ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[tomh009]

So it sounds like crowded but not close to Tokyo rush-hour-level packing (e.g. can barely move your arms) yet. Right?

[robdrimmie]

So it sounds like crowded but not close to Tokyo rush-hour-level packing (e.g. can barely move your arms) yet. Right?

Not on any trips I've been on thus far, but that's only two, and it's difficult to assess from outside the train.

[Acitta]

I got on at Mill Station southbound at around 9PM and it was standing room only. I stayed on at Fairway and a lot of people got on and it continued to be quite full till past Waterloo Town Square. It had thinned out by the time it arrived at Conestoga and was less than half full when leaving there. I continued back to Mill Station and got off around 10:30 or so with not very many people on the train.

[KevinL]

 a somewhat more open space near the connection between two cars (where there are no handholds, which contributes to the clustering, but I don't know how there could be on the bendy rubber bits)

There are stanchions either side of the bellows, and you can use those to stand in that area. Just watch out for your grip to shift when the train turns.

[taylortbb]

So how full have the trains been this week, during the week, at the worst? Standing-room only, yes, but how tightly packed?

From listening to ION control there have been a few trains so full that not everyone was able to board. But that's generally been after a delay where there was an extra 5-10 minute gap between trains. This week the system is definitely operating without a lot of spare capacity, and small delays quickly become larger problems as passengers build up.

[jamincan]

 a somewhat more open space near the connection between two cars (where there are no handholds, which contributes to the clustering, but I don't know how there could be on the bendy rubber bits)

There are stanchions either side of the bellows, and you can use those to stand in that area. Just watch out for your grip to shift when the train turns.

One set of grips doesn't move relative to the floor, the other is attached to the adjacent section and does move. And it is a nuisance. It would be nicer if both grips were stationary, but then I think it would end up pinching the person sitting in the adjacent section.

[danbrotherston]

There are stanchions either side of the bellows, and you can use those to stand in that area. Just watch out for your grip to shift when the train turns.

One set of grips doesn't move relative to the floor, the other is attached to the adjacent section and does move. And it is a nuisance. It would be nicer if both grips were stationary, but then I think it would end up pinching the person sitting in the adjacent section.

I don't think it's possible for both grips to be stationary relative to the part inside the bellows.  The bellows connects two 'cars', but the floor is fixed relative to one car, thus the other side of the bellows MUST move relative to the floor, and the floor must pivot somewhere, in this case around one edge of the bellows section.

That being said, I don't mind this at all, I've stood there a few times, it's kind of fun, although I'm sure some will prefer not too.

[MidTowner]

Having ridden transit in various parts of the developing world, I consider most of the trips I've taken this past week to be "crowded" but far from crush load. I've barely even touched any fellow passengers! Tom, your test is a good one: if you can move your arms around, it's not that full.

But it has been quite busy, especially when delayed. I got on one at GRH to University that was running behind schedule yesterday afternoon, and it was quite full, hard to circulate back to the doors.

[jamincan]

One set of grips doesn't move relative to the floor, the other is attached to the adjacent section and does move. And it is a nuisance. It would be nicer if both grips were stationary, but then I think it would end up pinching the person sitting in the adjacent section.

I don't think it's possible for both grips to be stationary relative to the part inside the bellows.  The bellows connects two 'cars', but the floor is fixed relative to one car, thus the other side of the bellows MUST move relative to the floor, and the floor must pivot somewhere, in this case around one edge of the bellows section.

That being said, I don't mind this at all, I've stood there a few times, it's kind of fun, although I'm sure some will prefer not too.

It could be fixed to either side, they would just have to make it not fixed to the floor at that point (which does move), and instead use some sort of lateral support to fix it to the adjacent section. The reason they didn't do this, I suspect, is that it would then hit the passenger sitting next to it through turns.

[bpoland]

Saw a southbound train at King and Louisa about 8:45 AM.  Nobody standing but many of the seats were full.

[danbrotherston]

I don't think it's possible for both grips to be stationary relative to the part inside the bellows.  The bellows connects two 'cars', but the floor is fixed relative to one car, thus the other side of the bellows MUST move relative to the floor, and the floor must pivot somewhere, in this case around one edge of the bellows section.

That being said, I don't mind this at all, I've stood there a few times, it's kind of fun, although I'm sure some will prefer not too.

It could be fixed to either side, they would just have to make it not fixed to the floor at that point (which does move), and instead use some sort of lateral support to fix it to the adjacent section. The reason they didn't do this, I suspect, is that it would then hit the passenger sitting next to it through turns.

I suppose they could fix it to the floor at that point, but then you're right, it would move relative to the walls, which is a crush risk, probably much worse.

[Bob_McBob]

Nice to see reasonably positive coverage. I've also noticed quite a change in the comment sections on Facebook. All the old whiners are starting to disappear and be replaced by people who recognize the benefits of ION.

https://www.therecord.com/news-story/948...e-for-ion/

[danbrotherston]

Well that is magical. Seems the latest thing the LRT haters have to complain about is that it is too busy.

Pretty much the definition of "no winning with these people".

Still, overall, the first week has been very positive.

[ijmorlan]

Well that is magical.  Seems the latest thing the LRT haters have to complain about is that it is too busy.

Pretty much the definition of "no winning with these people".

Still, overall, the first week has been very positive.

Yep, nobody’s going to use it if it’s so busy. Much better to sit in cars in traffic.

[rickhd]

I was on the LRT coming back from Fairview.   I noticed when it started raining the train seemed to be jerking a bit.   Like it was losing power and then getting power.  Could it have been slipping on the wet rails?    Only lasted a short period of time.   Maybe a power brownout?   Not sure if the trains can be affected by brownouts.