded to 7 days a week on November 21st.

So how will this work exactly? Do they just offload one of the crew at St George?

 

[DSC]

So how will this work exactly? Do they just offload one of the crew at St George?

In technical transit talk it's called 'throwing them under the bus' (or subway in this case!) :->

 

[Richard White]

In technical transit talk it's called 'throwing them under the bus' (or subway in this case!) :->

I hear that can be career suicide...

 

[M II A II R II K]

It's one person operation but the union will insist the 2nd person stay even though they would be doing nothing.

 

[Coolstar]

So how will this work exactly? Do they just offload one of the crew at St George?

Yep.

 

[superelevation]

The usual excuse given for no grass on the TTC's streetcar right-of-way, is that emergency vehicles can't use the right-of-way because of the grass.

Tell that to Europe.

Giant fire trucks on track​

SPANISH FIRE TRUCK, RAILROAD FIRE ENGINE FOR AN EXERCISE IN THE PERTHUS TUNNEL, HIGH_SPEED RAILROAD BETWEEN SPAIN AND FRANCE, PYRENEES_ORIENTALES 66, FRANCE​

From link.

Road-rail vehicle specialist Zweiweg will be showing one of its modified fire and rescue vehicles at InnoTrans 2016

From link.

To be fair, the issue is not that you can't get a vehicle which can operate on rails (these are designed for tunnels etc) but that emergency vehicles want to use the space to bypass traffic. Even if using steel wheels was practical to bypass traffic, you'd still need to put them on every fire truck.

 

[W. K. Lis]

To be fair, the issue is not that you can't get a vehicle which can operate on rails (these are designed for tunnels etc) but that emergency vehicles want to use the space to bypass traffic. Even if using steel wheels was practical to bypass traffic, you'd still need to put them on every fire truck.

Yet we see trucks of all kinds drive over grass in driveways, parks, baseball fields, football fields, soccer pitches, etc. where there are no roads. If there is good drainage, driving on grass shouldn't be problem. If the rainwater is left undrained, yes it could be a problem, but just do it properly.

From link.

From link.