ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[embe]

5/5 - Sunday, November 6, 2016


Block line TPSS


Embedded track curve from Hayward onto Courtland.  Note that the track will go Ballasted on the Huron Spur, through the curve onto Hayward, then switch to ballasted on hayward, then back to embedded for the curve, then back to ballasted!


Laying out the pre-rolled rail segments.


Looking up Hayward, toward Courtland.


Looking down the Huron Spur.

might be an illusion but it looks like some speed wobbles there

[Canard]

The track has not been tamped yet, so it is just in it's first stage of installation (crude alignment).

[KevinL]

Starting at Ottawa and Mill... they've taken a very curious approach to the southbound track at Ottawa. For the time being (presumably over the coming winter), the track is completely buried under the asphalt - no deck plates like the freight track gets.

Isn't the buried track the freight track? It's next to the signal and the chain link fence across the street separates the freight and LRT tracks.

But it's still an active freight line, so I don't see how they could keep it buried for more than a couple of days at most.

Nope, the freight track is just to the left of frame there - you can just see the edge of its deck plates. The buried track is concrete-sleepered continuously-welded LRT rail, for absolute certain.

[isUsername]

Isn't the buried track the freight track? It's next to the signal and the chain link fence across the street separates the freight and LRT tracks.

But it's still an active freight line, so I don't see how they could keep it buried for more than a couple of days at most.

Nope, the freight track is just to the left of frame there - you can just see the edge of its deck plates. The buried track is concrete-sleepered continuously-welded LRT rail, for absolute certain.

Ohhhh.... I realize why I was confused. I thought the camera angle was facing towards Hayward.

[DHLawrence]

Is that actually a 45 km/h limit sign on a straight segment in the same frame as a 60 km/h limit for the roadway?

Limiting the speed of the trains in this way doesn't make any sense to me.

It could have to do with braking. A train or LRV will require a much greater stopping distance at 60 than a car.

[Canard]

It could have to do with braking. A train or LRV will require a much greater stopping distance at 60 than a car.

Curves C3-1, C3-2, C3-3, and C3-4 on either side of the bridge are designed for 46 km/h maximum.

   
Curve C3-2 (C3-1 is just beyond the top of this shot, closer to Colby/Conestogo)

   
Curve C3-3, and C3-4.

[kitborn]

Having spent a good bit of my childhood "exploring" up and down that rail line, along with the other kids in the neighbourhood, I am chuckling a bit.   It must have been an miracle that any of us Boomers survived childhood!  

My brothers and I grew up near Glasgow and Belmont. Most of our youth included the rail line that is now called Iron Horse Trail and the overpass of the CN line over Belmont. Never even considered the risk and that we were trespassing.

[ijmorlan]

Sorry, but I disagree with trespassing on railway property and would never do it.  Too much Operation Lifesaver in my blood.  I do appreciate seeing what you were able to capture in your photos, though... I would have loved to have seen it in person, too, but just can't bring myself to break the law in order to do so.

I hope you’ll take this in the somewhat tongue-in-cheek way that I intend it. I just have to tweak you a little bit on this. Operation LifeSaver is primarily about being aware of risk. KevinL is clearly aware of the risk and is managing it responsibly.

Would you really tell somebody they are wrong to practice their balancing by walking on the rail parallel to the Spur Line trail, knowing that trains pass at a walking speed and almost exclusively at night, and escape to the trail itself is trivial?

Meanwhile, you yourself have probably trespassed recently to obtain photos. The McDonald’s is closed. As such, nobody has permission from the property owner to climb the stairs or stand on the landing. Now my point is not that you should not have done that — I would consider it absurd to say so — but that unthinking adherence to the rules is simply not needed and not evidence of virtue.

Still, it’s a personal choice and I would never tell you that you positively should go anywhere you’re not comfortable.

[Canard]

Meanwhile, you yourself have probably trespassed recently to obtain photos.

Sorry, I can't even reply to the rest of your post, because I'm simply gobsmacked someone would say this. Let me make this perfectly clear: I have never, and will never, trespass or enter a construction site, pass a construction fence or otherwise break rules or laws to take photographs. I have a long lens and while a photo may look like I've had to be within a construction area to take it, I assure you, I was not.

What a shitty way to start a week. Ugh.

[Rainrider22]

Meanwhile, you yourself have probably trespassed recently to obtain photos.

Sorry, I can't even reply to the rest of your post, because I'm simply gobsmacked someone would say this. Let me make this perfectly clear: I have never, and will never, trespass or enter a construction site, pass a construction fence or otherwise break rules or laws to take photographs. I have a long lens and while a photo may look like I've had to be within a construction area to take it, I assure you, I was not.

What a shitty way to start a week. Ugh.  

Canard. We all appreciate your efforts to obtain pictures and post them for us to review. But seriously, someone's comments who you likely have never met and don't know should not even come close to causing upset in your day.  

There are people losing thier job today, someone wil learn that they or a loved one has cancer. Someone is walking around looking in garabe bins for empty beer cans or food they can eat.  Many people are walking around battling mental health issues and just waking up causes them to be upset

So brush of the negative somment posted on line that is as impersonal as it gets and get out there and take some more pics on this gloriously beautiful day

[Pheidippides]

I thought ijmorlan's response was well written and considerate. No one accused you of trespassing on the construction site. You said yourself you accessed the McDonald's steps. Unless you own the McDonald's or had permission from the owner you had no real reasonto be there and were likely trespassing. Nobody was judging you. Everyone's comfort level is different with different things.

Thanks again for all the photos, updates, and technical explanations. Your contributions are highly valued.

[timc]

Unless there is a notice posted, or a fence around the building, I can't see how going onto the McDonald's property to take some photographs is trespassing. On the other hand, trespassing on railway property is absolutely against the law. As we know, the law in this regard is rarely enforced, especially in situations where the risk is low. Same as a lot of laws. And some people are more willing to bend the rules than others.

Refusing to traverse the tracks to take some photographs is perfectly reasonable. Especially if it gives you an excuse to buy a nice lens. :-)

[Canard]

Sorry, I just take a lot of pride in the fact that I try my best to respect other people's property and rules, so it really rubbed me the wrong way. I realize he wasn't attacking me. Sorry.

Let's move on - it sure is a beautiful day, and I bet there's lots of activity out there! If you're lucky enough to have the day off, please share what you see!

[ijmorlan]

Sorry, I just take a lot of pride in the fact that I try my best to respect other people's property and rules, so it really rubbed me the wrong way. I realize he wasn't attacking me. Sorry.

Let's move on - it sure is a beautiful day, and I bet there's lots of activity out there! If you're lucky enough to have the day off, please share what you see!

I did not intend to say anything that sounded like an attack, so I’m sorry for that — I certainly didn’t intend to make your day start out badly at all! My point about the McDonald’s is that while technically it at least might be trespassing, it would be beyond strange to criticize somebody for doing it, and my opinion is that some (definitely not all!) railway trespassing is in the same category. But at the same time I respect your choice to follow the rules more rigorously.

At this point I will say again how much I appreciate your photos. Please, don’t stop, I and many others enjoy seeing them!

[boatracer]

Saw some welding activity at the KCI crossover location around noon today.

And the Ion Instagram feed had an overhead shot of the Conestoga crossover that was pretty neat.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BMZWarsgkkh/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Crews pour concrete at the LRT track crossover near the Conestoga stop in Waterloo #progress #wrLRT</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by ION (@rideion) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-11-04T17:09:52+00:00">Nov 4, 2016 at 10:09am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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