ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Yep. All the urban sections will be these shorter sections of rail - still welded together, however. Instead of simply laying the long sections down on the ballast and allowing them to flow naturally with the curves, these shorter sections will be rolled into the curve shapes (since they're so tight) with rolling/bending equipment before being lifted into place.

[Viewfromthe42]

If fall comes and we see actual rails in former roadway (versus rail right-of-way or crossing roadway), set up in the separated-from-traffic form that'll be the hallmark of operation, it'll be quite something. Maybe drivers can head by to tour and see what it'll look like, in advance of the completion of their particular section.

[Canard]

Where are those rails, Belmont? I drove down Courtland this morning, then turned right on Borden which now loops around into Greenville... But I couldn't see them anywhere.

Borden looks absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to see the rails go in.

[numberguy]

I am so sick and tired of everyone crapping all over Bombardier.  They make the best rail product out there, period, and are going to deliver in Waterloo region, too.

Please quantify how you know this. My crystal ball doesn't have that capability. The TTC uses Metrolinx, just like GRT. Ergo, the TTC's experience is a good local gauge on how Bombardier treats its customers. Ask the TTC how happy it is with its vendor. Unless you have better information, in which case, please share.

AFAIK, Bombardier is looking to sell at least a minority stake (more if the right partner is found) in its division that 'make the best rail product out there'.

http://ir.bombardier.com/misc/filedownlo...er/lang/en Yesterday's Q2 call for Bombardier.

For those who still wonder who drives the train at Bombardier: Their rail division book of orders is stagnant at $30B. Meanwhile it's aviation book of orders is $142B.

[belmont]

Where are those rails, Belmont? I drove down Courtland this morning, then turned right on Borden which now loops around into Greenville... But I couldn't see them anywhere.

Borden looks absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to see the rails go in.

If heading southbound on Courtland, make a right immediately before the Schneider's plant (just past Stirling). That area used to be employee/truck parking from what I can tell. It's now a staging area full of equipment, concrete pipes, and rails. It also has direct access to the existing rail lines.

[Canard]

Please quantify how you know this.

Quantify how I know what, that I'm a Bombardier fanboy? That's unquantifiable. I don't know why I like milk or the colour grey. I just do. In my opinion, Bombardier makes the best trains out there. In my opinion, Toyota makes the most reliable cars. In my opinion, HUSS makes the best flat rides. etc...

For those who still wonder who drives the train at Bombardier:   Their rail division book of orders is stagnant at $30B.   Meanwhile it's aviation book of orders is $142B.

...and you know that planes cost like 2 orders of magnitude more than trains, right? How many planes vs. how many trains or rail vehicles do they have on the books? They might have like 20 planes on order but they have hundreds, if not thousands of rail vehicles in the works.

If heading southbound on Courtland, make a right immediately before the Schneider's plant (just past Stirling). That area used to be employee/truck parking from what I can tell. It's now a staging area full of equipment, concrete pipes, and rails. It also has direct access to the existing rail lines.

Thanks - I'll have to check it out!

[jamincan]

Also, how profitable is each division?

[Canard]

Rail: Very. Aero: Not so much. Trains are supporting Airplanes right now. That's why there's consideration of a sale - it's profitable so it would garner a healthy sum.

[BuildingScout]

Wall Street Journal:

Bombardier Transportation Prepares IPO in Frankfurt

Bombardier Inc., which also makes planes, will retain significantly more than 50% of the unit, Mr. Bertling said. The company expects to float the stake in the fourth quarter in Frankfurt, though the exchange could change.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/bombardier-t...1438359805

[numberguy]

Quantify how I know what, that I'm a Bombardier fanboy?  That's unquantifiable.  I don't know why I like milk or the colour grey.  I just do.  In my opinion, Bombardier makes the best trains out there.  In my opinion, Toyota makes the most reliable cars.  In my opinion, HUSS makes the best flat rides.  etc...

...and you know that planes cost like 2 orders of magnitude more than trains, right?  How many planes vs. how many trains or rail vehicles do they have on the books?  They might have like 20 planes on order but they have hundreds, if not thousands of rail vehicles in the works.

No, you stated that Bombardier would deliver on time.   If it's just a feeling or opinion that you have, I would discount that.   The closest comparable customer experience is the TTC's Flexity cars.   And that customer experience has been abysmal (totally provable, empirically).

It doesn't matter how many trains or planes there are in the order book, it's dollars that count.   Bombardier doesn't pay wages or bills in trains or planes, they are paid in dollars.

If you look at the Q2 financials, http://ir.bombardier.com/misc/filedownlo...er/lang/en

External order backlog
Aero $142B (pgs 35, 32, 25)
Rail $30B (pg 40)

The three aero divisions and one rail division employ roughly the same amount of people.   (upwards of 30K)    Bombardier had a cash burn of over $800 million in Q2 2015, mostly due to the cyclical nature of the long airplane development cycle.   The push back of the Global 7000 jet launch by two years has analysts doing cash burn calculations (they have about $4B) and there will be layoffs -- a cash burn or almost a billion a quarter is not sustainable.

If you are Bombardier's CEO/CFO, where do you cut?   The areas with an external order backlog of $142B (Aero) or the area with a $30B order backlog?   If I am a rail customer, I would be worried and want clarification.   The real and documented delays of product shipments are with current staffing levels.   What happens when the company takes steps to mitigate losing almost a billion in cash each quarter and the corresponding lower staffing levels?

The reason why Bombardier wants to sell off part of Rail is because it HAS to. It needs cash to sustain it until its new series of jets gets tested and sold. It's dual class share structure makes it VERY unattractive to many investors. It's stock is already super cheap, raising more equity through share issues is not going to be easy. They need the cash to hit the home run they think they see in the Global 7000 series.

[Canard]

Oh, ok.

[tomh009]

If you are Bombardier's CEO/CFO, where do you cut?   The areas with an external order backlog of $142B (Aero) or the area with a $30B order backlog?   If I am a rail customer, I would be worried and want clarification.

As a CEO, you don't cut the parts that would endanger positive cash flow.  The rail division has positive cash flow -- and cutting into manufacturing operations (as opposed to constraining future product development, for example, would endanger the money they can get from the rail division IPO. 

For the IPO, it would make more sense to add some incremental resources to the rail division to make sure there are no further delivery delays.  For example, temporarily adding 100 people to troubleshoot and resolve problems with deliveries would increase payroll costs by only 0.3% but could have a far greater impact on the IPO proceeds.

[insider]

Quick pic of the opposite side of Laurel Creek:

[Canard]

Up at the OMSF, the walls are up on the train washer, and track tamping equipment is there getting ready to do the first long run:

[tomh009]

Looks great!