Waterloo Region Connected
ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Printable Version

+- Waterloo Region Connected (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com)
+-- Forum: Waterloo Region Works (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+--- Forum: Transportation and Infrastructure (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=25)
+--- Thread: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit (/showthread.php?tid=14)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 700 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 731 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 751 752 753 754 755 756 757 758 759 760 761 762 763 764 765 766 767 768 769 770 771 772 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 800 801 802 803 804 805 806 807 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 840 841 842 843 844 845 846 847 848 849 850 851 852 853 854 855 856 857 858 859 860 861 862 863 864 865 866 867 868 869 870 871 872 873 874 875 876 877 878 879 880 881 882 883 884 885 886 887 888 889 890 891 892 893 894 895 896 897 898 899 900 901 902 903 904 905 906 907 908 909 910 911 912 913 914 915 916 917 918 919 920 921 922 923 924 925 926 927 928 929 930 931 932 933 934 935 936 937 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 968 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 976 977 978 979 980 981 982 983 984 985 986 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 999 1000 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 1027 1028 1029 1030 1031 1032 1033 1034 1035 1036 1037 1038 1039 1040 1041 1042 1043 1044 1045 1046 1047 1048 1049 1050 1051 1052 1053 1054 1055 1056 1057 1058 1059 1060 1061 1062 1063 1064 1065 1066 1067 1068 1069 1070 1071 1072 1073 1074 1075 1076 1077 1078 1079 1080 1081 1082 1083 1084 1085 1086 1087 1088 1089 1090 1091 1092 1093 1094 1095 1096 1097 1098 1099 1100 1101 1102 1103 1104 1105 1106 1107 1108 1109 1110 1111 1112 1113 1114 1115 1116 1117 1118 1119 1120 1121 1122 1123 1124 1125 1126 1127 1128 1129 1130 1131 1132 1133 1134 1135 1136 1137 1138 1139 1140 1141 1142 1143 1144 1145 1146 1147 1148 1149 1150 1151 1152 1153 1154 1155 1156 1157 1158 1159 1160 1161 1162 1163 1164 1165 1166 1167 1168 1169

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 05:57 PM)jeffster Wrote: BTW: I'll ask one last time; either I missed the answer or it hasn't been answer. The corrosion issues that the TTC discovered because of the faulty design and workmanship by Bombardier, does the Ion have the same problem? Or do we not know the answer to that?

The answer to that has not been made public.

(11-06-2018, 06:07 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Canard really, really wants a launch in nice weather! Smile

True statement. I've waited years for this perfect day, and I'll be damned if it'll happen on a shitty, dreary grey day in the freezing cold.

(11-06-2018, 06:26 PM)jeffster Wrote: My opinion is that it is selfish to be 'thrilled' about a delay that affects every person in the try-city area. Not only that, though, not guarantee that Canard will get what he wants.

I've obviously said something that has really, really offended or upset you - I'm very sorry. I'll go back to taking pictures and keeping my mouth shut...

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - KevinL - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:18 PM)jeffster Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 06:30 PM)trainspotter139 Wrote: They weren't corrosion issues either they were welding defects.

Yes, welding defects by Bombardier:

"There is also no word on whether serious welding defects discovered in Toronto Transit Commission streetcars built by Bombardier are also present in the region's LRT vehicles." (July 2018)

Does this affect us?

My understanding is that all those defects were in frames welded in Mexico; all of our frames were welded in Canada.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - jeffster - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:27 PM)Canard Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 05:57 PM)jeffster Wrote: BTW: I'll ask one last time; either I missed the answer or it hasn't been answer. The corrosion issues that the TTC discovered because of the faulty design and workmanship by Bombardier, does the Ion have the same problem? Or do we not know the answer to that?

The answer to that has not been made public.

Thanks....I wonder why they're keeping it secret tho.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - tomh009 - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:21 PM)jeffster Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 05:00 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I've said it a few times now, but it's clear the launch date of December was a lie the last time they said it, and as a voter, I feel that I was mislead.  Frankly, its unacceptable.

