M. Parsons Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 Anyways, some random things that I was thinking about the LRT the other day. As I'm sure most of you familiar with Edmonton's LRT know, it runs on the 6 minute peak headway right now. This wasn't always the case. It used to be 5 minutes. IIRC, the 6 minute headway came in back in 1998 when Belvedere was being rebuilt. The rebuilding required single tracking at Belvedere which, I assume, resulted in the need to drop service to every 6 minutes. To make up for the reduced carrying capacity, 4 car trains were used. I think this was the first time 4 cars trains were used in regular service (3 cars is the norm for peak hours usually). They finished Belvedere... I can't recall if they returned to 5 minute service at that point or not. However, they then started on Clareview... around 2000 or 2001. The temporary Clareview platform could only hold one train, although concrete stairs were installed for the second track so that ETS personal could get on/off a train on that track. I would, assume again, that they would have gone back to a 6 minute service at this point. They were also using track 1 a DLM to bump up trains as there was no tail track at Clareview now. Clareview was done... SLRT worked started. The only real significance of that until 2006 was that they had to refit all the cars with extra brakes. I seem to recall ETS always running 4 car trains since Clareview was rebuilt. Usually just two trains now, but, I assume this is to make up for the lack of an extra train to allow 5 minute service, and again, the reduced carrying capacity. They were running 9 car peak hour trains. With 3 cars each and two 4 car trains that's 29 cars... allowing for 8 cars to still be in the garage... With 1 spare 3 car train, that allows for 5 cars to be down for work. Not too bad of a spare ratio, but this was pushed when ETS was reluctant to send out 1008, 17 and 29 when they were painted plain white, waiting for stripes. Now though, ETS is running 10 trains, 3 cars, two 4 cars... They can only have 5 spare cars period... that might not even allow for even 1 spare trainset! In short, it would seem the 6 minute service provided right now is simply because of a car shortage. I'm sure ETS can hardly wait until they get the new Siemens cars in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 AFAIK, LRT never went back to the 5 min. frequency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 AFAIK, LRT never went back to the 5 min. frequency. I thought they went to 5 minute frequency during about 4 trips in am and 4 in pm back in the april signup? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted September 2, 2006 Report Share Posted September 2, 2006 There are some instances where there were 5 minutes between a few trains, but not where it was consistently 5 minutes apart for the whole peak period. It is very irregular, at one point there are two trains from Churchill SB one at 0701 and the other at 0709, the next at 0715, 8 min. apart and then 06 min. apart so go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Marriott Posted September 5, 2006 Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 I doubt we'll see the return of 5 minute service with the new cars, since ETS is ordering the bare minimum of cars for the extension, so the tight spare ratio will likely continue. Anyways, some random things that I was thinking about the LRT the other day. As I'm sure most of you familiar with Edmonton's LRT know, it runs on the 6 minute peak headway right now. This wasn't always the case. It used to be 5 minutes. IIRC, the 6 minute headway came in back in 1998 when Belvedere was being rebuilt. The rebuilding required single tracking at Belvedere which, I assume, resulted in the need to drop service to every 6 minutes. To make up for the reduced carrying capacity, 4 car trains were used. I think this was the first time 4 cars trains were used in regular service (3 cars is the norm for peak hours usually). They finished Belvedere... I can't recall if they returned to 5 minute service at that point or not. However, they then started on Clareview... around 2000 or 2001. The temporary Clareview platform could only hold one train, although concrete stairs were installed for the second track so that ETS personal could get on/off a train on that track. I would, assume again, that they would have gone back to a 6 minute service at this point. They were also using track 1 a DLM to bump up trains as there was no tail track at Clareview now. Clareview was done... SLRT worked started. The only real significance of that until 2006 was that they had to refit all the cars with extra brakes. I seem to recall ETS always running 4 car trains since Clareview was rebuilt. Usually just two trains now, but, I assume this is to make up for the lack of an extra train to allow 5 minute service, and again, the reduced carrying capacity. They were running 9 car peak hour trains. With 3 cars each and two 4 car trains that's 29 cars... allowing for 8 cars to still be in the garage... With 1 spare 3 car train, that allows for 5 cars to be down for work. Not too bad of a spare ratio, but this was pushed when ETS was reluctant to send out 1008, 17 and 29 when they were painted plain white, waiting for stripes. Now though, ETS is running 10 trains, 3 cars, two 4 cars... They can only have 5 spare cars period... that might not even allow for even 1 spare trainset! In short, it would seem the 6 minute service provided right now is simply because of a car shortage. I'm sure ETS can hardly wait until they get the new Siemens cars in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 I took the LRT this morning (Sunday) for a bit of an 'electric fix'. A two car consist, Units # 1013 & 1024. Everything was very ordinary, except that the 'male voice' announcements were not the same 'male' that we've all become accustomed to. Do these M5 Multitronic Units (or whatever they are called) have more than one voice for the motorman to choose from ? This one seemed to be working very well. The last few times (with the exception of this morning) I have taken the LRT, the voice seemed to alternate between outside and inside speakers. Also, for anyone curious about last night, there was a SOLD OUT Elton John concert at the Coliseum, that's why there were large consists late at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted October 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 I took the LRT this morning (Sunday) for a bit of an 'electric fix'. A two car consist, Units # 1013 & 1024. Everything was very ordinary, except that the 'male voice' announcements were not the same 'male' that we've all become accustomed to. Do these M5 Multitronic Units (or whatever they are called) have more than one voice for the motorman to choose from ? This one seemed to be working very well. The last few times (with the exception of this morning) I have taken the LRT, the voice seemed to alternate between outside and inside speakers. Also, for anyone curious about last night, there was a SOLD OUT Elton John concert at the Coliseum, that's why there were large consists late at night. That's kind of what I figured as there were no Oilers games and the Eskimos game was away. A second 4 car train showed up at Clareview shortly after the regular service train. Both went into the tail track at Cromdale. It looked like there was a third train, set to come out of DL, probably to suppliment the southbounds, while the other two would head