ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[KevinL]

Also, our station platforms aren't long enough for three LRVs.

Speaking of which, when does ordering begin for the next cohort of vehicles? According to the project agreement, 2-car train operations are supposed to begin in 2025.

That's an estimate; the actual date will depend on ridership growth (as in, we'll order them when we actually need them).

[avernar]

Coming back from lunch yesterday at 1pm there was an LRV sitting at the Northfield station.  The signals were going and traffic was backing up past Weber.  Fortunately I was going westbound.

[Canard]

So does that mean they CANT actually handle 4, or just that no one would?

More-or-less.  If no customer has asked to run trains of 4, there's no reason for them to specifically test that they can actually do it.  Sure, they've done the calculations, but I highly guess that this is more a case of the Bombardier Marketing Team having this conversation back in about 2007:

"So we're bringing over the Flexity 2 design from Berlin, I have to make a brochure.  We're going to say we can run these things coupled together as a consist, right?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea, we should put that in."

"Okay, how many?"

"Well, that green line in Toronto they're thinking about is going to probably want 3 together... so just say we can do 4 and we'll leave it at that until someone asks for something different."

"Sounds good!"  :: print ::

Remember, in this industry (and many, many others), even though marketing likes to pretend something is a "standard product", the reality is that every single vehicle rolling off the "line" is a custom-built entity.  I can almost guarantee you that "under the hood" all 14 of our trains are going to be slightly different in some way, because somebody ran a bundle of wire through a different lightening hole in the frame, or someone decided to download a different update of some firmware on some isolated controller for blinking a light somewhere else, etc...

I work in custom automation and even though we might sell two or three "identical" machines, they never are.

[Spokes]

Ok, cool, that makes sense to me. Thanks.

[KevinL]

[Canard]

Well this is fun!  Was out for lunch today and we saw 513 right behind 502 (like RIGHT behind) coming down King St. toward Central Station.  About 15 people were onboard 502, and 513 was filled with sandbags!

A little bit later, we saw them again, chasing each other NB... and I had to wonder if maybe they're testing the ATC system under fully-loaded conditions (ie, have 513 encroach on 502's moving block and see if it stops automatically)?

...as a bonus, check out this coach bus!

   

Wonder where it came from, and who's here for show-and-tell?

Haven't had the radio on at all so maybe all the answers are there, heh...

[KevinL]

Keolis owns a branded coach? Wow!

[jason897]

So does that mean they CANT actually handle 4, or just that no one would?

More-or-less.  If no customer has asked to run trains of 4, there's no reason for them to specifically test that they can actually do it.  Sure, they've done the calculations, but I highly guess that this is more a case of the Bombardier Marketing Team having this conversation back in about 2007:

"So we're bringing over the Flexity 2 design from Berlin, I have to make a brochure.  We're going to say we can run these things coupled together as a consist, right?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea, we should put that in."

"Okay, how many?"

"Well, that green line in Toronto they're thinking about is going to probably want 3 together... so just say we can do 4 and we'll leave it at that until someone asks for something different."

"Sounds good!"  :: print ::

Remember, in this industry (and many, many others), even though marketing likes to pretend something is a "standard product", the reality is that every single vehicle rolling off the "line" is a custom-built entity.  I can almost guarantee you that "under the hood" all 14 of our trains are going to be slightly different in some way, because somebody ran a bundle of wire through a different lightening hole in the frame, or someone decided to download a different update of some firmware on some isolated controller for blinking a light somewhere else, etc...

I work in custom automation and even though we might sell two or three "identical" machines, they never are.

I heard our operators mention also that the LRVs tend to have subtle differences when they're driving like they've got their own bit of character or something

[ijmorlan]

Keolis owns a branded coach? Wow!

I saw it, recognized the name, and guessed that they also operate buses. But I have no idea if that is the case. If it is, then they presumably just grabbed one out of their fleet. I’ve never seen a Keolis-branded bus so I suspect they don’t have any contracts around here.

[Canard]

The only other Keolis locations in Canada are all in Quebec.

While it is theoretically possible it’s a chartered bus from Quebec I think that’s highly unlikely - I think it’s far more likely it’s here for something to do with ION, or Keolis itself.

[jamincan]

It seems to be an Orleans Express bus, which is Keolis' interurban bus service in Quebec.

[trainspotter139]

Well this is fun!  Was out for lunch today and we saw 513 right behind 502 (like RIGHT behind) coming down King St. toward Central Station.  About 15 people were onboard 502, and 513 was filled with sandbags!

A little bit later, we saw them again, chasing each other NB... and I had to wonder if maybe they're testing the ATC system under fully-loaded conditions (ie, have 513 encroach on 502's moving block and see if it stops automatically)?

It's quite possible that's what it was for. SigTest has been doing a bunch of stuff lately with the LRVs (coupled and uncoupled) so I wouldn't be surprised.

...as a bonus, check out this coach bus!



Wonder where it came from, and who's here for show-and-tell?

Haven't had the radio on at all so maybe all the answers are there, heh...

Could have shuttled in some higher-ups from Keolis for a tour/meetup.

[yige_t]

The only other Keolis locations in Canada are all in Quebec.

While it is theoretically possible it’s a chartered bus from Quebec I think that’s highly unlikely - I think it’s far more likely it’s here for something to do with ION, or Keolis itself.

Sorry to burst your bubble... But just saw this bus pull out of Waterloo Memorial Rec Complex around 4:15pm today - it was carrying athletes for the Synchronized Skating Championship this weekend. Lots of other coaches from various companies in Quebec and Ontario as well. You might see it there again tomorrow for the final day of the tournament.

[KevinL]

Ah, so a Quebec skating team chartered it for the weekend, then.

[Canard]