Toronto Rocket Subway Cars

[Orion VIII]

It would be 5536, as friends reported 5534 and 5535 arriving at Wilson Monday afternoon.

[Turtle]

And the doors close before the chimes are done ringing and the "please stand clear of doors" announcement plays. You'd think some of these basic issues they would of fixed by now

Sometimes it is the operators fault, sometimes its a quirk.

Oh, there are lots of little issues with them, just the doors is the one that a passenger will likely ever notice. Don't get me wrong, I like the TR, just think it needs a little fine tuning and debugging. Can't wait to see these things drive themselves.

[spliffmansmith]

It would be 5536, as friends reported 5534 and 5535 arriving at Wilson Monday afternoon.

....thanks, I thought it was 5536, but for some reason doubted myself.

[Tramguy]

I rode 5501 from Union Station to St George yesterday, my first ride on the new Rocket Subway cars. I know, everyone's saying, "Where have you been?" I was on my way home from the Auto Show. A very smooth ride. The sound system had an echo effect as I was sitting close to the front. Six foot, eighters will have to watch their heads! Change off on operators at Osgoode Station. Question: On these operator changeoffs, why isn't the new operator on the platform where the lead car would stop? I've noticed this in previous years in the early evening, the train would sit eastbound at Jane or Christie for minutes waiting for the new driver. I'm sure there are many who can enlighten me.

[wil9402]

Change off on operators at Osgoode Station. Question: On these operator changeoffs, why isn't the new operator on the platform where the lead car would stop? I've noticed this in previous years in the early evening, the train would sit eastbound at Jane or Christie for minutes waiting for the new driver. I'm sure there are many who can enlighten me.

They are exchanging trains. So in your case the operator and guard from the northbound train switched with the operator and guard from the southbound train at Osgoode. If it is a T1 or H5/6 train they need time to walk down the platform from the 2nd/5th car to the 1st/6th. Depending on how long the first train arrived at the station the operator and guard are waiting on the opposite side of the platform in time for the arrival of the train they will be taking over.

[Tramguy]

Thanks, wil9402! I guess they're not allowed to hop the tracks! lol

[pccstreetcar4549]

I rode 5501 from Union Station to St George yesterday, my first ride on the new Rocket Subway cars. I know, everyone's saying, "Where have you been?" I was on my way home from the Auto Show. A very smooth ride. The sound system had an echo effect as I was sitting close to the front. Six foot, eighters will have to watch their heads! Change off on operators at Osgoode Station. Question: On these operator changeoffs, why isn't the new operator on the platform where the lead car would stop? I've noticed this in previous years in the early evening, the train would sit eastbound at Jane or Christie for minutes waiting for the new driver. I'm sure there are many who can enlighten me.

yeah the TRS are not tall people friendly lol (im 6,6) and there are tons of low ceiling spots but i usally stick with one car, its very rare i walk through the entire train

[Turtle]

Thanks, wil9402! I guess they're not allowed to hop the tracks! lol

Definitely not allowed to go to track level for that. We're not even allowed to walk between cars when the train is moving.

Some of the controllers are better at arranging the changeovers so that the trains arrive at the station almost at the same time, but some are terrible. The worst I have seen is a 4 minute wait for the opposite train. On the yus, they try to make them occur at the centre platforms as much as possible, but you still have a 150ft walk if you are guarding from the proper position from/to an older train. A station like Eglinton west, side platforms with stairs at only one end, is brutal. Almost 1000ft of walking to do.

[wil9402]

Watching the TR videos on YouTube, my own TR videos and watching the TRs in real life it seems as though the orange lights next to the headlights are brake lights, am I correct?

[Articulated]

Watching the TR videos on YouTube, my own TR videos and watching the TRs in real life it seems as though the orange lights next to the headlights are brake lights, am I correct?

Correct.

[Ramirez]

Definitely not allowed to go to track level for that. We're not even allowed to walk between cars when the train is moving.

Not allowed? But I've seen pictures of the TR inside, those gangways look pretty safe too me.

[pccstreetcar4549]

he meant the H-5 to t-1 class trains, theres a gap between cars, its not safe to walk across while the train is in motion

[Ramirez]

he meant the H-5 to t-1 class trains, theres a gap between cars, its not safe to walk across while the train is in motion

Ohh okay, that would be unsafe

Especially If you slipped

[Downsview 108]

he meant the H-5 to t-1 class trains, theres a gap between cars, its not safe to walk across while the train is in motion

When did they stop? The guard used to walk between the second-to-last and last car before the last stop.

