ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Bob_McBob]

That freight locomotive is apparently being used as part of the commissioning process for the track between Northfield and Erb/Caroline.

https://www.facebook.com/rideION/posts/1...3771782959

[Canard]

I swung by the OMSF. Crews are staging and the ramp and robot are ready to rock! Looks like a night unloading is about to happen!

[Canard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">504 has just arrived at the OMSF for unloading! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/SMcaj8o8MG">pic.twitter.com/SMcaj8o8MG</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/939253688924811265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2017</a></blockquote>

Unloading now! Kevin’s taking over for the evening - I had to jet. Non-train loving spouse was with me and not so amused.

[danbrotherston]

In other news, the traffic signal at the uptown square is now active.

And we have yet another pedestrian signal that shows a no-walk sign when there is no possibility of cross traffic.

At this point, we're literally training people to ignore lights, and then blaming them when they do so.

Some days are very depressing.

   

[Canard]

1/1 - Friday, December 8, 2017

   
As usual, our LRV was parked overnight in the siding at Commonwealth Plywood, on Randal Drive.

   
I was puzzled at the presence of the Waterloo Central Railway engine, here - it only became known later in the day that it was used for switch testing along the Waterloo Spur.

   
I swung by again in the evening, just in time to catch 504 being delivered to the OMSF.

   
Crews started right away offloading - with it getting dark so early, they brought in some temporary high-mast lighting.

   
At the time of posting, 504 is now resting comfortably inside the OMSF, alongside his siblings!

[Bob_McBob]

Light rail construction cost jumps $50M

Highlights:

• The region can only recover $4m from Bombardier in the original terms of the contract.
  
• The construction variance settlement with Grandlinq was $28.1m (60% of requested amount), surpassing the $12.4m contingency in the original $818m budget.
  
• The project was actually $10.9m under budget. (!)
  

Overall we would have come out almost exactly on budget if Bombardier hadn't screwed us.

[Pheidippides]

Here is the original budget paper from the council agenda with more information.


I hope with this settlement that the massive list of fixes TriTag was compiling will be fixed.

[ijmorlan]

In other news, the traffic signal at the uptown square is now active.

And we have yet another pedestrian signal that shows a no-walk sign when there is no possibility of cross traffic.

At this point, we're literally training people to ignore lights, and then blaming them when they do so.

Some days are very depressing.

Also there is a beg button for crossing King St. Totally inappropriate at this location.

[Canard]

Also there is a beg button for crossing King St. Totally inappropriate at this location.

Then tell the Region and get it fixed! These kinds of issues shouldn't stay silent in a forum. They need to be brought to the right people, so they can be remedied.

...+$25 for the variance to the PA

[Pheidippides]

Interesting statement from the budget report:
"The first vehicle was delivered in February 2017. The second vehicle arrived October 2, 2017 and was placed in the Operations and Maintenance Storage Facility (OMSF) on October 3, 2017. The third vehicle arrived late last week and the fourth vehicle is now scheduled for arrival in mid/late December 2017.

These vehicles have not yet achieved Preliminary Acceptance Certification (PAC) and the Region has been clear that these vehicles have been delivered to permit testing and it does not constitute delivery or acceptance of any vehicle(s) under the Contract. Bombardier will remain responsible for each of the vehicle’s maintenance until Final Acceptance Certification (FAC)."


So while we now have three vehicles on-site in the region the Region doesn't actually considered to have actually have been delivered under the terms of the contract.

Unless one of them gets an FAC by Sunday it will mean that we don't have a single train "delivered" a year after the original deadline for the 14th. 



The Hydro One relocation along the Hydro corridor parallel to Fairway was $5.7 million under budget.
The aBRT construction is currently $5.2 million under budget.

[KevinT]

These vehicles have not yet achieved Preliminary Acceptance Certification (PAC) and the Region has been clear that these vehicles have been delivered to permit testing and it does not constitute delivery or acceptance of any vehicle(s) under the Contract. Bombardier will remain responsible for each of the vehicle’s maintenance until Final Acceptance Certification (FAC)."

Although these 14 trains are going to the region, they're part of the Metrolinx order and full sign off requires Metrolinx' cooperation.  If Metrolinx still hasn't dotted their I's and crossed their T's, and they have been foot dragging the whole time since neither their Finch (the original launch project) nor Crosstown projects is remotely ready for vehicles, then Bombardier is hamstrung.

The story during Metrolinx' failed attempt to break out of the contract last spring (when they ordered the pointless 50 Alstom trains) was that they had not finalized their requirements.  If those are still in limbo, then so is our FAC and there's nothing Bombardier can do about it.  This is the story our local media should be pursuing!

[Canard]

^ Couldn't agree with you more, Kevin!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Signal, switch and track testing this weekend along the Waterloo Spur for <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rideIONrt</a>. So cool to use <a href="https://twitter.com/WCRailway?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WCRailway</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/i9l0Mbxs4D">pic.twitter.com/i9l0Mbxs4D</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/939521645223579651?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2017</a></blockquote>

I rode next to the engine from Waterloo Park to R&T when it headed back North. So much fun! I was dreaming of doing that with LRV testing this summer, but... maybe next summer?

[KevinL]

I do like that WCR and GrandLinq have a good working relationship. Friendly neighbours!

[jamincan]

I was up in that part of town today and there was a bunch of Grandlinq vehicles and police cars in the ION ROW on Northfield at the crossing. Any idea of what might have been going on? I didn't see any sign of an LRV or the WCR locomotive.

[KevinT]

The Offloading

Step 1, Capture: