O-Train Line 1 | The Confederation Line

[Loud-Invero]

You can't make this up. And yet Watson is crying crocodile tears that the province didn't give him notice about an inquiry? 

https://twitter.com/OC_Transpo/status/1461518919597006861?t=ohB0jj4P8uKdkmcnBzTe0Q&s=19

 

[HB_1024]

Do people complain like this when TTC subway trains break down? Montreal Metro trains? Skytrains in Vancouver?

Seriously, the derailment and maintenance issues on a brand new rail line are inexcusable, as are some of the other aspects of the ongoing debacle, but if we're going to start calling for blood at every breakdown then we might as well tear the whole thing down and put the buses back. Or don't, because buses break down too and we obviously can't handle breakdowns.

Lost in all of this, does anyone remember how much of an utter trainwreck (excuse the pun) the 2015? Line 2 upgrade was, when the LINTs entered service for the first time? Being a Carleton student at the time I remember it quite un-fondly. Putting aside the shutdown for two days immediately after the disaster of a launch day, there were constant (and I do mean basically once a day) issues with doors, signals, switches, etc. That continued for a LONG time. I expect the same thing will happen here, and I honestly expect the same teething problems with the Stadler FLIRTs too.

[ZümmyZüm]

35 minutes ago, HB_1024 said:

Do people complain like this when TTC subway trains break down? Montreal Metro trains? Skytrains in Vancouver?

Seriously, the derailment and maintenance issues on a brand new rail line are inexcusable, as are some of the other aspects of the ongoing debacle, but if we're going to start calling for blood at every breakdown then we might as well tear the whole thing down and put the buses back. Or don't, because buses break down too and we obviously can't handle breakdowns.

Lost in all of this, does anyone remember how much of an utter trainwreck (excuse the pun) the 2015? Line 2 upgrade was, when the LINTs entered service for the first time? Being a Carleton student at the time I remember it quite un-fondly. Putting aside the shutdown for two days immediately after the disaster of a launch day, there were constant (and I do mean basically once a day) issues with doors, signals, switches, etc. That continued for a LONG time. I expect the same thing will happen here, and I honestly expect the same teething problems with the Stadler FLIRTs too.

I believe the issue comes more from the size of our city, TTC,STM and Translink are far larger and busier so when something goes on there it’s a lot less noticeable. However here when line 1 has an issue it becomes a domino affect and hurts a lot of passengers simply because there just isn’t enough proper infrastructure on the LRT to move the trains around a disabled train.  
 

the same goes for our bus service, in Toronto when buses run every 6-8 minutes and 1 doesn’t show up, nobody really cares but when you’re waiting for an 85 that’s every half hour at night and that bus breaks down? Well you’ve got a lot of passengers who can’t get home now. 
 

and finally IMO because Ottawa is a “sleepy city” where things are pretty quiet the public will notice and complain about things far more often because they know it will get a rise/attention from who they complain about. People tweet to OC and the team does a good job at reaching out, which shows the public we’re here for them ( even if only to hear their complaints ) If someone tweets the TTC they’d be lucky to get a response in 5 days because it’s simply not a priority and the public knows this and don’t waste their time. 

[Loud-Invero]

2 hours ago, HB_1024 said:

but if we're going to start calling for blood at every breakdown then we might as well tear the whole thing down and put the buses back. Or don't, because buses break down too and we obviously can't handle breakdowns.

The thing is those other systems actually have parallel service, or already pre-existing routes that match pretty well with the train line. The only route the does anything even close to parallel service is the 16 which runs at 30-minute frequencies often with 40 ft buses between Lees and Tunney's only. And sure, buses break down, but that wouldn't mean anything if your old 96 broke down, but there was a 95 right behind your bus to still take you to Blair.

[Waiting for 30 Minutes]

4 hours ago, Loud-Invero said:

The thing is those other systems actually have parallel service, or already pre-existing routes that match pretty well with the train line. The only route the does anything even close to parallel service is the 16 which runs at 30-minute frequencies often with 40 ft buses between Lees and Tunney's only. And sure, buses break down, but that wouldn't mean anything if your old 96 broke down, but there was a 95 right behind your bus to still take you to Blair.

The TTC, STM, and TransLink's maps and schedules would show that's mostly untrue.

The TTC runs route 97 along Yonge Street under that section of Line 1 and route 85 under Line 4, as continuing service along Sheppard Avenue from east of Don Mills Road. Both those routes have 20-to-30-minute headways on weekdays. There is no parallel service for Line 1's University-Spadina section or lines 2 and 3. STM's Métro features more parallel service, but there are several points where passengers would have to change buses to continue along the Métro line. Vancouver has route 15 along Cambie Street, operating more frequently during the day on weekdays.

Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver have the advantage of expansive roadway grids which allow for nearby routes to travel parallel to their rapid transit lines. Toronto and Montreal have the added advantage of rapid transit lines mostly following major roadways. The services I mentioned above also travel along established corridors with several trip generators.