[eja2k]

When did they stop? The guard used to walk between the second-to-last and last car before the last stop.

The policy has been around for a while ... the stickers went up on the inner car doors a few years back reminding passengers never to walk between the cars and reminding staff that its only allowed when the train is not in motion - i think there is a disclaimer that that is null and void in an emergency. That said, people (both passengers and staff) do it all the time.

[BBfellow]

That said, people (both passengers and staff) do it all the time.

Whoa, passengers do it? How ballsy.

[nfitz]

That said, people (both passengers and staff) do it all the time.

It's been years since I saw a passenger do it. And I don't see staff doing it that often, even in stations.

I'm sure it does happen, but I wouldn't say "all the time". In New York City, it might well be "all the time", particularly for vendors selling things in the trains.

[Downsview 108]

I saw a guy do it about 14 years ago and somehow the guard caught him and booted him off at the next stop. Harsh I know

[buschic]

it happens a lot on the BD, often see a guard do it between islington, kipling, or even just guarding from the rear car on a H6 or T1... thats a regular occurrence out here..

[Guest orionvi]

So, I've noticed a few kinks with the TR's that haven't really been mentioned.

The plexiglass(?) that cover the lever to open the Cab door in case of an emergency is already broken in a lot of the trains, also in some it has been completey removed, one could easily open the cab.

Also, I've noticed that in a lot of the TR's the "Please Stand Clear of Doors" announcement repeats 2-3 times everytime the doors close, is this because the operator presses the button more than once or because they keep their hands on the button?

Saw the cab door thing once when I took the first train of the day and told the driver he had the incorrect destination sign up. The lever moves when someone opens it from the inside. I'm surprised the operator even use that door as it appears to me that they have a door along the side of the cab. Plus I'm still surprised conductors are still being used, as I though we would get rid of them. Anyone know why?

[BBfellow]

Plus I'm still surprised conductors are still being used, as I though we would get rid of them. Anyone know why?

Automatic train control (ATC) isn't ready yet.

[Volvo Super Olympian]

Saw the cab door thing once when I took the first train of the day and told the driver he had the incorrect destination sign up. The lever moves when someone opens it from the inside. I'm surprised the operator even use that door as it appears to me that they have a door along the side of the cab. Plus I'm still surprised conductors are still being used, as I though we would get rid of them. Anyone know why?

spoke with a driver a few weeks back at downsview, he says that the outside door is also connected up to the entire door system, and they've been having some issues with that door not closing properly. So if not closed properly, the train still thinks there's a door open and won't allow the train to move.

[Turtle]

spoke with a driver a few weeks back at downsview, he says that the outside door is also connected up to the entire door system, and they've been having some issues with that door not closing properly. So if not closed properly, the train still thinks there's a door open and won't allow the train to move.

Yes, that's exactly the reason. I haven't heard anything about a fix for the problem with the external cab doors, other than a memo sent out not to use them. Bombardier changed the latching mechanism after the first few trains came in, but even the newer style locks have problems. I don't get it, other systems have similar cab doors, and some other systems open those cab doors at every stop, and it doesn't seem to be an issue with them, only us.

Plus I'm still surprised conductors are still being used, as I though we would get rid of them. Anyone know why?

Honestly, how much of the operating cost of that train is operator labour? 1 train replaces 18 buses (or more), you think they could spare a little to have 2 crew on board the train.

[eja2k]

It's been years since I saw a passenger do it. And I don't see staff doing it that often, even in stations.

I'm sure it does happen, but I wouldn't say "all the time". In New York City, it might well be "all the time", particularly for vendors selling things in the trains.

Whoa, passengers do it? How ballsy.

it happens a lot on the BD, often see a guard do it between islington, kipling, or even just guarding from the rear car on a H6 or T1... thats a regular occurrence out here..

Passengers do it from time to time ... drunks or pan handlers mostly ... and i'd hardly call a 299 coming onboard for a sequence problem and moving between cars while the train is in motion be reason to use the "exception granted in emergency" clause

[Turtle]

Passengers do it from time to time ... drunks or pan handlers mostly ... and i'd hardly call a 299 coming onboard for a sequence problem and moving between cars while the train is in motion be reason to use the "exception granted in emergency" clause

Nobody is going to give that employee crap for doing it, unless he or she gets hurt. If that happens, no workmans comp and possibly some discipline from management. Every rule out there is because somebody got hurt or somebody did something really silly that cost the company some money.