TTC: Flexity Streetcars Testing & Delivery (Bombardier)

[BurlOak]

I think there was only 2. Oddly, both in their 70s ... which isn't typical of the demographic I see crossing the street. And especially not the demographic I see running in front of streetcars ... which always seem to be younger, not older.

I wonder what other factors there were.

I think you are forgetting the one in August. The man died 2 weeks later in hospital, so it was not as big of a story. Another elderly person.

http://www.citynews.ca/2014/08/18/man-struck-by-st-clair-streetcar-dies-in-hospital/

 

[nfitz]

I think you are forgetting the one in August.

I'm not sure I'd have called 7 weeks and 5 days between first and last "just over a month" though.

But yes, I'd forgotten that one. There's a consistent theme here it looks like. Jaywalking pensioners ...

Not sure what action should be taken.

 

[BB ON]

Now Accessible by BB ON, on Flickr

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

Well, the world didn't come to an end when the ALRV's and CLRV's were deployed 30+ years ago without a cow catcher, so I imagine these new ones would have the same impact.

ALRVs had the lifeguard cradle under the front when they were new, it may have been removed since then. Esther Shiner decided that pedestrians needed to be protected from "being mangled" by the CLRV couplers so the skirts were installed in 1986. I don't know if there were any pedestrian injuries caused by being hit by the couplers, but it was apparently enough of a concern for a councillor to take it up as a cause.

 

[smallspy]

ALRVs had the lifeguard cradle under the front when they were new, it may have been removed since then. Esther Shiner decided that pedestrians needed to be protected from "being mangled" by the CLRV couplers so the skirts were installed in 1986. I don't know if there were any pedestrian injuries caused by being hit by the couplers, but it was apparently enough of a concern for a councillor to take it up as a cause.

The skirts were created and installed because of the potential for passenger injuries, but the ALRVs have never had a lifeguard/cradle installed. The ALRVs were never designed for MU operation, so there is no way to install a coupler.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[can332]

Well, the world didn't come to an end when the ALRV's and CLRV's were deployed 30+ years ago without a cow catcher, so I imagine these new ones would have the same impact.

The world did, in fact, come to an end for many unfortunate individuals who made contact with the front end of the "new" streetcars. The "skirts" were an attempt to deflect victims away from the vehicle. Unfortunately, it was found that if a victim was shoved forward onto the tracks by the initial impact, instead of off to one side, they were still dragged under the skirts during the secondary impact while they lay on the tracks. Toronto Fire brainstormed the idea with the TTC during the 1980s, eventually developing a complex lifting procedure using air bags and 6x6 blocks that has saved many lives. (Tragically, one firefighter was killed after an early prototype of the lifting equipment failed at Hillcrest in the late-80s). These procedures are now being refined for the LFLRV cars.

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

The skirts were created and installed because of the potential for passenger injuries, but the ALRVs have never had a lifeguard/cradle installed.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

They sure did. I was a summer student in the carhouse when the ALRVs were new, and they were definitely equipped with the lifeguard trip bar and the cradle. When the cradle dropped, there was a button on the dash with a pneumatic control to raise it, unlike the PCC cradle, which had a cable reset under the operator's dash. I think the cradles become troublesome and were removed at some point, but before that, one CLRV was even experimentally outfitted with the lifeguard bar and cradle in the mid-1990s (car 4073 I think). I have a copy of the Russell Division newsletter with the CLRV info.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Used to be very massive, on the early streetcars. Today, they are likely nonexistent. Guess they just gave up.

 

[BB ON]

Given the current state of the 504 that would just be more room for riders to hop on.

 

[hawc]

According to the NP article on Leslie Barns (see the thread on that subject) Thunder Bay is to roll out streetcars "every 10 days". Wonder how long it will take them to reach that tempo...

How many new streetcars have we got running right now? It feels like it's gotta be more than 2. I see them constantly.

 

[nfitz]

How many new streetcars have we got running right now?

Two - 4400 and 4403

It feels like it's gotta be more than 2. I see them constantly.

You might see 4401 and 4402 floating around as well - but not in service until they go back to Thunder Bay for upgrades.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Because of the strike at Bombardier, they are behind manufacturing them. It maybe because they are also working on the Toronto Rocket subway cars as well. However, the strike was over in mid-September, and the workers got back to work a couple weeks later. At their published rate of a new streetcar every 10 or so days, we are getting a little impatient in waiting for the arrival of new ones right now.

 

[pstogios]

we are getting a little impatient in waiting for the arrival of new ones right now.

You aren't the only one.

 

[MetroMan]

I saw one out of service on King St. on Wednesday. Anybody from Bombardier care to ... chime in?

 

[Long Island Mike]

The Bombardier Outlook with...?
View attachment 35323

I'm guessing they're hoping the round front shape would deflect any "obstacle" to the sides. Hope the cow will come out okay.

WKL and Everyone: Noting that the new ALRVs are not designed for MU operation can they operate with longer sections?
Example: Instead of 5 sections increase them to 7 sections for use on busy routes especially grade or street separated types...

LI MIKE