Trillium Line (O-Train) Updates

[Kitchissippi]

I think public art could give the stations a sense of place if done well. The problem is that the pieces selected rarely achieve this. Carleton station should have something that relates to the university, maybe Carling station should have something hinting at its proximity to Little Italy or Dows Lake.

I was in Saskatoon this summer and I was impressed how they manage to incorporate a bit of heritage here and there without being heavy-handed —

Tree grates with snippets of aboriginal traditions:


A childrens' splash park downtown that also creates awareness of the Saskatchewan River's watershed:

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I was in Saskatoon this summer and I was impressed how they manage to incorporate a bit of heritage here and there without being heavy-handed —

Without being heavy-handed - Like Pimisi Station?

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Without being heavy-handed - Like Pimisi Station?

Exactly. If there was one station that could have been renamed, it's Bayview. It's far from Bayview Road, and there's not much of a bay to view since they've filled it in over the years. How many people actually know or care that this part of the river is called Nepean Bay? A great name would have been Odawa (or Odawe) Station to recognize the origin of the city's name. The Algonquin word for trade or exchange would have been appropriate for a station where you change trains

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Exactly. If there was one station that could have been renamed, it's Bayview. It's far from Bayview Road, and there's not much of a bay to view since they've filled it in over the years. How many people actually know or care that this part of the river is called Nepean Bay? A great name would have been Odawa (or Odawe) Station to recognize the origin of the city's name. The Algonquin word for trade or exchange would have been appropriate for a station where you change trains

All of these options would have been preferable to renaming LeBreton Pimisi.

FYI a few years ago Gatineau changed the name of Chemin du Lac-Leamy to Rue Atawe. It's near the casino, and the Réno-Dépôt.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

I think public art could give the stations a sense of place if done well. The problem is that the pieces selected rarely achieve this. Carleton station should have something that relates to the university, maybe Carling station should have something hinting at its proximity to Little Italy or Dows Lake.

I was in Saskatoon this summer and I was impressed how they manage to incorporate a bit of heritage here and there without being heavy-handed —

Tree grates with snippets of aboriginal traditions:


A childrens' splash park downtown that also creates awareness of the Saskatchewan River's watershed:

I agree; the examples shown are well integrated with the area as opposed random pieces added afterwards.

[J.OT13]

Darwin's take on the "art" work. These people apparently didn't even go to the stations, likely never rode the O-Train and didn't even know the station names. That explains why the "art" has no relationship to the surrounding area.

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Darwin's take on the "art" work. These people apparently didn't even go to the stations, likely never rode the O-Train and didn't even know the station names. That explains why the "art" has no relationship to the surrounding area.

http://www.westsideaction.com/otrain...sals-unveiled/

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Darwin's take on the "art" work. These people apparently didn't even go to the stations, likely never rode the O-Train and didn't even know the station names. That explains why the "art" has no relationship to the surrounding area.

I had that experience talking to the artists. One of them actually said they never rode the train, and none of them could remember station names, which made it hard to follow. But they all did have pictures and comment on how it was a pain that it was closed.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

http://www.westsideaction.com/otrain...sals-unveiled/

Damn it! I always forget to actually post the link! Thanks.

[lrt's friend]

I have only used the O-Train a handful of times, but I used it today and it was very crowded and I noted how the Talent trains are not really designed for urban service. I am talking about the lack of grab bars for standing passengers. I do hope that their replacements will provide this.

[MountainView]

It was also announced today that the City will shutdown the O-train north of Carleton on the weekends so they can finish their parking garage. Carleton has to pay for the shuttle service (assuming they mean route 107) to replace the O-train service.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I have only used the O-Train a handful of times, but I used it today and it was very crowded and I noted how the Talent trains are not really designed for urban service. I am talking about the lack of grab bars for standing passengers. I do hope that their replacements will provide this.

They were built for the Deutsche Bahn, Germany's VIA rail. The Alstom Lints are also used by the Deutsche Bahn, but since we ordered the new, I expect them to be better adapted for urban rail service.

[Catenary]

The O-Train stopped running this evening and was replaced by route 107 due to signal issues at the VIA line Interlocking. The 9:15 departure from Bayview held at Confederation before finally making it to Greenboro at 10. On the way back south it was stopped again just south of the Brookfield crossing with Railterm onsite working on the problem. It waited for only a few minutes before continuing north, and the next southbound seemed to have no issues with Railterm still on site, but it was late because of the delays so it didn't leave Greenboro until 10:30. Sometime after that the service was cancelled.

The driver of the 9:15 southbound seemed somewhat flustered upon arrival to Greenboro, since the train was fairly full with night classes having ended at Carleton. There was very little information that service was poor (multiple departures were simply skipped) and there is no way of really disseminating information to people waiting that the bus may be faster.

Signal failures are going to be bigger problems in the future, with more signals to fail and frequent service leading to more people riding. The current signs that state "Service operating on schedule" regardless of the actual service (When the train was closed back in January to to a person on the tracks, supervisors simply caution taped the entrances to the stations and left the signs) are not going to cut it. Proper platform PA systems and Next-Train screens that display when the service is cancelled should be considered necessary to maintain customer satisfaction and improve perceived reliability.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Catenary

The O-Train stopped running this evening and was replaced by route 107 due to signal issues at the VIA line Interlocking. The 9:15 departure from Bayview held at Confederation before finally making it to Greenboro at 10. On the way back south it was stopped again just south of the Brookfield crossing with Railterm onsite working on the problem. It waited for only a few minutes before continuing north, and the next southbound seemed to have no issues with Railterm still on site, but it was late because of the delays so it didn't leave Greenboro until 10:30. Sometime after that the service was cancelled.

