Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

I was wondering when Skyview Ranch would get it's first taste of transit.

In before the "parasite communities" comment . . . oh wait.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

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.

The trip time should improve greatly when Metis Trail opens all the way through in summer/fall.

Country Hills Station is a long ways away from being built. There's nothing there. Skyview Ranch and Redstone will be mostly built out by the time the country Hills station becomes the least bit feasible, and the Skyview Ranch station is the station after that in the line.

[Russic]

Managed to grab one of the new trains today and was quite unimpressed. To be clear I'm not in a bad mood because the morning commute was slow (that was beyond their control). My issue is that the seating keeps people so close that it gets incredibly uncomfortable. Accessing my pockets alone was a bit of a chore. I spent the majority of the ride with an elbow in my left side and somebody basically coughing on my right shoulder. The idea of riding one of these on a muggy summer day has me thinking that it would be best to wait for one of the ancient trains that can't turn off the heat.

Speaking of, it appears the heaters don't really work. Maybe they do but I couldn't really tell. True today was ungodly cold so maybe I just couldn't feel my legs, but I was trying to feel heat.

The "next stop" display was very handy, but beyond that I'm very disappointed CT went this route. I get that the idea is to load more people in the trains but the cost isn't worth it imo.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Russic

I get that the idea is to load more people in the trains but the cost isn't worth it imo.

I would have liked to have been loaded into one of these trains instead of standing on the platform at Dalhousie watching trains pull in completely full, then waiting for the next one...

[Russic]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I would have liked to have been loaded into one of these trains instead of standing on the platform at Dalhousie watching trains pull in completely full, then waiting for the next one...

Funny you say this ... by the third stop I wished I'd stayed on the platform and waited for the next train.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Russic

Managed to grab one of the new trains today and was quite unimpressed. To be clear I'm not in a bad mood because the morning commute was slow (that was beyond their control). My issue is that the seating keeps people so close that it gets incredibly uncomfortable. Accessing my pockets alone was a bit of a chore. I spent the majority of the ride with an elbow in my left side and somebody basically coughing on my right shoulder. The idea of riding one of these on a muggy summer day has me thinking that it would be best to wait for one of the ancient trains that can't turn off the heat.

Speaking of, it appears the heaters don't really work. Maybe they do but I couldn't really tell. True today was ungodly cold so maybe I just couldn't feel my legs, but I was trying to feel heat.

The "next stop" display was very handy, but beyond that I'm very disappointed CT went this route. I get that the idea is to load more people in the trains but the cost isn't worth it imo.

People are less bulky in the summer so there may be more room?
Everyone had a couple heavy layers on today

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Russic

Funny you say this ... by the third stop I wished I'd stayed on the platform and waited for the next train.

It probably depends a bit on the perspective. I get a seat probably about once a month, so elbow room in the seats isn't that big a factor in my daily commute.

[the-rasta-masta]

Ya, I had to wait this morning at Dalhousie as well, as two full trains passed. It is a little ridiculous that the trains are already full by the time they get to the second stop on the line, is it not?

On a lighter note, anybody ever have that awesome train driver in the mornings on the NW line that announces weather, sports, etc...? That guy seriously makes my Monday mornings so much better.

"Hello folks, and welcome to downtown Calgary"

[Russic]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

It probably depends a bit on the perspective. I get a seat probably about once a month, so elbow room in the seats isn't that big a factor in my daily commute.

Good point, perspective is big. I'm at the end of the line, so seat strategy plays a big part in my day. I'll go out of my way to be comfortable for my commute and I don't like cuddling with strangers, so seats that force people together are a bit of a hot-button issue.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Russic

I'll go out of my way to be comfortable for my commute and I don't like cuddling with strangers

From my personal experience, I have a hard time reconciling this with (Calgary) mass transit.

[frinkprof]

I don't think there's too many seniors on here, but here's a news story regarding seniors' transit fares nonetheless.

