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

[nfitz]

There is a very high correlation between Angry Letters About LRT and Lives Nowhere Close To It.

You get the same think in Toronto, if you map the way the councillors voted on the Gardiner/DVP intersection replacement. Each and every Toronto/East York council member (except John Tory) voted to remove the structure and replace it with an at-grade road (Lakeshore). The strongest support in keeping an elevated interchange was from the wards furthest away.

 

[Duck]

Heck, I'm guilty of that - I'm 150 km from the rt and am no slouch when it comes to speaking my mind about how stupid I think scrapping it is

 

[ottbike]

Thanks again @Duck for that great tour list a few pages back. Any chance you would be able to put a google map together? I'm planning to head there this upcoming weekend.

Also, I'm a cardboard train/bus model enthusiast... so does anyone know a location in K/W where I might be able to find one of the ION promo paper train models?

 

[P0per]

Thanks again @Duck for that great tour list a few pages back. Any chance you would be able to put a google map together? I'm planning to head there this upcoming weekend.

Also, I'm a cardboard train/bus model enthusiast... so does anyone know a location in K/W where I might be able to find one of the ION promo paper train models?

You have to connect the dots a bit, but here's a map with most of the route overlayed. You'll see all the streets/locations that @Duck mentioned.

Edit: Here is a second one with overlay of the current construction spots, rather than the whole route (as a bonus, you get to judge if it's worthwhile heading to a particular spot ).

 

[reaperexpress]

A couple snaps of R&T Station from yesterday:

 

[ottbike]

Seems like an odd track layout. Are the outside tracks so that freight trains don't touch the platforms?

 

[dunkalunk]

Seems like an odd track layout. Are the outside tracks so that freight trains don't touch the platforms?

Yup, that's why stations on the Waterloo Spurline have a gauntlet

 

[reaperexpress]

Seems like an odd track layout. Are the outside tracks so that freight trains don't touch the platforms?

Yes, you'll notice that the diverging track has been polished by the freight trains, but the through track has not been used yet. I'd like to get some shots of a freight train passing through, but their arrival times are so widely variable that I could end up standing for hours in the cold.

 

[ottbike]

Yup, that's why stations on the Waterloo Spurline have a gauntlet

Neat

 

[W. K. Lis]

Now, I would like to see a freight train "accidentally" go down the LRT tracks.

Wonder if the delivery trains for the light rail vehicles would use those tracks to drop them off at the depot?

 

[nfitz]

Wonder if the delivery trains for the light rail vehicles would use those tracks to drop them off at the depot?

Why wouldn't they? There's daily freight service already along that line, past the new barn.

 

[Duck]

Yeah; I've been curious about how the LFLRV's will get from Thunder Bay to the OMSF. I'm not familiar enough with the layout of Ontario's freight network to comment on that. The Waterloo Spur does hook up with the VIA/CN tracks that run parallel to Victoria, though (Brampton-Guelph-Kitchener-Stratford-London route).

I wonder what will happen when we get our first train(s). Obviously, the TTC is going to find out when we start getting them alongside the Outlooks, but what will they do?

 

[nfitz]

I wonder what will happen when we get our first train(s). Obviously, the TTC is going to find out when we start getting them alongside the Outlooks, but what will they do?

What will they do? Given that the first car is the prototype for what Metrolinx will be buying, that TTC will be operating, presumably they'll be in Kingston while they are being tested, and also in Waterloo.

 

[Duck]

I guess I meant more, will they kick and scream and whine "Why are they getting trains before we are??!?!" I am just projecting this from the comments in the streetcar thread. Seems like it's going to be very akward all around.

 

[nfitz]

I guess I meant more, will they kick and scream and whine "Why are they getting trains before we are??!?!" I am just projecting this from the comments in the streetcar thread. Seems like it's going to be very akward all around.

TTC is surely well aware of the production schedule, as part of the Crosstown project - after all, they are going to be the ones running these cars - not Metrolinx.