ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[trainspotter139]

Did we ever land on how many flatbed cars are available for deliveries? I find it hard that there is only one, but it has been the same flatbed each time so far hasn't it?

If there is only one though that is essentially 1 week to get it here and unload + 1 week to send it back and re-load x 9 remaining = 18 weeks or mid-May just to get the rest delivered here nevermind burn-in/testing/simulated service.

they have more than 1 of them. they just haven't needed to use them yet.

[Canard]

If there is only one though that is essentially 1 week to get it here and unload + 1 week to send it back and re-load x 9 remaining = 18 weeks or mid-May just to get the rest delivered here nevermind burn-in/testing/simulated service.

I've had that thought over and over (typed out and deleted draft posts about it), and can't help but think the Spring 2018 date is such a pipe dream. I'd love to be surprised, but still thinking fall is more realistic, given how other projects typically go and the fact that there seems to be no interest in working OT to get the trains that are here out on the line.

[trainspotter139]

If there is only one though that is essentially 1 week to get it here and unload + 1 week to send it back and re-load x 9 remaining = 18 weeks or mid-May just to get the rest delivered here nevermind burn-in/testing/simulated service.

I've had that thought over and over (typed out and deleted draft posts about it), and can't help but think the Spring 2018 date is such a pipe dream.  I'd love to be surprised, but still thinking fall is more realistic, given how other projects typically go and the fact that there seems to be no interest in working OT to get the trains that are here out on the line.

I figure since we are getting trains that are being pretty extensively tested in Millhaven, since we have become the launch customer, that they will be more service ready once they get here than the ones Edmonton or Metrolinx will be getting. Sure they'll need some more burn-in time and some equipment commissioning, but they are doing a lot of running of the vehicles in Millhaven.

[robdrimmie]

I got into a friendly ION snow clearing discussion with a work colleague and I made some guesses that I'd like to validate with the more knowledgeable folks. I can't find details of snow clearing practices anywhere other than the small blurb on the ION FAQ page that doesn't really go into detail, so would appreciate pointers in the right direction if possible.

The discussion was prompted by my colleague discussing a pickup plow (as opposed to the full-sized plow/salters) that started to clear off ION tracks. Given the accumulation over night, the truck driver started but stopped quickly when the snow started being pushed onto the regular roadway. I'm not sure where exactly it was, but it was apparently a place where there was nowhere for the snow to go but onto the road.

During normal operation I understand (and explained) that trains would be run regularly overnight to keep things clear, and therefore there wouldn't be the situation where a lot of accumulation gets cleared at once. Even in our worst storms if a few centimetres accumulated during the overnight period, moving it from the tracks onto the road wouldn't cause much problem.

My colleague asked what would be done about all the snow between the track and the train itself, and I had no idea. We're near active tracks and I went out to lunch today so as I passed them (on Duke near Victoria) I saw that the snow was just built up in those areas and only the tracks were exposed. My assumption is that that will be the case with the LRT as well, but my colleague thinks that they're going to be plowing accumulated snow off the tracks in areas.

We were specifically talking about parts of the track where there's curb separation from the roadway. Like, the King St. Underpass, most of Charles St. etc, under the assumption that the parts of the track flush with the road will just be cleared by regular plows.

[Canard]

It’s certainly going to be interesting. I had proposed that those were the things they should have been practicing last winter, but my suggestions fell on deaf ears, apparently.

[JoeKW]

I really can't imagine the ION launching in spring. Fall seems much more likely.

[Pheidippides]

Does GrandLinq/GRT/Region of Waterloo need a Railway Operating Certificate from Transport Canada? If so, when would that be issued?

[KevinL]

Doesn't look like it. I don't see the TTC, Edmonton or Calgary on that list, and they all run light rail.

Ottawa is there, but only because Trillium Line O-Trains count as heavy rail.

[trainspotter139]

Does GrandLinq/GRT/Region of Waterloo need a Railway Operating Certificate from Transport Canada? If so, when would that be issued?

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/railsafety/rail....html#rocr

Who needs a Railway Operating Certificate?
All companies that fall under the authority of the Railway Safety Act are required to obtain a Railway Operating Certificate. This includes:

• federal railway companies, who must also hold a Certificate of Fitness from the Canadian Transportation Agency; and
  
• local railway companies, which include provincially-regulated shortlines, light rail transit, and tourist trains that operate equipment on federally-regulated tracks.
  

We might need a Railway Operating Certificate because we operate equipment on federally-regulated tracks (GEXR  Waterloo Spur, and adjacent to GEXR Huron Spur). Edmonton, Calgary and the TTC don't need one because all their trackage is not federally regulated.

[jeffster]

I really can't imagine the ION launching in spring.  Fall seems much more likely.

I'm just wondering if we say "fall" because when the region says "spring" it really means early "summer"?

Hopefully by "fall" we mean "late summer".

[Canard]

August to September-ish is my guess. I think of that as fall, but I guess technically that’s still summer?

[Canard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Spotted <a href="https://twitter.com/BombardierRail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BombardierRail</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLEXITY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLEXITY</a> Freedom no. 501 at the GO/VIA station in Kitchener this morning, on its return journey to Millhaven (Kingston). Safe travels, friend! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/QjkMiqBHUe">pic.twitter.com/QjkMiqBHUe</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/950709597119090689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>

[JCnb]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Spotted <a href="https://twitter.com/BombardierRail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BombardierRail</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLEXITY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLEXITY</a> Freedom no. 501 at the GO/VIA station in Kitchener this morning, on its return journey to Millhaven (Kingston). Safe travels, friend! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrLRT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wrLRT</a> <a href="https://t.co/QjkMiqBHUe">pic.twitter.com/QjkMiqBHUe</a></p>&mdash; ? Iain Hendry ? (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/950709597119090689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2018</a></blockquote>

Spotted it heading over the expressway this morning on my way to work! See you again soon!

[Bob_McBob]

One Ion delivered, one sent back for work

Meanwhile, five more Ion vehicles are being tested in Kingston. But the next rounds of system testing don't require any more than the three Ions on hand.

So, Galloway says, there is no "immediate, imminent hurry" to get more trains delivered.

[panamaniac]

That suggests that there is a considerable difference between testing of "the system" and testing the functioning of the individual train units. Makes sense, but I had not thought about that before.