C Train News

Support this website by joining the Silver Rails TrainWeb Club for as little as $1 per month. Click here for info.

This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/ctrain to TrainWeb.US/ctrain.

C-Train News
September 4 2003	A major C-train accident at Deerfoot Trail level crossing on August 22nd, 2003. A three car SD160 train was traveling outbound at 16:15 hrs. at the Deerfoot level crossing when it struck a pickup truck driven by a female who was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The train pushed the truck across a number of lanes into a catenary pole at the east end of the crossing where the truck got stuck and wedged between the train and the pole. The train traveled another 2 and a half car lengths past the pole while the truck was causing a great amount of damage to the side of the train. The front car 2220 sustained major damage to the front of the cab and the entire length of the train body with some panels ripped out and the exterior skin rippled. It isn't expected back in service for several months. The middle car 2212 was also severely damaged on the side that contacted the pickup and will also be out of service for an extended period of time. The trailing car 2214 sustained only minor damage and is back in revenue service. U2 AC #2102 is being used as a belly (center) car with two SD160's. After months of hard work by a dedicated electro-mechanic who's been working on LRV's at Anderson garage for a number of years and who was one of the very few who believed that it could be done, a successful operation of one of the two old U2 AC cars combined with 2 new SD160's was achieved. The major obstacle was to get the two different systems to properly communicate with each other and this was done by rewriting the software for the U2 AC. This combo (or hybrid) train has been in daily service since the Spring and is proving to be very reliable, which is something the two U2 AC cars were never famous for in the past. The other U2 AC #2101 is just completing it's major overhaul, it is now off the lifts back on it's rebuilt bogies and could be back in service very soon using the same updated software and configuration as 2102. Then it's going to be 2102's turn to come in for an overhaul.

February 27 2003	The first five SD-160's just went through the body shop to have the top corners of all exterior door openings reinforced with L-shaped metal brackets to prevent cracking due to a body integrity failure. The SD-160 bodies were designed for street level loading leaving ample space between the top of the door openings and the roof. The units built for Calgary were modified by raising the doors higher to accommodate platform loading leaving less space above the doors thus reducing the strength and rigidity of the body. This problem was noticed in the early production stages and all later units (2206 and up) were reinforced at the factory. While in the body shop, these early units also received the larger style exterior steps. Units 2101 and 2102 (U2-AC) are presently parked at Haysboro storage where they will remain for an extended period of time. The wheels are worn to a point where they have to be replaced. Since they are different from the U2-DC, these will have to be special ordered along with some other parts to perform a scheduled "F"-check (a major overhaul but not quite as involved as a "G"-check - a complete rebuild) The faith of car 2010 still hasn't been decided, there are some who think it will get scrapped and replaced by an extra SD-160 and some are still pushing to have the car rebuilt. For now, car 2010 is stored in two pieces under a tarp at Anderson yard. Yesterday (Feb. 26, '03), car 2216 received the remaining stripes which are now complete and hopefully we'll see this unit in service soon. Late last year, after a few tries, Siemens engineers had developed software enabling the SD-160 fleet to operate in modified (restricted) AC mode preventing the overloading of power sub-stations built for a far lower power demand of the older U2 cars. Every U2 car going through a "G"-check will receive some updated features based on the SD-160's. These include new exterior advisory lights, exterior door buttons, blue fabric seats, wheelchair ramps and in some cases new pantographs and couplers.

August 26 2002	After more than a year at Anderson garage, car no. 2208 finally entered revenue service at the beginning of August '02. Predictably, during the first few days of service the car spent more time in the shop than on line but eventually, all the bugs should be worked out. Car no. 2215, on the other hand, is getting worse by the day and is a real pain to have in a consist. In July, we saw the two repaired and modified AC cars 2101 and 2102 re-introduced to service only for limited "rush-hour extra" service running as a 2-car train. This truly AC powered* pair seems to be fairly reliable and free of major problems... it only took 14 years. *The entire SD-160-AC fleet is still operating in simulated DC mode. The future of car 2010 hasn't been decided as of yet, a number of possibilities is being discussed but the final decision is still some time off.

