ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[timc]

More details and comments in this morning's Record, in a quite calm and balanced article:
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6677...er-blamed/

I didn't realize this was the case:

A new order from some other company would mean modifications to the actual light rail system, particularly the stations, because it is being built specific to the low floor trains from Bombardier.

[tomh009]

They're ~80% similar. The frames and so on are all virtually the same. The nose cone is different on ours, ours are wider, doors on both sides, a different width truck is on ours... But all the same issues with Outlook trickle down to Freedom.

But the TTC trams have at least a unique gauge and the ability to make tighter turns than the standard Flexity -- both of which would potentially impact the frames, would they not?

And the delays to date have been with the TTC version, because the Metrolinx order hasn't hit the production line yet -- or has it?

[Canard]

There is a $1500/day/vehicle penalty to Bombardier.

Source?

In the contract, the provision for late trains is $1,500 per day, per train, up to a maximum of $3.3 million. The region can also seek further damages.

Source: http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6677...ier-blamed

[tomh009]

Source?

In the contract, the provision for late trains is $1,500 per day, per train, up to a maximum of $3.3 million. The region can also seek further damages.

Source: http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6677...ier-blamed

What's not clear is the date (or dates) when that penalty kicks in.

[Canard]

The frames from a design standpoint on Outlook and Freedom "under the hood" are almost identical. Toronto's vehicles are narrower (so the roof and floor panels are narrower). The tighter curve radius means the distance between vehicles and swivel plate mounts are stretched a bit differently. The bogies/trucks are wider because TTC's gauge is a few inches wider than standard.

These are all very minor differences.

The same problems affecting Outlook affect Freedom.

[panamaniac]

Source: http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6677...ier-blamed

What's not clear is the date (or dates) when that penalty kicks in.

At this point, it's not even clear that it WILL kick in.  The fact that the contract provides for a late penalty doesn't automatically mean that a penalty will be paid.  Stay tuned.  One benefit I can see to the late deliver is that it will allow local drivers (shudder!) a longer period of time to get used to the tracks and assorted intricacies of the ION route.  Not that this will eliminate the nonsense that we'll see once the trains start running, but it could help a bit.

[Markster]

One benefit I can see to the late deliver is that it will allow local drivers (shudder!) a longer period of time to get used to the tracks and assorted intricacies of the ION route.  Not that this will eliminate the nonsense that we'll see once the trains start running, but it could help a bit.

It also means a longer period of time to learn bad habits like assuming that there won't be a vehicle coming down the tracks.

[Canard]

Not only local drivers, but cyclists and pedestrians, too. I'm already seeing lots of bad habits developing by all users.

[tomh009]

Sidewalk pouring being completed in front of the Gaukel St bus depot.

Black patterned concrete between the sidewalk proper and the curb:
   

Is that one cat pole and one light pole?  Or two poles for traffic lights?  I suspect the latter.
   

[MidTowner]

Black patterned concrete between the sidewalk proper and the curb:

That looks really nice to me. I'll be curious to see how it wears and ages.

[tomh009]

Black patterned concrete between the sidewalk proper and the curb:

That looks really nice to me. I'll be curious to see how it wears and ages.

It should be all right for wear.  When they rebuilt the (main) intersection in Heidelberg, they used red pattern concrete in a similar configuration.  Five years on, it still looks good, although not as bright red, and the patterns show no discernible wear.  I expect this will end up having a dark gray/charcoal tone to it as it ages, still substantially darker than the curbs and the main part of the sidewalk.

[Canard]

Galvanized = Not Catpoles (ie, traffic lights, utilities, streetlights etc.)
Grey painted poles = Catpoles

[panamaniac]

Black patterned concrete between the sidewalk proper and the curb:

That looks really nice to me. I'll be curious to see how it wears and ages.

I assume this strip will turn grey as it dries?

[GtwoK]

Will they be doing the big corner section of Charles / Ontario in the black concrete? The section that was previously occupied by the turn segment from Charles onto Ontario.

[MidTowner]

I assume this strip will turn grey as it dries?

That comment was a bit of a boner on my part- I was dazzled by how shiny and dark it looked, and didn't think that it's because it's still wet. It still is nice touch, though.