Ed T.

From Metrolinx. As far as I could tell, those lower/outer horizontal arms have nothing to insulate them from the line. There appear to be insulators on the both the angle and horizontal arms, close to the pole where they attach. You can just see them as corrugations in this picture.

The overhead design used makes some of the support arms live, or at least it looks like it has to be that way. The arms have insulation as part of them. This seems like an unusual design, or at least one I have not seen.

West of Weston Rd is a really big mess. Driving through there is like the Paris-Dakar, especially if you go off course. Obviously there is absolutely no rail there. I assume that this area has been delayed by geotechnical considerations--it's a small valley.

Upper Gerrard loading patterns may be similar to Lake Shore loading patterns, mostly, I guess. Although other than morning rush hour peak, it was unusual to get standing loads on the Queen car much before Humber loop, heading downtown.

I expect that pulling into and out of stops is considerably easier on Lake Shore, which is mostly two open lanes plus a parking/bus stop lane.

Lake Shore also has a 50 km/h limit, unlike any part of the Carlton car's route that I can think of, with the possible exception of the short Main St. and Dundas west sections.

TL;DR: it's not very useful to extrapolate from one bustitution in one part of the city to another bustitution elsewhere.

Well, 7954 is definitely moving around the Wajax yard, that's the third location in as many weeks. I would be surprised if Wajax would want a retired bus sitting on their property (beyond poor old 7423) but maybe BusMedic has some domain-specific knowledge about this.

On 6/12/2023 at 10:30 AM, Ed T. said:

Wajax really likes 7954, it's still there. Joined this week by 3109.

3109 is lingering around Wajax still. I did not see 7954. It's not currently in service, has anyone seen it out?

TTC 7948, the OG hand me down, seen handing it down to the downtrodden and oppressed riders of 50 BURNHAMTHORPE.

On 6/10/2023 at 10:49 PM, nfitz said:

Isn't it? I love Line 3. Get's me to Scarborough Centre quickly ... I probably won't be there after 2023 until 2030. I wish they'd have extended it to Malvern in the east, and "south" to Scarborough GO and Kingston Road (though the last 850 metres would be challenging).

But 3 ANCASTER PARK would get you quickly to....hmm....well....okay never mind.

On 6/3/2023 at 9:22 AM, Ed T. said:

TTC 7954 continues its vacation, joined by the only other TTC bus I could see there, 3237.

Wajax really likes 7954, it's still there. Joined this week by 3109.

11 hours ago, Xtrazsteve said:

184 ANCASTER PARK is the new route (I meant really old) from Wilson Station. 120 no longer services Ancaster Park.

They should give it its old number. That way people nostalgic for the RT can have something to ride.

https://transittoronto.ca/bus/routes/3-ancaster-park.shtml

1 hour ago, CJ. said:

You would be able to. I don't think much operators have gone ahead to do It though. Its not exactly like electric cars but it is much more different and much easier to handle than diesel buses altogether

I've driven a plug-in electric for work for two years I guess, and I really like one pedal driving (although this particular vehicle will not come to a complete stop--when it's just about at a stop, it starts creeping like an automatic transmission). After all this time and a lot of in-city driving, as well as freeway, I do have it down pretty good, where I might go half an hour between actually having to move my foot to the brake (on the 401, not in the city!). It may be easier in a car with only the driver in it, sometimes even with experience I misjudge the slowing. You wouldn't want to do that with standing passengers!

Considering that for personal cars, I have owned nothing but manual transmission cars since 2005, going from three pedals to basically one is a switch, but a good one.

27 minutes ago, nfitz said:

Though what happens first? Completion of this project, which will be pushing 2030, or the first stations getting ATC activated on Line 2.

In order:

1. Consideration of the possible need to plan an evaluation of the likelyhood that T1 cars just may not last forever.
2. Announcement of the need to plan to request funds from the provincial and federal governments to pilot a platform edge door project. Possibly at Christie or Summerhill stations.
3. Sun turns into a red giant.
4. Heat death of the universe. Proton decay takes place.
5. Opening of Eglinton-Crosstown line.

On 5/4/2023 at 9:18 AM, Bus_Medic said:

As it is, the only difference between the 8000s and the 81s is the DPF is factory Cummins, and has a few more sensors….and the radiator fan is belt driven, not hydraulic. They can hit the ground running, as long as the parts are accessible.

Just my mechanical curiosity, do the 8000s have a little hydraulic pump which then runs a hydraulic motor that turns the fan? And do the hydraulics work any other systems?

With the fan belt fans, would there still be a thermostatic viscous clutch on them, or are they simply run off the belt at engine* speed.

I imagine the fans would be pretty massive. And I remember when viscous clutches were a newfangled thing on cars--in those days of V8 and RWD, the fans weren't electric, they were hung off the water pumps and driven by (an) accessory belt.

*In the ratio determined by the pulleys.

TTC 8101 is (a?) Queensway contribution to the Vic Park--Kennedy B-D shuttle.

