ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[dunkalunk]

Well this is great news!

New option may see LRT in service as scheduled in late 2017

I'm excited but I don't like that our opening ceremony will then get pushed close to winter. If it's like the weather is right now, I'm fine with that. But if it slipped at all, and went into November/December, then I'd rather just wait for a Spring 2018 opening.

No opening ceremony in the snow!!

There are definitely advantages to beginning ION service sooner, but if it is to begin sooner it is very important that it is as frequent as 200 iXpress is now. As I see it, we could feasibly begin service with 12 out of 14 vehicles (the number required for 10 minute headways with 2 spares). I would consider 10 minutes the maximum headway acceptable for launch of ION service. Anything greater would mean a reduction in service from the existing 200 iXpress. While it would be great to have 8 minute frequency from launch, I think the trade-offs of beginning ION service sooner would be worth it.

With this in mind, I would hope for a launch to coincide with the Holiday 2017 schedule service period. Hopefully, this delay will allow Bombardier enough leeway to have delivered enough trains to make 10 minute service feasible. While a winter launch may not be the most ideal photo op, beginning ION service at this time will allow two weeks buffer to run ION at further reduced frequency if absolutely necessary. It will also allow transit users and bus drivers the chance to get used to the new transit network before regular service resumes in January. 

The first benefit in my mind to an earlier ION launch would be implementation of GRT route streamlining around ION stations. There is a lot the restructuring will do to improve both the directness and frequency of trips on GRT whether or not those trips involve making a connection with ION. For instance, the realigning of routes in SW Kitchener to Block Line station and away from Forest Glen will significantly improve the efficiency of bus routes and reduce the amount of time riders spend on-route and making connections between routes. 

Until 8 minute peak frequency on ION can be realised, it would be good to see additional (unscheduled) runs added to routes in the CTC during peak periods. If there are spare buses available (by extending service life of soon-to-be-retired vehicles or otherwise), Route 7 King and Route 8 Courtland in the 2018 GRT service proposal would benefit from additional runs.

It may also be prudent to investigate the possibility of operating with 11 vehicles instead of 12 in case Bombardier's schedule slips. To ensure frequency does not fall below 10 minutes, we should look at operating with one spare instead of two. It may not be desirable to operate the system with only one spare, however if it is possible in the terms negotiated with Grandlinq, it is in my mind a risk worth taking, especially if the 12th vehicle is in the process on burn-in at the time of ION launch.

Ultimately, I don't want to see frequency sacrificed for the sake of a snow-free opening ceremony. What matters more is the service. 15 minute frequency on ION at launch would potentially damage existing transit ridership in the central transit corridor due to the existing 10 minute service on route 200.

[timc]

I still have a hard time believing that Bombardier will be able to deliver on their re-re-rescheduled timeline. But other than that, I don't care whether the weather is nice when service begins.

[Markster]

Ultimately, I don't want to see frequency sacrificed for the sake of a snow-free opening ceremony. What matters more is the service. 15 minute frequency on ION at launch would potentially damage existing transit ridership in the central transit corridor due to the existing 10 minute service on route 200.

If 15 minute frequency means we launch in September, I'm fine with that.
Keep in mind that GRT has no qualms with running 15 minute 200 frequency all summer long. Just instead of the 2017 September boost being a frequency boost, we get a vehicle/priority boost.

[urbd]

I want ION to be open and running as soon as possible even at 15-18 min peak intervals... There probably will be a special 200 still in operation at the same time as ION starts to fill the gaps, and as long as it is very clear that it's a transition phase for a few months it shouldn't be a big deal. Bus riders are already used to so much change that i'm sure this wouldn't affect ridership.

Also, I could not care less if the opening ceremony is December 31st at midnight with 2 feet of snow. We need this service, asap.

[Canard]

15 minute with reduced trains is optimistic. I'm expecting closer to 30 minute headways with anything less than the full compliment.

I have the day off so was (finally!) able to see some mid-day action instead of just barren construction sites after-hours.

Some guys working on the Cameron crossover this morning but nowhere near a concrete pour. Still missing welds. No forms or anything here either so that is not something happening in the next few days.

Unfortunately the Allen and Northfield platforms are both having their edges demolished for the grounding rework. The good thing is that Northfield has its station structure up.

Anchor wall hardware is sitting on-site at Cedar/Kitchener Market.

