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LRT Happenings


M. Parsons

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With much work coming up on the existing LRT line (signals, traction power) not to mention other stuff in general figured might as well start a new thread. Took a quick look and didn't see anything existing already.

ETS seems to be testing various configurations of LRT operations. While it would be nice to have all 4 car trains, obviously they cannot do this until the aforementioned traction power upgrades to the Northeast line. Last week, or at least some days last week, they seemed to be bunching groups of trains types together. You would see 2-3 (4 even?) U-2's go by, then a similar number of SD's. While this is good because it will provide a lot of capacity in certain directions and certain times, it will also provide less capacity in other locations.

Today they were more or less running U-2, SD, U-2, SD with a few exceptions. Majority of cars out midday were SD's, with the exception of one 4 car U2 (no bump downs for it apparently). It's then easy to put in U-2s, as during the pm peak they usually just stick a train in between two midday trains.

As previously noted, they closed off the south ramp to South Campus two weeks ago or so to expand the platform to 5 cars.

Although this might more so apply to the South LRT thread, Century Park is having it's platform extended, although the platform is already complete.

At Southgate there is evidence that that the emergency ramp is being torn down to allow for an extension.

Guess we'll have to wait and see what they do at HSS and 76 Ave. I always thought at HSS they could just extend the platform south around the existing ramp, and leaving the ramp as is. However, at least that end of HSS probably isn't used as much now that few buses stop there.

Closing down the north ramp at 76 Ave for work should inconvenience few.

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This evening I got a 2 car SD consist.

Oh, and they finally painted the other side of University Station.

For those that didn't know (I didn't until Michael or Windy pointed it out) right now on the SD interior displays, it shows "NEXT STOP CORONA" without scrolling, then it goes to "NEXT STOP CORONA" with scrolling as it approaches the next station.

I've also given up on parking at Clareview West, and will be parking at Belvedere, where I can get a space after 7:40AM. Hopefully that new lot opens up soon too! They just need to get a platform level entryway on the north like Clareview East from that lot, and I would be a happy camper!

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Today they seemed to be alternating U2s and SDs.

My train was stopped for a good few minutes at Bay/Enterprise Square station. At Grandin the announcement of system technical difficulties played.

There were cars in the new lot at Belvedere but I think those were the city workers paving the road there.

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Fare checkers were present on my train home today. At least one brought a guy off, and I heard him clearly indicate that they were bylaw officers.

While I didn't have to pay a fine for fare evasion, I did get a parking ticket (which is nearly half the cost of a bus pass)... next time I'll watch where I park a lot more carefully.

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Fare checkers were present on my train home today. At least one brought a guy off, and I heard him clearly indicate that they were bylaw officers.

While I didn't have to pay a fine for fare evasion, I did get a parking ticket (which is nearly half the cost of a bus pass)... next time I'll watch where I park a lot more carefully.

That is a cheap parking ticket considering "regular" on street parking tickets I believe are on the order of $110 or more?

What did you do? Go off roading at Clareview in the Smart?

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If that's true, that's also the fine for failure to produce proof of payment.

I don't drive my smart to park and rides. :lol: As previously mentioned, I don't park at Clareview anymore because it is full by 7:40. I am only angry at myself for not looking at the signs more carefully. (There were still "legal spaces" at the time.) Of course maybe I could claim the sign just posted itself when I wasn't looking... :lol:

Needless to say I looked more carefully today and even avoided parking in a place where the no parking sign was mowed down half way.

The U2 I rode this morning had speakers making the announcements sound very nasally.

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Saw at least two or three four-car U2s this morning followed by at least one three-car SD (just before I got off, so probably more).

I wonder if and when we'll start seeing four car SDs seeing as most of the SDs seem to be here now.

...and after the 4-car platforms (namely HSS and McK) are lengthened.

Late. :lol:

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So the new Belvedere Lot was getting the lights installed by EPCOR this afternoon. The posts for the chainlink fence are also in place.

Unfortunately they also put in a median so you can't turn left into the lot while EB on 129 Avenue. Seems like there's separate single-car-width entrance and exit to 129 Avenue WB.

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Most light fixtures are installed at the new lot; at least one is waiting to be put up today. It's actually quite a big lot - should be a lot of space for a lot of people.

Tracking Set 1 - Thursday, September 17, 2009 between 8AM and 9AM

Trains listed in order on the mainline starting with train #1, cars listed north to south.