Well, after watching the news today, and perhaps I am reading into it, but apparently the ROW was setting a deadline of December to put fire to the feet of Bombardier.  So most likely both the ROW and Bombardier knew that December was a unrealistic target date; rather, it was one of hope.

I don't think Bombardier has so much to do with it at this point. It's the region's system (since the Metrolinx system went MIA) that needs to be integrated and debugged.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 11-06-2018

]
(11-06-2018, 06:17 PM)tomh009 Wrote: I don't think Bombardier has so much to do with it at this point. It's the region's system (since the Metrolinx system went MIA) that needs to be integrated and debugged.

This can't be stressed enough. The media still haven't latched onto this crucial fact. Our trains have been in a holding pattern since last February (when they were all almost complete), waiting on someone, anyone, to make a decision about what would fill the hole in the dash. A decision that should have been made years ago.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - danbrotherston - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 06:48 PM)KevinT Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 05:00 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I've said it a few times now, but it's clear the launch date of December was a lie the last time they said it, and as a voter, I feel that I was mislead.  Frankly, its unacceptable.

[Image: 7ac6c18b1bca53b88bbd8cd25a68a327396adce1...07a4c6.jpg]

That isn't what I said.

What I said was that Regional Staff and/or Regional Council *KNEW* that the December deadline/estimate had been missed before the election and yet chose to hide that information.

I'm mad the deadline/estimate was missed.

I'm *MORE* mad that I feel I have been mislead by people in our government.

@Jeffster And yes, that estimate/deadline may have been optimistic, but regional staff/council claimed it was still possible, when clearly they knew it was not.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - ijmorlan - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:27 PM)Canard Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 06:26 PM)jeffster Wrote: My opinion is that it is selfish to be 'thrilled' about a delay that affects every person in the try-city area. Not only that, though, not guarantee that Canard will get what he wants.

I've obviously said something that has really, really offended or upset you - I'm very sorry.  I'll go back to taking pictures and keeping my mouth shut...

I would say it’s weird to want a later opening, for any reason. A likelihood of nicer weather is just an “on the plus side” feature of opening later.

It’s pretty ridiculous if anybody is still blaming Bombardier for this part of the delay. It’s clear they’ve got their act together now.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Spokes - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:54 PM)Canard Wrote: ]
(11-06-2018, 06:17 PM)tomh009 Wrote: I don't think Bombardier has so much to do with it at this point. It's the region's system (since the Metrolinx system went MIA) that needs to be integrated and debugged.

This can't be stressed enough.  The media still haven't latched onto this crucial fact.  Our trains have been in a holding pattern since last February (when they were all almost complete), waiting on someone, anyone, to make a decision about what would fill the hole in the dash.  A decision that should have been made years ago.

It's funny reading all of the media reports and tweets missing the facts.

Mike Willner is planning on taking it to the Bombardier COO tomorrow morning which should be interesting hah.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 11-06-2018

I feel horrible for asking, but who is that? Can you link or post to the article/interview once it is complete?

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - jeffster - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 10:21 PM)Canard Wrote: I feel horrible for asking, but who is that?  Can you link or post to the article/interview once it is complete?

I know of a Mike Wilner that works the Blue Jays radio broadcast. Perhaps this is a side gig of his....

But in all seriousness, I have no idea who this Mike Willner is...

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Pheidippides - 11-06-2018

(11-06-2018, 07:27 PM)Canard Wrote: True statement.  I've waited years for this perfect day, and I'll be damned if it'll happen on a shitty, dreary grey day in the freezing cold.

Well you had better brace yourself, you can get some pretty miserable April, even May, days.


What, no Ottawa LRT vs. Waterloo LRT "hold my beer" meme yet? I guess Ottawa is the front runner to open first again?


Interesting that the report characterizes the specialized equipment as GrandLinq’s:
“As part of the Project, GrandLinq is responsible for ensuring the finished vehicle integrates seamlessly with the built system.”
“The Region has finalized an agreement with Bombardier to install GrandLinq’s on-board equipment and to make the necessary onboard modifications to accommodate the equipment on each train.”

