Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Never looked at the plan for the north, but are we paying a boatload to create a bunch of terrible at grade crossings (a la 36 street)? Moving E-W anywhere north of Memorial is already a nightmare...

That sounds like a yes.

Yep, from Beddington to 16th Avenue, there's only one proposed grade-separated crossing at McKnight.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Never looked at the plan for the north, but are we paying a boatload to create a bunch of terrible at grade crossings (a la 36 street)? Moving E-W anywhere north of Memorial is already a nightmare...



That sounds like a yes.


Put me on team BRT. Nobody knows exactly how it will play out, but I think AVs have the potential to change the way we look at mass transit. Dedicated BRT routes seem to offer the flexibility and potential for earlier adoption.

I know carpool lanes don't seem to be in vogue any more, but I wonder about BRT 'luxury toll roads' (ie. very expensive so it doesn't create any congestion within that system) could be possible. The biggest problem with both train tracks and BRT lanes is they are completely useless when there is no vehicle on them...

From a north route perspective, what is needed is frequency and reliability. I think the train would accomplish that better than the current bus network - especially in winter where you often have a) accordian buses that can't climb Centre St, and b) buses that are full and don't stop, and c) buses that are delayed.



I think for anybody in a vehicle who is travelling along Centre St. that would be a welcome change than having bussse continuously stop along the street all through rush hour. For cross traffic, that has to be worked out, but you have 4th St. and Edmonton Trails, so you just have to plan your route a bit before if you're driving.


7th Ave is also a bit of a special case. Trains aren't going to ever run really fast there with the concentration of platfoms along that section.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Wormius

From a north route perspective, what is needed is frequency and reliability.

Solution: aerial tram from the little park at 5 Ave/Macleod to 16 Ave (would end up right at Peter's Drive-In if it followed over 2 St NE) - one super high tower atop the bluff above Memorial and it would stay high above the neighbourhood. Connects to 16 Ave BRT and Edmonton Trail or Centre St for further transit.

I'm only half joking.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Solution: aerial tram from the little park at 5 Ave/Macleod to 16 Ave (would end up right at Peter's Drive-In if it followed over 2 St NE) - one super high tower atop the bluff above Memorial and it would stay high above the neighbourhood. Connects to 16 Ave BRT and Edmonton Trail or Centre St for further transit.

I'm only half joking.

I prefer the high velocity trebuchet that will propel commuters from Crescent Heights, across the river and into downtown. You would just need a large catcher's mitt-type structure around Eau Claire Market.

Only downside I can see is miscalculating the wind and impaling people on that big smokestack thingy, but that's what waivers are for...

[GirlySports]

Why is the clock on the new trains never right? Plus or minus 5 minutes at least.

It was 20 minutes behind this morning.

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Why is the clock on the new trains never right? Plus or minus 5 minutes at least.

It was 20 minutes behind this morning.

Because they need to ###### with it to show that they are "on time"

[GirlySports]

They talk about wifi on trains

Phhhhhht cant even get clocks and speakers to work.

[FlameOn]

So the UCP provincial budget is out and funding for the green line has been dropped from $500M to $75M, what does that mean for the project? We looking at cancellation?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Solution: aerial tram from the little park at 5 Ave/Macleod to 16 Ave (would end up right at Peter's Drive-In if it followed over 2 St NE) - one super high tower atop the bluff above Memorial and it would stay high above the neighbourhood. Connects to 16 Ave BRT and Edmonton Trail or Centre St for further transit.

I'm only half joking.

They studied Gondolas as an option at one point. Not enough capacity and a little slow. You need topography that makes trains not effective. SFU was going to install one at one point to get better access down the mountain.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

So the UCP provincial budget is out and funding for the green line has been dropped from $500M to $75M, what does that mean for the project? We looking at cancellation?

I would say it’s certainly at risk. Edmonton also had similar cuts. This would be a good opportunity for Justin to show some goodwill to Alberta and step in to replace what the Province cut. This project has been delayed and scaled back long enough, its needed.

[Wormius]

Yeah, it would be an opportunity for Trudeau to step up with the amount for the LRT lines and show some goodwill.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

So the UCP provincial budget is out and funding for the green line has been dropped from $500M to $75M, what does that mean for the project? We looking at cancellation?

It seems like Keating is very concerned; and he is perhaps the single biggest supporter of it.


https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...of-budget-cuts

[Tyler]

The cognitive dissonance of Albertan's hoping Trudeau will swoop in and save us from Jason Kenney's cuts is downright laughable

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Tyler

The cognitive dissonance of Albertan's hoping Trudeau will swoop in and save us from Jason Kenney's cuts is downright laughable

Huh? Do you appreciate that not everybody in Alberta voted for Kenney?

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by accord1999

It seems like Keating is very concerned; and he is perhaps the single biggest supporter of it.


https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...of-budget-cuts

All of the deep SE went hard UCP so they can lie in the bed they made.

[sureLoss]

Mobile ticketing coming to Calgary transit next year:

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...s-by-next-year

Commuters across the city will be able to use their smartphones to pay for CTrain and bus rides as of next year, according to Calgary Transit.

Through a mobile ticketing program, riders will have the option of paying for and validating their transit fare using the smartphone app My Fare.

The rollout will take place mid-2020 on all buses and trains. It will act as a complement to paper ticketing options, which Calgary Transit plans to keep in place.

“We anticipate a pretty good uptake for the convenience of using an app to pay for the system, including on buses,” said Chris Jordan, manager of service design for Calgary Transit. “This is just a convenience that customers are looking for, not a full-scale change to our system.”

The cost of the program is $5.5 million.

Validators will be installed on Calgary Transit vehicles by next year. After registering a credit card through the app, users can purchase electronic adult or youth monthly passes or single-ride tickets.

To validate a ticket, riders must then scan it on board the bus or train.

[Fuzz]

Oh, right. Calgary Transit.

[Wormius]

That's interesting.



Maybe it's just iPhones, but they tend to go into shutdown mode when they get really cold, as is the case in Calgary and when a greater majority of people are using their phones. This will be interesting for people who have been standing outside waiting for the bus/train and their phones aren't operable.

[jwslam]

Must be a typo. They mean 2050.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Wormius

That's interesting.



Maybe it's just iPhones, but they tend to go into shutdown mode when they get really cold, as is the case in Calgary and when a greater majority of people are using their phones. This will be interesting for people who have been standing outside waiting for the bus/train and their phones aren't operable.

Do they tie their phones to their head while they stand outside?