ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[creative]

http://ctv.news/0w1bTOi

[Bob_McBob]

Apparently service has now resumed, though you wouldn't know it looking at any official GRT/ROW social media. Do they not have anyone to update their Facebook and Twitter accounts on the weekend? I only saw it as a popup on their site, and there is no indication it even happened now.

Also, is it just me or is real-time location data down again? I can't see it on either Google Maps or the GRT trip planner.

[ijmorlan]

How is that even possible?

Easy — a bit further back along where they came from, the track is only separated from the road by a roll curb. I’ll even go so far as to say that it’s quite natural to turn right from Erb onto the track when the ground is covered in snow. That is, however, no excuse because there are signs clearly marking the lane as reserved for transit.

So it’s not possible for a responsible driver, but there are lots of irresponsible ones for whom it would be very easy indeed.

[trainspotter139]

Apparently service has now resumed, though you wouldn't know it looking at any official GRT/ROW social media. Do they not have anyone to update their Facebook and Twitter accounts on the weekend? I only saw it as a popup on their site, and there is no indication it even happened now.

Also, is it just me or is real-time location data down again? I can't see it on either Google Maps or the GRT trip planner.

When the trains aren't operating as normal the real time information for them won't work as the trains won't be logged in to any of their normal blocks. As for the lack of social media posting, the Region doesn't pay anyone to monitor or post on the weekends.

[danbrotherston]

How is that even possible?

Easy — a bit further back along where they came from, the track is only separated from the road by a roll curb. I’ll even go so far as to say that it’s quite natural to turn right from Erb onto the track when the ground is covered in snow. That is, however, no excuse because there are signs clearly marking the lane as reserved for transit.

So it’s not possible for a responsible driver, but there are lots of irresponsible ones for whom it would be very easy indeed.

I would say it's quite unnatural to turn down the transit lane, given that the transit lane was full of snow, entirely uncleared, while the road was far clearer.

This wouldn't always be the case, but nobody should be confused about it today.

[Bob_McBob]

It's disheartening how many people think this incident is the ultimate vindication of the whole "wHaT WiLL tHEy dO iN ThE WinTEr" meme going around since the project was approved. Because again apparently Waterloo is uniquely unsuitable for an LRT among every cold weather location in the entire world 

[KevinL]

To give that driver the benefit of the doubt, if they were new to the area, couldn't see the yellow line on Caroline due to ice buildup, and were reading the flow of the road from its built environment rather than the signs (which they shouldn't, but for some that's a greater cue), they might think of the station platform as being in a median, which they would be expected to drive to the right of. Still not legal, but somewhat understandable.

[ijmorlan]

Easy — a bit further back along where they came from, the track is only separated from the road by a roll curb. I’ll even go so far as to say that it’s quite natural to turn right from Erb onto the track when the ground is covered in snow. That is, however, no excuse because there are signs clearly marking the lane as reserved for transit.

So it’s not possible for a responsible driver, but there are lots of irresponsible ones for whom it would be very easy indeed.

I would say it's quite unnatural to turn down the transit lane, given that the transit lane was full of snow, entirely uncleared, while the road was far clearer.

This wouldn't always be the case, but nobody should be confused about it today.

Good point. I was actually thinking of everything as being covered in snow, including the lines that usually show the way. But if the road was clear then what I said doesn’t apply.

[MidTowner]

It's disheartening how many people think this incident is the ultimate vindication of the whole "wHaT WiLL tHEy dO iN ThE WinTEr" meme going around since the project was approved. Because again apparently Waterloo is uniquely unsuitable for an LRT among every cold weather location in the entire world 

I was disappointed in the CTV news article. It happily quoted frustrated commuters referencing a billion dollars and commenting that "this is Canada" without giving any information whatsoever about the weather, or how other methods of transportation were faring yesterday.

Reading the article, it is entirely possible to conclude that a negligible amount of freezing rain affected the Ion, but roads were cleared to bare conditions and all other transportation was moving normally. In reality, roads were at times icy yesterday, and motor traffic much lessened- many church services were cancelled (this doesn't tend to happen more than once a winter), and people were staying off the roads earlier in the day. Hopefully Keolis addresses whatever the issue was for future events, but perfection is unreasonable to expect. "We're in Canada": sometimes there is disruptive weather.

Anyway, I await their news article this morning about public sidewalks being difficult to navigate, and seeking someone to blame for their incompetence for that.

[Rainrider22]

I think we can all agree that this is growing pains while the learn. In a few years from now I am sure the kinks will be worked out. People's expectations are not in alignment with reality anymore...

[panamaniac]

So how long was the system down? Any indication of why that part of the line went down and not the rest?

[Bob_McBob]

According to Canard's Twitter feed, the shuttles were in place by around 8:30am, service was restored as far as Northfield by 12:45pm, and full service was restored by 2:15pm. There was also a brief period around 10:30am where all northbound traffic on the entire line was suspended because of a stuck switch.

On an interesting note, apparently the train was packed to the gills at closing time at Conestoga Mall on Friday night. "Haven't seen this many people since the LRT Launch."

https://twitter.com/SW_ON_TRAFFIC/status...9929326592

[Rainrider22]

That is great to hear..

[rickhd]

Looks like this Danish company has the solution. Wire de-icing system. So why did they not consider this when building the system. Due to climate change we are going to have an increased frequency of ice events.


https://www.san-as.com/products/railway-...icing.html

[avernar]

I wonder how much extra the induction powered system would have cost.