ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[isUsername]

What are the rails in the middle of the track on the culvert bridge in Waterloo Park for?   Thank you.

Many (most?) rail bridges have these. They help prevent a derailed train from going off the bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guard_rails_(railroad)

[KevinL]

You'll also see single guard rails on the inside of the trailing rail on a curve, in case a train's inertia gets the best of it. You can see them on the Charles/Benton and Charles/Ontario intersections.

[Square]

Thank you for the replies.

[GtwoK]

Why is this bridge being replaced (at Courtland / Shelley)? It's between the 2 car dealerships, isn't it? How does it impact the Ion construction at all?

[timio]

That looks to be a pedestrian crossing on the east side of Courtland.

[KevinL]

It was the car dealership's bridge to their other lot on the other side of the creek. Not sure why it's being replaced, no.

[timio]

The region's update shows it as being a new bridge on the east side. I'm doubtful that they touched the bridge at the dealership. Anyone been down there recently to verify?

[JCnb]

I'm not sure but I am assuming the dealership bridge has nothing to do with this, and that the existing culvert/bridge under Courtland simply isn't wide enough for the road, LRT and sidewalk therefore a separate bridge all together is begin used for pedestrians.

Probably cheaper, faster, easier than extending the existing bridge.

[Rainrider22]

The region's update shows it as being a new bridge on the east side.  I'm doubtful that they touched the bridge at the dealership.  Anyone been down there recently to verify?

The picture clearly shows that it is the other side of the road. The other bridge is a private bridge n private property.

[GtwoK]

I'm not sure but I am assuming the dealership bridge has nothing to do with this, and that the existing culvert/bridge under Courtland simply isn't wide enough for the road, LRT and sidewalk therefore a separate bridge all together is begin used for pedestrians.

Probably cheaper, faster, easier than extending the existing bridge.

The FDPs state "Project co. to extend culvert as required for sidewalk" at the creek. There's also no mention of a new bridge on the plans. Not only that, but from driving past over the past months I've see the culvert being extended. So I really can't seem to figure out where this bridge is going, unless they widened the culvert and the private bridge needed to be extended?

[Rainrider22]

I'm not sure but I am assuming the dealership bridge has nothing to do with this, and that the existing culvert/bridge under Courtland simply isn't wide enough for the road, LRT and sidewalk therefore a separate bridge all together is begin used for pedestrians.

Probably cheaper, faster, easier than extending the existing bridge.

The FDPs state "Project co. to extend culvert as required for sidewalk" at the creek. There's also no mention of a new bridge on the plans. Not only that, but from driving past over the past months I've see the culvert being extended. So I really can't seem to figure out where this bridge is going, unless they widened the culvert and the private bridge needed to be extended?

Look at the picture.  It clearly shows on the other side of the property beside the roadway, not on the private property. Also, if you look  you can plainly see the footings that the bridge is being st on just slightly to the left of where the bridge is positioned in the air.  Stop over thinking it...

[nms]

Wow. First the Corduroy Road and now this...

Discovery of books halts LRT Work

WATERLOO REGION – Local businesses are once again dismayed to learn that LRT construction is delayed, this time due to the discovery of a cache of books underneath the remains of the corduroy road. The discovery was made on Thursday afternoon when crews pulled up the logs of the 150 year old road and discovered a burlap sack.

The fibers of the burlap had all but deteriorated but it was clearly wrapped around a tin box, approximately 40 cm long and 20 cm deep. The tin box was closed with a common pad-lock which archaeologists painstakingly removed with a crowbar. They were shocked to discover some eight or nine volumes known to be of special significance to Abraham Seagram, and long rumoured to have been lost.

Abraham Seagram is the half-brother of Joseph E. Seagram, founder of the distillery in 1857. Little is known of the reclusive Abraham who, according to a 1987 pamphlet, Wow! Waterloo! “was a committed amateur scientist, devoting all his hours to reading, taxidermy and experiments with dimethyl-mercury.”
“Although the books are not in very good condition, their historical importance is indisputable," says local historian Hans Bierman. Some business owners disagree.
Mandy Brouse, co-owner of Words Worth Books says, “Of course if anyone is going to get excited about the discovery of a library it’s going to be me, however I don’t understand why construction continues to be halted since the books have been removed from the site.” Additionally Brouse is dubious of the value of this find.

Bierman says that among the volumes were found: Boy’s Own Tales of Adventure, The Pocket Guide to Winning at Bridge, and The Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol. XXIV URA-ZYM, but probably the most valued
book in the collection is Hodgeson’s Taxonomy of Amphibians. 
When asked for his reaction Bierman said, “I am over the moon! I mean, it’s not every day you find a book with a frog in the box in the sack on the bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the road!”

Words Worth Books also posted the front page of today's local section of the Record on their Facebook page.

[Viewfromthe42]

Wow. First the Corduroy Road and now this...

Discovery of books halts LRT Work

WATERLOO REGION – Local businesses are once again dismayed to learn that LRT construction is delayed, this time due to the discovery of a cache of books underneath the remains of the corduroy road. The discovery was made on Thursday afternoon when crews pulled up the logs of the 150 year old road and discovered a burlap sack.

The fibers of the burlap had all but deteriorated but it was clearly wrapped around a tin box, approximately 40 cm long and 20 cm deep. The tin box was closed with a common pad-lock which archaeologists painstakingly removed with a crowbar. They were shocked to discover some eight or nine volumes known to be of special significance to Abraham Seagram, and long rumoured to have been lost.

Abraham Seagram is the half-brother of Joseph E. Seagram, founder of the distillery in 1857. Little is known of the reclusive Abraham who, according to a 1987 pamphlet, Wow! Waterloo! “was a committed amateur scientist, devoting all his hours to reading, taxidermy and experiments with dimethyl-mercury.”
“Although the books are not in very good condition, their historical importance is indisputable," says local historian Hans Bierman. Some business owners disagree.
Mandy Brouse, co-owner of Words Worth Books says, “Of course if anyone is going to get excited about the discovery of a library it’s going to be me, however I don’t understand why construction continues to be halted since the books have been removed from the site.” Additionally Brouse is dubious of the value of this find.

Bierman says that among the volumes were found: Boy’s Own Tales of Adventure, The Pocket Guide to Winning at Bridge, and The Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol. XXIV URA-ZYM, but probably the most valued
book in the collection is Hodgeson’s Taxonomy of Amphibians. 
When asked for his reaction Bierman said, “I am over the moon! I mean, it’s not every day you find a book with a frog in the box in the sack on the bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the road!”

Words Worth Books also posted the front page of today's local section of the Record on their Facebook page.

What day is today?

[Markster]

The tin box was closed with a common pad-lock which archaeologists painstakingly removed with a crowbar

Somebody fire those "archaeologists".

[KevinL]

Did a frog jump out and start singing old vaudeville tunes?