when i was taking transit last year (university) I remember times at canyon meadows or anderson there would be out of service trains going northbound (to heritage of course) at 8:40. If i missed the 8:30, i had to wait til 8:45, with a throng of people. really, rush hour is over at 8:30? the platforms don't look like that in the morning! seeing as the south is the busiest line, it should have rush hour service til 9.
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^Yeah, assuming RougeUnderoos is also south of Heritage, it's a product of where the storage and maintenance facilities are located, relative to those stations. Once the next northeast extension opens past McKnight-Westwinds, they will probably experience something similar.
The trains go out of service once they reach Somerset-Bridlewood. If they were to start another run going northbound at 8:30 or 8:40 (so as for you to not experience the not-in-service going northbound), it would have to go all the way to Crowfoot, which would take it well past the "official" end of the morning rush at 9 AM, and then all the way down south again to go into storage. Actually as it is the northwest line gets inbound (toward downtown) service a little while past 9AM basically so the trains can head back south toward Anderson/Haysboro again.
Now the response to all that is probably "I don't care what the reason is, the south line should get rush service until 9AM" and I would agree. So the solution, I think, would be to extend morning rush by half an hour, or to put a storage facility somewhere along the NW line. Given the lack of land available along the NW line, I don't think that's an option although I'd like to see it. The extension of rush service I would definitely like to see, even in the evenings, and system-wide.
There was a couple of times when I use to ride at Canyon Meadows and was traveling later in the morning when those trains were going out of service. It was always fun to see a train coming when crossing the bridge, then run down to catch it and have it not stop.
it would have to go all the way to Crowfoot, which would take it well past the "official" end of the morning rush at 9 AM,
No reason why the last two trains couldn't turn into "city centre" trains when they reach the downtown core, and then head back down to somerset from there directly.
There was a couple of times when I use to ride at Canyon Meadows and was traveling later in the morning when those trains were going out of service. It was always fun to see a train coming when crossing the bridge, then run down to catch it and have it not stop.
Yes. I used to catch the train at Canyon Meadows, sometimes between 9 and 9:30 when trains are still coming out of service. Reached the platform out of breath after booting it over the bridge numerous times only to have the train whiz by out-of-service.
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Originally Posted by bizaro86
No reason why the last two trains couldn't turn into "city centre" trains when they reach the downtown core, and then head back down to somerset from there directly.
I had thought of this too, but I'd imagine the issue there is that all the NE trains would still be terminating there at rush frequencies, making that station and/or 7th Avenue over capacity.
Given that a storage facility somewhere in the northwest is an impossibility, looks like it's all a matter of service hours and priorities.
I had thought of this too, but I'd imagine the issue there is that all the NE trains would still be terminating there at rush frequencies, making that station and/or 7th Avenue over capacity.
I believe they have space for a couple of trains to sit past the last station (10th street?) at city centre, at least I think I've seen them there in the past. Since these would be the last trains at rush hour frequencies, they wouldn't have to wait long. I could be mistaken about that, however. I very rarely go that way, since I take it downtown<-->north west.
I believe they have space for a couple of trains to sit past the last station (10th street?) at city centre, at least I think I've seen them there in the past. Since these would be the last trains at rush hour frequencies, they wouldn't have to wait long. I could be mistaken about that, however. I very rarely go that way, since I take it downtown<-->north west.
The tracks most certainly terminate at the end of the platform at 10th Street. If they went any further, they would be into the cross-street itself which is open to vehicles and/or into the next block of 7th Avenue which was open to vehicles and is now the home of 10th Street Station's replacement which is under construction. Having tail tracks there would solve some issues though.
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The same problem occurs on the NE line. I actually gave up on transit due to the fact at Bridgeland/Memorial if I was there after about 8:40 I'd be waiting sometimes over 15 minutes for a train. The bus (#9) only comes every 20 minutes with a 40 minute gap if you don't catch it by 9:20 there is a 45 minute gap after (I used to go to work around 9:30am).
After having several 15 minute waits for the bus in cold weather, I said screw it, I'll just wallk/ride my bike in winter too, I'd rather be moving for the 15 minutes and get to work than stand in the cold and still have a 10 minute bus ride after.
Calgary Transit, you just lost yourself a customer
(Yes I realize my situation wasn't quite normal, and a redundant bus line that isn't required as the train does pretty much the same trip is not going to have good frequency. In fact, I think it only exists because of complaining seniors.)
Does anyone know why the "Next Train" displays are missing at the 7th St Platform downtown? I mean, I know they had like a 40% accuracy anyway, but at least you could see the time.
Does anyone know why the "Next Train" displays are missing at the 7th St Platform downtown? I mean, I know they had like a 40% accuracy anyway, but at least you could see the time.
They have been removed from all the stations downtown. They are about to be replaced by new signs that will incorporate real-time arrival information based on the new GPS/RFID system, which should be operational by as late as next year and likely before that. The new signs will be at all LRT and reportedly some BRT stops as well.
They might even be up again after this weekend's closure of 7th Avenue.
