ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

They know about the ped gates at University and are working on them. The LRV will be going by them shortly at Stop-and-Proceed. They are heading to the Cameron crossover.

[KevinL]

Just passed 507 - it was northbound out of Kitchener Market.

[jeffster]

Hey, I’m butthurt it doesn’t go to Elmira or St. Jacob’s. I think of that every time I drive or bike up there, how awesome it would be to see an LRV ripping through the fields...



(Ridiculous; you have to add the "?=t0s" to the end, or some other time index... so I added 1m6s to the end to have it start at the spot where the LRV is going through the field... and it doesn't even work.)

I'm thinking if you take the LRT to Fairview and sit on left side of the train, you're getting plenty of fields to see, especially the hydro corridor. I think also between Ottawa/Mill and the other side of the expressway.

[Canard]

No, haha - I meant being wayside and seeing the LRV go flying by.

Lots of switch problems (still!!) today at all the crossovers. We had some errands to run in midtown and it just so happens 507 was parked right in front of the building we were at. They were trying desperately to get the switch to work, to no avail.

They seem to have problems with the Cameron crossover every time, too - including today.

Probably 100 workers out in 10 different crews all over the alignment in the ~5 km section we happened to drive along, all sorts of rework going on.

December, huh?

[plam]

Probably 100 workers out in 10 different crews all over the alignment in the ~5 km section we happened to drive along, all sorts of rework going on.

December, huh?

They have been quite busy this week doing what looks like minor detail work. I wonder what's going on. December is still 4 months away...

[urbd]

Probably 100 workers out in 10 different crews all over the alignment in the ~5 km section we happened to drive along, all sorts of rework going on.

December, huh?

They have been quite busy this week doing what looks like minor detail work. I wonder what's going on. December is still 4 months away...

And December is best case scenario... 

[Canard]

So, as I was biking along the line the other night, I noticed that none of the art installations have even begun. Some of them were to be complete by now.

[urbd]

So, as I was biking along the line the other night, I noticed that none of the art installations have even begun.  Some of them were to be complete by now.

I wouldn't be surprised if they were delayed until many months after service starts! And some of them might not even happen at all, ever!

[Canard]

Oh, other minor note:  At least one lubricator is on or has been tested (yay!).  While waiting for the light at Charles/Stirling, I looked over and noticed black grease marks right where the lubricant applicator is.  So, that's good - not sure if it was a pattern from a one-time test, or if it's now activated and lubing as per the settings internal to the unit (it counts axles and pumps a set amount, determined by a timer).

I'll keep an eye out for the others and see if I notice similar patterns on them.

[panamaniac]

So, as I was biking along the line the other night, I noticed that none of the art installations have even begun.  Some of them were to be complete by now.

I wouldn't be surprised if they were delayed until many months after service starts! And some of them might not even happen at all, ever!

Why not?

[Bob_McBob]

http://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/s...3#pid53563

[welltoldtales]

I want Malcolm Gladwell to be the voice of the Ion.

[Canard]

I’d like a public contest so everyone has a chance to try out!

Lots of discussion on twitter about this, and I don’t like the idea of just blindly giving it to someon... everyone should have some input in this.

I wanted a vote or contest for unique door close chimes too, but that didn’t happen.

[panamaniac]

I’d like a public contest so everyone has a chance to try out!

Lots of discussion on twitter about this, and I don’t like the idea of just blindly giving it to someon... everyone should have some input in this.

I wanted a vote or contest for unique door close chimes too, but that didn’t happen.

Indeed, I'm still pining for the first seven notes of the Chicken Dance song! 

[KevinL]

The OMSF will not be part of Doors Open this year, but another Ion-related structure will be: the King St grade separation.

(I've never seen a Doors Open event at a place that wasn't a building, or other defined, enclosed space.)

Saturday Sept 15

Three guided walks: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Walk approx. 45 min.

Free Doors Open parking:
Lot at corner of Waterloo and Victoria streets (see map)

Meet outside the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy, at King and Victoria Streets in Downtown Kitchener. Rain or shine. Sturdy footwear recommended.

ATTENTION  engineering, transportation, and construction enthusiasts!
This grade separation, physically dividing King Street and ION light rail transit (LRT) from the intersecting passenger and freight rail infrastructure, was one of the most intricate components of the ION project, requiring 800 cubic metres of concrete to build the bridge deck over King Street. Learn all about what was required to create the grade separation from Region of Waterloo engineers and staff, your tour leaders. The grade separation provides safe and convenient travel for Go Transit, VIA Rail, and future ION riders, as well as cars, pedestrians, and cyclists, and it borders the site of the Region’s soon-to-be-built multi modal transit hub.

Parking