Waterloo Region Transit Developments (ION LRT, new terminal, GRT buses)

[gweed123]

I believe they plan to extend the LRT line north to Gatineau across the river with the N-S LRT line, hence no interlining at Bayview.

I believe it's a combination of that and they're worried about capacity constraints in the tunnel if they run both the N-S and E-W service, which kinda pisses me off, because what good is it building the tunnel if it won't be able to handle the ridership of 2 lines? Build it to fit now.

 

[nfitz]

^Thanks. So why did Metrolinx invest in north Georgetown improvements like widening the bridge over the Credit river so soon?

Double-tracking to Kitchener might not be on the immediate horizon, but I thought double-tracking to Georgetown (which requires the Credit crossing) was soon. Presumably most trains will continue to terminate in Georgetown.

 

[gweed123]

Double-tracking to Kitchener might not be on the immediate horizon, but I thought double-tracking to Georgetown (which requires the Credit crossing) was soon. Presumably most trains will continue to terminate in Georgetown.

Do they plan on extending the electrified service to there (Georgetown)? Or is it stopping in Brampton? Not sure what the "official" terminus is listed as.

 

[royalrivers]

Talking about rolling stock.... http://www.sterlingrail.com/classifieds/classified.php?id=3172

 

[Markster]

Do they plan on extending the electrified service to there (Georgetown)? Or is it stopping in Brampton? Not sure what the "official" terminus is listed as.

In the electrification report, they cited that it made more economical sense to electrify the entire line, than stopping at Georgetown.

I believe they plan to extend the LRT line north to Gatineau across the river with the N-S LRT line, hence no interlining at Bayview.

Indeed, the long term plan is to run to Gatineau, though that isn't on the official "phase X" schedule yet. It will involve expensive rehabilitation of the bridge, and some inter-provincial, inter-transit-system cooperation.

Older drawings for Bayview allowed for both crossing the river, and interlining from the south to downtown, but those weren't particularly detailed.

 

[gweed123]

In the electrification report, they cited that it made more economical sense to electrify the entire line, than stopping at Georgetown.

All the way to Kitchener? Wow, no wonder it had a pretty high price tag. It's actually longer to go from Georgetown to Kitchener than it is from Georgetown to Union (53km vs 47km). I really have to wonder if that's the best use of limited resources. I think I would much rather see the money spent on the Georgetown-Kitchener section spent on the Union-Unionville (or Mount Joy, or what-have-you) section instead. Far greater passenger potential.

Indeed, the long term plan is to run to Gatineau, though that isn't on the official "phase X" schedule yet. It will involve expensive rehabilitation of the bridge, and some inter-provincial, inter-transit-system cooperation.

Older drawings for Bayview allowed for both crossing the river, and interlining from the south to downtown, but those weren't particularly detailed.

Very true. Early drawings of Bayview had two stacked platforms parallel with each other. Top one for E-W, bottom one for N-S. Although the biggest problem with that is then you get into a Lower Bay scenario for EB passengers boarding there.

 

[mpd618]

All the way to Kitchener? Wow, no wonder it had a pretty high price tag. It's actually longer to go from Georgetown to Kitchener than it is from Georgetown to Union (53km vs 47km). I really have to wonder if that's the best use of limited resources. I think I would much rather see the money spent on the Georgetown-Kitchener section spent on the Union-Unionville (or Mount Joy, or what-have-you) section instead. Far greater passenger potential.

Having two different fleets running with different acceleration profiles on the same corridor probably doesn't make that much sense financially. Ultimately GO does (or did) have plans to build a larger train storage facility west of Kitchener, and it would make sense for it to be able to handle electric trains.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

In the electrification report, they cited that it made more economical sense to electrify the entire line, than stopping at Georgetown.

Shame they aren't getting the feds on board and electrifying all the way to London and beyond. Maybe they will once GO has done the GTA sections.

 

[gweed123]

Shame they aren't getting the feds on board and electrifying all the way to London and beyond. Maybe they will once GO has done the GTA sections.

I just hope the electrification is being done with HSR, or even quasi-HSR, in mind. Would be a shame to have to redo all of that work when we find out that the electrification or the track geometry isn't compatible. It would be like the TTC track gauge headache all over again, only worse.

 

[dowlingm]

Hoping that someone in Metrolinx is crazy enough to send one of the ARL Sumitomo consists out to Kitchener during its test mileage... just 'cause The Coradia Lint's are not an option on the London-Kitchener-Toronto line as it would exclude freight or other FRA locomotive service while they were out running around.

