Finch West Line 6 LRT

[yurt2022]

Lets hope TTC removes the conservative operating standards by the Spring so we can get to the advertised end-to-end time of 64 mins.

 

[canucks2030]

What is it with this forum and subways? Subways are the most expensive transit option on the table, every subway project executed means less money for something else, and therefore it should be used where it's the most justified. Maybe if we spent less money building the most overpriced option to anywhere that cries out loud enough for it, there might be money for improving service in other communities.

We should be building subways where an intermediate form of transit like LRT wouldn't be able to cover the ridership. There is nothing low quality about the Finch LRT and the form of transit infrastructure is exactly correct for the built form of the neighbourhoods through which it runs. As a daily Milton line user, I am beyond fed up of hearing how there's no money for the expansion of service on this corridor, and then seeing how everyone and their dog wants a subway right to their front door.

Toronto Canada’s largest city with a population boom had no new subway line open in decades. Ontario Line finally a great project but lack vision being only 15KM. If we want more peoples to use transit we need to make it convenient for them. It’s not normal Montreal have now a bigger subway than Toronto with the REM. The lack of grade separated transit with frequent service currently abysmal in Toronto. Toronto should fix this.

 

[yurt2022]

What is it with this forum and subways? Subways are the most expensive transit option on the table, every subway project executed means less money for something else, and therefore it should be used where it's the most justified. Maybe if we spent less money building the most overpriced option to anywhere that cries out loud enough for it, there might be money for improving service in other communities.

We should be building subways where an intermediate form of transit like LRT wouldn't be able to cover the ridership. There is nothing low quality about the Finch LRT and the form of transit infrastructure is exactly correct for the built form of the neighbourhoods through which it runs. As a daily Milton line user, I am beyond fed up of hearing how there's no money for the expansion of service on this corridor, and then seeing how everyone and their dog wants a subway right to their front door.

Bros acting like its still the 2000's LRT craze.

Low floor LRTs have always been a compromise, they don't do anything well unless you get a fully grade separated project. Pair that with the TTC's cowardly operating standards, you get a service that is worse than mixed-traffic bus service.

Subways should always be considered over second-rate technologies like LRT, even a technology like the SRT is miles better in theory compared to a Flexity trundling down Eglinton waiting for cars to turn left.

 

[Railrunner]

Bros acting like its still the 2000's LRT craze.

Low floor LRTs have always been a compromise, they don't do anything well unless you get a fully grade separated project. Pair that with the TTC's cowardly operating standards, you get a service that is worse than mixed-traffic bus service.

Subways should always be considered over second-rate technologies like LRT, even a technology like the SRT is miles better in theory compared to a Flexity trundling down Eglinton waiting for cars to turn left.

Yup.

Subways, subways, subways for Toronto are needed badly.

LRTs in Oshawa or York Region make sense.

 

[north-of-anything]

Finch West, and many other parts of Toronto, are indistinguishable from the denser parts of Oshawa and York Region in terms of built form. LRT is appropriate.

 

[T3G]

Bros acting like its still the 2000's LRT craze.

Yes, because the concept of tailoring the chosen form of transit to the demand is apparently something that we left behind in the 2000s. What an idea, using different types of transportation to serve different purposes! The idea that there are no other suitable types of transit other than subways and buses is inane.

Low floor LRTs have always been a compromise, they don't do anything well unless you get a fully grade separated project. Pair that with the TTC's cowardly operating standards, you get a service that is worse than mixed-traffic bus service.

Even if the TTC has cowardly operating standards, by what possible metric could an LRV operating in its own right-of-way provide worse service than mixed traffic buses? Have you ever used a bus in mixed traffic? Do you at least have any figures to back up this astonishing claim?

Poor operating standards don't invalide the entire form of transit. If they did, the subway, with its myriad slow zones that never seem to get fixed, would certainly not be considered a logical form of transit to use anywhere, either. Funny how that works out, eh?

even a technology like the SRT is miles better in theory compared to a Flexity trundling down Eglinton waiting for cars to turn left.