Ottawa's road network, as a consequence of the city's geography, doesn't feature the same expansive grid which would allow for bus service to share larger sections of Line 1, even a few streets away. Additionally, Ottawa's rapid transit stations outside downtown don't serve as much more than transfer hubs, since most of it doesn't run in trip generating corridors. Outside downtown, there really isn't much along Line 1 to warrant frequent surface routes.

I get the point you're arguing, but what you're using to support it isn't accurate and much less simplistic than you make it out to be.

[smallspy]

10 hours ago, HB_1024 said:

Do people complain like this when TTC subway trains break down?

Yes.

 

It's just one reason why Twitter is a hell-hole.

 

Dan

[T3G]

Complaining bitterly about one's local transit system - whether the reason for doing so is legitimate or not - seems to be a thing in most cities I've ever studied transit in. I'm pretty sure the only people who could remotely be considered satisfied are transit fans.

And, to be fair, this often extends far and beyond the limits of transit. I'm pretty sure most people just like having a grievance.

[smallspy]

23 hours ago, T3G said:

Complaining bitterly about one's local transit system - whether the reason for doing so is legitimate or not - seems to be a thing in most cities I've ever studied transit in. I'm pretty sure the only people who could remotely be considered satisfied are transit fans.

And, to be fair, this often extends far and beyond the limits of transit. I'm pretty sure most people just like having a grievance.

It is human nature to wish to air a grievance to a crowd. It is a means of airing frustration, and hoping to find some similarity/equality - a connection - in others.

 

In the past, we did that to our immediate circle of contacts, by a phone call or over dinner. Now with the advent of things like Twitter and Facebook, we can do so to everyone that we do and don't know.

 

Dan

[Mark Walton]

On 11/18/2021 at 10:56 PM, HB_1024 said:

Do people complain like this when TTC subway trains break down? Montreal Metro trains? Skytrains in Vancouver?

CTrains in Calgary? LRT trains in Edmonton? IONs in Kitchener?

[Waiting for 30 Minutes]

On 11/20/2021 at 9:49 AM, smallspy said:

It is human nature to wish to air a grievance to a crowd. It is a means of airing frustration, and hoping to find some similarity/equality - a connection - in others.

 

In the past, we did that to our immediate circle of contacts, by a phone call or over dinner. Now with the advent of things like Twitter and Facebook, we can do so to everyone that we do and don't know.

 

Dan

Man, how did we ever share pictures of our food with strangers before social media?

[tomsbuspage]

4 hours ago, Waiting for 30 Minutes said:

Man, how did we ever share pictures of our food with strangers before social media?

[tomsbuspage]

This is legit...

https://www.chez106.com/contests/when-will-the-lrt-breakdown-again/

Quote

When Will The LRT Breakdown Again?

Make Your Guess and WIN BIG!

The LRT is operating again… for now. The Biggs and Barr Show are giving you the chance to WIN BIG just for guessing what day the LRT will breakdown again (we all know it will.)

Guess correctly you could get a plinko chip for the official OttaWHAT Plinko Board! Whatever your plinko chip lands on… you win!

Prizes on the Plinko Board

• $1,000 CASH
• Winter Tires ($1000 gift card)
• 106 Liters of Gas!
• 24 cans of The Biggs & Barr Brew from Overflow Brewing Company
• 106 Cartons of Eggnog

No purchase necessary. Contest ends when the LRT breakdown happens. A breakdown is defined as total shutdown of the system. Odds of winning depend on total number of eligible entries received. If more than 1 individual guesses the correct date, the tie breaker question will be used. Must correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question to win. Open to residents of Ontario within the terrestrial broadcast radius of radio station who are over the age of 18.

Thanks to @M.Wright for the link!

Now what would I do with 106 cartons of egg nog?

[GTAmissions1]

2 hours ago, tomsbuspage said:

This is legit...

https://www.chez106.com/contests/when-will-the-lrt-breakdown-again/

Thanks to @M.Wright for the link!

Now what would I do with 106 cartons of egg nog?

To be honest, I didn't think one radio station would make it a contest on when the next breakdown will happen. Especially with the track record and the 54 day shutdown for the most recent derailment. 

That is a lot of egg nog. Plinko is one of my favourite games from The Price is Right. You only need one chip to win something. The other four have to be won with the correct digit in the price. 

[JCL]

OC Transpo tweeted out that 11 double trains are in service today, which achieves a 5 minute service. 

Normally during rush hour (as of late-Summer 2020 and Fall 2020), 15 double trains are required for AM rush hour (for a 3 to 4 minute service) and 13 double trains for PM Rush Hour (for a 4 minute service).

 

[MCIBUS]

5 mins isn't bad. Considering wait longer for some bus routes. So 5 mins is great.

[Mark Walton]

On 11/25/2021 at 9:36 PM, tomsbuspage said:

This is legit...

https://www.chez106.com/contests/when-will-the-lrt-breakdown-again/

Thanks to @M.Wright for the link!

