Raise the Hammer

That is interesting!

This could be a topic of discussion, as final station design haven't yet occured. Whether to make our stations compatible with 2-car consists, is going to be a question we will ask ourselves. I do not think it's yet worth building for 3-car consists, considering we might have to share the road in some sections (e.g. International Village).

But even with 1-car operation (5-segment ) necessary as we wait for Bombardier to manufacture the LRTs, we should still make the stations compatible with 2-car consists (10-segment) for operational flexibility.

Longer consists of LRTs often require more dedicated ROW, but even Calgary's LRT runs their consists through intersections and level crossings. I do see a good reason to keep the door open to 2-car consists, as they would be beneficial during peak, during McMaster University surges, and during stadium events.

If ridershop rockets past predictions as many of us think it will, then the talk of running 2-car consists may happen earlier than expected, especially if extensions are later approved (e.g. Stoney Creek, Dundas, A-Line going up mountain).

Personally (even if not everybody within the citizen initiative) -- I believe the best-performing LRT outcome and maximum ridership is the proposed complete traffic-separation of the LRT, which automatically requires a pedestrian-only International Village -- see this proposal here considering the large condo expansion in the next 10 years. This is something possibly viable in 10 years; a half a generation. That said, I recognize this is a controversial issue.

Change is very hard to rush along. Even pro-LRT Hamiltonian citizens disagree on the 'details'; how the LRT should arrive, when, where, traffic, etc. As a group of citizens advocating for LRT, it's our aim to listen to each other and work together quickly to make sure that our disagreements don't derail the 2017 procurement and 2019 construction dates. Some compromises (even to myself) may end up needing to occur, but we do have to start somewhere, and make sure it's a wise use of taxpayer money too.

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-09-17 15:29:41