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cplchanb said:
well today is the purported start of the FRD.... hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this dreaded wait... 🫥 🤞
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Yes, but... how long has it been since they started the first test runs of trains on the line?
I did a quick look at back pages of this thread, to try to find the first pictures of trains seen running. It's possible the answer is at the bottom of page 1300.
 
Does RFD just mean the schedule that they'll likely have on a normal day?

I was on Eglinton for a few hours a couple of days ago and saw trains every 4 - 5 minutes in the morning, so just trying to figure out the difference
 
cplchanb said:
The full revenue demonstration...
Apparently from a few pages back it was projected to start today iirc
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If true, the timeline does line up to concluding revenue demonstration in September so that substantial completion can be declared by the end of the month (per Mike Lindsay's comments).
 
Admiral Beez said:
That does seem the obvious answer. Once the LRT is loaded and ready to proceed through the intersection the left turn signal is delayed until the LRT proceeds through. And in these cases, after the LRT has passed and in order to reduce bottlenecks, the left turn signal can be extended to compensate for the “delay” of the LRT.
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Most of the surface Eglinton LRT will be far-side platforms. They should be able proceed through the intersection to the loading platform on the far-side. Unless Toronto Transportation Services does what it does now, and give priority to the single-occupant SUV turning left first.

Just like with the St. Clair, Spadina, and The Queensway streetcars, unfortunately. One of the reasons why Toronto has the slowest streetcar/tram network in the world.
 
Admiral Beez said:
Well, there is Douglas, the capital city of the Isle of Man.


More seriously, Melbourne Australia has similar complaints.

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Is it an exclusively Toronto thing that we don't want to solve the problems, instead we would rather deceive ourselves by saying "there are some cities that have similar problems, so it is not a big deal"?

Btw, the Melbourne tram system is still way faster and reliable than the TTC streetcar system; in fact, the TTC streetcar system is THE slowest, not one of the slowest, among almost all modern tram systems in the world.
 
Bizari said:
Btw, the Melbourne tram system is still way faster and reliable than the TTC streetcar system; in fact, the TTC streetcar system is THE slowest, not one of the slowest, among almost all modern tram systems in the world.
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I'd hardly call a legacy system like Toronto's streetcars a modern tram system. I think the only comparison in North America is Philadelphia, and I don't recall that on the list that was compiled recently.

For a modern tram system, look at Finch West when that opens, and the Scarborough portion of Line 5.
 
Bizari said:
Is it an exclusively Toronto thing that we don't want to solve the problems, instead we would rather deceive ourselves by saying "there are some cities that have similar problems, so it is not a big deal"?

Btw, the Melbourne tram system is still way faster and reliable than the TTC streetcar system; in fact, the TTC streetcar system is THE slowest, not one of the slowest, among almost all modern tram systems in the world.
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I realize two people have said this now, so assuming it's not hyperbole, is there an evidence-based comparison available somewhere? Just curious. I've taken the Edinburgh and Dublin trams and they both move at a snail's pace. The one I took in Alicante, Spain was decent though.
 
The Sydney Light Rail runs at a Toronto or even sub-Toronto pace for its downtown stretch along George St, which is in theory an exclusive ROW (though thronged with pedestrians -- think Yonge and Dundas). Much faster to take a bus on one of the parallel streets. It’s better outside the CBD but still pretty slow.

None of this is to excuse the TTC situation, which is appalling. Just mean to say that these problems aren't unique.
 
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CityRider said:
I realize two people have said this now, so assuming it's not hyperbole, is there an evidence-based comparison available somewhere? Just curious. I've taken the Edinburgh and Dublin trams and they both move at a snail's pace. The one I took in Alicante, Spain was decent though.
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The comparison tables and references were in the last few weeks in one of the Streetcar threads. I think the source was from one of the Australian systems who were trying to evaluate if there system was particularly slow ... or not.
 
Bizari said:
Is it an exclusively Toronto thing that we don't want to solve the problems, instead we would rather deceive ourselves by saying "there are some cities that have similar problems, so it is not a big deal"
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I was more looking for a laugh with the horse tram. When we see the dismal performance of the TTC we can all use a chuckle.
 
Bizari said:
Is it an exclusively Toronto thing that we don't want to solve the problems, instead we would rather deceive ourselves by saying "there are some cities that have similar problems, so it is not a big deal"?
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An interesting discussion, but a bigger question is: What case is there for building new street-level rail transit in Toronto, instead of just using buses? Is it just capacity numbers? And are those projected demand numbers real?
Bus infrastructure is easier and cheaper to set up and operate, and offers flexibility both short term (rerouting in emergencies) and long term (route changes).
Those are reasonable question, even before we consider the terrible record of building and rebuilding street car routes in this city (St Clair, Spadina, Eglinton).
 
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