[TheTigerMaster]

All this is very true. The main point I was trying to hammer down, is that it would be best for the TTC not to cripple operations on this line in the same way that they do with the various streetcar lines in this city today (through stopping and proceeding at switches, crawling through intersections, poor line management, etc...). If they try and operate this like a streetcar line, it will be vary apparent from the outset.

What makes you think the TTC is crippling streetcar operations? Surely they’d provide faster service through intersections if there was a way to do that safely and within their budget constraints.

 

[Rainforest]

All this is very true. The main point I was trying to hammer down, is that it would be best for the TTC not to cripple operations on this line in the same way that they do with the various streetcar lines in this city today (through stopping and proceeding at switches, crawling through intersections, poor line management, etc...). If they try and operate this like a streetcar line, it will be vary apparent from the outset.

Fair enough. Stopping-and-proceeding at switches on the new LRT lines, especially ECLRT, would be rather odd. I hope they don't need to do that.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Fair enough. Stopping-and-proceeding at switches on the new LRT lines, especially ECLRT, would be rather odd. I hope they don't need to do that.

Could you imagine train track switches not working? GO train operator manually changing the switch

 

[MisterF]

Was looking up something entirely different and came across this piece by Global News Edmonton. I'd say that the Crosstown is a carbon copy of the Edmonton's Metro Line with underground segments and on-street level intersection crossings. If we go by Edmonton's experience and admission that they "should've gone under ground or over the three intersections," this doesn't bode too well for the Crosstown I'm afraid.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3259483/lrt-trains-along-metro-line-finally-running-at-full-speed/






*welp*

I wouldn't say it's a carbon copy - the difference is that Edmonton's Metro Line has complete signal priority over other traffic on its surface section, including crossing arms. The surface section of the Eglinton LRT is more streetcar style and will probably be worse than the Metro Line.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul Green Line is more like a Toronto Transit City style line, operating like a streetcar. It has had plenty of criticism since it opened about how slow it is. Turns out when you market a line as rapid transit, people are confused and angry when they see trains stopping at red lights.

LRT can offer service that's just as good as a subway in certain situations if it's designed right. Sadly, we won't see that on Eglinton except maybe in the tunnel.

 

[Amare]

None of those will happen, and poor line management, considering traffic circumstances doesn't even happen anymore. Short turns are basically non-existent now, and reliability has been increasing (in terms of when a streetcar will arrive, not the CLRVs themselves : P), The stopping at switches won't happen because it's not a single arm switch. Operation of the train should be basically the same as the new streetcars, probably 1000* easier since it's in a ROW.

I'm not sure what services you're looking at, but poor line management/scheduling is still a reality on many routes on a daily basis throughout the city. While short turns have been drastically reduced, they still happen.

What makes you think the TTC is crippling streetcar operations? Surely they’d provide faster service through intersections if there was a way to do that safely and within their budget constraints.

A brief example: when the TTC split 501 Queen operations at Humber Loop. On both branches what would often happen is that once streetcars would reach Humber Loop, there would be a backup of streetcars causing riders to be stuck on a vehicle unable to exit until the vehicle in front departed. This resulted in missed connections with riders getting stranded, and irregular service with the problem getting so bad to the point supervisors were getting stationed at Humber Loop. The problem could have been easily mitigated through proper line management of the entire line, which ultimately was not happening which resulted in bunching at the ends of the line. This problem relates largely to terminal operations which would be negated to an extent with crossovers at terminals, but as we see today the TTC still has issues with terminals on each subway line.

Most streetcar routes today suffer from this exact same problem to varying degrees, the 510 and 511 are the most obvious examples.

 

[11th]

Well, I just realized LA's Gold Line is getting extended again. (https://la.curbed.com/2017/12/3/16731006/gold-line-extension-construction-metro) Makes me wonder if long LRT's into the suburbs should be chosen over Subways in the future, especially if a row like the one in LA can be utilized.

If only our LRT lines are built with high platforms. It costs more, but it will also be a better sell, avoid the whole debate of whether it's a streetcar line or not, more suited for our climate, and allows for high floor LRT vehicles with better interior layout.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

LA's Gold Line started being planned by 1990. The low-floor light rail vehicles also started making their first appearance by the 1990's in Germany. Likely because the low-floor LRV's were so "new" and "foreign", the planners didn't consider it.

Plans for Transit City (Eglinton LRT) was first announced by 2007, at which time the low-floor vehicles were getting better and were looked at as the way-of-the-future.

 

[robmausser]

Nice tweet from Metrolinx. I had no idea the ditch was that big already.
https://twitter.com/CrosstownTO/status/951114408771469313

Metrolinx (to Eglinton West LRT): grade separations aren't possible

Metrolinx: come check out the progress on our grade separated station at Science Centre!

 

[robmausser]

Nice pix!

I apologize if we had this discussion earlier in the thread, but if the train is in the middle of the road and subject to the same set of traffic signals as the regular traffic, how is it rapid transit?

Personally, and my opinion is shared by most North American cities building LRT, it makes more sense for the entire roadway to be on one side of the corridor, and the LRT's on the other.

This way, at intersections, you are only having to deal with one side of the road, vs both left hand turns if you are in the middle.

It benefits vehicles as the road adjacent to the LRT can allow vehicles to turn left on a green for the LRT (they turn away from the LRTs) and LRTs also do not have to stop to wait for them to turn left.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Metrolinx (to Eglinton West LRT): grade separations aren't possible

When did they say that, and in what context? I suspect it’s a bit more nuanced than you’re trying to suggest.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

I know its still a few years way from opening but I think we may as well get the ball rolling on the collisions that will happen. Here'a nice compilation to get us warmed up and desensitized.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I know its still a few years way from opening but I think we may as well get the ball rolling on the collisions that will happen. Here'a nice compilation to get us warmed up and desensitized.

Toronto has had a street railway network for 157 years. I don't think Torontonians could get any more "warmed up" to the idea that collisions will happen.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Even on the subway, there are "incidents" that happen due to carelessness or roughhousing.

 

[hw621]

Was at the Ontario science center today. Didn't realize that the above ground portion of the line has not begun construction yet.

 

[whatever]

They've done some above-ground stuff (removing medians, starting some utility relocates, but no, no work on the LRT ROW itself.