The driver of the 9:15 southbound seemed somewhat flustered upon arrival to Greenboro, since the train was fairly full with night classes having ended at Carleton. There was very little information that service was poor (multiple departures were simply skipped) and there is no way of really disseminating information to people waiting that the bus may be faster.

Signal failures are going to be bigger problems in the future, with more signals to fail and frequent service leading to more people riding. The current signs that state "Service operating on schedule" regardless of the actual service (When the train was closed back in January to to a person on the tracks, supervisors simply caution taped the entrances to the stations and left the signs) are not going to cut it. Proper platform PA systems and Next-Train screens that display when the service is cancelled should be considered necessary to maintain customer satisfaction and improve perceived reliability.

This is the result of the O-Train being designed as a 'temporary' service. The upgrades that are occuring are really not fully addressing the temporary nature of the original design.

What you are demonstrating are the problems of not having a fully exclusive right of way or complete double tracking. As you have indicated, this is going to become more problematic as we add more trains to the line.

I have repeatedly cautioned extending the line to the north or south until the limitations of the existing line are properly addressed.

[Dado]

I guess you haven't spent a week in London... signal failures occur all the time there to the subways and railways there - and it's not "temporary".

This is the first time I can recall a signal issue at the VIA crossing in all the years the O-Train has been operating.

It's also a useful reminder that the O-Train defaults to safe when there is a problem at the crossing.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Dado

I guess you haven't spent a week in London... signal failures occur all the time there to the subways and railways there - and it's not "temporary".

This is the first time I can recall a signal issue at the VIA crossing in all the years the O-Train has been operating.

It's also a useful reminder that the O-Train defaults to safe when there is a problem at the crossing.

I wasn't referring to the signalling system but the lack of grade separation between the two lines, which is what you would expect if it is intended that the O-Train is to become the main north-south transit spine.

[Catenary]

In regards to earlier discussion, announcements were being made remotely on the platforms this morning regarding information about the weekend closure. It's the first time I have heard a platform announcement on the train, others were surprised to hear it as well. Staff were standing on the platform yesterday manually telling passengers about the elk closure, when remote announcements would have made a lot of sense.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Catenary

In regards to earlier discussion, announcements were being made remotely on the platforms this morning regarding information about the weekend closure. It's the first time I have heard a platform announcement on the train, others were surprised to hear it as well. Staff were standing on the platform yesterday manually telling passengers about the elk closure, when remote announcements would have made a lot of sense.

And why is OC Transpo's official outlet always so reticent to give people ALL the facts behind a transit service disruption? Everyone yesterday was tweeting about the elk... except for OC Transpo, which assiduously avoided all mention of the elk.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

And why is OC Transpo's official outlet always so reticent to give people ALL the facts behind a transit service disruption? Everyone yesterday was tweeting about the elk... except for OC Transpo, which assiduously avoided all mention of the elk.

I agree. The man at the train platform yesterday (who was obviously a Capital Railways manager or something, well dressed but with a vest and hard hat, not a driver) said the service was cut due to "Police Activity". I immediately thought suicide/person under a train, but they usually shut down completely in those cases. My next best guess was a bomb threat or similar situation, like happened in the summer. In the end it was something (relatively) benign.

With no service to Carling or Bayview but two trains on the tracks, the trains were passing at Carleton, going just past the switch, stopping and turning back onto the other platform. I assume this was because both trains were already on the line and the situation was not expected to last long, and that only one train will simply use one platform for the weekend closures. I don't think they can turnaround at Carleton fast enough to use both platforms with only train in service.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Catenary

I agree. The man at the train platform yesterday (who was obviously a Capital Railways manager or something, well dressed but with a vest and hard hat, not a driver) said the service was cut due to "Police Activity". I immediately thought suicide/person under a train, but they usually shut down completely in those cases. My next best guess was a bomb threat or similar situation, like happened in the summer. In the end it was something (relatively) benign.

With no service to Carling or Bayview but two trains on the tracks, the trains were passing at Carleton, going just past the switch, stopping and turning back onto the other platform. I assume this was because both trains were already on the line and the situation was not expected to last long, and that only one train will simply use one platform for the weekend closures. I don't think they can turnaround at Carleton fast enough to use both platforms with only train in service.

OC Transpo does not appear to know how to run a railway. As I have said in the past, they need to train the management, dispatchers and operational people and who ever else is responsible for making service adjustments with a variety of scenarios so that when they happen they can continue service as much as possible. If the service is to become the backbone of the transit service, then they need to have a set of procedures in place for making rapid and well planned actions on a timely basis. Unless the elk is on the tracks, this is no reason to shut down service. I think the management all need to go to railway school, maybe with GO Transit or Montreal's AMT for awhile to see how it is done, not that they are perfect. Almost every service adjustment in the past year with repsect to the O Train has been poorly handled.