Major LRT delays begin April 29th

[jstock]

LRT Service Changes for NAIT Connection
Construction for the North LRT to NAIT connection to the existing LRT system will begin this spring. To accommodate the construction just north of the Churchill Station platform, LRT will be operating on a single track between 95 Street and Churchill Station from April 29 until September 1.
LRT will be operating on the following frequencies:

Monday - Friday

9 minute frequency from start of service until 9pm.
15 min frequency from 9pm to end of service
Saturday

10 min frequency from start of service until 8pm.
15 min frequency from 8pm to end of service
Sunday

15 min frequency all day.
During weekday peak hours and major special events, service will be provided by 5 car trains.

[highlander]

On the plus side, trains will be 5 cars, so capacity stays roughly the same.

[etownboarder]

Originally Posted by highlander

On the plus side, trains will be 5 cars, so capacity stays roughly the same.

Only during weekday peek hours and for special events.

[kjh]

Originally Posted by etownboarder

Only during weekday peek hours and for special events.

Which is when you need the capacity.

Unless you're getting all hot and bothered to see a five car train at 10:00 pm it matters not.

[McBoo]

^Sure we have enough rolling stock to make up a peak hours schedule of four and five car trains?

Not saying we don't, but I haven't seen such a consist yet.

[highlander]

If the schedule goes from 5 minutes to 9 minutes that's almost a 50% cut in the number of trains. The vehicles that would otherwise be in the missing trains can be redistributed to the remaining trains, up to 5 cars per train.

There are also the new trains arriving. I don't know how fast they will arrive or how long they will take to commission, but there may be enough here to keep all 4 car trains in September.

[moahunter]

Originally Posted by McBoo

^Sure we have enough rolling stock to make up a peak hours schedule of four and five car trains?

Its a bit off topic, but I don't really understand why Edmonton has decided to go for 5 car trains. In Calgary, they are only just now upgrading to 4 car (are still running 3), which shows it isn't really necessary. What I don't like about longer trains, is it seems to me, all it does is reduce the frequency, which is worse for transit users. I'd rather have more frequent 3 and 4 car trains, than less frequent 5 car (even if the less frequent 5 car is cheaper to operate). You don't have as long to wait for a train then.

[McBoo]

IIRC, the electrical upgrades will allow Edmonton to run four (new) and five (old) car trains at existing frequencies.

Calgary, is somewhat limited by how long its trains can be through downtown w/o blocking intersections. I know some folks there, crammed to the gills at peak hours, would kill for a five car consist.

The DT connector here, depending on what car transit chooses, will be limited by the length of city blocks too.

[sundance]

For all that they are doing, taking 5 months seems a bit excessive when you consider rough work is already done. Digging the tunnel from EPCOR to Churchill sure 5 months seems very reasonable for that.

[Hilman]

^ Its only 4 months.

[sundance]

Argh I included September but its only the 1st of the month. Okay 4 months but still seems way too long for adding in a switch and necessary electrical work (plus breaking up the existing wall).

[Hilman]

Does anyone know how close they actually got to this wall when doing the tunnel during the construction of the Epcor Tower? Are we talking metres, 50 m, more?

[EveB]

I'm hoping that saying four months is just them being cautious (like I overestimate job deadlines because I'd rather produce a happy surprise).

I agree, it seems a long time to connect a piece of track. The building of the rest of the track doesn't involve limiting the station, surely.

Eve

[sundance]

It ends just east of Epcor so they still have to dig from north of the CN Tower by the former post office you can see where the tunnel is tarped at Epcor in Google maps
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=...09849&t=h&z=17

It would merge about 100' south of 103A Ave and 99th Street so I'd guess around 1000' give or take.

[Hilman]

^ Thanks.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by Hilman

^ Its only 4 months.

Plus its during the time when classes are done at the U of A

[jstock]

...and MacEwan.

[psiebold1]

And NAIT. . .

Anyways, as long as the train gets to Southgate at 7:30 am from the north, I am good.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by psiebold1

And NAIT. . .

Anyways, as long as the train gets to Southgate at 7:30 am from the north, I am good.

Why 9 min frequency? Why not 10 min? With 9 min frequency trains won't be on a clock face so bus connections are not going to work very well.

[jstock]

So far this has been a botched implementation. The extent of delays is not only a reduction in frequency, but an increase in overall ride time. Just because you get onto a train does not mean that the train will be going anywhere anytime soon.

For me, I have to leave 20 minutes early in order to arrive at work on time. The trains have been stalled at the garage, at Coliseum station, and then again at Stadium station. These delays are approaching 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

So much for "an extra 4 minutes".

How has your experience been?

[The_Cat]

I wonder if there could be contingency bus service added, say from University to Central. This service could then be extended to Commonwealth Stadium or Rexall Place on event nights.

Also, how long would it take to install the track? I think that Churchill will take time to fix, but attendance at summer festivals will hurt with all this construction.

[Doug]

I have been taking the LRT for a number of years now but will stop until the construction is finished and it gets back to regular service. I can drive to work in 15 minutes and normally the LRT takes me 30 minutes. Today it was 40-45 minutes to get to work. It is not just the 4 minute increase in departure times but the train now stops frequently between stations and does not seem to go as fast. In the short term this will hurt their ridership.

