Metrolinx: Sheppard East LRT (In Design)

[nfitz]

If our streetcars and subways both used the same power source, they would fit on each other's tracks and go.

They used to ... some of the early work vehicles for the subway were streetcars converted for third rail. And some of the early TTC subway cars were moved from the docks to Davisville yard by being pushed along the existing streetcar tracks.

 

[nfitz]

Also for sure they should go ahead with the BD extension to SCC or even as far as Sheppard East. It would act as an express like line down to Main Street Station where everyone gets off there and transfers to the new Lakeshore ALRT to get downtown and not have to sit through endless stops on the Danforth just to get to the Yonge Line and then transfer again.

In theory yes ... though by the time that happens, they'd be better off changing at Kennedy instead, and using the Stouffville ALRT, Metro-i, REX, or whatever it will be.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Also with this LRT, they better not f*ck it up with too many stops or having them stop at red lights in between stops.

 

[CDL.TO]

Light rail/LRT/trams/streetcars and subways/metros/heavy rail/HRT are the same things, the differences is are in how they are operated.

Well, not really. You can operate an heavy rail train in the street like a tram, and you can operate a tram in an grade-separated ROW like a metro. And there aren't clear distinctions in the technology, either. Is the SRT a "light rail" or a "heavy rail"?

If our streetcars and subways both used the same power source, they would fit on each other's tracks and go.

The track gauge might be the same, but the loading gauge isn't. The TTC subway trains are certainly wider than the TTC streetcars (and the new Transit City LRTs will be between the two).

 

[andrewpmk]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform. This physically limits headways on both the subway and the light rail to around 3-4 minutes (similar to the Scarborough RT at Kennedy). This means that it is basically impossible to increase the capacity of the Sheppard subway significantly compared to the current 5 minute headways, say because a huge amount of passenger traffic transferring from overcrowded light rail trains + traffic entering at Don Mills station overwhelms the Sheppard subway.

The Sheppard LRT needs to be cancelled.

 

[Amy Rose]

pfft, as if capacity reduced west of Don Mills will ever make a difference on the Sheppard stubway.

 

[drum118]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform. This physically limits headways on both the subway and the light rail to around 3-4 minutes (similar to the Scarborough RT at Kennedy). This means that it is basically impossible to increase the capacity of the Sheppard subway significantly compared to the current 5 minute headways, say because a huge amount of passenger traffic transferring from overcrowded light rail trains + traffic entering at Don Mills station overwhelms the Sheppard subway.

The Sheppard LRT needs to be cancelled.

Come on........................you need to ride a few systems else where where the headways are longer than TTC. TTC can easy add 2 extra car to deal with the extra riders for the subway. You put in ATO, you can get shorter headway.

You better hope Ford gets reelected, as well getting a bunch of new councilors who will cow bow to him, as that is the only way you going to see this white elephant. At the same time, be prepared to shell out 100's of million dollars to cancel this contract.

There is no way in 40 years to build up the ridership along Sheppard let alone connecting bus route to generate the ridership to justify a subway in the first place.

If I had the money to built subway,s this would be at the bottom of the list, as the DRL from Steeles to the core needs to be built first as a U. Yonge extension to Steeles as 2 and Bloor to Cloverdale 3. Danforth to STC as 4.

 

[Paleo]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform. This physically limits headways on both the subway and the light rail to around 3-4 minutes (similar to the Scarborough RT at Kennedy). This means that it is basically impossible to increase the capacity of the Sheppard subway significantly compared to the current 5 minute headways, say because a huge amount of passenger traffic transferring from overcrowded light rail trains + traffic entering at Don Mills station overwhelms the Sheppard subway.

The Sheppard LRT needs to be cancelled.

They are only using one platform at both terminals right now and that already provides a capacity of roughly 8000pph with 4-car trains at 5 minute intervals.

If you think Sheppard needs anywhere close to that much capacity within the next 50 years, I think you need to get a clue.

 

[gweed123]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform. This physically limits headways on both the subway and the light rail to around 3-4 minutes (similar to the Scarborough RT at Kennedy). This means that it is basically impossible to increase the capacity of the Sheppard subway significantly compared to the current 5 minute headways, say because a huge amount of passenger traffic transferring from overcrowded light rail trains + traffic entering at Don Mills station overwhelms the Sheppard subway.

The Sheppard LRT needs to be cancelled.

Nothing stopping them from knocking out the false walls and using 6 car trains on Sheppard if capacity becomes an issue.

 

[Voltz]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform. This physically limits headways on both the subway and the light rail to around 3-4 minutes (similar to the Scarborough RT at Kennedy). This means that it is basically impossible to increase the capacity of the Sheppard subway significantly compared to the current 5 minute headways, say because a huge amount of passenger traffic transferring from overcrowded light rail trains + traffic entering at Don Mills station overwhelms the Sheppard subway.

The Sheppard LRT needs to be cancelled.

I'm not sure where that rendering came from; but all official renderings of Don Mills station showed separate LRT platforms at the east end of the station, with the LRT tracks sitting just inside of the subway tracks.

 

[sixrings]

where do you come up with the billion dollar firgure num

 

[rbt]

http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1167825--road-clear-for-sheppard-lrt?bn=1

So they want to spend $1B to reduce the capacity of the Sheppard subway by limiting the Sheppard subway to one platform so as to accommodate light rail trains on the other platform.

You may have noticed that the other teminal point (Sheppard/Yonge) already operates with a single platform and creates exactly the same restriction, possibly more-so since there are more riders at this location.

That said, the original Transit City design was to extend Don Mills platform east to accomodate the LRT and 2 subway trains simultaneously.

This is labelled as an artists concept, so they may not have been provided those blueprints but instead just a basic verbal description.

 

[Disparishun]

Is the Sheppard LRT so badly needed that it has to come first? I don't understand why so many political wars are being fought. Why not do the things that are widely agreed on -- Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT and maybe, I'd lke to think, LRT-izing GO, if it was seriously put on the table by someone (please!)? It seems as though doing those things, along with the Spadina line extension that is underway, would reduce offload the Finch West and Sheppard East buses. Is Sheppard West LRT really the top priority? I don't quite get it.

 

[nfitz]

You may have noticed that the other teminal point (Sheppard/Yonge) already operates with a single platform and creates exactly the same restriction, possibly more-so since there are more riders at this location.

That said, the original Transit City design was to extend Don Mills platform east to accomodate the LRT and 2 subway trains simultaneously.

Looks like this should be a lot cheaper than the original plan to extend the platform. Should make changing trains a little quicker with less walking. Good to see that there's some thinking going on as they build it.

 

[CapitalSeven]

I'm not sure where that rendering came from; but all official renderings of Don Mills station showed separate LRT platforms at the east end of the station, with the LRT tracks sitting just inside of the subway tracks.

The plan you describe was the one they released a rendering of a couple of years back, but I do recall Steve Munro mentioning (and not liking) the cross platform idea as being the latest plan. This will be both cheaper (I'd guess) and more convenient, but it will be vulnerable in the event of delays and congestion on the LRT. But it's possible to imagine some hybrid arrangements they could move to later if necessary.