ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

Jamincan: they are what they are thanks to Transport Canada, and the FRA (US). Things move verrrrey slowly in North American rail.

Other cities in NA with Light Rail have exactly the same setup.

[Canard]

Dan: FRA requires that all passenger vehicles/trains in NA be able to survive a specific crash with a freight train. So our trains are always fat and heavy and slow. That’s why we don’t have EMU’s from Europe (yet); CalTrain is going to be the first exemption and GO/Metrolinx is watching that very closely.

[urbd]

Original date was Fall 2017.

People claiming today “OHHH ITS 1.5 YEARS LATE BLARRRRG” are being sensationalist for the sake of stiring the pot.

Isn't it though?  Fall 2017 is 1.5 years (minimum) from Spring 2019, if it is indeed confirmed that's the new date--does anyone have an official source for this?


I had thought a 2019 launch was pretty unlikely, I'm very disappointed to be wrong. I know some were hoping for a spring launch, but many otherws were hoping to depend on this transportation system. I'm very seriously considering buying a car this winter anyway, not having LRT only makes me more likely.

I am in the exact same situation. I have been holding a car purchase because I live and work along the ION route, and I was hoping to use it every single day as my number 1 transportation choice.

[jeffster]

Isn't it though?  Fall 2017 is 1.5 years (minimum) from Spring 2019, if it is indeed confirmed that's the new date--does anyone have an official source for this?


I had thought a 2019 launch was pretty unlikely, I'm very disappointed to be wrong. I know some were hoping for a spring launch, but many otherws were hoping to depend on this transportation system. I'm very seriously considering buying a car this winter anyway, not having LRT only makes me more likely.

I am in the exact same situation. I have been holding a car purchase because I live and work along the ION route, and I was hoping to use it every single day as my number 1 transportation choice.

I suppose if you're live and work on a route this would be a big deal, it being late. My living location isn't close to the LRT, and actually no bussing either (it was cancelled after about 30 years of service). My work is on the route though, but lots of times my working hours prohibit using the LRT.

Either way, though, my situation is so different that for what it's worth, the LRT serves zero purpose for my family and situation; however, I am looking forward to using it at some time.

[Viewfromthe42]

It was nice to hear Beisan Zubi (Communitech Community Manager and candidate for Waterloo Regional Council seat) talk about LRT and GRT needing to serve more people by having schedules that better serve those who don't work 9 to 5.

[ert86]

I also live/work on the line and I hope I don't have go trough another winter with the horrible Sunday morning hours. The least they could have done a year ago is make the 200 run earlier/later on weekends. Maybe that poster said it because Galloway said in other interviews that it's 6 months of breaking in, not just a min Km.

I don't even think it is the trains as much holding back the start anymore, mostly because the Easy Go cards still aren't fully rolled out, and those were due out early 2017. All they have rolled out is the limited beta from 8 months ago, students in Cambridge* and University students who were making forgeries of the old ones. Than there's the new terminal at UW that was suppose to open a year ago and the new terminal at Fairview mall that is only now being worked on.

I'm just glad those fall route changes didn't go through, without the data from those cards any major route changes are idiotic.

[Canard]

There are lots and lots and looooooooots of things that still need to happen.

I keep saying it (and will continue to keep saying it): It's a big, complicated project. Even cities who have built other lines and have some experience under their built with rapid transit have delays.

[Pheidippides]

Jamincan: they are what they are thanks to Transport Canada, and the FRA (US). Things move verrrrey slowly in North American rail.

Other cities in NA with Light Rail have exactly the same setup.

So what is the best way to advocate for changes to those archaic rules? Would it take all of North America changing at once or could TC make the changes in Canada alone? How did CalTrain get an exemption?

If the rules were to change would we be able to do away with existing "excesses" of protection?

[Canard]

I don't know; I don't think we can, it's not up to the general public. I am sure every other city also thought "this is ridiculous" and realized there was nothing they could do - I don't think we're magically going to be exempt (especially not now that it's built).

How I project this would not go:

Waterloo Region: "Hi TC/FRA, we just built an LRT and we don't like that we had to put big loud freight railway signals everywhere"
TC/FRA: "Oh, okay - sure, take 'em all down, that's okay."
WR: "Awesome, thanks!"
Denver: "Can we remove ours?"
FRA: "NO, only Waterloo, because they asked."

[jamincan]

My point isn't just that's it's inconvenient and unpleasant, it's that the system could literally be made safer except for the fact that a barrier is a very particular thing in regulations, and therefore anything deviating from that thing is not in compliance with regulations. Rather than improving safety, the regulations are a barrier to it.

[Pheidippides]

Well if it is a federal issue, then bringing the issue to the attention of the local MPs and the relevant ministers couldn't hurt.

[Spokes]

It was nice to hear Beisan Zubi (Communitech Community Manager and candidate for Waterloo Regional Council seat) talk about LRT and GRT needing to serve more people by having schedules that better serve those who don't work 9 to 5.

Without derailing this thread and making it about politics, the more I hear from her the more I'm impressed.

[Spokes]

Jamincan: they are what they are thanks to Transport Canada, and the FRA (US). Things move verrrrey slowly in North American rail.

Other cities in NA with Light Rail have exactly the same setup.

Canard, this is an interesting point, any idea why?  I'll admit I lack the rail knowledge that you have, but i wonder if it's a cultural thing?  Rail is definitely not a part of our communities the way it is like in Europe and elsewhere.

[jeffster]

It was nice to hear Beisan Zubi (Communitech Community Manager and candidate for Waterloo Regional Council seat) talk about LRT and GRT needing to serve more people by having schedules that better serve those who don't work 9 to 5.

That's good to hear.

I was reading an article that the MTA is reducing overnight service with their subways, including shutting down the L-Train overnight. I guess factors are always ridership.

[Markster]

It was nice to hear Beisan Zubi (Communitech Community Manager and candidate for Waterloo Regional Council seat) talk about LRT and GRT needing to serve more people by having schedules that better serve those who don't work 9 to 5.

Overnight service on the 7 is long overdue.

I was reading an article that the MTA is reducing overnight service with their subways, including shutting down the L-Train overnight. I guess factors are always ridership.

I think that's part of their repair backlog. They need to start shutting down overnight service so they have time to do long-needed track maintenance.