Until the slightest bit of snowfall shuts it down. Excellent technology, that.

 

[Jac.]

What is it with this forum and subways? Subways are the most expensive transit option on the table, every subway project executed means less money for something else, and therefore it should be used where it's the most justified. Maybe if we spent less money building the most overpriced option to anywhere that cries out loud enough for it, there might be money for improving service in other communities.

We should be building subways where an intermediate form of transit like LRT wouldn't be able to cover the ridership. There is nothing low quality about the Finch LRT and the form of transit infrastructure is exactly correct for the built form of the neighbourhoods through which it runs. As a daily Milton line user, I am beyond fed up of hearing how there's no money for the expansion of service on this corridor, and then seeing how everyone and their dog wants a subway right to their front door.

I'm not quite sure I understand the obsession with always wanting to use the cheapest method to produce transit even at the expense of common sense, I don't wanna get too off topic here but having the Sheppard Subway end after five stations and then have to transfer onto an LRT just to keep going east, or vice versa is ridiculous to put it nicely. I'm sure Finch when it opens will be fine but we really need to put away the constant compromising with LRTs, I don't hate the technology to be completely honest with you but when a corridor gets introduced with a subway, following up future expansions with LRT's and pushing riders to transfer in the name of saving money is just not smart.

 

[T3G]

I'm not quite sure I understand the obsession with always wanting to use the cheapest method to produce transit even at the expense of common sense, I don't wanna get too off topic here but having the Sheppard Subway end after five stations and then have to transfer onto an LRT just to keep going east, or vice versa is ridiculous to put it nicely. I'm sure Finch when it opens will be fine but we really need to put away the constant compromising with LRTs, I don't hate the technology to be completely honest with you but when a corridor gets introduced with a subway, following up future expansions with LRT's and pushing riders to transfer in the name of saving money is just not smart.

I agree that a forced lateral transfer is not great. The mistake was building the stubway, instead of an LRT line, in the first place. At this point there is no other logical decision than to expand that white elephant to its logical extent. We can thank Mel Lastman for the billions of dollars we are going to burn to expand this nonsensical project.

 

[Bojaxs]

Low floor LRTs have always been a compromise, they don't do anything well unless you get a fully grade separated project.

They're not even great for fully grade separated projects. Look at all nonsense Ottawa is having with their O-train. If you're constructing a fully grade separated line then it makes more sense to opt for high floor LRVs. Traditional wheels and bogies.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

From https://www.ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Line-6-Finch-West



So unlike streetcars, no onboard PRESTO machines. Will there be videos and commercials that explain that for us mere mortals? Unless I got that wrong.

Think of it like the GO Train where you tap before you board.

 

[Bojaxs]

I agree that a forced lateral transfer is not great. The mistake was building the stubway, instead of an LRT line, in the first place. At this point there is no other logical decision than to expand that white elephant to its logical extent. We can thank Mel Lastman for the billions of dollars we are going to burn to expand this nonsensical project.

When it comes to "white elephant projects" the Sheppard line pales in comparison to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

I have a suspicion this is another instance of a Metrolinx standard overrideing a TTC standard. Am I wrong?

You would be correct. GO Trains are similar.

 

[PL1]

When it comes to "white elephant projects" the Sheppard line pales in comparison to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

??? You think line 5 won't get used???

I think it will be busy, but not crowded, from day one. Hopefully we'll have a lot of actual data in 6 months!

 

[goodcitywhenfinished]

I guess we knew this already, but those are pretty terrible headways and not very TTC-like.

Pretty standard headways for North American LRT. Calgary and Edmonton are 10-15 minutes.

 

[stevensontransit]

Pretty standard headways for North American LRT. Calgary and Edmonton are 10-15 minutes.

I think the 10-12 minute frequency for off peak is just an initial phase before they boost the headways and span of service after late evening testings are done.