Now what would I do with 106 cartons of egg nog?

At least one was due to a trespasser on the tracks between St. Laurent and Blair, but that was cleared quickly.

[MCIBUS]

To me for the individual to be on the tracks(assuming that was the issue not sure if it was) the individual most likely either some how jumped/scaled over the fence, or  there's hole somewhere in the fence so you can get onto the tracks?.

So either the fence isn't high enough so some one can't jump it or not high enough  to climb over and go over the fence.

 

By what I've seen of the fence it looks like it's between 4 & 5 feet high?(I could be mistaken in the high though?)

[Waiting for 30 Minutes]

7 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

To me for the individual to be on the tracks(assuming that was the issue not sure if it was) the individual most likely either some how jumped/scaled over the fence, or  there's hole somewhere in the fence so you can get onto the tracks?.

So either the fence isn't high enough so some one can't jump it or not high enough  to climb over and go over the fence.

 

By what I've seen of the fence it looks like it's between 4 & 5 feet high?(I could be mistaken in the high though?)

The person walked on via Cyrville Station's platform.

Most of the fencing along Line 1 is standard five-foot tall chain link fence. Some of it sits atop jersey barriers. Determined people will always find ways to trespass, no matter how tall the fence.

[Mark Walton]

City goes to court after 'default' talks with RTG go unresolved | Ottawa Citizen

[GTAmissions1]

Same article I linked in the Trillium Line thread, but this also affects the Confederation Line west extension which is suffering a delay of 10 months at the time of writing. This is due to the tunnelling work between Dominion and Lincoln Fields via cut and cover system with the ground conditions being a major factor. 

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/trillium-line-facing-nine-month-delay-with-a-longer-delay-potentially-for-west-lrt-extension

May 25, 2025 for the western extension for substantial completion. November 26, 2024 for the eastern extension completion. 

Here is an update video for those interested:

 

[Transitfan39]

I saw something weird saturday night when the train I was on stopped between Cyrville and Blair to let another train depart Blair, I never seen that happen since I rode the LRT and I thought the train was breaking down 

[JCL]

6 hours ago, Transitfan39 said:

I saw something weird saturday night when the train I was on stopped between Cyrville and Blair to let another train depart Blair, I never seen that happen since I rode the LRT and I thought the train was breaking down 

Over the last couple of weeks, they've been loading/off-loading passengers at Blair Station on the eastbound platform (Track 2/Platform 2) rather than the usual westbound platform (Track 1/Platform 1). 

If the westbound train departing Blair doesn't leave on-time or the eastbound train approaches Blair before departing westbound train leaves, the eastbound train will have to wait. 

[sseguin]

Stage 2 LRT Update - A Look at the Progress of the O-Train Expansion in Ottawa - December 2021

Last week, the City of Ottawa delivered an update on Stage 2 LRT progress in the city. Stage 2 is expanding the O-Train service in the East from Blair to Trim, in the West from Tunney's Pasture to Algonquin and Moodie, and in the South from Bayview to Limebank and the Airport.

In this video, I discuss and provide my take on some of the important progress being realized on these massive construction and infrastructure projects across the city.

The photos contained in this video were provided by the City of Ottawa and mostly date from November 2021.

You can skip ahead to the times below if you just want to view a specific extension:
01:21 - East Extension (Blair to Trim)
14:32 - West Extension (Tunney's Pasture to Algonquin and Moodie)
37:36 - South Extension (Bayview to Limebank and Airport)

NOTE: During the West Extension portion, I mistakenly refer to the bus garage as Merivale when it is in fact Pinecrest.

 

[Transitfan39]

On 12/19/2021 at 8:57 AM, JCL said:

Over the last couple of weeks, they've been loading/off-loading passengers at Blair Station on the eastbound platform (Track 2/Platform 2) rather than the usual westbound platform (Track 1/Platform 1). 

If the westbound train departing Blair doesn't leave on-time or the eastbound train approaches Blair before departing westbound train leaves, the eastbound train will have to wait. 

I did notice something I never seen since I moved to Ottawa: A powered down train on the westbound platform and regular train on the eastbound platform, When I got to Blair around 2:30pm the train had no signage turned on, just the green light and the inner lights turned on, then when my train was waiting for departure, The other train showed some life when the signage came on with a out of service sign 

[Waiting for 30 Minutes]

12 hours ago, Transitfan39 said:

I did notice something I never seen since I moved to Ottawa: A powered down train on the westbound platform and regular train on the eastbound platform, When I got to Blair around 2:30pm the train had no signage turned on, just the green light and the inner lights turned on, then when my train was waiting for departure, The other train showed some life when the signage came on with a out of service sign 

Spare trains are normally parked at Belfast Yard and launched when needed. On occasion, RTM may need to work on the connector tracks or elsewhere off the mainline that could affect the movement of trains, so they send the train out and park it at Blair. There has been some work in the connector tracks the last few days, so trains have been parked at Blair on and off so far this week.