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They have been removed from all the stations downtown. They are about to be replaced by new signs that will incorporate real-time arrival information based on the new GPS/RFID system, which should be operational by as late as next year and likely before that. The new signs will be at all LRT and reportedly some BRT stops as well.
They might even be up again after this weekend's closure of 7th Avenue.
They have been removed from all the stations downtown. They are about to be replaced by new signs that will incorporate real-time arrival information based on the new GPS/RFID system, which should be operational by as late as next year and likely before that. The new signs will be at all LRT and reportedly some BRT stops as well.
They might even be up again after this weekend's closure of 7th Avenue.
To me this is the wrong approach for implementing the GPS service. BRT and LRT lines have such frequency that it really doesn't matter when they are going to show up. It is the feeder lines with 20min to 60min service leaving the train stations that you need to now if you have just missed your train or if it is running late as it makes a much bigger difference to your comute time.
So while doing the main lines first is probably the common sense approach in terms of delivering value I think that they should have started with the train station feeder loops first.
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^Apparently all buses (or most) will be equipped too, there just may not be displays everywhere, and the real-time arrival information will be available online, through the teleride system and the smartphone application. Not sure what the order of implementation will be, but it should only be a matter of months as far as delivering the whole system goes.
I agree though, buses to and from the LRT and mainline bus transfer points is a much bigger factor in total travel time and trip experience.
To me this is the wrong approach for implementing the GPS service. BRT and LRT lines have such frequency that it really doesn't matter when they are going to show up. It is the feeder lines with 20min to 60min service leaving the train stations that you need to now if you have just missed your train or if it is running late as it makes a much bigger difference to your comute time.
So while doing the main lines first is probably the common sense approach in terms of delivering value I think that they should have started with the train station feeder loops first.
I somwhat disagree with this. Yes, during rush hour there are trains coming constantly, but outside of rush hour I feel I'm often playing the guessing game as to when the next train will be coming. Sometimes its a few minutes and sometimes it feels like half an hour. Especially in the winter, I'd benefit greatly from knowing when the next train will actually arrive.
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Here's a video I saw someone post on Twitter. Behind the Scenes of Calgary Transit. It's made by CT, so it's kind of a hokey "rah rah, go us" sort of thing but you get an inside look at the LRT control center and one of the maintenance facilities among other things.
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Loralee Higgins is nice bus operator, had her for about a month straight sometime last year, it was later in the day and the bus was fairly empty each time and she was talkative. Didn't know her name until the video there, and haven't seen her since but funny to see her in it.
Loralee Higgins is nice bus operator, had her for about a month straight sometime last year, it was later in the day and the bus was fairly empty each time and she was talkative. Didn't know her name until the video there, and haven't seen her since but funny to see her in it.
I saw her today! Around 6pm on the westbound 301 route.
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Most of the changes were included in the 2011 Service Implementation Plan posted above. Lots of improvements to evening and weekend service for community feeder and some of the routes servicing industrial areas.
Also, it looks like a lot of the times for the various feeder routes terminating at McKnight-Westwinds in the northeast are having their schedules revamped to improve reliability. If you use one of these routes in your commute, you may want to check out the changes.
I was wondering when Skyview Ranch would get it's first taste of transit.
It'll be a nice community when everything is built, including the LRT, but currently the only way out of there is by car. You can't walk to anything, and before now, there was no transit.
However, that bus route takes 36th Street, which a still have a strong feeling is going to be a nightmare starting April 3.
24 minutes to get from Skyview ranch to MKWW? Seriously? I suppose they have taken into account the backups on 36th street already.
Also, 32 minutes to get from MKWW to the Airport Terminal. Definitely looks like they have taken backed up 36th Street into account.
I was wondering when Skyview Ranch would get it's first taste of transit.
It'll be a nice community when everything is built, including the LRT, but currently the only way out of there is by car. You can't walk to anything, and before now, there was no transit.
However, that bus route takes 36th Street, which a still have a strong feeling is going to be a nightmare starting April 3.
24 minutes to get from Skyview ranch to MKWW? Seriously? I suppose they have taken into account the backups on 36th street already.
Skyview Ranch really is way the hell out there. That trip time should improve a bit once Saddletown Station opens in a year and a half, and then improve a lot more once the next phase of the NE LRT to Country Hills Station is built.
Usually how these routes serving new communities work and progress is as follows:
- Get a 400-series route with 3 or 4 trips in the morning rush, and another 3 or 4 in the evening rush with community shuttles.
- A few more trips in each rush are added
- Midday service is added (taking service from 6AM - 6PM)
- Evening service is added (to 10 pm)
- Saturday service is added
- Sunday and late night service is added
- Big bus (rather than community shuttle) service
- If it isn't already at 15 minute headways during weekday peak, this improvement is made
This all depends on how fast the community is built out and how ridership improves, and can all happen over the course of a year or so, or can take a few years.
There are 4 times of year when these improvements are made (seasonally). So Skyview Ranch may be up to having weekend and evening service by the fall, or it may have to wait until next spring or longer.
