Live Press Conferenence Dorian Wandzura: Good news. At noon today, we have received the operating plan approval. Line of sight operation (more control from the LRT operator, less reliant on signal system). The line will open September 6th. Every 15 minutes. NAIT to Churchill 14 minutes. Because of speed restrictions we need one extra train with some additional operating costs and some traffic implications.

South of Churchill: 3 trains, 2 to Clareview, 1 to NAIT.

Less trains to Clareview, but more cars per train (17% overall decrease in Churchill to Clareview).

Looks like 7 min frequency instead of 5 north of Churchill.

Still working on Thales contract.

More details will be available when presented to City Council on Monday.

Metro Line to open for start of school year

The City of Edmonton is implementing an approach to Metro Line operations that will open Edmonton’s newest LRT extension to public service on September 6, 2015.

 

Since July 31 the City has been working with its independent signal engineering consultant (Owner’s Engineer) Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM), to develop an interim signalling solution that would allow the Metro Line to operate. The project team has developed and tested a ‘line of sight’ operation that is safe and suitable for public service and can be implemented immediately.

 

“Testing a modified approach to Metro Line operations has already begun and ETS training starts Monday,” said Transportation Services General Manager Dorian Wandzura. “We are confident the Metro Line will be carrying passengers for the start of the 2015 school year.”

 

‘Line of sight’ is a railway industry mode of operation that requires a speed restriction so that train operators can come to a stop within half the range of their vision. The ‘line of sight’ operation for the Metro Line requires that trains do not exceed 25 km/hr between MacEwan Station and NAIT Station. The 25 km/hr speed restriction will allow LRT service approximately every 15 minutes between Churchill Station and NAIT Station.

 

“I want to be very clear that we do not yet have the finished product that Thales has been contracted to provide,” said Wandzura. “In order to get the Metro Line into public service as quickly as possible our Owner’s Engineer has approved the 25 km/hr speed restriction as an interim solution.”

 

The City is still working towards full implementation which will remove the operating restriction and run Metro Line trains at maximum speeds of 50 km/hr. Once Thales fully implements the signalling system the Metro Line will offer 10 minute service between Health Sciences Station and NAIT Station.

 

The City will continue to provide updates related to the Metro Line as developments warrant.

EDIT: Adding more info as it becomes available.