City could hike seniors' transit passes

Seniors currently pay $35 annually

By Jason Markusoff, Calgary Herald March 2, 2011 3:29 PM

Calgary seniors' massive discount on transit passes appears to be on its way out, as aldermen showed favour for a new policy that would bring rates for the elderly closer to those for youth.

The city charges seniors $35 for annual transit passes - regardless of their income - but youth pay $651 to ride buses and LRT for 12 months.

Proposed changes to the Fair Calgary Policy would bring the standard rate for senior citizens somewhere between $36 and $54 a month.

Aldermen didn't approve the reforms Wednesday at a committee hearing, wanting city staff to reconsider whether 65 is the ideal or sole benchmark for old age, and how such changes would square with low-income discounts.

[...]

Council has previously considered ending the deep discounts for senior transit use, but balked at dinging one of the most perennially vocal and likely-to-vote demographic groups.

Link to full article

[SebC]

High turnout in the last election means it wasn't just seniors voting. Take that, old people!

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

I don't think there's too many seniors on here, but here's a news story regarding seniors' transit fares nonetheless.

Link to full article

Just Cheese, but he isn't in Calgary.

[bosox_fan05]

Originally Posted by Russic

Managed to grab one of the new trains today and was quite unimpressed. To be clear I'm not in a bad mood because the morning commute was slow (that was beyond their control). My issue is that the seating keeps people so close that it gets incredibly uncomfortable. Accessing my pockets alone was a bit of a chore. I spent the majority of the ride with an elbow in my left side and somebody basically coughing on my right shoulder. The idea of riding one of these on a muggy summer day has me thinking that it would be best to wait for one of the ancient trains that can't turn off the heat.

Speaking of, it appears the heaters don't really work. Maybe they do but I couldn't really tell. True today was ungodly cold so maybe I just couldn't feel my legs, but I was trying to feel heat.

The "next stop" display was very handy, but beyond that I'm very disappointed CT went this route. I get that the idea is to load more people in the trains but the cost isn't worth it imo.

I completely agree. I feel squished beside people who are "normal" sized. If there was someone who was overweight they would actually take up two seats. The 3 seat units in the middle of the train have the same amount of space for the seats as the old trains, but use the same squishy seats they do along the ends. I will now avoid these trains if I'm not in a hurry. The generation of trains with the seats facing one way is the best design IMO.

[frinkprof]

There is a new document posted on the Calgary Transit website. The Southeast LRT Compendium of Functional Planning Studies.

This basically puts the alignment for the entire line into one report, since there were 4 different studies over the last 10 or so years on different parts of the line. The whole horizontal and vertical alignment plan is included. I've pulled the images for just the downtown stations, as I think that's the most interesting, and I'll post below.

You'll notice that there are currently two options, the major difference being where the line starts to go underground, whether just before it turns up 2nd Street West, or whether it is along 10th Avenue just east of MacLeod Trail.



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The rest of the line is in the document, including station platform and park and ride locations, bridges, tunnels, track configurations, etc. If you're interested in another station area (I'd imagine a lot of the Mackenzie Towne area folks would be interested in the stuff down there), check out the pdf.

[Joborule]

Interesting that the document shows that the NC LRT alignment from downtown to Beddington Trail is under review. Hopefully that means that they're investigating a centre street alignment.

Just isn't wise to do it up Nose Creek and bypass such a hot spot.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

I don't think there's too many seniors on here, but here's a news story regarding seniors' transit fares nonetheless.

Link to full article

Ending the huge discount on transit for managing not to die is a big step in the right direction. I fail to see any reason why high income seniors should get a 90%+ discount off the fares the rest of us pay.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Ending the huge discount on transit for managing not to die is a big step in the right direction. I fail to see any reason why high income seniors should get a 90%+ discount off the fares the rest of us pay.

We're not paying them to take transit, we're paying them to not drive.

[Ducay]

I have no problems with giving seniors those passes. Gives them a) an excuse not to drive b) Reason to go out, and c) I doubt there are many high income seniors taking transit.

[chemgear]

The connection to this thread is somewhat tenuous but . . .

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...-released.html

C-Train stalker released from prison, in Calgary