ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

 I know they still stop on University at the Waterloo Spur.

Well, yes; this, along with Seagram, Columbia, Bearinger and Northfield, is a mid-block rail crossing with dropping bars, crossbuck signs, etc. It's very different than the street-parallel sections.

[KevinT]

Here's the videos I took this morning:

[KevinT]

[KevinT]

[ijmorlan]

 I know they still stop on University at the Waterloo Spur.

Well, yes; this, along with Seagram, Columbia, Bearinger and Northfield, is a mid-block rail crossing with dropping bars, crossbuck signs, etc. It's very different than the street-parallel sections.

Yes, definitely. Personally I think there should be an exemption for all LRT crossings, and all Waterloo Spur crossings between the junction in Kitchener and Northfield (inclusive), but it really would be outrageous if buses continued to stop at in-street LRT trackage, due to the safety hazard caused by doing so. What would they do if they were in Toronto?

[KevinL]

They'll never get an exemption for the spur line as it technically remains a heavy-rail line.

[jamincan]

Ottawa has an exemption for the VIA rail line, as far as I know.

[Markster]

They'll never get an exemption for the spur line as it technically remains a heavy-rail line.

The requirement that buses stop at all rail crossings is actually only a policy made at the Regional level. The law only requires buses to stop at unsignalized crossings.  Ottawa has level crossings on their Transitway that buses do not stop for.
(Googling for the exact law is failing me right now, but here's a link that references it: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/handboo...3-12.shtml )

I think I heard that they might look into changing this policy after ION starts running.  University Ave will come to a standstill once full service is running, if they don't do anything.

[ijmorlan]

They'll never get an exemption for the spur line as it technically remains a heavy-rail line.

The requirement that buses stop at all rail crossings is actually only a policy made at the Regional level. The law only requires buses to stop at unsignalized crossings.  Ottawa has level crossings on their Transitway that buses do not stop for.
(Googling for the exact law is failing me right now, but here's a link that references it: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/handboo...3-12.shtml )

I think I heard that they might look into changing this policy after ION starts running.  University Ave will come to a standstill once full service is running, if they don't do anything.

I did not know about the Regional policy. That makes it simple: the Region should simply revert to the federal (not provincial I assume?) rules for the entire Waterloo spur and all LRT track. The Waterloo spur in no way needs buses to be stopping at it, certainly not at protected crossings. It’s just silly and doesn’t enhance safety one bit.

Unfortunately, that handbook page you linked indicates the rules are different for school buses — they have to stop at all crossings. I think this is ridiculous but that seems to be the current rule. We should at least be able to say that LRT track locations, especially the “in-street” ones, are not “railway” crossings, but I’m not a transportation lawyer so who knows.

As to University Ave., I don’t see what buses stopping has to do with a difference resulting from service starting — the gates will come down more often, but there won’t be more buses stopping when the gates are up. Unless you mean that the combination of buses stopping whenever they arrive with all traffic stopping when trains are present will increase the impediment to road traffic flow enough to slow the road down significantly?

[urbd]

So now that LRV #2 is here, when is testing on the test track supposed to start?

[trainspotter139]

So now that LRV #2 is here, when is testing on the test track supposed to start?

Depends how long inspection and installation of signalling equipment in the LRV takes

[Canard]

As per Keolis at the last open house, and Tom in the media, Bombardier needs “about a week” with it, then we’ll see it out on the line. So, right after thanksgiving.

[timc]

Unfortunately, that handbook page you linked indicates the rules are different for school buses — they have to stop at all crossings. I think this is ridiculous but that seems to be the current rule. We should at least be able to say that LRT track locations, especially the “in-street” ones, are not “railway” crossings, but I’m not a transportation lawyer so who knows.

The in-street tracks are not "railway" crossings, and school buses shouldn't have to stop for them. The other usual rules about railway crossings also don't apply. As far as I know, if there isn't a crossbuck, it isn't a railway crossing.

[KevinL]

Hadn't realized they'd pulled it into Northfield Station at one point. Not too bad a fit wtih the platform. https://twitter.com/BombardierRail/statu...2479192065

[Canard]

Yes! They used the B-MAXI L (“LRV Robot”) to do that, to switch it to the right track to go to the OMSF. I was thinking about running up to take a photo, but wasn’t sure how long it would sit there, and I would have had to run all the way around World Gym. At any rate, I’m glad they snapped a photo, because it looks awesome!