[Train 1] 1053-1064-1054

[Train 12] 1015-1031-1007-1026

[Train 2] 1063-1058-1065

[Train 3] 1022-1027-1035-1021

[Train 4] 1046-1059-1044

[Train 6] 1056-1057-1060

[Train 7] 1062-1047-1042

[Train 8] 1069-1051-1074

[Train 9] 1025-1033-1017-1012

[Train 10] 1014-1002-1019-1020

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Trains were messed up this afternoon - a good 10+ minute wait probably. During rush hour, that's not a good thing. University platform was packed when I got there (before waiting 10 minutes for a train). Motorman announced that they were having problems with switches. My guess is it was probably the South Campus one, as the announcements for the SB trains at both University and Belvedere said the next train was to Health Sciences.

In other news, the new Belvedere parking lot will be opening Monday, September 21. The light fixture waiting to be installed was still on the ground this afternoon.

EDIT: Apparently a train was broken down at Grandin (unconfirmed) - my train stopped on the bridge so I wonder if it was the first one behind it. We went through normally and so did a SB so I'm not sure if that train was able to continue on or what.

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Found a LRT line diagram:

http://www.connect2edmonton.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=14378

I should probably join C2E some day...

Posting (MM/dd/yyyy):

09/11/2009

04:57:10 PM Alberta Time

Closing (MM/dd/yyyy):

09/25/2009

04:00:00 PM Alberta Time

Opportunity Description:

Consultant - To design & oversee during construction of a new LRT Right O Way Communications and Signal Duct Bank between the 95 Street Grade Separation and 66 Street.

Source: http://vendor.purchasingconnection.ca/Oppo...8C5295BCA0&

Posting (MM/dd/yyyy):

08/27/2009

10:09:13 AM Alberta Time

Closing (MM/dd/yyyy):

09/29/2009

04:00:00 PM Alberta Time

Opportunity Description:

1. The City of Edmonton (City) hereby invites Tender submissions for the design, supply, construction, testing and commissioning of a portable Light Rail Transit (LRT) 2.0 MW Traction Power Substation. This substation will be utilized to supply 600 VDC traction power for the Edmonton LRT System during upgrades to existing substations and for future LRT extension projects. This substation must have the provisions included for these uses.

2. The general scope of work for this project includes the following but is not limited to: Design, supply, fabrication, installation, testing, commission and delivery of a skid mounted, pre-fabricated LRT traction power substation ready for service.

The scope of work to complete this substation includes the following:

2.1 Design, supply, fabrication, testing and delivery of a skid mounted, pre-fabricated substation building, including all building services.

2.2 Design, supply, fabrication, installation and testing of 15kV, metal clad switchgear suitable for utility service entrance.

2.3 Supply, installation and connection of the following equipment;

2.3.1 Positive disconnect and bypass switches as specified.

2.3.2 RTU and Cabinet as specified.

2.3.3 Batter bank, charger, DC distribution panel and DC distribution wiring as specified.

2.3.4 Fire alarm panel and sensors as specified.

2.3.5 Traction power equipment interconnection power cables as specified.

2.3.6 Traction power equipment control interconnection wiring as specified.

2.3.7 Conduit and cable trays as required.

2.3.8 Grounding and bonding as specified.

2.4 Installation of Owner supplied equipment including;

2.4.1 1000V DC switchgear line-up.

2.4.2 2.0MW Traction power transformer.

2.4.3 2.0MW Traction power rectifier.

2.4.4 Negative grounding switch

2.5 Testing and commissioning of the completed substation.

2.6 Note: Drawings and specifications for the owner supplied equipment will be provided for incorporation into the design of the Traction Power Substation (TPSS). In addition, the owner and the owner’s engineer will be available to provide engineering assistance to the Vendor regarding technical issues during installation, testing and commissioning.

2.7 The owner and the owner’s engineer will supply testing and commissioning instructions for the owner supplied equipment and will provide guidance for the testing and commissioning at the Vendor’s facility once the equipment is installed and connected.

3. Related Work

Work related to this Installation Contract that will be completed by others includes: • Design and construction of owner supplied equipment.

4. City of Edmonton supplied equipment and materials

• Traction power transformer

• Traction power rectifier.

• 1000 V DC switchgear including the PLC.

• Negative grounding switch.

5. Other materials to be supplied by the Vendor include but not limited to;

• SCADA RTU c/w cabinet (as specified).

• SCADA ethernet switch and patchcords (as specified).

• 15kV, 1000 VDC, and control cable as specified.

• Conduit and Cable trays as specified.

• 125 VDC control power system, including battery bank, battery charger and dc distribution panel. (as specified).

• Cable transition box and cable supports for cable routing to disconnect switch line-up as specified.