I think the decision to continue with EuroDMUs in the form of Coradia Lint on the O-Train rather than replace with FRA DMUs now that someone other than the hapless and now bankrupt Colorado Railcar are building them is a mistake which will hold back the development of a wider heavy rail commuter network in Ottawa(-Gatineau). EuroDMUs would be just fine on some kind of track which has been completely abandoned for freight purposes and thus can be operated with no constraints such as those imposed on the Ottawa Talent DMUs (like service being suspended during freight deliveries to the NRC, and I think there are some issues about accessing the railyard they are maintained at also).

 

[DKsan]

From the Region of Waterloo Planning and Works Committee Agenda for Jan. 29, 2013:

As part of the formal application to amend the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law, a Heritage
Impact Assessment (HIA) was required by, and submitted to, the City of Kitchener. The HIA found
that only the 1913 portion of the Rumpel Felt Co. building located at 60 Victoria Street North is
considered to meet the criteria for designation under Regulation 9/06 of the Ontario Heritage Act,
and listed the following heritage attributes of the structure: the original 1913 facades, riveted shear
plate column construction, door hardware, goods lift (circa 1913), original boiler, entry columns and
porch, wooden pipes, and the massing of the building for its contribution to public special and
historical experience. The Rumpel Felt Co. building has already been appropriately secured and is
being monitored and maintained by the Region of Waterloo. The HIA recommends that the 1913
portion of the Rumpel Felt Co. building be conserved through adaptive reuse and that a
Conservation Plan be submitted as part of any future site plan application for new development.

...

The conservation of 1913 portion of the Rumpel Felt Co. building through adaptive re-use does not
sterilize the planned redevelopment of this portion of the site, as the heritage review process allows
for the consideration of a wide range of development options, including alteration and additions.
However, as the actual development of the site may be several years in the future, the treatment
and context of the 1913 Rumpel Felt Co. building would need to be examined in greater detail at that
time.

This is Rumpel Felt, by the way.

Also:

he Region is also seeking a reduced
parking standard for the site in recognition of the high level of access to transit services
associated with the site

 

[innsertnamehere]

I just hope the electrification is being done with HSR, or even quasi-HSR, in mind. Would be a shame to have to redo all of that work when we find out that the electrification or the track geometry isn't compatible. It would be like the TTC track gauge headache all over again, only worse.

180-200km/h would be a desirable quasi HSR speed, similar to what they are doing in the states.

 

[EnviroTO]

I just hope the electrification is being done with HSR, or even quasi-HSR, in mind. Would be a shame to have to redo all of that work when we find out that the electrification or the track geometry isn't compatible. It would be like the TTC track gauge headache all over again, only worse.

Electrification has little to do with track geometry and nothing to do with track gauge. Track geometry has more to do with the current Georgetown South project than it does to do with a future electrification project, and they are not taking HSR or quasi-HSR into account. The gradient change rates being implemented at West Toronto Diamond will put a speed restriction into effect. Without a doubt they will electrify the track where it lays and that track is not set up for high speed.

 

[drum118]

The Record
}http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4391166-top-lrt-bid-comes-in-under-budget/{

5 minutes ago | Vote 0 0
[h=1]Top LRT bid comes in under budget[/h]

[h=2]LRT[/h] Philip Walker, Record staff file photo A prototype of an LRT train shown in front of Waterloo Region headquarters in July of 2013. The leading construction bid to build the LRT, announced Friday afternoon, has come in at $532 million - under the $545 million the region said it budgeted.





By Paige Desmond
WATERLOO REGION — The leading construction bid to build the Region of Waterloo's rapid transit project has come in millions under budget.‎
Officials revealed Friday the top of three bids on the light rail system came in at $532 million to build — under the $545 million the region says it budgeted.
"This is a very significant milestone because the last building block is now in place barring any unforeseen issues in terms of the approval of this on Tuesday…we will know who our partner is for the next 30 years," Coun. Jim Wideman said.
Councillors will vote Tuesday whether to approve the bid.
The actual bid is for $593 million.
About $61 million isn't included in the light rail budget. It comes from other project budgets — for example for planned roadwork being done as part of the project and infrastructure upgrades in conjunction with local cities.
A $10-million contingency is included in the region's construction budget.
The top bid comes from GrandLinq, a construction consortium made up of contractors including:
•Plenary Group Canada Ltd.
•Meridiam Infrastructure Waterloo LRT ULC
•Aecon Construction and Materials Ltd.
•Aecon Concessions
•Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Corp.
•Kiewit Canada Development Corp.
•Mass Electric Construction Canada Co.
•Keolis SA
•Keolis Canada Inc.
•AECOM Canada Ltd.
•STV Canada Construction Inc.
•CIBC World Markets Inc.

pdesmond@therecord.com
Twitter: @DesmondRecord

 

[innsertnamehere]

Good to see, but the transit hub doesn't have funding yet IIRC.