north. So, why do trains come out through MYN (north), rather than MYS (south)? I would guess it is because MYS doesn't have the automatic stop to test trains breaking activated by the magnets on the track? Otherwise, it seems a bit wasteful to take a train to Clareview, switch ends, then head south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 1, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 I've only ever heard the one male voice. I don't even know how MYS connects to the main line - I'll have to check it out tomorrow. I thought it only connected to the northbound track, and there are no switches then until Coliseum? I guess it could be the magnet testing, but it is also nice to get people cleared out of Clareview too, and if what I said above is true (which probably isn't), then the train needs to get on the southbound track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 I've only ever heard the one male voice. It was train # 3, consisting of Units 1013 & 1024. That's why I mentioned it, thinking someone may be able to check it out. It startled me this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 1, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 They seem to switch up the consists almost every day. I'll try to see if I can catch one of those units tomorrow. And also look for 1027. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 They seem to switch up the consists almost every day. I'll try to see if I can catch one of those units tomorrow. And also look for 1027. Are there different voices on that 'Trouncer' (I remembered what it is called ) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 1, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 Not sure if you can set them, but for the past month it has always been the same voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 1, 2006 Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 Not sure if you can set them, but for the past month it has always been the same voice. OK. Maybe guy in Trouncer has a cold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted October 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2006 OK. Maybe guy in Trouncer has a cold Or laryngitis, as one motorman announced to the train when the Trouncer was having problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Or laryngitis, as one motorman announced to the train when the Trouncer was having problems. But actually, it sounded good and problem free this time. But definitely a different 'male' voice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted October 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 I don't even know how MYS connects to the main line - I'll have to check it out tomorrow. I thought it only connected to the northbound track, and there are no switches then until Coliseum? It should as there's a connection to the mainline on the southside of D.L... which I believe is MYS. There's crossovers just before and just after Belvedere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 2, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Rode 1024 this morning, voice is still the same as always. However, the "Next Stop" announcements seemed to be delayed until we were almost into the station. 1013 is going to be the tailcar (on a different consist) out of University, and I'll see if I can catch it when I'm out of here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 2, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 Didn't catch 1013. Rode 1026, same announcements as always. We noticed this before (Martin), but the B end of 1026 has a builder's plate from 1012. "1026 B" was stickered on, but it is now partially ripped off. Makes for an interesting picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 2, 2006 Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 OK. Perhaps my ears need cleaning. I know the voice sounded like a different guy yesterday, albeit still a guy. Do you have a pic of the B end of 1026 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 2, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 2, 2006 If I notice the different voice I will report it of course. So don't think you are insane yet. I'm on the thing every weekday (and holy crap was it jampacked on my trip today). I don't have a picture, but I think Martin took one when we noticed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microbus Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 It should as there's a connection to the mainline on the southside of D.L... which I believe is MYS. There's crossovers just before and just after Belvedere. Just joined your forums, so first post for me There is a crossover between MYS and Belvedere for reverse movement. For trains going south on the NB track to crossover to the SB track, or of course for trains going north on the SB track to crossover to the NB track. And the switches are part of the signal system, operated by control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Welcome to CPTDB !!! Question for you, what does the 'B' stand for in BMYN ? We know MYN is Main Yard North (at least that is my educated guess), but lately it is is being referred to as BMYN rather than MYN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted October 3, 2006 Board Admin Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 microbus, welcome to the forums! I was watching the tracks today, and from MYS, trains must be on the northbound track until the switch before Belvedere. So, I guess it shouldn't be a problem to send trains out of MYS, other than the fact that you miss Clareview and the magnet test. All the signals have B in front of them. Not sure what it stands for though. I think the motormen just drop the B when referring to MYN or MYS. ie. Clareview Northbound track is BN836 while Clareview Southbound track is BS836. Martin says the numbers refers to some unit of distance from the control centre, as Central is BS040? The consist that Martin and I rode this morning started announcing "Next stop, Stadium Station" from Bay station onwards... It announced Grandin properly before reaching there, but went back to wanting to go to Stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCT-3122-D800-10240 Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Just joined your forums, so first post for me There is a crossover between MYS and Belvedere for reverse movement. For trains going south on the NB track to crossover to the SB track, or of course for trains going north on the SB track to crossover to the NB track. And the switches are part of the signal system, operated by control. Are you a LRT Operator in Edmonton by chance? I operate CTrain here in Calgary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microbus Posted October 4, 2006 Report Share Posted October 4, 2006 Welcome to CPTDB !!! Question for you, what does the 'B' stand for in BMYN ? We know MYN is Main Yard North (at least that is my educated guess), but lately it is is being referred to as BMYN rather than MYN. The B just means 'block', so BMYN means Block MY North, and BS729 means Block South 729, which would be on the southbound track. And yes, they're based on distance, with Churchill being the centre point. If you watch when going either direction from Churchill, the numbers on the block signals increase. TDH, I do drive the LRT in Edmonton sometimes, but I mainly drive bus, currently on routes 59, 60, and 78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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