The real action is at Conestoga - I bet there are 100 people on site. I've never seen so much activity before! A big pour is happening there.

Northfield is looking great and getting cleaned up.

On King, between Union and Wellington, they have finally removed almost all of the orange barrels. Believe it or not but this is the step that really makes a section look "finished". As a cyclist, I hugely appreciate this, too, because those barrels ate up a good metre of rideable space in what is already a narrow corridor.

I can't believe it's almost done. Too fast!!

[Canard]

I don't understand why meshing the opening is so important with a "fall bus schedule". Just change the bus schedule to match the train opening. ion is far more important than buses and buses are flexible.

[dunkalunk]

15 minute with reduced trains is optimistic. I'm expecting closer to 30 minute headways with anything less than the full compliment.

Relevant to discussions of frequency:

link to full baseline service plan:

http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...7RFPV3.pdf

2 trains less than full compliment still gets us 10 minute service.

Frankly, we'd be foolish to launch with 30 minute service. That's three times worse service than exists today on iXpress, and at that point it has no value. I'm better off taking a local route with those kinds of frequencies.

[Canard]

I know the charts - but why are we buying 14 trains then if we think we can hit the same headway with far fewer? That's what I'm getting at. Just scale it.

[jamincan]

Is it possible to run some sort of truncated service terminating somewhere before Fairview or Conestoga?

[zanate]

I know the charts - but why are we buying 14 trains then if we think we can hit the same headway with far fewer? That's what I'm getting at. Just scale it.

I can suggest a few reasons, and they all boil down to "what are you willing to do in the short term that is not sustainable for longer periods of time?"

Running with no backups in case of vehicle failure.
Accepting more expensive (or delayed) maintenance and service, because you have to fit some activities into overnights or weekends that you could have otherwise done on a train that's not running on a given day.
Potentially more complicated train/staff scheduling, because all trains are running at peak time and none can switch in or out of service.

These are all things GrandLinq may be willing to accept for a couple of months.

[dunkalunk]

Is it possible to run some sort of truncated service terminating somewhere before Fairview or Conestoga?

There is a crossover south of Cedar station and truncated service could be possible here. However truncating ION service would mean adding service hours to GRT as well as complicating transfers between ION and the rest of GRT's system.

[neonjoe]

I noticed this morning that the highway ramps from 85 To/From Northfields are now open.

[chutten]

@dunkalunk: I like your analysis and agree with most your conclusions. Frequency is key.
@Canard: I, too, am anxious for the trains to start rolling. Everyone's seen these tracks being built, and soon we'll see the burn-in runs crossing our paths... any delay continues to strain the public's patience.

If we assume (big assumption) that the goal is to increase system-wide ridership, it is unclear what of all the myriad options will be optimal.

Adding buses to supplement long headways will not build ridership on ION (especially if the buses aren't immediately adjacent to the stations (UW, Seagram, etc.)), but may act as a "gateway drug" to get existing riders thinking about moving to ION and stop ridership slippage that way.

Starting rail service in a splashy way will get "hearts and minds" of the public and encourage people to think about using transit. Doing this in the winter months will suppress this heavily as people shiver thinking about transit in the cold. If we start in a Spring as people are coming out of their Seasonal Affective Disorders, then I think we can ride that high.

No matter what we do, we'll be missing out on the benefits of doing things another way. Damned if you do.

[KevinL]

I was a bit surprised to see that the corner of Francis and Charles still does not have its signals activated. With both Victoria and Francis fully reopened, traffic should be increasing here - indeed, GRT buses are detouring through here. Everything looks installed, what's the delay in turning them on?

[dunkalunk]

I want ION to be open and running as soon as possible even at 15-18 min peak intervals... There probably will be a special 200 still in operation at the same time as ION starts to fill the gaps, and as long as it is very clear that it's a transition phase for a few months it shouldn't be a big deal. Bus riders are already used to so much change that i'm sure this wouldn't affect ridership.

Also, I could not care less if the opening ceremony is December 31st at midnight with 2 feet of snow. We need this service, asap.

I'm less concerned about existing riders and more concerned about retaining new riders who decide give ION a shot because trains are sexy. If your train is suddenly a bus and has to travel in mixed traffic, it is no longer sexy. Also, if a local bus in mixed traffic ends up getting you to your destination on the ION route quicker than the ION train because it left closer to when you wanted to leave, that is also not sexy.