Valley Line LRT/ Valley Line West | ?m | ?s | City of Edmonton

[EdwardEdm]

Yes but both trainsets on the Capital and Metro Line (U2 and SD-160) are Siemens products so you're only dealing with one manufacturer. And besides, Calgary was already doing it successfully before Edmonton did: they introduced the SD-160s on their LRT alongside the U2s before we did on ours.

U2's are Siemens and Duwag built. Siemens only did the electrical equipment, of which some parts have been replaced by newer technology anyways. Regardless, it doesn't matter who produced the equipment. They are different fleets. They are not interoperable. Calgary did make their fleets interoperable to maximize fleet usage, but those mixed consists were for a short time and saw the SD160's operate in a degraded mode.
Additionally with Calgary, I would need to double check this, but I'm pretty sure their first few orders of SD160's were generally not operated with the Series 8 SD, which are the Edmonton style cars. As the older Series are being refurbished they are being made compatible to run with the Series 8's.

By contrast nobody to my knowledge is running both Bombardier and Hyundai Rotem low-floor trains on the same line.

Who cares! So many examples of mixed fleets on the same line. First off is Portland TriMet with their original Bombardier cars which run coupled with a low floor Siemens SD660's to allow 1 low floor car per train. They further have Siemens S70 and S700's.

Sound Transit has a mixed fleet of Kinki Sharyo and Siemens cars as does Pheonix.

Sacramento started off with Siemens and added CAF cars, ditto in Pittsburgh.

Even Ottawa, which has had nothing but problems with their Alstom Citadis Spirit trains, ordered more for Stage 2 of the Confederation Line in order to ensure commonality.

That's partially the result of giving RTG, the Stage 1 P3 contractor, the job if operating, maintaining, and supplying vehicles for further extensions, even though other parties are doing the construction of the extensions. Given RTG's track record so far, who knows if that will prove to be a god choice.

Edmonton did attempt to negotiate with Bombardier/ Alstom for additional vehicles but nothing came to fruition and the City tendered it instead, after trying lump it in with the rest of the WLRT package.

 

[EdwardEdm]

I thought there were 40 trains on order Not 46.
Okay the second post says 40.

46 as a quantity has existed for a little while, at least back to the start of the year a friend found a reference to 46 cars. As I Ave said before, I don't think there are enough of the Bombardier cars to service the VLSE LRT as it is, I wouldn't be surprised if this order picks up the slack so all trains can be 2 car trains at peak.

 

[Yegpeople]

So we have different types of trains for west and south valley line so this also means different companies will operate and maintain as well or transed is going to operate and maintain both lines?

 

[TravellingChris]

So we have different types of trains for west and south valley line so this also means different companies will operate and maintain as well or transed is going to operate and maintain both lines?

TransEd the consortium is only responsible for the southeast line (Mill Woods to 102 Street).

 

[Gronk!]

Will LRT passengers be able to ride the entirety of the Valley Line LRT from Millwoods to WEM? Or will they need to switch trains at the 102 St stop?

 

[Kaizen]

Yes, passengers will be able to ride the entire Valley Line without disembarking. (it took me 15 min & 2 coffees to find a source though, lol)

"With its 14 street-level stops and two elevated stations, the extension will help connect city neighbourhoods and reduce congestion, with LRT stops downtown at all major city hospitals and the city’s largest tourist attraction, West Edmonton Mall. Once the west line is operational, both stages of the Valley Line will operate contiguously with no transfer points or perceived break in service for passengers despite the fact both are being delivered using different P3 consortiums, noted the awards committee. Partners: City of Edmonton and Marigold Infrastructure Partners"

https://pppcouncil.ca/web/pdf/2021ValleyLineWestLRTCS_LR.pdf

 

[Yegpeople]

Yes, passengers will be able to ride the entire Valley Line without disembarking. (it took me 15 min & 2 coffees to find a source though, lol)

"With its 14 street-level stops and two elevated stations, the extension will help connect city neighbourhoods and reduce congestion, with LRT stops downtown at all major city hospitals and the city’s largest tourist attraction, West Edmonton Mall. Once the west line is operational, both stages of the Valley Line will operate contiguously with no transfer points or perceived break in service for passengers despite the fact both are being delivered using different P3 consortiums, noted the awards committee. Partners: City of Edmonton and Marigold Infrastructure Partners"

https://pppcouncil.ca/web/pdf/2021ValleyLineWestLRTCS_LR.pdf

How are they going to do that with two different communities operating the line ? Or transed is going to take over the entire line ?

