Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[SebC]

If it's new technology, I want to know how well it works in cold weather. What happens when snow piles up on the cables overnight, and they want to start it up in the morning?

[GGG]

SFU is considering using a gondola to bring students up the mountain when roads are bad. Now here you get all of the benefits of avoing high grade and cutting off a lot of distance. It will be a good test of the wind and weather issues of the modern gondola

http://www.the-peak.ca/article/17984


I think a gondola up center street might merit some consideration as you really want transit to run through communities and not up the deerfoot right of way.

Medellin and Caracus have one as well that is apparently quite successful.

http://gondolaproject.com/important-cable-systems/

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by SebC

If it's new technology, I want to know how well it works in cold weather. What happens when snow piles up on the cables overnight, and they want to start it up in the morning?

Theres heating wires in the cables. Hopefully they're better than the heaters in the 7th ave switches.

[chalms04]

Originally Posted by GGG

Medellin and Caracus have one as well that is apparently quite successful.

Isn't Medellin mainly rail based?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by chalms04

Isn't Medellin mainly rail based?

Yes but in areas where rail was not practical they successfully integrated gondolas into their system.

[frinkprof]

Some news and notes.

The Summer Service Revisions have been posted. Small schedule changes to lots of routes. Might want to check it out to see if the route you take is affected. Changes take effect June 27th.

2 new routes. Route 300, the downtown <=> YYC airport BRT starts up. I had thought it would start up in the fall, so that's a bonus. Also a new peak-hour route in Panorama Hills, the 421 - Panatella.





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As a part of the ongoing Whitehorn Station refurbishment/4 car extension, the main station head building will close from June 16th until August 31st. The station can be accessed by using the new level crossing at the south end of the station.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/w...sure_2011.html

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The second-last of the open houses for the West LRT bus route changes will be taking place tomorrow night (June 16th) in South Calgary. It says it's for Beltline residents, but you should be able to attend and discuss route changes in other areas.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/w...t_oh_2011.html

[frinkprof]

From CPTDB:

Both sides of City Hall Station will open July 6th, Olympic Plaza Station will close that same day. The south side of City Hall Station will then re-close on July 16th to complete work needed to re-open later.

[frinkprof]

Reminder that the new service changes, including the new Airport <=> Downtown "BRT" and the Panatella route detailed 2 posts above, come into effect tomorrow.

Good to see increased service to Calgary's growing airport. It operates every 30 minutes between 5:00 AM and midnight, 7 days a week. More details here:

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/airport_service.html

Also, there is a contest to name the new electronic fare payment RFID smart card. More info here:

http://www.calgarytransit.com/nameit/

[Bunk]

Make sure to tell your friends, family and co-workers about the new #300 Downtown-Airport Bus! Taxi is not the only choice anymore.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Also, there is a contest to name the new electronic fare payment RFID smart card. More info here:

http://www.calgarytransit.com/nameit/

I submitted "Prairie Oyster card".

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by SebC

I submitted "Prairie Oyster card".

I submitted it first!

(assuming that you didn't submit it in the first half hour of the contest opening)

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Reminder that the new service changes, including the new Airport <=> Downtown "BRT" and the Panatella route detailed 2 posts above, come into effect tomorrow.

Good to see increased service to Calgary's growing airport. It operates every 30 minutes between 5:00 AM and midnight, 7 days a week. More details here:

This is a bit strange, no?

Customers boarding at the airport must pay with either a ‘Calgary Transit Boarding Pass’ (available for $8.00 at Mac’s stores in the airport terminal) or a monthly pass. Regular fares apply at all other locations along the route.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

This is a bit strange, no?

It's the same as Vancouver's Canada Line, and I think it's been discussed either here or in other threads too. The weird thing for me is that it doesn't seem to apply to Route 100... so if you go via McKnight Westwinds, you don't pay the surcharge.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

This is a bit strange, no?

I think the theory is that if you take the bus to the airport you will take it home from the airport so they only need to charge one-way.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by GGG

I think the theory is that if you take the bus to the airport you will take it home from the airport so they only need to charge one-way.

The theory is that it's a lot easier to figure out who's getting on at the airport than who's getting off.

(The route serves other areas as well, but the price discrimination is only for the airport.)

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Make sure to tell your friends, family and co-workers about the new #300 Downtown-Airport Bus! Taxi is not the only choice anymore.

it was never the only choice. transit has been servicing the airport for years.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

it was never the only choice. transit has been servicing the airport for years.

(Barely.)

I tried looking up transit service for a flight once, only find out it was outside the hours in which Route 57 (IIRC) operated.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

it was never the only choice. transit has been servicing the airport for years.

Yes, to Whitehorn and more recently to Mcknight-Westwinds. This is the first direct limited stop express bus between downtown and the airport however.

[getbak]

Will the 300 bus have any kind of luggage holding area or will you have to find room at your feet?

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by getbak

Will the 300 bus have any kind of luggage holding area or will you have to find room at your feet?

No. It will be served by regular 40 foot buses for now. That sort of thing could be introduced in the future though. There are the fold-up seats near the front of most buses, as well as the space above the front wheel well.

My guess is that the ridership will predominantly come from airport employees and/or one-or-two-night-stay travelers. I.E. no luggage or small carry-on.