Waterloo Region Connected
ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Printable Version

+- Waterloo Region Connected (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com)
+-- Forum: Waterloo Region Works (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+--- Forum: Transportation and Infrastructure (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=25)
+--- Thread: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit (/showthread.php?tid=14)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 700 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 766 767 768 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 800 801 802 803 804 805 806 807 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 840 841 842 843 844 845 846 847 848 849 850 851 852 853 854 855 856 857 858 859 860 861 862 863 864 865 866 867 868 869 870 871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915 916 917 918 919 920 921 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 935 936 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 968 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 986 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 999 1000 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1028 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1065 1066 1067 1068 1069 1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 1079 1080 1081 1082 1083 1084 1085 1086 1087 1088 1089 1090 1091 1092 1093 1094 1095 1096 1097 1098 1099 1100 1101 1102 1103 1104 1105 1106 1107 1108 1109 1110 1111 1112 1113 1114 1115 1116 1117 1118 1119 1120 1121 1122 1123 1124 1125 1126 1127 1128 1129 1130 1131 1132 1133 1134 1135 1136 1137 1138 1139 1140 1141 1142 1143 1144 1145 1146 1147 1148 1149 1150 1151 1152 1153 1154 1155 1156 1157 1158 1159 1160 1161 1162 1163 1164 1165


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - belmont - 08-27-2015

Track is being laid just north of Columbia:

[Image: rl25sfE.jpg]


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 08-27-2015

(08-27-2015, 08:25 AM)Waterlooer Wrote: Does anyone have an idea what the door chime for our LRVs will be? I'm assuming there will be one... Does Bombardier choose the sound, or would it be the Region?

I've been wondering the same thing since the system was first approved. It's one of my favourite things about systems; the noises and sounds just as much as the visuals. I always hoped for this, which exists on my favourite Bombardier product, but as DHLawrence mentions below...

(08-27-2015, 03:58 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: If we're piggybacking on a Metrolinx order it will probably be the GO/TTC chime.

...we will likely get this.

Still, for a multi-million dollar order, you'd think they could throw in half a day for someone to sit down and program something a little more unique. I reached out to Bombardier and The Region about this a little while back. I asked the same thing on UrbanToronto a while back, which they didn't much appreciate.

Other cities have also held contests for being the voice of automated stop announcements. I love stuff like this so much and really hope they'll consider doing it here.




RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - KevinL - 08-28-2015

The new retaining wall at KCI is getting ready to be assembled.

[Image: 20150828_093104.jpg]


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - DHLawrence - 08-28-2015

The aBRT shelters on Hespeler Road have new decals on them touting the service as the "first step towards light rail".


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 08-28-2015

Yeah! They've been showing them off all over Twitter and Facebook. They look great!


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - timc - 08-29-2015

Has anyone else noticed that the Region has been dropping the "a" from aBRT more lately? And does that bother anyone else other than me? I mean, it's not really a BRT service, right?


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 08-29-2015

It depends on how you define BRT.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - timc - 08-29-2015

(08-29-2015, 03:23 PM)Canard Wrote: It depends on how you define BRT.

Naturally. It seems that most definitions of BRT include a dedicated right of way, which is something that ION lacks.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - MidTowner - 08-29-2015

The "rideION.ca/abrt" page now has questions about "BRT" rather than "aBRT."

Most BRT implemented in North America is watered down, and little better than conventional bus service. That's by-and-large the case with the service in Cambridge. If they have to call it anything, call it "future Ion LRT extension." I never understood "aBRT," but it's annoying if GRT will increasingly call it BRT. Good BRT can be very, very good, and we could use some of it on various corridors in the Region.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - GtwoK - 08-30-2015

So... ideal / dream phase 2 routes? Been thinking about this for a few days. Actually just typed up a long thing on it and then Chrome crashed, erasing it, so I'll type this out quickly this time.

Starting at Fairview Mall, the tracks would head over to King St E and follow that. There would be a stop at River Rd (Chicopee) or possibly Freeport.
Continuing along the rail corridor, there would be another stop at the track crossing at Maple Grove Rd, servicing the business parks here (both proposed and current).

From here, the track would split:
  • SB track would turn and continue down to Sportsworld / King. There would be another stop here.
  • Following King, there would be another stop at the top of Shantz, or within Preston Heights; the track would run through this neighbourhood.
  • The track would follow down Preston Pkwy — it's  a steep hill, hence there only being SB track here. The track would cross Fountain and travel over the Speed River, connecting with Eagle (there is a proposed trail / bridge crossing here). Continuing down Eagle, there would be another stop at Eagle / King, for downtown Preston.

The NB track would continue along the rail corridor:
  • There would be a stop mid-length along Riverside Park
  • Following the bridge, it would rejoin the SB track at the King / Eagle stop.

