Victoria Park Station After Flames Games - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

IronDave · 04-07-2009, 01:12 PM

Why seemingly, after every flames game do I (and several Hundred people) have to wait at least 10-20 minutes for the train to arrive? I understand that off peak hour trains run every fifteen minutes but why is there no specific planning for the largest non rush hour ridership on the trains. It would seem to me like a no brainer to have 2-3 trains waiting once the final buzzer sounds. I can see how a possible regular timing problem could occur (althought scheduling could deal with this), but victoria park is even set up with a second platform! For a system that constantly raises prices and brings in paylot parking why is there no management who can solve simple problems such as this to bring C-train service from abysmal to bareable?

I searched and although there are several C-train threads out there I couldn't find anything else about this specific topic.

flip · 04-07-2009, 01:14 PM

I think they do it on purpose. Get the trains as full as possible and make people cram is a point of enjoyment for those sick demented CT drivers.

Rathji · 04-07-2009, 01:19 PM

I remember they used to use the other platform and have a NE train go from there directly to Whitehorn after big events or during the stampede.

Do they still do this? I wonder about it every time I go past there on the train.

Bring_Back_Shantz · 04-07-2009, 01:25 PM

For a rush that lasts all of 20 minutes, I'd say you'd have a hard time justifying the cost to bring in a bunch of drivers for a minimum of 3 hours pay (I assume that's still the rule, but with a union in place it might be more).

KTrain · 04-07-2009, 01:26 PM

If there was a train waiting at the station after the final whistle there would be a lot of idiots running/pushing to get to the train. Knowing that they're probably going to have to wait anyway causes people to take their time getting there.

edn88 · 04-07-2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronDave

Why seemingly, after every flames game do I have to wait at least 10-20 minutes for the train to arrive?

I blame Bronconnier and his band of merry fools.

RougeUnderoos · 04-07-2009, 01:37 PM

I haven't taken the train to a Flames game in 10 years, but I'm positive in the 80's and 90's they ramped up service after the game.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to hear they cut the service for our convenience.

ken0042 · 04-07-2009, 01:39 PM

I'd email CT and ask them.
http://www.calgarytransit.com/main/ct_contact_us.html

I know that is one of the reasons I don't park and ride.

And I can't see it being a cost thing. If they could fill an extra train, assuming it is full that is 474 passengers on a 3 car train; and at $2 per person (factoring in bus passes) that's just shy of $1000 in fares.

troutman · 04-07-2009, 01:40 PM

After games, I've seen a NW train followed by another NW train minutes later.

IronDave · 04-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

After games, I've seen a NW train followed by another NW train minutes later.

But it's a solid rule of thumb you were going south or it happens vice versa. It's almost like they want to piss off at very least half of the people taking the train.

RW99 · 04-07-2009, 01:49 PM

During the brier they had an extra train waiting on the third line. You couldn't access it, but it would back out to the Big 4 building and come back up North.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTrain

If there was a train waiting at the station after the final whistle there would be a lot of idiots running/pushing to get to the train. Knowing that they're probably going to have to wait anyway causes people to take their time getting there.

Seems reasonable. But there are those temporary ticket takers and CP officers waiting on the upper platform anyway.

krazycanuck · 04-07-2009, 03:06 PM

always go to the middle car...people are too lazy to walk past the bottom of the stairs and that middle car was always open.

Bigtime · 04-07-2009, 03:07 PM

For almost every home game I have seen an extra train parked on the 3rd set of tracks by the station.

flip · 04-07-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

For almost every home game I have seen an extra train parked on the 3rd set of tracks by the station.

In the 8 or so years I have been going to Flames games I have never, ever even once seen a train on those tracks.

Bigtime · 04-07-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip

In the 8 or so years I have been going to Flames games I have never, ever even once seen a train on those tracks.

The track I'm talking about is north of the station proper. There was a train waiting there yesterday even before the game started.

RougeUnderoos · 04-07-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazycanuck

always go to the middle car...people are too lazy to walk past the bottom of the stairs and that middle car was always open.

Sssshh.

That should be a civic embarrassment. Come on people, it's another 5 seconds of walking.

Apply the strategy when you are inside the train as well. Move into the middle. There's nothing more fun than standing at the door with my nose pressed to the window while some guy unfolds a map of Canada in the middle of the aisle

flip · 04-07-2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The track I'm talking about is north of the station proper. There was a train waiting there yesterday even before the game started.

So, not the track directly across from the Northbound stop at Vic park? The one with the platform that is blocked off and is never used? That is the tracks I am thinking of, the one that is right at the station proper but doesn't seem to ever be in use.

Bigtime · 04-07-2009, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flip

So, not the track directly across from the Northbound stop at Vic park? The one with the platform that is blocked off and is never used? That is the tracks I am thinking of, the one that is right at the station proper but doesn't seem to ever be in use.

Not that one, I guess that is some sort of 3rd platform that used to be active. Before my time though. This is a 3rd set of track that is just north of the station before the tunnel.

IronDave · 04-07-2009, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The track I'm talking about is north of the station proper. There was a train waiting there yesterday even before the game started.

So would that be why often times a southbound train will come once or twice before a northbound one?

Bigtime · 04-07-2009, 03:32 PM

I asked this question over at the Calgary Public Transit thread at skyscraperpage and the forumer Frinkprof offers this explanation:

Quote:

As I understand it, they do. The trouble is that ends of games are difficult to predict and a last-second goal or a brawl at the end of the game or something can prolong things 20+ minutes. The extra trains would be coming from either 10th Street (southbound) or Haysboro or Anderson (northbound). So from the final (for sure) buzzer, there would be a time delay for the extra trains to get there, which may or may not coincide well with trains on regular operation, as well as the traffic bulge on the platform. That in itself is difficult to predict as people will stay until the end of a close game, while some will leave with a couple minutes left of a game well in-hand (or out).

The 'C' Platform is barely ever used as it was originally, that is to board on that extra platform, go northbound, do a "short turn" at Olympic Plaza/City Hall (operator gets out and switches ends) and then heads up to the NE. As you say though, they sometimes use the siding for an extra train for large events, where it backs out and approaches the main platform to come into service.