New Streetcars

[Conrad Black]

Montreal subway order opened to tenders
Reuters
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
MONTREAL — — A $1.2-billion contract to supply 336 railcars for Montreal's subway will go to open tender, the Quebec government said Wednesday, a move that will allow France's Alstom SA to compete against Canada's Bombardier Inc. on the big order.

Economic Development Minister Raymond Bachand said the government of the province of 7.5 million will not appeal a Superior Court of Quebec ruling from January that said Alstom should have been allowed to bid on the contract.

"It's a tender offer that will be open, that will be open to Alstom, that will be open to Bombardier, and may the best win," Mr. Bachand told reporters in images broadcast on the RDI television network.

He expects the government to choose a winning bidder in about 12 months.

The government, which is financing 75 per cent of the project, had originally awarded the contract in 2005 to Bombardier, the world's largest railcar maker and No. 3 civil aircraft manufacturer, without going through a competitive bidding process.

On Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Bombardier was welcome to take part in French tenders for railcars if Alstom were allowed to bid in Canada.

Bombardier had earlier said the contract never figured in its order backlog and so would not have an immediate impact on its operations.

© The Globe and Mail

 

[W. K. Lis]

60 U.S. cities in some stage of streetcar planning or development

North America is returning to the streetcar or light rail. Cities in America claim that the streetcar is rejuvenating their downtowns with their return. This article describes the change.
For the TTC, it means that there will be a demand for new streetcars or light rail vehicles, and it could mean an increase in their price, if the supply is low. But then the TTC could have a volume discount, unlike the dozen or so the other orders may provide.
When those cities do install their streetcars or light rail systems, the systems will be designed to the vehicles specifications. Here in Toronto, the new vehicles will have to be designed to the current system specifications. Namely, the curves will be wider and inclines gentler for any new system, but in older systems like Toronto the curves are sharper and the inclines are generally steeper.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Parkside Drive

The replacement streetcars are supposed to be low-floor and handicapped accessible. The stations for Transit City will be handicapped acceptable as well.
Most of middle portion of the Queensway right-of-way has been rebuilt. Now around Parkside Drive it looks complete, but it is not handicapped accessible. It was originally built in the 1950's, when the handicapped were generally not considered.
Are they or not going to make provision for wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, etc.? An elevator? Where? Escalator? The design doesn't look it can. Or would users be directed to use Glendale or Colborne Lodge?
Since the handicapped lost against the bicyclists with the Roncesvalles rebuild project (bumpouts to allow bicycle paths between tracks and curb), it will be the same here. The handicapped can use Glendale or Colborne Lodge to board. It will be as it is now, due to it being "grandfathered" before the standards changed.

 

[RedRocket191]

W.K. you make a very good point. Ideally we want all stops to be wheelchair accessible, but sometimes this just isn't possible. However, knowing that shouldn't stop us from aiming for 100% accessibility.

 

[Observer Walt]

^ How is it "not so safe"? Is there evidence that streetcars are less safe than other modes of transportation?

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

obviously!

Now a days transportation is playing a key roll through out the world

are you sure? i always thought it was breathing.

 

[EnviroTO]

Now a days transportation is playing a key roll through out the world . Street cars are playing a important role in transportation it is very easy to go in street cars but it is not so safe to go in street cars.

Insightful.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Now a days transportation is playing a key roll through out the world . Street cars are playing a important role in transportation it is very easy to go in street cars but it is not so safe to go in street cars .


================================================

Cain.

Used Cars

How come the TTC kept winning all those safety awards over the years, with all those streetcars running on the streets?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Like any product or merchandise, once you purchase/order it, someone makes a change or improvement that makes the product/merchandise you ordered not so good. It seems to happen with all products. Case in point: plans for Alstom's Futuristic Double Decker Tram at this link.

 

[kEiThZ]

^ That's just cool! We could use some of those downtown. Though, I'm sure the cost of jacking up all the power lines will make this option cost prohibitive.

 

[fanoftoronto]

^ That's just cool! We could use some of those downtown. Though, I'm sure the cost of jacking up all the power lines will make this option cost prohibitive.

Well, the streetcars are high floors and this design is low-floor. Maybe with a shorter power collecting rod (sorry, don't know the name, pantograph?) we might not even need to jack up the power lines!

we're definitely not getting that streetcar but it would be great if we did!

 

[TOareaFan]

^ That's just cool! We could use some of those downtown. Though, I'm sure the cost of jacking up all the power lines will make this option cost prohibitive.

Once you buy anything you should just stop looking at the new stuff that comes out (unless you have unlimited funds) it just leads to buyers remorse.......that said, if we were able to buy something like this maybe they would only go on the new lines not the old lines.

They are cool but there are a ton of cars that came out after I bought mine that I can't have....that is just life!

 

[jwill]

I presume they can make longer ones, but those don't seem to have as much capacity as the cars we're getting. Also, raising catenary is a problem but lowering roadbeds under several rail overpasses is probably more expensive.

 

[W. K. Lis]

^ That's just cool! We could use some of those downtown. Though, I'm sure the cost of jacking up all the power lines will make this option cost prohibitive.

I could see double-deckers on the suburban Transit City lines, not downtown because of the bridge heights. If the double-decker GO buses could run fine, so could these.

 

[DavidJamesTO]

I'd love to see a few of these in TO if it's possible. Maybe the TTC could buy one of the old Hong Kong double-decker trams for events or holiday service.