06-29-2019, 12:33 PM
(06-29-2019, 12:18 PM)ac3r Wrote: Once the things do get busier (as in outside of the free week, and as the city grows), I wonder what the plan is to deal with packed trams? Add more? Couple two together? Purchase larger units, like we have here on the TTC? I don't see how they could increase the frequency very easily, without annoying drivers if you have a train going over intersections and roads every 5 minutes.
My understanding is that 7/8 minute frequencies are already planned, at least at peak times. This requires 12 vehicles, leaving 2 spares. I expect to see this in the Fall.
Further down the road, the plan is to buy additional vehicles and run some trips with trains of 2 LFLRVs. The platforms are all designed to allow this. All that is needed is to buy more vehicles and complete the other halves of the platforms (extend the shelter, probably add the remaining black strips at the doors, etc.).
Personally, I hope we go to 5 minute service before going to 2-car trains. The subway in Toronto has 5 minutes frequency off peak, and down to about 2 minutes on peak. Signals will need to be optimized. For example, at Erb and Caroline, Caroline needs to be given a green when only the southbound track is in use.
This is a good time to mention yet another signal problem. Coming in to Conestoga Mall, we got the transit signal to go through the intersection. However, the interlocking signal controlling access to the tracks leading to the crossover was still showing a red, so we waited there. Eventually the transit signal timed out and regular traffic got to go. Then, the interlocking signal allowed us to proceed, so we moved up to the intersection, then after a while the traffic lights cycled and we got our transit signal to go through the intersection.
This is incorrect operation. The first transit signal was useless to us as we couldn’t reach it without violating the red signal on the interlocking. As a result other traffic was stopped for no reason at all. At a minimum, the intersection signal should not trigger if no LRV is able to use it.
This makes me wonder what they were doing for the last many months of testing. This is the sort of thing they should have fixed, as it has nothing to do with having passengers on board.