ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

So I first spotted this a few days ago, but I finally got a good picture this morning.

It seems there are two methods to embed track being used; the one we've seen the most of is for areas where there will be frequent need for level ground, so the concrete is at a single level and a gap is reserved inside each rail for the wheel flange.

The second method is for long stretches where there is no crossing happening, like Charles between Benton and Eby. In this method, the flange gap is omitted and the concrete set at a slightly lower grade.

This picture illustrates both, by showing a transition point.



There's still a piece of plastic as a spacer in the flange gap, for the record.

[Canard]

Holy crap, that's a great catch, Kevin. I didn't notice that at all! I've never seen that before on other systems.

[GtwoK]

What am I missing re: the grade of those 2? There doesn't seem to be any difference in concrete height, unless I'm mistaken and grade means something different here.

[chutten]

What am I missing re: the grade of those 2? There doesn't seem to be any difference in concrete height, unless I'm mistaken and grade means something different here.

It's hard to tell with the clouds flattening the light, but the level of the concrete between the rails appears to be lower than the level of the concrete outside it.

This morning they were ripping up the North CN track just east of Duke. They have an interesting rail-bound truck for pulling ties out of the ballast. Pretty mesmerizing to watch, actually.

Ah, nuts, I meant _WEST_ of Duke (well, WSW. Stupid KW). The pile of ties is what's East of Duke. And the switching rails, which they left atop the North track.

[Viewfromthe42]

Yup, where the rubber on the inside of the tracks at the top of the image ends, the concrete between the rails drops down a small distance. No need for smoothness with no car crossings to be had.

That said, I wonder where all of these locations would be? Imagine if a property abutted by this type of rail suddenly had need of a driveway entrance across the track. To level it out, you would need quite the effort, especially if the rubber inserts were needed to be added.

Driveways crossing the tracks: to LRT, this will be the equivalent of cars creeping across crosswalks and stopping pedestrians, only the LRT can't dodge around them. Similarly, driveways that are private, I would be shocked if they didn't run into the issues you have in Toronto with parallel parking. Someone will park in the right of way, and we'll have serious need for a GRT tow truck (or standing contract) to move the cars.

[Canard]

I've thought about this a lot, and I've convinced myself that the first (of many) collisions we'll have will be on Borden when someone backs out of their driveway and forgets to check if a train is coming.

[panamaniac]

I've thought about this a lot, and I've convinced myself that the first (of many) collisions we'll have will be on Borden when someone backs out of their driveway and forgets to check if a train is coming.

Out of curiosity, why Borden and not Ottawa St?

[Canard]

Oh, only because I've spent a lot of time exploring the finished Borden alignment. You're right, Ottawa's even worse, with far more houses. Although Ottawa is far busier, so those folks will be used to always paying super close attention to traffic before backing out. Traffic on Borden is very minimal so those people may not be accustomed to checking as diligently if something is coming along.

[BuildingScout]

Was that on purpose? I mean there is barely enough space in that gap for the flange.

[Canard]

I'm going to go check this out on the weekend - I have some wheel data and measurements and I'm very curious about this. I've never seen this style of embedded track in all my travels.

[Markster]

It's hard to tell with the clouds flattening the light, but the level of the concrete between the rails appears to be lower than the level of the concrete outside it.

Yeah, I walked past it this morning. The concrete between a pair of rails is about an inch lower than the concrete outside of them.

It's an interesting design, which has the notable benefit of preventing debris from collecting within the flange gap. When it's a thin groove, stones fall in and accumulate. If enough fall in, you'll end up with the LRT's wheels crushing these rocks, which is not going to be the best for maintenance. With this larger area of lowered concrete, any debris will fall into the larger depressed area, and not be stuck right up against the rail. It'll be easier for a street sweeper to clean it out.

That said, I wonder where all of these locations would be? Imagine if a property abutted by this type of rail suddenly had need of a driveway entrance across the track. To level it out, you would need quite the effort, especially if the rubber inserts were needed to be added.

This technique is only going to be used in the centre-running sections, so new developments would end up having right-in-right-out access. I don't expect that the Region will ever permit a net-new crossing of the LRT tracks. All side streets and driveways will be right-in-right-out in perpetuity. Also, I fully expect the region to aggressively close down driveways across the side-running sections as properties get redeveloped.

I've thought about this a lot, and I've convinced myself that the first (of many) collisions we'll have will be on Borden when someone backs out of their driveway and forgets to check if a train is coming.

My bet is on a car turning right, across a section of side-running LRT. Someone forgets to check their blind spot for an LRV, and gets side-swiped as they turn across the tracks.

[panamaniac]

It's hard to tell with the clouds flattening the light, but the level of the concrete between the rails appears to be lower than the level of the concrete outside it.

Yeah, I walked past it this morning. The concrete between a pair of rails is about an inch lower than the concrete outside of them.

It's an interesting design, which has the notable benefit of preventing debris from collecting within the flange gap.  When it's a thin groove, stones fall in and accumulate.  If enough fall in, you'll end up with the LRT's wheels crushing these rocks, which is not going to be the best for maintenance.  With this larger area of lowered concrete, any debris will fall into the larger depressed area, and not be stuck right up against the rail.  It'll be easier for a street sweeper to clean it out.

That said, I wonder where all of these locations would be? Imagine if a property abutted by this type of rail suddenly had need of a driveway entrance across the track. To level it out, you would need quite the effort, especially if the rubber inserts were needed to be added.

This technique is only going to be used in the centre-running sections, so new developments would end up having right-in-right-out access.  I don't expect that the Region will ever permit a net-new crossing of the LRT tracks. All side streets and driveways will be right-in-right-out in perpetuity.  Also, I fully expect the region to aggressively close down driveways across the side-running sections as properties get redeveloped.

I've thought about this a lot, and I've convinced myself that the first (of many) collisions we'll have will be on Borden when someone backs out of their driveway and forgets to check if a train is coming.

My bet is on a car turning right, across a section of side-running LRT.  Someone forgets to check their blind spot for an LRV, and gets side-swiped as they turn across the tracks.

We are Waterloo Region.  I have every confidence that our local drivers will find every way imaginable to bring their cars into unanticipated contact with ION.  Including in ways that we cannot imagine!

[Markster]

We are Waterloo Region.  I have every confidence that our local drivers will find every way imaginable to bring their cars into unanticipated contact with ION.  Including in ways that we cannot imagine!

That's just my bet for the first collision!

[panamaniac]

We are Waterloo Region.  I have every confidence that our local drivers will find every way imaginable to bring their cars into unanticipated contact with ION.  Including in ways that we cannot imagine!

That's just my bet for the first collision!

I can't get "Scratch and Dent" out of my mind! 

[Canard]

I'm not sure I agree with the notion that somehow we're (Waterloo Region) some outlying case for accidents or stupidity. I think everybody likes to pretend that their group (race, nation, region, whatever) is somehow so much different from everyone else - it's what make all those silly viral videos and clickbait campaigns get so much attention. "Oh yeah, that IS totally us!"

I guess what I mean is, we won't have crashes because we're "Waterloo Region", we'll have crashes because it's Light Rail.

Light Rail as a technology choice comes with advantages and disadvantages, and the primary disadvantage is that collisions are, sadly, unavoidable and inevitable, because the track is at the same grade as other modes of transportation.

I feel like now is the time (sooner than later) to be in a very strong social media campaign to get the word out about safety around the tracks. Tell people what kind of new signals they need to get used to obeying, how important it is to not jaywalk across the tracks, how to ride your bicycle at right angles across the tracks, etc...