Does anyone know the nature of the problems caused by the software?
“Training of drivers has been delayed by vehicle reliability issues (it is expected that the next computer software upgrade will resolve the issues).”

Perhaps they should have spent less time on the flux-capacitor and time travel capabilities of the LRVs and more time on the on-board equipment:
“An ION vehicle has been present at some upcoming community events, with further events scheduled.”

Interesting that 504 is still at 51% completion of the on-board equipment – same as in September.

The report says that driver training has been delayed. So until the issue is resolved I would expect the same level of testing.
“Training of drivers has been delayed by vehicle reliability issues (it is expected that the next computer software upgrade will resolve the issues).”

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - trainspotter139 - 11-07-2018

(11-06-2018, 10:33 PM)jeffster Wrote:
(11-06-2018, 10:21 PM)Canard Wrote: I feel horrible for asking, but who is that?  Can you link or post to the article/interview once it is complete?

I know of a Mike Wilner that works the Blue Jays radio broadcast.  Perhaps this is a side gig of his....

But in all seriousness, I have no idea who this Mike Willner is...

Mike Farwell not Mike Wilner

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - rangersfan - 11-07-2018

The repeatedly delays of the project I feel have killed the interest / momentum / excitement of launch.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - Canard - 11-07-2018

Pheidippides Wrote: Interesting that the report characterizes the specialized equipment as GrandLinq’s:

Of course it is. That is the whole issue! That’s why it’s called Free-Issued Equipment, or FIE (eff eye aiee).

With the original 182 LRV order, Metrolinx was to “fill the hole in the dash”, and we were to get and use the same system. They didn’t come up with an in-cab signaling system. So, the Region/GrandLinq scrambled to come up with an off-the-shelf solution from another vendor. They finally did that, and only recently penned an agreement with Bombardier to have them install it.... only after they realized they couldn’t do it themselves!

Bombardier has actually helped them out, and everyone is slamming them for it. It’s absolutely maddening.

Quote:“As part of the Project, GrandLinq is responsible for ensuring the finished vehicle integrates seamlessly with the built system.”
“The Region has finalized an agreement with Bombardier to install GrandLinq’s on-board equipment and to make the necessary onboard modifications to accommodate the equipment on each train.”

Perhaps they should have spent less time on the flux-capacitor and time travel capabilities of the LRVs and more time on the on-board equipment:
“An ION vehicle has been present at some upcoming community events, with further events scheduled.”

Interesting that 504 is still at 51% completion of the on-board equipment – same as in September.

My response to this in a neutral tone: Trains like these are available "turn-key". In some cases the customer(s) decide to mandate their own equipment. This can cause a delay in making the LRVs into an LRT system.

RE: ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit - jeffster - 11-07-2018

(11-07-2018, 06:10 AM)rangersfan Wrote: The repeatedly delays of the project I feel have killed the interest / momentum / excitement of launch.

^^^^^ This...

It's not just that, but also at least an extra 18 months of higher property taxes with zero to show for it.

I was looking forward to the launch. Most people would be naive to believe that the ROW and Bombardier would have been 'on-time' despite promises of 'on-time' (and on budget, which it is not), but delay after delay after delay is not cool.

Where I live we *used* to have bus service, but it was removed when the LRT was approved, just in time for my kid to start high school. Lots more traffic now too. That said, my daughter had been looking forward to taking the LRT from her school to my work for a couple years -- this won't happen now. Both my kids are older now too, and had interest in the LRT a while back, but have lost all interest, as have I, and I really don't care anymore. Not like I can use it, but I had planned on trying it out a few time.

I know Canard is tickled pink with the delay, but the cynical part of me (which I wasn't when they first planned the LRT) is expecting more delays past spring, so I'll laugh my ass off if it gets delay again to mid-November next year and ruins everyone photo op. Though this is Ontario, you can have beautiful days in November - February and absolute crap March thru October.