[240GLT]

^ I'll be riding my bike for the summer. It takes less time to bike than it does to LRT or drive. The reduced frequency has meant packed trains and the trains stop and sit on the tracks for periods of time, and are moving slow through the construction areas. Add to that, half of Churchill station is fenced off and one escalator is down, taking the train this summer will be a big pain, so I plan on doing it as little as possible.

[East McCauley]

I've found the first 4 days not as bad as I thought. Only about 2 minutes extra ride time b/w Stadium and Corona. With 5 cars at 9 minute frequencies, the trains are not more crowded than they usually are in the peak September to April period.

Transportation deserves some credit for having the foresight to extend the platforms on the South line to accommodate 5 car trains before the interlining work began at Churchill.

It's a short-term inconvenience during the low ridership season. A small price to pay for the benefit of extending a line to MacEwan, the Royal Alex and NAIT.

[jstock]

Once you're at Stadium, it's pretty smooth heading south. Before that isn't.

[East McCauley]

^That is odd since the single tracking is between Stadium and Central.

[EveB]

Originally Posted by East McCauley

^That is odd since the single tracking is between Stadium and Central.

I don't ride that stretch, but I'm guessing that before the single-track section the train is queuing for their turn at the track. Once they are on the track, it's full speed ahead so that the next train can take their turn.

Eve

[jstock]

^^Bingo

[Hilman]

LRT Service Delays May 5, 2012

May 04, 2012

LRT may experience service delays due to single tracking at Health Sciences Station for work on the pedestrian overpass.

The southbound track will be out of service from 7am to 1pm on Saturday May 5, 2012.

Please check www.takeETS.com for LRT service disruption updates.

http://www.edmonton.ca/city_governme...ay-5-2012.aspx

[East McCauley]

Originally Posted by EveB

I don't ride that stretch, but I'm guessing that before the single-track section the train is queuing for their turn at the track. Once they are on the track, it's full speed ahead so that the next train can take their turn.

Eve

The switchover to the single track takes place south of Stadium Station just north of 95 Street so I'm not sure why trains would have to be stopping north of Stadium.

BTW for the first time this morning, the train I was on did not stop at all at the switchover point, it only slowed down to change tracks.

[lightrail]

okay- I really want to see a picture of a 5-car train and some pictures of the work in Churchill. I don't live in Edmonton, so relying on those that do to share.

Thanks

[MikeK]

I'm wondering how all this is affecting the travel times between Corona and Century Park, though I'm sure work on the new pedway at the Health Sciences Centre is still underway (I've experienced LRT delays due to this even well before this change in LRT scheduling got started).

Corona Station-CP is the segment I usually travel on. I haven't been able to go on the LRT at all since last weekend, because I'm laid up with a nasty flu. Besides, I have a flight to catch at 8:00 am to Ottawa on the 15th of this month.

[Alex.L]

the only difference I've noticed is that the train seems to wait longer to leave CP in the morning. Other than that I haven't experienced any delays (CP to Central).

[kjh]

Originally Posted by lightrail

Why 9 min frequency? Why not 10 min? With 9 min frequency trains won't be on a clock face so bus connections are not going to work very well.

Currently the bus and lrt system does not have timed transfers. In this case the one minute increased frequency increases capacity by 10%. It also reduces average transfer penalty by 30 seconds (when going from bus to train), and gives you a better chance of catching your train to bus transfer.

Not to mention that when the train frequency is one per nine minutes people generally don't try to time the train they just show up. This is especially true since most people are already used to not trying to time the train.

[jstock]

Originally Posted by lightrail

okay- I really want to see a picture of a 5-car train and some pictures of the work in Churchill. I don't live in Edmonton, so relying on those that do to share.

Thanks

Posting some in the NLRT thread now.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by jstock

Posting some in the NLRT thread now.

Nice - thank you for posting those.

[jstock]

[Medwards]

^ I think you are trying to show a 4 car consist...

I've been seeing a lot of the u2 - 5 car consists on the southern leg... Neat seeing the train take up the whole station...

[Alex.L]

It really is. No more running just to catch the last door of a 3 car consist.

[McBoo]

Odd seeing a five car U2 consist. I had (mistakenly) thought they drew so much juice a four car was the maximum.

How nice to be wrong though!

[Medwards]

^ four car max for the new style, 5 car max for the old style.

[McBoo]

Seen 5 car new too

Pretty surprised

[Medwards]

Are you sure? I read 4 was the max possible config with the new cars...

[highlander]

5 cars for both. It's possible that they will be limited to 4 at normal frequency, but at 9 minutes there are fewer trains pulling juice.

[kjh]

Originally Posted by jstock

Originally Posted by Medwards

Are you sure? I read 4 was the max possible config with the new cars...

All together now

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Five pantographs in this picture.

Lets try the LRVs

1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Five LRVs in this picture.

Double check that they are SD160's

Yup they are.

Or you could Google it..............

[jstock]

Yep that be 5. I've been riding them every day.

[jstock]

[Sonic Death Monkey]

[Medwards]

5 ... 5 bats ah ha ha ha ha

[Edmcowboy11]

Naaaa, it can't be. It has to be a picture of another ETS LRT. Probably the Ebolawa Transit System in Cameroon.

[jstock]

LRT frequency is being further reduced to every 10 minutes effective July 1st.

[jagators63]

Originally Posted by jstock

which building are you in while you took a pic ??

[jstock]

The Flickr.com building

[Medwards]

^ So flickr is in either CN Tower, or Epcor Tower? ?

[jstock]

Quite likely.