7964 seen heading on some mysterious mission eastbound on Lawrence, passing by Warden station and continuing on.

A couple of Queensway buses seen eastbound on the Gardiner heading for downtown or points east. 8046 and I believe 7976. In any case, a 7900 and an 8000.

13 hours ago, CJ. said:

It is still problematic. On a lucky day you might see 6 at very most in service. Garage guys aren't too familiar, operators aren't familiar to the driving experience either.

Can these buses be mostly driven "one pedal" like electric cars with a max regen mode? You can slow down without backing off 100% on the accelerator, and slow down pretty briskly if you lift your foot. Maybe this is kind of how like a retarder works.....or maybe a PCC, which as I understand it had no free coasting, it would slow down when the accelerator is released. (Note, I have never driven a bus, nor a PCC. And I am not Sandra Bullock.)

On 5/27/2023 at 9:14 AM, Ed T. said:

TTC 7954 continues to relax at Wajax. Joined now by 3190.

TTC 7954 continues its vacation, joined by the only other TTC bus I could see there, 3237.

1 hour ago, Crix said:

Is there a specific reason as to why the 81xx at queensway get assigned to almost the same runs. 

Only a Genius could know that.

On 5/20/2023 at 6:16 AM, Ed T. said:

TTC 7954 seen at Wajax.

TTC 7954 continues to relax at Wajax. Joined now by 3190.

TTC 7954 seen at Wajax.

3 hours ago, T3G said:

Fixed your post for you.

I'm not sure why anyone thought it was a good idea to involve the private sector in building transit to begin with.

Well, it's going to be involved anyway, unless the TTC builds cement and rebar plants, hires a zillion labourers, converts some more 7900s to dump trucks, etc.

The question is who is supposed to be in charge at the various project management levels.

TTC 7915 seen in service on one or another of Queensway's hand-me-down routes, perhaps 112.

This bus was at Wajax back in March. So obviously these buses are being repaired and put back in service, not just being prepped for Obico.

11 hours ago, nfitz said:

They seem hunched in Toronto too. My mobile works in the TTC tunnels on the downtown loop (St. George to Yonge-Bloor on both lines). If Bell and Rogers hadn't been playing silly buggers for the last decade, they'd easily have it all installed by now.

And so they should look better - what did they cost; about double the cost per trainset? They first batch of STM's 52 trainsets were ordered in 2010 for $23.1 million per train, while the 2018 add-on of 17 trainsets were $26.4 million per train, for an average price of $23.9 million per train.

TTC's 2006 order of 39 TR trainsets cost $16.0 million per train, and the add-on of 31 trainsets in 2010 cost $12.8 million! The final add-on of 10 trainsets in 2014 (later rejigged to six 6-car Line 1 trains and six 4-car Line 4 trains) was $17.7 million per train.

Montréal's tunnels are a lot deeper than Toronto's. I'm pretty sure that when people are fiddling with their smartphones XXX metres under the St. Lawrence southbound to Longueil, there's probably service in the tunnels.

Montréal also seems to get a lot more service life out of their trainsets. The original 1966 vintage units were retired only a few years ago, and their second gen from the early '70s is in base service on at least three lines, although not the majority of trains on the green line.

Contrast that with Toronto. We've disposed of at least five generations, and that's lumping all Gloucesters and all the H1-H4 together.

9 hours ago, 81-717 said:

idk, I find the TR's "sleek" design to be something that is notably lacking in most of its modern counterparts in other systems across the world. ofc I still prefer the classic boxy design of older cars though.

Have you tried out the Montréal Métro? I know the grass is greener on the other side, etc, but I saw many things there that I wish we had in Toronto. Note, of course, that accessibility is NOT one of those things, the Métro is mostly remarkably inaccessible.

22 minutes ago, T3G said:

Toronto has so many issues that preclude it from ever being considered one of the great cities of the world, a lack of cell service in the subway is a trivial afterthought.

I am not sure if we want to be a "great city of the world".

Nevertheless, Montréal Métro has cell service in tunnels (I assume--everyone is hunched over their smartphones). Also, their MPM-10 Azur trains make Toronto's TR look like plastic-lined stainless steel wastebaskets from Ikea. Also the doors open and close quickly and without delays.

Other than that, remember, Toronto is "World Class!!!!"

Overhead truck was sitting in the King/Church intersection Friday midday, doing some kind of work.

Southbound NIS car went through the intersection, but exactly which way it went I didn't see. (Overhead is not done on Wellington, so I assume not straight through.)

TTC Queen shuttle buses caught in the general traffic chaos. Best to walk in that area.

On 5/8/2023 at 10:35 AM, Ed T. said:

Seen at Wajax over the weekend and this morning: 3299, 3301, 3336 continuing to languish.

Today only 8913 seen on the property.

Yesterday afternoon 8075 making a mess of traffic on Dundas as it was being hooked up to an Abrams tow.