Light Rapid Transit (aka Light Rail Transit)
#41
Posted 15 January 2007 - 03:08 PM
My LRT pipe dream is to use a system based on roller coaster design with smallish cars capable of holding maybe eight to twelve people. The cars could exit the main track when embarking and disembarking passengers similarly to what happens at a ski hill with gondolas, allowing for express cars to pass trough to the passengers mutual destination. It would be imperative that some of these cars would be able to carry bicycles but this idea could be taken one step further by having light freight cars where a maximum sized load (fridge, big screen TV, or Costco shopping container)could also be shipped across town by individuals or businesses allowing more use of the system and creating perhaps a new delivery service as vans could be standing by for final delivery. The system and tracks could be developed locally by the company in Vancouver that has many years experiance with roller coaster designs.
#42
Posted 15 January 2007 - 03:36 PM
"With our swampy, undulating Landscape would it not be Reasonable to provide a Means by which the Common-Folk could Travel about the City of Seattle Quickly and Cleanly?
Could we not Construct a Train from which our Beautiful and Fair World could be viewed from Above and would connect Seattle with the soon-to-be-large Metropoli of Kent and Renton (the Paris and Venice of the Future)?
The Vehicle could be Suspended above the Earth by means of Pillars of Concrete, or more likely, Trestles made from God's endless supply of Timber. By that manner the Train would be free from Colliding with Red-Indians, Cattle and Skid-Row Vagabonds and the Wheels un-encumbered by their Carcasses.
And why must this Aerial-Locomotive run on the Standard Two Rails? It is clear that the "Duo-Rail" system is old-fashioned and antique. Instead it should be constructed to be run on Five Rails. This Writer thinks this "Quinto-Rail" system will revolutionize Seattle Transit!"
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#43
Posted 15 January 2007 - 03:54 PM
#44
Posted 15 January 2007 - 08:25 PM
Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891
#45
Posted 15 January 2007 - 09:21 PM
Don't forget this post from the 1896 archives of The Sky-Scraper Page Telegraphic Bulletin Board (Seattle Chapter):
"With our swampy, undulating Landscape would it not be Reasonable to provide a Means by which the Common-Folk could Travel about the City of Seattle Quickly and Cleanly?
Could we not Construct a Train from which our Beautiful and Fair World could be viewed from Above and would connect Seattle with the soon-to-be-large Metropoli of Kent and Renton (the Paris and Venice of the Future)?
The Vehicle could be Suspended above the Earth by means of Pillars of Concrete, or more likely, Trestles made from God's endless supply of Timber. By that manner the Train would be free from Colliding with Red-Indians, Cattle and Skid-Row Vagabonds and the Wheels un-encumbered by their Carcasses.
And why must this Aerial-Locomotive run on the Standard Two Rails? It is clear that the "Duo-Rail" system is old-fashioned and antique. Instead it should be constructed to be run on Five Rails. This Writer thinks this "Quinto-Rail" system will revolutionize Seattle Transit!"
This crap still cracks me up big time.
#46
Posted 16 January 2007 - 06:18 AM
#47
Posted 16 January 2007 - 08:21 AM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#48
Posted 16 January 2007 - 08:23 AM
#49
Posted 16 January 2007 - 08:34 AM
#50
Posted 16 January 2007 - 10:16 AM
http://www.crd.bc.ca... ... _creek.htm
The Green Line runs over Bowker Creek? and along people's back yards?
http://www.bowkercreek.org/
#51
Posted 16 January 2007 - 11:01 AM
#52
Posted 19 January 2007 - 09:31 PM
My LRT pipe dream is to use a system based on roller coaster design with smallish cars capable of holding maybe eight to twelve people. The cars could exit the main track when embarking and disembarking passengers similarly to what happens at a ski hill with gondolas, allowing for express cars to pass trough to the passengers mutual destination. ......... The system and tracks could be developed locally by the company in Vancouver that has many years experiance with roller coaster designs.
Thought of the roller coaster technology when I saw this article...
Here's the way it's going.... Maybe we should have done our LRT a # of years ago...
Bombardier braces for safety
By IAN ROSS
Building safer and stronger commuter rail cars to lessen the collision forces on passengers is the basis of a proposed research project between Bombardier and Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University and Confederation College.
Bombardier is exploring what innovative safety modifications can be added in the re-design of its Bi-Level commuter cars produced in Thunder Bay.
Though the project is still very much in the grass roots stage, Bombardier has spent more than a year working with government and transportation industry regulatory bodies like the American Public Transportation Association.
Crash Energy Management (CEM) is the latest buzzword in rail safety these days.
Similar to the crumple zones designed by the auto industry, the idea behind CEM is to have the structure of a rail car absorb the energy and shock of a crash rather than the bodies inside it.
A deadly 2005 commuter rail crash in Glendale, Calif. that killed 11 passengers and injured nearly 200 others has caused a fundamental shift in thinking by North American rail agencies and transportation experts from collision prevention to passenger survivability.