• Copper grounding and bonding cables, ground busses, and connectors as required inside the substation building for all building and equipment grounding and bonding.

• Miscellaneous hardware, control wire, termination lugs, wire markers, etc. as required to complete the installation as per the drawings and specifications.

6. The installed equipment is to be tested to ensure all design and manufacturing standards are met.

7. Refer to Section 01110, Summary of Work and the Technical Specifications attached in Appendix A for a detailed description of the work.

8. The Owners Engineer for this project is Platinum Engineering Ltd.

9. Project Schedule

The milestone dates for this project are as follows:

9.1. Contract award Sep 30, 2009

9.2. Design Submissions AC Switchgear 70% Oct 30, 2009

9.3. Design Submissions TPSS Building 70% Oct 30, 2009

9.4. Design Submissions AC Switchgear - Final Nov 30, 2009

9.5. Design Submissions TPSS Building – Final Nov 30, 2009

9.6. Owner supplied equipment delivered to vendor Jan 15, 2010

9.7. AC switchgear complete and tested Jan 15, 2010

9.8. Building construction complete Jan 30, 2010

9.9. AC switchgear installed Feb 15, 2010

9.10. Completion of installation of owner supplied equipment Feb 28, 2010

9.11. Testing of completed TPSS Mar 15, 2010

9.12 Ship completed TPSS to a site in Edmonton.

Mar 30, 2010

The successful Bidder shall complete the Work and deliver the portable substation no later than March 30, 2010.

Closing time and date for this Request for Tender is 4:00 p.m., local time, September 15, 2009.

The provisions of the Agreement on Internal Trade, Part IV, Chapter Five - Procurement and Annex 502.4, (AIT) apply to this proposal.

Source: http://vendor.purchasingconnection.ca/Oppo...0E74FC16A8&

Not sure if this one is for LRT or not...

Opportunity Description:

You're invited to submit a Tender for the supply and delivery of a Catenary Inspection Maintenance Vehicle to the City of Edmonton. Tender Documents can be downloaded from this website.

August 20, 2009 - Addendum No. 1 - Please download from this website

http://vendor.purchasingconnection.ca/Oppo...85165DD38E&

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Time for a story...

so last night i was to do a charter in Fort Ed Park. I had to be there for about 530ish but wanted to be their earlier as we were giving barn tours also and wanted to get all the cars lit up and organized for viewing.

So i get out of work at 430. but something inside of me said leave at 4. i was parked downtown however something was bugging me.

i arrived at fort ed park at 5:20. 1 hour 20 minutes from downtown to FEP.

DAMN 82/UNIVERSITY AVENUE AND 114 STREET CROSSING GATES AND LIGHTS. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

We sat on university ave for 25 minutes without moving. the lights on 114 never changed that whole time to our direction. the ones on 114 would go red, then turn green again immediately while ours stayed red. and then theres the crossing arms. they would stay down. at one point they stayed down for 15 minutes straight.

We sat so long on university avenue that when we moved, there was dry spots under every car where the rain was not able to get.

While this was happening, LRT issues galore too. an SD couldnt move because of a door issue. they had to single track around grandin to university too. they used the motorman from the disabled for a while to manually switch the tracks.

What really bugged me that was in the total of 30 minutes or so that it took to get onto 114th, not one single person was working on the lights or gates. no police no city workers no one. what a mess. and all this around 430pm so you can imagine the frustrations out there. i went through a 1/4 pack of cigarettes while sitting just out of boredom. I guess there has been a lot of issues with those crossing gates and lights and this isnt the first time this incident happened.

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We had a bit of a wait towards the end of the am peak today, waiting to enter Clareview. One train came south, one was going into DLM and a train of SD's were waiting on the tail track. We had encountered a red south of Belvedere. I can only assume that was because we were catching up to the train ahead of us. They must have taken the SD consist onto the tailtrack until they could route it into DLM.

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As promised, Belvedere east lot is now open! It's a little bit of a longer drive for me, but I can get a parking space that is closer than walking from the far end of Clareview! Stairs instead of a ramp though, but there is an elevator, and I'm used to the stair climbing from University Station...

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Some partial train data, listed in order from N to S:

Train 11: 1014-?-?-?

Train 1: 1050-1061-1045

Train 12: 1007-1016-1003-1026

Train 2: 1073-1056-1057

Train 3: 1008-1019-1020-1013

Train 4: 1059-1053-1066

Train 5: 1006-1018-1017-1022

Train 6: 1065-1055-1063 (has no sticker on at least one side of the articulation joint)

Train 7?: 1069-1051-1060

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