O-Train

[priestpilot]

Here's an interesting light rail line found here in Ottawa that I'll share for people who might not know about it. It is a short rail line that is about 8 kms long (or 5 miles), and has 5 stations. It started as a pilot project in 2002 and has remained unchanged. This line uses the German-made Bombardier Talent trains (which is the only user in North America). It is integrated with Ottawa's transit agency, OC Transpo.

The O-Train is really an oddity compared to other light rail lines found in North America. Not only is it short, but it does not serve the city centre core directly, but does provide an easy bus rapid transit connection at its northern terminus (Bayview), as well as a connection to a bus going to the airport at the southern terminus (Greenboro); this is due to using old freight tracks which was cheap to install. The entire line is single tracked, with passing tracks at the middle at Carleton University. Two trains runs on a frequency of 15 minutes, passing each other at Carleton. This line also does not seem to serve anything, however because it stops at Carleton University I notice many students use it. It was supposed to be expanded, but we don't always know what the city council are up to.

I personally try to ride these trains whenever I can. I take the same bus from my house, to the University where I study, as well as the airport. To avoid the busy city centre, and having the bus stopping and going, I'll take the train...and often get on the same exact bus I got off earlier!

Here are a few links for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-Train

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFLCq75mqMc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSbVkidAbgk

[locojoe]

Hi priestpilot The O-Train looks interesting and a 15 minute service sounds very good. I had a look at the utube videos, just how does the line manage to pay for itself, I would imagine the income from freight trains must help.

[priestpilot]

Actually I believe that the O-Train uses the right-of-way that is still owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, so they must pay them to use it. Since they built this line on existing track they saved a lot of money doing this; they just needed to add platforms, purchase the trains and do necessary upgrades. The O-Train is also run by OC Transpo, Ottawa's public transit network.

There are plans to actually double track and electrify it, extend it to the airport, as well as the neighbouring city of Gatineau. The City of Ottawa is planning on settling up a light rail network for the entire city, and running it in a tunnel for the city centre. I believe that the current O-Train will become a branch-line of this future network.

[locojoe]

Thanks for the added information priestpilot, so the City of Ottawa will one day have an underground railway system

[Anon Mouse]

Looks like an interesting system, I found this pic of one of the stations on the network.......the platform appears to be a little odd!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pepperj...7594107827071/

[priestpilot]

Yeah like that one video shows, the platforms are built to accommodate boarding on those narrow trains while still having the flexibility of letting the wider freight trains pass through. In the 4 years I've lived here I never saw this being done, and as far as I knew this railroad was abandoned. I never saw any signs of usage, like those marks left in the snow, and also the signals are deteriorating.

I'll add this map showing where the O-Train belongs in OC Transpo's rapid transit network. This system uses bus-only roads, and exclusive bus lanes in downtown with stations nearly every 0.5 km. The bus route I was talking about earlier is the 97.

[Anon Mouse]

The City of Ottowa must be barking mad! I've just looked at the route on Google Earth and one end of the line is quite near to the International Airport where there is what looks like a freight depot and where I presume the units are maintained. At the other end of the line is a long bridge (Prince of Wales) with a short rail-less gap at the Ottowa end and it leads to Qubec University in Hull This bridge is owned by the City and was going to be used by the O Train.

It seems that Canada is completly anti-rail, which I find totally barmy!

[priestpilot]

That little depot near the airport is actually the Centre for Surface Transportation Technology with the National Research Council of Canada. The units are maintained at the Walkley Yard near Greenboro, in between Walkley and Johnston Roads.

The Prince of Wales Bridge is I think the first rail bridge in that area that appeared in the late 19th century. Today it is not used, only a little bit at the north end for a train to turn around while picking up at a factory siding.

Here is a video explaining abbit about the bridge not being used:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1oMHLrxfgc

And another random one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7UReaJ4iE

Yes I do think that Canada seems anti-rail. The Windsor-Québec Corridor has the best inter-city rail, but even that is sort of a joke compared to rail service in Europe. There has been so many cutbacks too, the biggest one in 1990 with our national rail service. Here are maps when VIA Rail first began in 1978, then after the 1990 cuts!