Both tracks would now follow along Eagle. A stop near Eagle / Concession or thereabouts could serve this neighbourhood.
Of course, a stop at Eagle / Pinebush / Hespeler, where the tracks would continue down Hespeler.
A stop at Hespeler / Sheldon / Langs. Great for Beertown!  Big Grin
Another stop at the Cambridge Center, of course,
A stop at Hespeler / Can Amera, or possibly Hespeler / Isherwood / Munch.
Heading to the Delta, where there would be another stop and a track split:
  • One track would head down Dundas, with a stop at Soper Park
  • The track would follow the creek which is a direct shot to the Ainslie Terminal

The other track would head down Water. 
  • Possibly a stop at GCI?
  • A stop at the Mill Race, which would provide access to the new condos (and eventual hotel) that are being built there, Dickson park across the bridge, and LA Franks Wink
  • A stop at Water / Main, with access to downtown Galt, Queens Sq Library, the retirement home, and the UW Architecture campus across the bridge
  • A stop at Water / Concession, for the RiverFront Condominiums, and with access to Southworks / the Dunfield Theatre across the bridge
  • Traveling up Concession to Ainslie / Wellington, the down Wellington to the Ainslie Terminal.

I think this could work really well! The only thing that might be a bit iffy is the Preston Heights stop, because of possible small ridership / that hill. Included it becase there's not many other places to go after stopping at Sportsworld, where I really want there to be a stop!

Now, Phase 3? I don't to clog the forum with a giant list of stops, but I will be very upset if it doesn't start at the Sunrise Center, travel down Ottawa to Homer Watson (could easily branch off to the Ottawa / Mill stop from here... not sure if that's a thing that helps infrastructure or not.), then travel down Homer Watson -> Fountain until eventually joining back up with Phase 2 at King / Eagle. There's a surplus of possible stops along this route, so it seems obvious to me!


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - mpd618 - 08-30-2015

(08-30-2015, 06:33 PM)GtwoK Wrote: From here, the track would split: ...

Not passing judgement on the rest of it, but on this? Please, no. A one-way transit stop is one of the worst things. It's bad enough when the two directions are separated by a relatively short distance, but it's not really workable to have a rapid transit stop that lets you go in only one direction and have no way of getting back.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Waterlooer - 08-30-2015

Is this concrete slab at R&T Park going to be part of the station platform?

[Image: IMG_20150830_175015_zpsia3wl6vu.jpg]


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - KevinL - 08-30-2015

(08-30-2015, 06:33 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Now, Phase 3? I don't to clog the forum with a giant list of stops, but I will be very upset if it doesn't start at the Sunrise Center, travel down Ottawa to Homer Watson (could easily branch off to the Ottawa / Mill stop from here... not sure if that's a thing that helps infrastructure or not.), then travel down Homer Watson -> Fountain until eventually joining back up with Phase 2 at King / Eagle. There's a surplus of possible stops along this route, so it seems obvious to me!

Sorry, but what type of ridership demand would this meet? Beyond Conestoga College I don't think there's much demand in this corridor.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - GtwoK - 08-30-2015

(08-30-2015, 09:00 PM)mpd618 Wrote:
(08-30-2015, 06:33 PM)GtwoK Wrote: From here, the track would split: ...

Not passing judgement on the rest of it, but on this? Please, no. A one-way transit stop is one of the worst things. It's bad enough when the two directions are separated by a relatively short distance, but it's not really workable to have a rapid transit stop that lets you go in only one direction and have no way of getting back.

Alright, point taken. I had assumed that since it was done at a few points in phase 1 that it was a relatively normal thing to have, though I understand the qualms.

(08-30-2015, 11:14 PM)KevinL Wrote:
(08-30-2015, 06:33 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Now, Phase 3? I don't to clog the forum with a giant list of stops, but I will be very upset if it doesn't start at the Sunrise Center, travel down Ottawa to Homer Watson (could easily branch off to the Ottawa / Mill stop from here... not sure if that's a thing that helps infrastructure or not.), then travel down Homer Watson -> Fountain until eventually joining back up with Phase 2 at King / Eagle. There's a surplus of possible stops along this route, so it seems obvious to me!

Sorry, but what type of ridership demand would this meet? Beyond Conestoga College I don't think there's much demand in this corridor.

The Sunrise Center, a portion of Westmount,  the Laurentian area, St. Mary's / the Country Hills area, the Homer Watson Business Park, the Pioneer Park area, the Doon South area, and 2 campuses of Conestoga College (as well as the planned massive public recreational complex) were the areas I had been thinking of. Is that too small of a ridership area? I had thought that was pretty significant, but I might be wrong. As well, I'm not overly familiar with how LRT systems work, I had figured that once the system becomes less linear that trains would be able to travel all around, or at least have connecting stations to multiple lines. My suggestion could easily connect to the Mill /Ottawa, Block Line Rd, and Prestonsburg stations. 

I thought I was clever :/. Just a dream, I suppose.


RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - tomh009 - 08-31-2015

(08-30-2015, 11:38 PM)GtwoK Wrote: The Sunrise Center, a portion of Westmount,  the Laurentian area, St. Mary's / the Country Hills area, the Homer Watson Business Park, the Pioneer Park area, the Doon South area, and 2 campuses of Conestoga College (as well as the planned massive public recreational complex) were the areas I had been thinking of. Is that too small of a ridership area? I had thought that was pretty significant, but I might be wrong. As well, I'm not overly familiar with how LRT systems work, I had figured that once the system becomes less linear that trains would be able to travel all around, or at least have connecting stations to multiple lines. My suggestion could easily connect to the Mill /Ottawa, Block Line Rd, and Prestonsburg stations.

It really won't be cost-effective for low-density residential areas, such as Country Hills or Pioneer Park.  Those are car-centric areas, and an LRT won't change it for now.