Originally Posted by
cam_macleod
Snow: um, not really. Examples? The big problem with snow is the *cars* running off the road or sliding around. Streetcars (and the new LRT cars) are heavy, go in a controlled direction because of the rails, and include traction-improving sand for use throughout their route.
Most people's problems with streetcars are really problems with how Toronto has screwed up traffic light timings, how they screwed up the previous streetcar design (and therefore destroyed roads), or because they somehow imagine that streetcars are equivalent to buses, which they're not. (capacity is 2x a bus, and new LRTs will be 3x)
If you're interested in learning more, check out this LONG post which gets into a lot of the history:
http://stevemunro.ca/?p=2380
As for the plans, looks pretty nice! I'm looking forward to the potential for faster access to the airport for *all* transit riders, not just the small number of downtown people coming from Union.
No doubt the plans do look good, but why are they looking at a capacity increase of 3 for what could and should be a major route? Again if this was a fully thought out and committed plan they would recognise this was a major route accross the city and make it subway.
You have to remember until recently TTC was a inward looking organisation and really only answered to themselves and their political masters. Only in the last 5 years have they started looking at doing things differently (the new TTC Rocket as an example) but thats one tiny part of the organisation and there is a lot of resistance.
Unfortunately again forsight and vision have gone out the window for a political dream of streetcars!
Originally Posted by
cam_macleod
Forgot to mention: the LRT on Eglinton will average 30kph, same as the subway, on the tunnel portion, and 22kph (faster than a bus averages) on the above-ground portions. So no, not slow.
The 22kph is a bit optimistic! That is dependent on traffic lights, and other road users not being stupid! Although some of the route will be separated right of way which will allow for a faster travel, large portions won't be as there is just not enough room.
Originally Posted by
cam_macleod
Nobody around here is willing to pay for something they all want. We want our own personal highways, subway trains, and hospitals, but only if they come with a tax cut! I think we're all a bit loopy.
Tax cut! You'll be lucky! Who is going to pay for the nice pay rise the councillors gave themselves and the mayor's cronies who do the bins!!
Originally Posted by
The Lev
And what will be the cost for this LRT line - given that a huge chunk is underground just like a subway, it will hardly be cheap.
The tunnel cost will be the same order of magnetude as for subway.