ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[panamaniac]

While I wholeheartedly want to agree - born, raised and living in K-W my entire life, waiting for us to 'get to the next level' - the news about not only Hamilton, but London working on or getting (?) their own LRT diminished this one, oh ever so slightly ha. K-W won't have that 'one up' on those cities.

I'm not really interested in one-upping other cities, but Hamilton's LRT is (still, surprisingly) not a done deal at this point, and London isn't building an LRT (and their BRT project is currently paused).

If you're always thinking about getting to the next level, how can you ever appreciate the city as it is today?

[KevinL]

Can regular citizens get on the ION tour?

That's who the tour is for, no?

Keep in mind the tours are of the stationary vehicles at each stop; only Ion staff can ride aboard between stops (as they have not yet signed off on safety in motion).

[jason897]

I also have a video from last night

[tomh009]

Saw 505, 506, 507 and 511 all on King St W around lunchtime. The odd boys were an old hat, but this was the first time (or at least the first time in a long time) I had seen 506, I think.

[jason897]

Saw 505, 506, 507 and 511 all on King St W around lunchtime. The odd boys were an old hat, but this was the first time (or at least the first time in a long time) I had seen 506, I think.

well 506 was out yesterday too, I saw it myself at Fairway. But before that, yes I believe it has been a while since it's been out

[Momo26]

In that case, I've taken the standing tour a dozen times already ha.

[Momo26]

While I wholeheartedly want to agree - born, raised and living in K-W my entire life, waiting for us to 'get to the next level' - the news about not only Hamilton, but London working on or getting (?) their own LRT diminished this one, oh ever so slightly ha. K-W won't have that 'one up' on those cities.

I'm not really interested in one-upping other cities, but Hamilton's LRT is (still, surprisingly) not a done deal at this point, and London isn't building an LRT (and their BRT project is currently paused).

If you're always thinking about getting to the next level, how can you ever appreciate the city as it is today?

Word.  

[Spokes]

One exception....I want to one up Ottawa when it comes to who's LRT is running first

[jeffster]

While I wholeheartedly want to agree - born, raised and living in K-W my entire life, waiting for us to 'get to the next level' - the news about not only Hamilton, but London working on or getting (?) their own LRT diminished this one, oh ever so slightly ha. K-W won't have that 'one up' on those cities.

All a wash if we can get a rapid train to connect K-W to downtown Toronto in 45 mins - booya.

I actually don't think London is doing an LRT, I think they want dedicated (or at least partially) BRT.

You talk to anyone from London who's been to KW, they always wonder why London said "No" to an intercity expressway. Lots of regret it seems.

Anyway, for now, KW has one-upped both those cities. At best, Hamilton might have LRT by 2024...

[KevinT]

510 was offloaded this morning, it all started with pushing the ramp out of the yard:



It was switched to the southbound track:



Then pulled forward for staging:



After decoupling the ramp, the TrackMobile pulled forward and switched to the freight track for its northbound trip to retrieve 510 and its entourage:



Fetch TrackMobile!



Hey, look what you've brought:

[KevinT]

They decoupled the buffer flatcar (there's one locked to each end during shipping to ensure that the LRV's overhanging ends don't get bashed):



Then backed it out of the way so the ramp could be brought in:



They deployed 510's coupler:



While installing a coupler adapter on the buffer car:



Meanwhile, 510 waited:



The ramp was pushed into place and connected to its flatcar:

[KevinT]

Then the chains could came off:



And the hold downs were removed:



Some of the chains did double duty holding the ramp to the flatcar:



While the tug (my word, don't know theirs) was staged:



The TrackMobile used the buffer car as a fishing line to pull 510 down the ramp:

[KevinT]

In the vertical direction the LRVs are bendy in only one place (Canard does a great job of explaining why here):



In just a few minutes 510 was sitting on home track:



The tug was connected and dragged it to the crossover:



Then pushed it into the yard:



For a date with the wash building to get some of that snow off:



- THE END -

[tomh009]

So based on the dates from the last council meeting, would the following be an accurate vehicle status summary (assuming the equipment install dates were met)?

501 - Kingston | Returned | Updating and FIE to be Installed
502 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
503 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
504 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
505 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
506 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
507 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
508 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
509 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
510 - Kingston | Assembled | FIE Install in Progress
511 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
512 - OSMF | Delivered | FIE Installed
513 - Kingston | Delivery in Progress | FIE Installed
514 - Kingston | Assembled | FIE Install in Progress

Note: At the time of the Council Meeting 502, 503, 504 & 512 were approximately 50% completed on the FIE installation. Since 512 is now delivered with FIE installed, I thought it safe to assume 502, 503 & 504 also have the FIE install completed.

There's another one on the way here now apparently. So I updated the list.

Since 505, 506 and 507 are out and about, stretching their legs, can we assume that they are now fully fitted with the FIE? And presumably we can count 510 and 513 as delivered and installed. That would give us this list:

501 - Kingston | Returned | Updating and FIE to be Installed
502 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
503 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
504 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
505 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
506 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
507 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
508 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
509 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Install in Progress
510 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
511 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
512 - OSMF | Delivered | FIE Installed
513 - OMSF | Delivered | FIE Installed
514 - Kingston | Assembled | FIE Install in Progress

501 and 514 in Kingston, and 508 and 509 here, with FIE not yet completed.

EDIT: OK, so that was not correct. Thanks, Kevin!

[KevinT]

There's another one on the way here now apparently. So I updated the list.

Since 505, 506 and 507 are out and about, stretching their legs, can we assume that they are now fully fitted with the FIE?

They haven't been off the tracks long enough to have had their FIE installed.  It doesn't just plug in, they have to pull seats and panels to replace sections of the wiring harness to add more interconnection between the various bits of FIE and the existing control systems.  I've been waiting for the day they'll come off the tracks and 502 through 504 will appear in their place, but I suspect they're waiting to integrate the software debug efforts made on any glitches discovered during 511's tests before that will take place.