ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[urbd]

Pretty neat how quickly they can add the fancy red zebra crossings to an intersection. Would be interesting to see a video of how they stamp and colour the pattern (assuming this is how it is done).

They heat the pavement to soften it up first, and then put a grid (in the form of the faux brick pattern) on top of the now-soft pavement.  They then use a plate compactor to press the grid into the asphalt and make the pattern.

A time-lag video would indeed be nice!

Nice! can someone take the initiative of asking the rapid transit team how is it decided which intersections get the treatment?

[Markster]

It looks, at a glance, to be all the intersections directly adjoining ION stations.

[Canard]

Charles/Borden does't have them.

[tomh009]

Nor does Charles/Queen. But maybe some of those are still on the way.

[Pheidippides]

I am not sure to be happy or sad that the updates on this thread are now down to individual benches and crosswalk markings.

[KevinL]

Nor does Charles/Queen.  But maybe some of those are still on the way.

Charles/Queen has no markings at all just now, which tells me it will be getting the upgraded ones soon.

[Pheidippides]

More amenities showing up at Public Square and Willis stations, bike racks.

The placement of the Willis Way ones is less than ideal (one at each end):
   
   

Only about 2/3s of the rack is actually useable for regular bikes because of the proximity to the light standard and I don't think you could park a tandem bike, bike with a trail-a-bike, or bike with trailer (types of bike that don't easily fit on the Ion) here at all because they would block the pedestrian access or hang off the end.

The public square has two of those racks placed at the along the north (track) edge of the square.

[Canard]

I asked the project team today what was up with the temporary fences (the ones in your photos).  There are a bunch of other stations that are getting them.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What are these temporary railings for, <a href="https://twitter.com/rideIONrt">@rideIONrt</a>? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/vRy3SXy0TB">pic.twitter.com/vRy3SXy0TB</a></p>&mdash; Iain Hendry (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/887787789890310152">July 19, 2017</a></blockquote>

It's almost as if "Hey, service is going to start in 2 days!  So we need some temporary fences quickly!", except... service isn't starting for a year.  So... if it was starting in a year, you could have time to put in permanent ones.

...so what possible purpose could they serve?

Anyway...

1/4 - Sunday, July 16, 2017

   
New signage at Fairway, for 3 platforms!

   
Platform 3 is the bus lane.

   
An overview of the terminus.

   
Anchor walls.

   
The wording is a bit redundant, but hopefully these signs will quell some of the graffiti that is plaguing the system.  At least so far all the graffiti has only been on control boxes and electrical enclosures.

[Canard]

2/4 - Sunday, July 16, 2017

   
The glass wall is up on the South side of the platform, facing Leon's.

   
Multi-modal.

   
The birds will go here - I can't wait for this installation!

   
Looks like they needed just a little bit more track for the buffers.

   
Looking down the Fairway Hydro Right of Way.

[Canard]

3/4 - Sunday, July 16, 2017

   
Wanted to get some nice shots of the curves, but I'll use this photo to highlight that we still have a long way to go with safety campaigns.  Operation Lifesaver would do well to jump in here at some point.

   
I'm not so sure I agree with the location of these crossing arms. This is where Shirley (off screen, to the right) meets Courtland. The crossing arms are only for the Chevrolet/Buick dealership. But... they're on the intersection-side of the tracks.  Wouldn't it be far more likely that a car would be approaching to wait from inside the dealership? i.e., shouldn't the arms be on the far side of the tracks in this view?

   
Guard rails are being prepared for the curve here - looks like just the outside track. There's a big drop on the far side of this, which is probably why.  If you're wondering how they attach them after-the-fact - they've drilled holes in every other tie at the proper spacing, so they'll get clipped in place.

   
The strange additional "just in case" crossing arm at Courtland and Block Line is now enclosed with an island.

   
I still think this is the strangest location for a railway crossing arm I've ever seen.

[Canard]

4/4 - Sunday, July 16, 2017

   
On Hayward, there's now a MUT along the North side! Very welcome - more of this, please!

   
This new temporary digital sign is on Mill, as you approach Ottawa (in the distance).

   
At Mill, and a few other stations, bicycle racks have started to go in.  These are all stored right now at the OMSF - if you swing by, they have a massive pile of them in the yard.

   
The South end of the Laurier-Waterloo Park station has now been paved. The rubber matting between the tracks is also now complete, including the gauntlet tracks on the far side.

   
These strange "temporary-ish" barriers are going up at stations all across the line. I can't for the life of me figure out why, or what purpose they could serve. Service doesn't start for another year... so there's lots of time to put in proper ones. So why do it this way?

[KevinL]

Crews are at Charles and Queen right now doing the crosswalk markings.

[tomh009]

Pretty neat how quickly they can add the fancy red zebra crossings to an intersection. Would be interesting to see a video of how they stamp and colour the pattern (assuming this is how it is done).

They heat the pavement to soften it up first, and then put a grid (in the form of the faux brick pattern) on top of the now-soft pavement.  They then use a plate compactor to press the grid into the asphalt and make the pattern.

They were working on Charles/Queen tonight, so I get to correct/improve my description:

1. Mark the positions on pavement
   
2. Apply some goop (technical term!) on the crosswalk area
   
3. Place coloured polymer tiles (roughly 60x60 cm) on the crosswalk area, in the desired colour pattern
   
4. Press down to adhere
   
5. Heat the polymer and underlying pavement
   
6. Place the grid on the polymer tiles, appropriately aligned with the colour edges
   
7. Use compactor to press the grid into the pavement, to make the brick pattern; the polymer will stretch to cover the indents/grooves
   
8. Remove the grid
   
9. Let cool
   
10. Done!
    

[Canard]

Photos of said process can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/81680629...750869051/

[ijmorlan]

4/4 - Sunday, July 16, 2017



These strange "temporary-ish" barriers are going up at stations all across the line. I can't for the life of me figure out why, or what purpose they could serve.  Service doesn't start for another year... so there's lots of time to put in proper ones. So why do it this way?

Bombardier is responsible for manufacturing of the permanent barriers.