ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[Canard]

[jeffster]

So there is another delay..until the spring. What the heck is going on? Seriously...atrocious amounts of delays. I know with such a grand project of its magnitude, could they not have predicted a more accurate timeline of train delivery, testing and launch? What was the original launch date?

Original date was sometime later 2017 (so anywhere between September and December?).

I've said a few times already they should have given an intentional delay date (late 2019/early 2020) and if there were too many delays then the announced "delay date" would have been accurate. If our LRT opens in spring 2019, then they'd look like hero's because it would be opening at least 6 months early. That really would be ROW staff's fault since most systems start late. Experience (or others experience) is the best teacher, so why we hadn't learned from it, I don't know why.

[jgsz]

[Momo26]

I was about to say, what is The Hop and that announcement sounds like the LRT is up and running :\

[JCnb]

JCnb - I caught a new trackmobile heading north on the Conestoga parkway a few weeks ago, I wonder if they’ve bought a bunch more of them!

510 left on Wednesday, so my guess is it’ll be picked up by CN today, for Monday delivery/trip up the spur, Tuesday offloading.

I work on Dutton and spot the trackmobile being unloaded right around the time a train gets delivered (give or take a day). I assume they keep bringing one in for unload and don't actually keep one on site? Wouldn't have much use for them otherwise with the little electric robots for yard work.

[Pheidippides]

Back in 2009 when the preferred mode was picked they thought the opening was going to be 2014:
“Opening 2014”
June 2009 - RAPID TRANSIT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PHASE 2, STEP 3b – PREFERRED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM OPTION AND STAGING PLAN
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...df#page=23
 
 
Fast-forward to 2012 when the LRV contract was awarded it had become was “early 2017”:
“Based on light rail ridership forecast, 14 light rail vehicles (LRVs) will be required to provide service in early 2017.”
June 2012 - STAGE 1 LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: VEHICLE PROCUREMENT
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...pdf#page=1
 
 
It wasn’t until much later that “late 2017” started to appear in reports.

[Canard]

The Hop is from Milwaukee.  How is that helpful?

Because people were on about how will we handle this. Here’s an example of how another city is handling it. I apologize for the intrusion. Have a nice day!

[Canard]

I work on Dutton and spot the trackmobile being unloaded right around the time a train gets delivered (give or take a day). I assume they keep bringing one in for unload and don't actually keep one on site? Wouldn't have much use for them otherwise with the little electric robots for yard work.

Oh, gosh - that makes total sense! That never occurred to me. Thanks!!

[danbrotherston]

Back in 2009 when the preferred mode was picked they thought the opening was going to be 2014:
“Opening 2014”
June 2009 - RAPID TRANSIT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PHASE 2, STEP 3b – PREFERRED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM OPTION AND STAGING PLAN
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...df#page=23
 
 
Fast-forward to 2012 when the LRV contract was awarded it had become was “early 2017”:
“Based on light rail ridership forecast, 14 light rail vehicles (LRVs) will be required to provide service in early 2017.”
June 2012 - STAGE 1 LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: VEHICLE PROCUREMENT
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...pdf#page=1
 
 
It wasn’t until much later that “late 2017” started to appear in reports.

*sigh*...and in 2010 I chose to stay in the city because I thought I'd have LRT in a couple of years.

[tomh009]

It's all right, it'll be here in a couple of years from now for sure!

[danbrotherston]

It's all right, it'll be here in a couple of years from now for sure!

*cries*...

You know, it's ironic, transportation was a big part of the reason I chose to stay here, and transportation is a big part of the reason I will likely leave. But at the time I chose to stay, I wouldn't have thought that, it's so implicit in our world.

[Viewfromthe42]

Light rail, back in 2008/2009, was what first got me to think of the region as not just another small university suburb, it gave me hope, and without it I likely never would have wound up staying in the region, or being on a forum like this.

[Momo26]

@ comment in 2010 expecting LRT to start in a couple of years...

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/PersonalCrispA...ax-1mb.gif

[KingandWeber]

Light rail, back in 2008/2009, was what first got me to think of the region as not just another small university suburb, it gave me hope, and without it I likely never would have wound up staying in the region, or being on a forum like this.

And on that note I think it's important to remember that, despite how crappy this newest delay is, Waterloo Region will be leagues ahead of any comparable Canadian municipality in terms of transit investment by this time next year. That is something to be very proud of in my opinion.  We can always do better, and we should strive to do so, but we should also not lose sight of our accomplishments.

[jeffster]

Back in 2009 when the preferred mode was picked they thought the opening was going to be 2014:
“Opening 2014”
June 2009 - RAPID TRANSIT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PHASE 2, STEP 3b – PREFERRED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM OPTION AND STAGING PLAN
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...df#page=23
 
 
Fast-forward to 2012 when the LRV contract was awarded it had become was “early 2017”:
“Based on light rail ridership forecast, 14 light rail vehicles (LRVs) will be required to provide service in early 2017.”
June 2012 - STAGE 1 LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: VEHICLE PROCUREMENT
http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/...pdf#page=1
 
 
It wasn’t until much later that “late 2017” started to appear in reports.

Thanks for the post...I really thought I was losing my mind that the original wording was early 2017...