 

[MCXavierL]

Not answering your question, but from City of Edmonton project agreements:

On December 23, 2020, the City reached financial close with Marigold Infrastructure Partners who was selected as the preferred proponent to design, build and partially finance the $2.6 billion Valley Line West LRT.

On February 8th, 2016 the City selected TransEd to design, build, test and commission the Infrastructure and to operate, maintain and rehabilitate the system.

So wondering the same about operations of the west. It doesn't seem clear

 

[EdwardEdm]

So we have different types of trains for west and south valley line so this also means different companies will operate and maintain as well or transed is going to operate and maintain both lines?

Marigold's contract is only design, build, and I believe partially finance. TransEd's contract is design, build, finance, maintain, operate.
I strongly suspect Edmonton will negotiate a operations contract with TransEd at the least, maybe even maintain, although, ETS has existing in house knowledge on LRT maintenance.
Similar thing as Ottawa. RTG is operating future extensions that they were not involved in the construction.
Let's not forget, as part of this extension, the Gerry Wright OMF is being added onto to support the expanded fleet of LRV's, so infrastructure for the VLW is also being built along the existing VLSE.

 

[CplKlinger]

Not answering your question, but from City of Edmonton project agreements:

On December 23, 2020, the City reached financial close with Marigold Infrastructure Partners who was selected as the preferred proponent to design, build and partially finance the $2.6 billion Valley Line West LRT.

On February 8th, 2016 the City selected TransEd to design, build, test and commission the Infrastructure and to operate, maintain and rehabilitate the system.

So wondering the same about operations of the west. It doesn't seem clear

When I went for a walking tour of the line with some city staff, I asked about this and I'm pretty sure they said it's not known yet. It could be TransEd, it could be ETS, etc. But it'd make sense for one provider to do it since there'll still only be one control facility, one heavy maintenance facility, etc.

 

[Glenco]

Marigold's contract is only design, build, and I believe partially finance. TransEd's contract is design, build, finance, maintain, operate.
I strongly suspect Edmonton will negotiate a operations contract with TransEd at the least, maybe even maintain, although, ETS has existing in house knowledge on LRT maintenance.
Similar thing as Ottawa. RTG is operating future extensions that they were not involved in the construction.
Let's not forget, as part of this extension, the Gerry Wright OMF is being added onto to support the expanded fleet of LRV's, so infrastructure for the VLW is also being built along the existing VLSE.

'There's no hidden surprises,' city says, as it signs contract for Edmonton Valley Line LRT

"If you get on the system at any point, it shouldn't be distinguishable, not like you're on the private part or the ETS part."

edmontonjournal.com

It says operate and maintain their 13 km line.

 

[The_Cat]

Friday's letters: Streets closed but where's LRT construction?

Letters to the editor, Edmonton Journal

edmontonjournal.com

 

[CplKlinger]

'There's no hidden surprises,' city says, as it signs contract for Edmonton Valley Line LRT

"If you get on the system at any point, it shouldn't be distinguishable, not like you're on the private part or the ETS part."

edmontonjournal.com

It says operate and maintain their 13 km line.

That's for the Southeast portion; the entire line will be ~27 KM.

Valley Line | City of Edmonton

The Valley Line will travel between Mill Woods to Lewis Estates. The project is being built in 2 stages, Valley Line Southeast and Valley Line West.

www.edmonton.ca

 

[The_Cat]

I'm not sure if the video of the Valley Line West train was included.

 

[Glenco]

That's for the Southeast portion; the entire line will be ~27 KM.

Valley Line | City of Edmonton

The Valley Line will travel between Mill Woods to Lewis Estates. The project is being built in 2 stages, Valley Line Southeast and Valley Line West.

www.edmonton.ca

The point I was making is their contact included maintenance and operations not just design build as the other poster suggested. I am well aware that was only for the SE section.