Mark Walton

On 4/22/2022 at 4:59 PM, smallspy said:

Oh, the fare issue is absolutely something that will need to be dealt with.

 

But that's also a bit of putting the cart before the horse, no? The line to Highway 7 hasn't even been started yet, nevermind further north.

 

Dan

They'll probably do it the same way as at Vaughan, and probably 407, Pioneer Village, and York U as well: TTC fares are collected when you enter the station: YRT fares are collected when you board one of that system's buses. A throwback to TTC's own zone-fare system that was in effect until 1973, zone fares were collected at the bus-subway transfer point. 

On 5/23/2022 at 7:00 PM, OCCheetos said:

The LRT is running without issue.

One of the few times in its short and troubled history it has performed more or less as intended.

WT 694 at YWG June 16, 2001. I had just arrived for the BHA convention, my first return visit to Winnipeg since leaving in 1973.

On 5/12/2022 at 8:14 AM, Viafreak said:

There is still one original trolleybus left here in Winnipeg. 1768 is parked at the Fort Rouge garage. 

That was the one.

First bus I saw on my 2001 trip: 694 at YWG about 12:45 PM June 16, 2001. My first return visit there since 1973.

On 5/3/2022 at 4:05 PM, UprisingCanadian said:

Wouldn't that mean the 323 is FTN or at least extremely close to?

FTN is...?

On 5/9/2022 at 6:57 PM, Isaac Williams said:

Looks like the MTHA will be doing it's annual "Sunday Night Cruise" on August 25th, at 4PM. Hopefully it doesn't get outright cancelled this year...

Will it use 751, or...?

Last trolleybus at North Garage, October 30, 1970. I was aboard, I'm visible in the picture, inside behind the driver, an old-timer wearing cap badge # 12. I wrote about it for the book "Tires and Wires". Winnipeg last day pamphlet circa 1970 (trolleybuses.net)

On 4/30/2022 at 8:51 PM, Frozen Yogurt said:

The plastic divider hasn't changed as far as I know. At least, up until the newest one I took (some 41-0xx on the 144MR a few months ago). Either there hasn't been any reported incidents, or it's judged not a concern by the stm. However if you allow me to veer off the topic here, our XE40s have grey dividers and plexiglass, à la MiWay & Brampton, as shown below.

In addition, I'd just like to mention that the big yellow board is finally starting to gradually come off all buses, the seat next to the front door on rear ramp buses and that behind the driver will be available to sit. About time to get rid of that nonsense, since now ridership is up, passengers often have to stand next to the driver anyway.

Kingston has gone s step further, requesting passengers not to stand in the space between the front wheels - a real choke point on LF buses. Picture attached.

One of the reasons for that: a flat-topped cover over the RF wheel makes a handy package shelf. Some systems use a sloped or "witch's hat" surface that prevents people from putting stuff there, and discourages them from standing in that area.

18 hours ago, downbeat said:

Here's the official announcement, en français:

https://rtl-longueuil.qc.ca/fr-CA/actualites/avis-a-la-clientele/2022/midibus-201-a-saint-lambert/

404.

From June 2011 BHA convention in Winnipeg: Beaver Bus Lines RTS 62 on Graham Avenue, and early-1970s vintage sign on North Garage. Both photos mine.

On 4/19/2022 at 2:32 PM, IRT_BMT_IND said:

The Cs (and the As were worse IIRC) had some terrible problems, like issues with road salt getting into the electrical system, and derailments with the (European designed I think) trucks not cooperating with the street trackage (some of which was in pretty rough shape in the early 80s) and the single point switches. Remember there was no internet and no real 24 hour news cycle in the 70s and 80s though so there would have been less discussion in the media, though you can find old newspaper articles about the problems online through the Toronto Public Library.

As I recall, the L1 series CLRVs, 4000-4005, had their water tests done in Switzerland with fresh water; Toronto's briny slush sprang the surprise. A few years later, Vancouver's then-new E902 trolleybuses had much the same problem. One of the clippings posted mentioned the Hawker-Siddeley worker whose concerns about holes drilled into the power cables were dismissed. He was vindicated when TTC found holes in those cables on 9/35 newly-delivered cars.

On 4/19/2022 at 5:52 AM, MCIBUS said:

Even better when the ex-Santa Monica's had there original blue seats, which where latter switch out for the 'samon' cloured OC seats after they got there repaint into OC' red stripe.

