09-06-2017, 10:58 AM
(09-06-2017, 09:06 AM)timc Wrote:Quote:"you just can’t switch out vehicles the system has been built for this particular vehicle, the stations particularly are designed for the various dimensions of this specific vehicle it would be very expensive to switch," Galloway says
I have seen this before, and I don't doubt that everything has been built to match. I'm also not remotely suggesting that we should order trains from anywhere else. But every time I see it, it makes me wonder what the future plan is when it is time to replace our trains. Will we need to buy new trains that are exactly the same dimensions? Is it really that difficult to make a train that matches the tolerances of the system?
The biggest point is that the maintenance facility is designed for the Bombardier vehicles. Several things are built to expect the 5-module design, with the specific LRV length.
In 30 years, if they buy a different manufacturer's vehicle, they will almost certainly have to either build a new maintenance garage for them with custom vehicle bays, or retrofit at least one of the existing bays to handle different needs. If the system has grown enough, it won't be too much of a stretch to have a second maintenance facility.