ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

That's kind of what I was thinking, too - which means the Southbound tracks will be the "heavier duty" ones, I guess (built to support the higher weight of the freight traffic).  I'm also curious about how the gauntlet tracks will be set up (if they're still even doing that).

[Markster]

You're right that the southbound track is going to be the replacement heavy rail line:
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/..._Part2.pdf

It looks like most of the southbound track avoids the existing rails, so they'll be able to do the phasing that way, though, the R+T Park station seems to complicate that a little.

[Canard]

Aha, yes!  Great find.  I knew I'd seen reference to gauntlet tracks somewhere.  I guess this is what we'll be looking at, most likely:



This lets the ION LRV's pull up nice and close to the platform, while allowing wider freight traffic the clearance not to clip the platform or its roof.

[Waterlooer]

Ohhh I was assuming there would be a third rail for freight. So the southbound LRT track will also be the freight track?

[clasher]

There used to be a gauntlet in Galt on the grand river railway near where the big CP yard is.

[KevinL]

The difference between those two, of course, is that the Waterloo spur has maybe 1 or 2 trains a week to Elmira, while the Huron subdivision sees much more regular traffic. On the first one, you can restrict those trains to late nights after LRT hours; on the second you need to maintain full access.

[Waterlooer]

I assumed the freight trains would also interfere with the overhead LRT wires but I guess they will be high enough.

[Smore]

What happens in a power outage?

[dunkalunk]

What happens in a power outage?

Is there a chance the track could bend?

[MidTowner]

Thanks very much for the laugh, dunkalunk.

The line will have its own substations, so won't be subject to the same power outages that sometimes occur to other customers.

[nms]

What happens in a power outage?

Is there a chance the track could bend?

In a power outage, the same thing would happen when you lose power in your house.  Someone gets a call to go and fix it.  Yes, the substations should limit some of the possibility for disruptions, but not eliminate them.

And yes, the track could bend, especially in very high temperatures given that the rails are welded to longer lengths than normal

[BuildingScout]

And yes, the track could bend, especially in very high temperatures given that the rails are welded to longer lengths than normal

Minor nitpick: very long pieces are now standard practice throughout the world and thus normal.

[Elmira Guy]

At the risk of sounding completely foolish, where at Conestoga Mall will the LRT station be located? Will it necessitate a moving/renovation of the bus hub?

[Markster]

At the risk of sounding completely foolish, where at Conestoga Mall will the LRT station be located? Will it necessitate a moving/renovation of the bus hub?

Along the edge of King St.
The bus bays along the edge will probably be disrupted, but not significantly.

Here's the drawings:

   

[Canard]

Everyone going to take one last trip up and down King this weekend?

I still can't believe it's finally happening.