ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[tomh009]

Protecting from vandalism until the security cameras are activated, which provide protection of another kind.

OK, that makes sense.  Thanks.

[Canard]

^ what Kevin said. The platform lighting is also now activated in many places - an additional deterrent.

On the platforms being powered up: so are the speakers, and they're all humming static It's quiet, but definitely audible.

[ijmorlan]

Protecting from vandalism until the security cameras are activated, which provide protection of another kind.

Also there is a difference between something that is in regular use and something that is, in effect, abandoned. Technically not abandoned because that happens after something goes out of regular use rather than before it begins regular use but I think for a vandal the effect is much the same.

I’m still a bit worried about the glass windows in the anchor walls but if they’re made of the same thick glass as the platform shelters they should be OK.

[Markster]

I have always assumed that the hoarding was to protect the walls from construction damage. It's pretty easy for materials to fall over and put in a big gash.

[KevinL]

Kitchener’s King Street underpass to open in mid-July

Most of the base-coat paving was completed this week, but there's still much to do before the area is finished. That includes installing a drainage system, sidewalks and curbs, a handrail on the elevated sidewalk, and Ion stop, as well as adjusting the overhead wire system for light rail.

"It's unfortunate because it looks finished. Once you put that black top on, people get excited," Fisken said.

[Canard]

Fisken urged pedestrians to stay away until the stretch, still a construction area, is officially open again.

"People are still travelling through the area. The area is closed," Fisken said. "Hold on. We'll get there."

[panamaniac]

It will be interesting to see if the reopening of King St, after such a long closure and with the many changes now in place, have any effect on the old Kitchener habit of "cruising King St". I always found it interesting how many drivers tended to choose King over faster routes. I confess that I still tend to do it!

[timio]

We're getting close to the ability to use a pallet train end to end. Who's going first?

[DHLawrence]

Anyone have a retired speeder they want to give people rides in?

[sevenman]

We're getting close to the ability to use a pallet train end to end.  Who's going first?

Now we're talkin'!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LADv8JYZncg

That stretch down King from Welling to Victoria will be AWESOME!

[Pheidippides]

What does she mean when she refers to installing a drainage system? Doesn't the drainage system go under the blacktop?

[Canard]

My dad actually has one (a speeder) that he's refurbishing. Have to get to from the Ottawa area here, though.

[Markster]

It will be interesting to see if the reopening of King St, after such a long closure and with the many changes now in place, have any effect on the old Kitchener habit of "cruising King St".  I always found it interesting how many drivers tended to choose King over faster routes.  I confess that I still tend to do it!

Yesterday, I cruised King St in midtown just for kicks, and can say that with all the new traffic lights, that will be a habit that should die quickly. Getting past the hospital is a lot of traffic lights, and they are not particularly well synchronized for a green wave (which would be impossible to accommodate for both directions at once)

[Canard]

Yeah, biking through there is not much fun. Stop stop stop stop, heh. Impossible to hypermile too. So much wasted energy for those without recuperation (hybrid/EV). Someone should do a study on such things!

Lots of fun on the weekend:

Rubber Matting Installation at Waterloo Park-Laurier:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rubber matting has gone down between the rails at Waterloo Park-Laurier. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y0937mP7Th">pic.twitter.com/Y0937mP7Th</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/871143786319159298">June 3, 2017</a></blockquote>

Inductive Loops pulled up (probably for the matting work):

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Waterloo Park-Laurier station looking great, with the glass enclosure completed. Inductive loops removed for some reason. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/yyXctqwllO">pic.twitter.com/yyXctqwllO</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/871144525187739648">June 3, 2017</a></blockquote>

Derailler installation continues, and gets way more complex than I think any of us thought:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This derailler is &quot;last resort&quot; protection to prevent a freight train from hitting an LRV on the Waterloo Spur. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> Cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisjamesdrew">@chrisjamesdrew</a> <a href="https://t.co/RotmrJKfK6">pic.twitter.com/RotmrJKfK6</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/871147755208626180">June 3, 2017</a></blockquote>

Last night (!), Mass Electric had a bunch of the signal houses manned and they were testing the Gauntlet Track switches on the Waterloo Spur:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mass Electric is busy on this fine Sunday night checking out the functioning of the Gauntlet Track switches along the Waterloo Spur. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/9NTE1DeV63">pic.twitter.com/9NTE1DeV63</a></p>&mdash; iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/871501779980210176">June 4, 2017</a></blockquote>

Guessing the Sunday night work was because of the Tuesday-Friday train. Need to get as much done over the weekend/Monday as possible, so as not to disrupt service.

[KevinL]

What is the purpose of the mats?