ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[ijmorlan]

That's a really good question.
Island platforms are commonly used at end-of-line stations, because it drastically simplifies things.  Passengers only need to wait on one platform, and the train will arrive on either side.
When metros have side-platform end-of-line stations, they tend to have one be the unloading platform, and then the train leaves the station, re-entering on the loading platform side.  However, that's clearly not going to be the case, as the tracks won't extend out past the end of the platform.

I can only imagine there will be confusion.  People won't wait on the platform until there's an train there. Or they will, and then walk right across the tracks when they find out they're on the wrong platform. Are they planning on having a train sitting idle at the end of the line at all times?  What about when there are two trains in the station, which platform are you supposed to go to?

At least the problem is (hopefully) temporary at Fairview.  Extension of the line south means that it's just a regular 2-platform station, which will be better for heavier loads anyway.  Conestoga however... is going to be that way for a while.

I suspect that it was not an operational choice. I think side platforms take up a smaller footprint (because the rails don't need to diverge) and the malls wanted as little impact to their property as possible.

My expectation is that only one platform will be used at each terminal. With the lowest headway being 8 minutes I believe there is no actual requirement to have more than one vehicle in station at a time. It seems standard in LRT design however to always have two tracks at a terminal station (impression based on what I’ve seen; I welcome correction from people who know about other systems). I remember the San Diego Trolley terminal at Santee actually has only a single track joining it to the second-last stop on the line, but right at the station it widens out to two tracks with side platforms. I recall that the second track was extremely rusted when I saw it.

[KevinL]

Busy multi-platform terminus stations elsewhere in the world tend to have electronic signs indicating which train will be leaving next, so passengers know which platform to board from.

[insider]

Comments needed for this one:

http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/6...t-pretty-/

Haha... how can he even compare ION to UPX is beyond comprehension.

Also, do we know about ION's fares? It will be the same as GRT correct?

So, the guy is comparing $3 to $12.50 (or $27), plus all the student population that has transit included in their tuition. Okay...

[SammyOES]

I don't know how you can't laugh at articles like that. It's a perfect example of something that will only resonate with the people that already firmly hold the authors beliefs because the logic and arguments used are so ridiculously poor.

UPX isn't even close to comparable to the LRT. Even if the UPX was a raging success it would have little value in predicting the success of the LRT. I'm not sure why a campus not on the LRT line is indicative of lack of interest in the LRT line. And I'm also not even sure if 57% voting against a transit pass is a negative signal. So 43% voted for it? If 43% of any significant segment used the LRT/transit regularly I think that would probably be pretty good.

I also like the half-insult to the tech community of KW. I'm pretty sure they're providing significantly more benefit than this guy.

[KevinL]

Also, do we know about ION's fares? It will be the same as GRT correct?

Identical fares, which are fully transferable. It's one transit system.

This is not a well-known fact among the general public, unfortunately.

[REnerd]

The fact that an article like that gets printed makes me completely unsympathetic to the plight of the local printed media.  What a joke.

[tomh009]

The author must be one happy man, for in his private world he needs no facts in order to draw absolute conclusions.

The sad thing is that The Record prints this kind of drivel.

[Canard]

The headway thing is spot on, even at the most frequent, it's likely only one platform will end up being used. Sort of like the rt in Scarborough, at McCowan, trains only ever use the platform on the North side. In fact the South side platform has its entrance blocked off. It would have been used had he system ever been expanded to Malevern.

Although it could be that trains will dwell for 15 minutes, so one will arrive on Platform 1, and the train sitting idle on Platform 2 then departs. Then the next train arrives on 2, and 1 departs.

It really is up to the operator how they want to do it. Too hard to say right now.

[DKsan]

Well, if the Cambridge extension ever happens, then the second platform at Fairview Park Mall will be used....

[dunkalunk]

Well, if the Cambridge extension ever happens, then the second platform at Fairview Park Mall will be used....

There's also potential for the line to eventually be extended south on King from Conestoga Mall to University, although not for a while I imagine.

[Markster]

Although it could be that trains will dwell for 15 minutes, so one will arrive on Platform 1, and the train sitting idle on Platform 2 then departs. Then the next train arrives on 2, and 1 departs.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking is plausible. But is that really what they've planned for?
I guess it is, because when doing cost-reduction, the second platform at Conestoga Mall would have been the first thing I cut. Vancouver's Canada Line has only one set of tracks and one platform at the terminal station at Richmond-Brighouse, a result of cost saving on that line.

Maybe the second platform will be unloading only? i.e. for trains going out of service? Seems plausible... but a lot more work than just telling the driver to make a PA announcement.

[GtwoK]

Does someone have drawings, plans, etc. for the Fairview platform? I was under the impression that one side was for aBRT.

[KevinL]

The roadway on the far side of the rail platforms shown there will have platforms for the aBRT buses.

[Canard]

It's standard and the easiest to design to. It leaves you the flexibility to operate it however you like. As soon as you do what was done on the Canada line (single track from the 2nd last station to the last), you're setting yourself up for excuses not to expand in the future.

Don't worry - it will all work. It works everywhere else in the world, there's nothing new or novel here.

[SammyOES]

Obviously Canard doesn't know about the poor ridership of the UPX...