An important element of CEM involves setting up crush zones at certain impact points to absorb the brunt of a crash.
Bombardier’s Ron Dysievick, general manager at the Thunder Bay plant, says such a train would include features such as shock absorbing bumpers similar to that of an automobile.
A CEM-equipped train would include stronger end frames, which act as bumpers, to better distribute crash energy.
The light rail sector in Europe and Asia boast some of the world’s leading edge safety features. But Dysievick says North American standards are “far stronger” since Bombardier’s cars are submitted to more rigorous collision testing and require more bulked-up car framing.
Bombardier is already acknowledged as a world standard bearer in safety design elements.
Their high speed Acela Express cars built for Amtrak were the first train to comply with the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration’s Tier II crush-worthiness standards, touted to be the best in the world.
But installing such features in all Bombardier cars must be driven by customer demand, Dysievick says.
“At this point we don’t have specific customers, but we’re preparing for it.”
Simultaneously, the U.S. and Canadian government agencies including the U.S. Department of Transportation are currently devising new passenger safety and light rail industry regulations.
Thunder Bay Mayor Lynn Peterson says she would like to build upon Bombardier’s recent success in landing a $710-million Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway refurbishment contract, while expanding the city’s research and innovation capacity with an eventual Transportation Centre of Excellence.
Lakehead University has submitted a proposal to Bombardier to perform the R & D modeling on crash management systems
The project specifics haven’t been worked out, says Dr. Henri Saliba, Lakehead’s dean of engineering faculty, since Bombardier had been involved in the TTC contract process. “Now that they’ve been successful, I expect that we will come aboard as soon as things are in place.”
The university is searching to fill post-doctoral positions to conduct the research. The positions are subject to budgetary approval.
Their other potential project partner, Confederation College already assists Bombardier in training their employees on Catia three-dimensional computer aided drawing software. That design element will be used on the commuter car shop floor by Bombardier assemblers.
http://www.bombardier.com
#53
Posted 19 January 2007 - 09:54 PM
#54
Posted 20 January 2007 - 10:05 AM
Information
Manufacturer: Bombardier
Number of trucks: 3
Number of axles: 12
Weight Data
Weight Empty: 92,150 pounds
Suspension, Propulsion, Braking
Track gauge: 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches (AA Standard)
Motors: Two (2) Front and rear trucks only
Gear ratio:
Gearbox:
Slip/slide protection:
Service Brakes:
Track Brakes:
Air compressor:
Vehicle Capacity
Seated Load (Passengers): 76
Design Load (Passengers): 211
Crush Load (Passengers: 256
Disabled Seating: 4
Doors: 4 double doors per side, swing plug type
Passenger Comfort
Heating: 2 x 12 kw forced convection overhead heaters
Air-conditioning: Forced Air
Vehicle Dimensions
Length over couplers: 89', 1 11/16"
Length over anti-climbers: 86', 11 3/4"
Length over body ends:
Width: 8', 8 1/4"
Height (rail to roof): 11', 1 3/4
Height (rail to floor): 38 3/4"
Height (TOR to Coupler Centerline): 26 1/8"
Pantograph operating range: 12' 8-3/4&' - 22' 3
Empty weight per car: 92,150 pounds
Interior headroom (center aisle): 7' 1-5/8
Interior width (articulated section):
Doorway width (minimum): 4' 4
Doorway height: 6' 4-13/16"
Step height (1st step): 0" (Level with platform
Wheel Diameter (New): 28"
Wheel Diameter (Minimum): 26"
Truck Wheelbase: 6' 2-3/16"
Truck Centers: 29' 8"
That equates to 360 pounds of train weight per person.
#55
Posted 20 January 2007 - 07:05 PM
Picture the lighter rails and supports running overhead down the center of Shelbourne St.
Unlike the heavy concrete rails and supports of sky train systems.
#56
Posted 23 January 2007 - 09:26 PM
http://islandtransfo...iles/latest.ppt
Has been given to a # of groups in the Region...
#57
Posted 23 January 2007 - 09:29 PM
Picture the lighter rails and supports running overhead down the center of Shelbourne St.
Reminds me of driving under "The Ell" in NYC many years ago..
Fun when one's playing catch me if you can..
#58
Posted 23 January 2007 - 09:48 PM
This presentation about Rail Transit here in Victoria may be of interest:
http://islandtransfo...iles/latest.ppt
Has been given to a # of groups in the Region...
Sigh... I have seen parts of that before. If only we could actually get someone to back it. They make it seem so easy. I like the Vic West loop!
Oh well I have suggested it before a great way to start interest in this type of thing would be a dowtown bus loop. Hell run it on the same route as that line. Up government down douglas. It would be great. I know I would use it.
Now I am going to go back to being depressed...
#59
Posted 23 January 2007 - 11:07 PM
As for the tourist lines in Vic West et al, again, why pay homage to tourists who will ride a railcar regardless of prescribed tourist routes? Sheesh.
Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.
#60
Posted 23 January 2007 - 11:09 PM
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