Here's a pic of 1761 before being repainted into the red stripe and a STO . Don't know who took the pic?

 

 

I remember a BHA convention in Ottawa, 2001 IIRC, for which our tour bus was 1768 - which was also the number of Winnipeg's last trolleybus in 1970.

On 4/24/2022 at 5:08 AM, Loud-Invero said:

I have a technical question which I'm sure many won't be able to answer, but when DRL was mandated by Transport Canada in 1989 - that new vehicles must have DRL, which consist of either high beams activated at half intensity or front turn signal bulbs with the least bright filament turned on. How were OC Transpo mechanics able to basically modify the electrical system on the fishies or Classics to achieve this? I'm very curious.

DRL in this context is...?

On 4/18/2022 at 8:41 PM, Viafreak said:

Noticed some new signs on certain routes such as the 28 and 54. Instead of having the destination on a separate sign, it is displayed underneath the route name. I find that is easier to see and probably saves wear and tear on the signs. I wonder if all buses can display two lines on the front sign.

Do you mean "stacked" like Vancouver?

On 4/16/2022 at 10:38 PM, Nick B said:

Yup, this one featuring another member of this board alongside me 

Hey Nick, I still remember the 2013 Fishbowl Farewell trip; on which you were the youngest person aboard and I was the oldest!

On 3/30/2022 at 11:50 PM, Chris_the_traveller said:

Some things I noticed at the exo public board meeting:

• They suggested to one person that they file an access-to-information request to find out what will happen to the MR-90s

Sounds like some people there don't exactly believe in proactive disclosure.

On 3/31/2022 at 12:36 AM, OC Transpo/STO Fan said:

Here's some OC GM New Look photos that were recently uploaded on busdrawings.com (all credit goes to Luke Olszewski for taking them). The fishbowls look great in the maple leaf! 

These were at Hurdman station on July 21, 2005:

Within about a year afterward, they were gone.

3 hours ago, smallspy said:

It's fine in hundreds of other places across the planet. The biggest reason stems from the use of higher voltages - you don't want 1500V dc through a third rail.

Dan

That's what Ottawa does. Our Confederation line is 1500 VDC overhead contact. In tunnels (downtown, St. Laurent) they use something that looks like a contact rail.

On 3/27/2022 at 3:20 PM, Souluxy said:

7912 has a SD160 seat on it, for comparison I took a photo of the 6466 seat beside it

Weren't the original SD160 seats (the most comfortable BTW) entirely dark blue, not 2-tone like New Look era seats?

On 3/18/2022 at 9:51 AM, NFIBUSES_are_awsome said:

A bus stalled in front of my house the number is 404 I’m pretty sure it was doing the 85

Obviously.

On 3/19/2022 at 1:51 AM, Nick B said:

I don't know how I feel about the glaringly TTC-reminiscent coloring scheme to be honest.. I was never a fan of their interior styling over there personally. Nonetheless it's cool how CT is trying to standardize things between fleet types and plastic seating will definitely be nice to have on hot days.

I did try them out this evening, thankfully they're still much better for comfort than the Gemini seating found in Edmonton/demo #1996 although they was already some good dust deposits on them from the open windows!

Rest of the bus is unchanged.

I'm OK with the fabric if it's not too dark a shade that would attract heat.

On 3/18/2022 at 1:20 AM, Dane said:

If you download the CHEK+ app you can watch the whole series now It was posted to CHEK, who paid for the production, roughly two months ahead of the Downie Live channel.

I actually didn't love the cross Canada series, felt too forced and insufficiency train centric, at least until the last episode. But still did enjoy watching it!

TruEarth sponsored the series. They make a series of eco-friendly products that Mike plugs and uses regularly; the promo code DownieLive is good for a 10% discount.

On 3/9/2022 at 7:02 PM, InfiNorth said:

A bit too zany-tik-tokky for my liking (I'm more on Geoff Marshall's frequency) but super glad that someone has finally filled the niche of making VIA Rail cool on social media. Has he done the Labrador train?

No, he didn't. Then again I never knew there were any passenger trains in Labrador, certainly none that VIA ever operated.

On 3/14/2022 at 2:26 PM, yvarushin said:

Looks like the CT app is still operable and their contract was extended.https://twitter.com/calgarytransit/status/1503437061973590029?s=20&t=Vc6bjlOE2sCabWx-rON6Iw

Little different from the generic Transit app.