Valley Line LRT | TransEd/Marigold | City of Edmonton

The_Cat said:
Growing up in the late 70s and early 80s, I remember seeing two-car trains on the tracks.
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Don't think we could have run much more than 2 cars at the time, only 14 cars to start.
Also it was much shorter than the tram line.
Can't add cars to the tram line as that will block off downtown intersections. Increasing speed might help a bit, until we have a 2 car train every block downtown.
The Western line will be great, southside s/b designed as a commuter line imho
 
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I think it can be difficult to convince people to change from cars to LRT, whether it’s convenience, multiple errands or other needs. I’m sure once people start complaining about $1.50 gas, this could change.
 
The Valley Line goes through single family home residential areas. It's the equivalent of building a road to a new subdivision.

The ridership will come as density increases around the stops, and of course once a connection is made to WEM. Right now VLSE goes from nowhere to barely somewhere. It doesn't even get you to Oliver without a transfer (yet). We're 3-5 years away.
 
The_Cat said:
^No. But an initial fleet of 11 cars made for small trains, probably at 10 minutes.at peak hours.
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Just because there was a small fleet and 2 car trains, that doesn't mean the line "didn't start out strong". And the stats were: 14 cars, 5 minute peaks. 3 cars added in 1979 for 17 total, but then those extra 3 were for the Bay/ Corona extension.
1979 ridership was 6,255,944 which is 17,139 daily. Obviously weekends and holidays would be less, weekdays more.
My source for the ridership also mentions this:
"So far, there has been little promotion, since the LRT service in the peak hours has standing room only. The city has yet to order more equipment to lengthen peak-hour trains to three cars each."
Souce: https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1981/817/817-002.pdf

It certainly sounds like the LRT started off well enough for the size of the fleet it had.
 
I think many were optimistic that Davies park & ride would provide that intermediary interface to suburban riders while we wait for the corridor to densify.

I wish the city would make hard choices like have the 500X run to Davies instead of all the way downtown. Same with the 110X-150X, open up Blatchford Gate as a suburban connector. Why are we wasting bus driver resources that could be deployed elsewhere when we have two underutilized LRT lines?
 
dkazzed said:
I think many were optimistic that Davies park & ride would provide that intermediary interface to suburban riders while we wait for the corridor to densify.

I wish the city would make hard choices like have the 500X run to Davies instead of all the way downtown. Same with the 110X-150X, open up Blatchford Gate as a suburban connector. Why are we wasting bus driver resources that could be deployed elsewhere when we have two underutilized LRT lines?
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I certainly agree about the 500x. I really think it has taken on some of the 73's ridership.
The latest number is an improvement at 174,604 but the number I crunched for the 73 in March 2023 was 268,504. Surely the VLSE should be brining in at least that number of riders.
Re: counting riders. I have no idea how they do it on the VLSE, however, above the door on every car is a sensor. Obviously, that's there to ensure no one is getting caught in the door. I wouldn't be surprised though if they can count passengers with it. If they do, the the VLSE can produce far more accurate passengers counts than the Capital and Metro lines.

Having 500x users transfer at Davies would free up a decent amount of service hours while maximizing the investment in LRT.
 
I think the challenge with 500X is the Maple Ridge Trailer Park on 17 Street. It takes 33 minutes. The Valley Line LRT takes about 20 minutes to Davies Station. The next leg (506) takes 24 minutes from Davies Station to Meadows with a drive through residential neighbourhoods.. I'm thinking a route through Roper Road to 34 Street and south to Whitemud and 17 Street would be more direct.
 
The flyover is done from WEM Station to the Misericordia. Almost all piers are up. It looks like the Aldergrove (182 Street) station is in the early stages of construction (with utilities getting set up). I’m sure finishing Stony Plain Road from 149-156 Street) will be a priority. Looks like drainage works are taking place on almost all of the line.
 
The_Cat said:
I think the challenge with 500X is the Maple Ridge Trailer Park on 17 Street. It takes 33 minutes. The Valley Line LRT takes about 20 minutes to Davies Station. The next leg (506) takes 24 minutes from Davies Station to Meadows with a drive through residential neighbourhoods.. I'm thinking a route through Roper Road to 34 Street and south to Whitemud and 17 Street would be more direct.
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Or simply Meadows to Davies via Whitemud and 75 St, not unlike the 700x. Essentially a shuttle route. Yes, it misses Maple Ridge, but there are other options available to the residents.
 
In the last citizens working group meeting they said their “stretch” goal for 2024 is to finish the entire elevated section and then to dismantle the lift machine.

Apparently they are 19% complete.

They wouldn’t divulge what % completed they had hoped to be by now, or give any type of opening date window.

Sounds like track is getting laid this year for glenora section.
 
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