March 07 2002	Thirteen of the first fifteen SD-160-AC units delivered so far have been commissioned and are being used in daily service. Car no. 2208 (ex parts bin) is still missing some parts and it could be a while before it enters service. Our latest arrival, car 2215 should be going through acceptance testing within the next two weeks and join the in-service fleet soon thereafter. The second part of the SD-160-AC order from Siemens, Sacramento, should start arriving in October 2002 with the final car reaching Calgary in October 2003. The order has been increased by seven LRVs for a total of 39 SD-160-ACs. The new Prairie Winds Garage in the N.E. should be completed in late 2004 and that's where all these new trains could be based. U2AC unit no. 2101 has been out of service since early February due to a burnt-out control unit that had to be sent to Germany for a rebuild. No word yet as to when it will be back in service. New upholstery in old cars! This is the third color (not including the factory original) to be used to replace the old worn-out seat covers. It is the same blue fabric as used on the SD-160-AC. The two cars (U2 2007 & 2022) with this new interior had recently completed a "G" check (one-million-kilometre-plus overhaul) and also, the interior simulated-wood panels were replaced with steel. In addition, car no. 2007 received new grey couplers and pantograph.

October 02 2001	Two 3-car trains composed of the new SD-160-AC units resumed revenue service on September 27th, however, their in-service performance is still far from being trouble free and reliable as we've come to expect from the older U2 units. Testing of the south line extension was successfully completed on time and training trains can be seen daily, running between Anderson Road overpass and Fish Creek-Lacombe station. The extension will get tied-in to the main network on October 6-8 (Anderson station will be closed during this process) and regular service to Fish Creek will start on Tuesday morning, October 9th.

September 15 2001	All SD-160-AC units were grounded (withdrawn from service) on September 12th after a breakdown during an afternoon rush hour. The train stopped just inside the CP tunnel and tied up the inbound track for approximately 20 minutes. It is suspected that the culprit of this incident was one of the couplers which malfunctioned while the train was moving. At this time it is unknown when these units will resume passenger service. When unit no. 2208 arrived in Calgary in July, four of its large side windows were smashed out. New replacement windows have not arrived as of yet leaving the '08 parked at the back of the shop most of the time. New roller destination signs are being installed on the entire fleet of U2 and U2-AC vehicles to accommodate the two new stations due to open next month on the south line and all of the future stations that are to be built on the northeast and northwest lines over the next few years. Some existing station names were also added to correspond with the upcoming service changes. The identifying feature of these new signs is the yellow color of the text. Why has transit opted for new roller signs instead of digital (as on most busses and all SD-160-ACs) is hard to understand. Training/ familiarization of motormen on the new south line LRT extension is scheduled to begin on September 24th and if everything goes according to plan, regular revenue service to Fish Creek station should start on October 9, 2001.

August 7 2001	The 9th SD-160-AC (2209 - July 31) unit has now been delivered from Siemens in Sacramento. Unit no. 2206 was the latest car to receive the tri-color stripes last month. Units 2207, 2208 and 2209 are still in their plain white color scheme. A 3-car train composed of the new SD-160-AC units commenced limited revenue service on July 4th, 2001. A number of problems surfaced during the first few days of operation and most of these have now been addressed. One of the problems remaining is related to the safe operation of the passenger access doors. The design of these new doors is quite different from the U2 series and will require newly developed rubber strips along the outside edge of the door openings. The completion of the South LRT extension is on schedule for the revised mid-October opening. Most of the ABS signals were installed in July, the track work is mostly done with only grinding and adjustments left to do, the feed and contact wires are in place, only the hanger wires are to be added to complete the catenary installation. Both new stations are receiving some final touches and work is progressing well on the Canyon Meadows station multilevel parkade. Testing and training on the new line should begin sometime in September.

January 6 2001	Tri-color stripes were applied to unit 2201 at Anderson Road LRV body shop. Tests and modifications are ongoing on daily bases in hopes to have the first car of the SD-160-AC series in revenue service by early Spring 2001.

November 1 2000	First light rail vehicle of the new SD-160-AC series arrived at Calgary Transit's Anderson Road shops. Unit number 2201 was transported from Sacramento, California on a flatbed trailer and was offloaded in Calgary on 7th Avenue late at night, at the end of revenue service.
Home
Copyright © Iron Road Productions 1999-2005

Support this website by joining the Silver Rails TrainWeb Club for as little as $1 per month. Click here for info.