ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

I did want to see concrete on Frederick!

[Canard]

I know I always say it, Kevin, but you're so lucky you get to see all the mid-day action! If the crews are out on the weekends, I get to see the odd thing here or there... but I so wish I could have taken a 2-year sabatical from my job and just documented the entire project coming together.

Just stumbled across this incredible resource: https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/

This is wonderful for understanding exactly where all the existing rail corridors are, all across Canada.

I wonder when they'll update it with the new trackwork for ion.

[KevinL]

Just stumbled across this incredible resource:  https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/

This is wonderful for understanding exactly where all the existing rail corridors are, all across Canada.

I wonder when they'll update it with the new trackwork for ion.

That's pretty cool, but you can also try http://www.openrailwaymap.org/ - which puts an overlay atop Open Street Map and is maintained by volunteer editors in a similar fashion.

By the looks of it, they are starting to draw in Ion tracks.

[Pheidippides]

As of 8am Sunday the Mark IV was already working along Courtland near Block Line station. Pretty cool scene with all the fog.

Mill Station curing:
   

[embe]

Earlier on we talked about u-turns at marked intersections. Those familiar with the Northfield/King area know there are two lines of track are on King, and two lines on Northfield going through the intersection at a 90 degree.

Got me wondering how the rail traffic would be regulated? Some sort of train-only signals where car traffic stops and the trains go (like a rail crossing)? btw In my short stint at this intersection, 6 out of 6 cars doing a u-ey drifted over in the far lane which is bad enough in itself, but throw a train in the mix and ugh.

[KevinL]

There will definitely be phases at these sorts of spots where vehicle traffic all get reds and trains are free to move.

[embe]

interesting. any idea if it's a 10 second crossing vs. 10 minutes? (order of magnitude)

[KevinL]

interesting.  any idea if it's a 10 second crossing vs. 10 minutes? (order of magnitude)

Oh, definitely in the 10-20 second range, long enough for the train to move through.

[Canard]

I think it will be closer to a minute. Signal lights and arms come down 20 seconds before train arrives (I think - going from memory in the Project Agreement), then remember the train can only go 10 km/h through that curve.

[KevinL]

There's no lights and arms at Northfield/King though, right? Everything is controlled by (traffic) lights.

[Canard]

Oh shoot, I was thinking Northfield at the tracks, where the trains will be moving at slow speed through the station area, too.

You're of course right - there are no "railway" signals at King/Northfield. Your 20 seconds sounds about right!  Video clips of G:Link could give us some clues.



I apologize yet again for my directional challenge issues.

[Coke6pk]

The options are roughly mapped, but not all of the details have been worked out.

• For Kitchener/North Cambridge, trains would travel Fairway Road to Maple Grove Road, Speedsville Road to Eagle Street, and connect to Hespeler Road at Pinebush Road.

• For South Cambridge, trains would travel from the Ainslie terminal up Beverley Street, or in the vicinity of Beverley and along Dundas to Hespeler Road; alternatively, they would go up Ainslie Street, to Water, through the Delta and on to Hespeler Road.

Whelp, they're seriously considering the Maple Grove/Speedsville industrial park route.

While I realize there is already a rail line running along part of that route, I really wished it went straight along Fairway and hit up the airport, and then down fountain.  One can dream.

Oh well, maybe Phase 3 will have it run along the proposed Ottawa St extention and not only will I get the train to YKF, but I'd have a stop near my house!

Coke

[kps]

Just stumbled across this incredible resource:  https://rac.jmaponline.net/canadianrailatlas/

This is wonderful for understanding exactly where all the existing rail corridors are, all across Canada.

Some more resources:

• Southern Ontario Railway Map
  
• Ontario Railway Map Collection
  
• Canadian Electric Railway Map Collection
  

[nms]

LRT tracks force cabs out of prime locations in Kitchener, Waterloo.   

Interesting side note about the City of Calgary allowing taxis to wait next to a fire hydrant for a fare, thereby turning many points in the City into de facto taxi stands.

[boatracer]

LRT tracks force cabs out of prime locations in Kitchener, Waterloo.   

Interesting side note about the City of Calgary allowing taxis to wait next to a fire hydrant for a fare, thereby turning many points in the City into de facto taxi stands.

Quote from the article from Waterloo Taxi President

"If they had any consideration at all for the consumer they would make this very convenient. When you step out you should be able to jump into your next form of transportation."

Isn't that what they did by having an LRT stop directly adjacent to the bus terminal on Charles?