O-Train Odyssey 4: The Potential and Pitfalls of Phases 2 and 3 (SH89)

In this episode, the humans bring back transit expert Declan for the final stop of the O-Train Odyssey. They discuss the project's recent news, review what went wrong throughout, highlight lessons for the future, and share their hopes for the upcoming phases and transit in Ottawa more generally. Don't miss the series finale – the conclusion of the long and winding O-Train journey.

Show Notes

• SH85: The O-Train Odyssey: Ottawa's Transit History and the 2001 Pilot (Part 1)

• SH86: Fake it till you make it (The O-Train Odyssey—Part 2)

• SH87: Derailments and Doors: The Grand Opening of the O-Train (The O-Train Odyssey—Part 3)

• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry

• O-Train Interactive System Map 

• O-Train System map (As of time of recording)

• O-Train Phase 2 map

• Yearly Themes 2024: Experiences and Foundation (SH 88)

• Ottawa mayoral candidate Mark Sutcliffe on transportation plan: 'I'm not going to declare war on cars' Ottawa Citizen

• Sutcliffe keeps tax hike promise in 'tight' $5.5B city budget

• Transit Long Range Financial Plan Update

• Ottawa mayor says premier called after Toronto highway deal

• Legislation introduced to deliver more homes near transit hubs Vancouver

• Moodie Station concept renders

SH87: Derailments and Doors: The Grand Opening of the O-Train (The O-Train Odyssey—Part 3)

In this episode, the humans and transit expert Declan explore the notorious grand opening of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line. They dive deep into some of the issues, including malfunctioning doors and track problems, while discussing recommendations for improvement suggested by the official inquiry.

Show notes

• SH85: The O-Train Odyssey: Ottawa's Transit History and the 2001 Pilot (Part 1)

• SH86: Fake it till you make it (The O-Train Odyssey—Part 2)

• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry

• O-Train Interactive System Map

• O-Train System map (As of time of recording)

• O-Train Phase 2 map

• This Man's Face Is Everyone In Ottawa Right Now

• Ardbeg Ten Years Old

• Carling Ice

• Eglinton Crosstown West Extension

• Eglinton Crosstown West Extension Virtual Open House - November 9, 2023

• The World's Newest Metro is Here! | Montreal REM

• Woe-train: Ottawa's LRT troubles, by the numbers

• Bogies, bearings and greasing the rails: Solutions for Ottawa's beleaguered LRT

• OC Transpo officials say 56 of 103 recommendations from LRT inquiry have been implemented so far

• Incidents Affecting LRT Vehicles and Services Report to Transit Commission on 12 October 2023

• LRT Disruption – Root Cause Review Report to Transit Commission on 12 October 2023

• O-Train can 'easily' provide the service with a single-car train, OC Transpo boss says

• LRT root-cause review raises more questions than it answers

• Transit Long Range Financial Plan Update

SH86: Fake it till you make it (The O-Train Odyssey—Part 2)

In this episode, the Humans dive further into the troubled history of Ottawa's O-Train Confederation Line project. Transit expert Declan joins to explore the challenges faced by this notorious project, sharing lessons for improving transit initiatives in other cities. This episode explores the 2010 municipal election, the procurement model's impact, train quality issues, testing problems, and the influence of a secretive cabal known as the "WhatsApp Group."

Show Notes

• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry

• O-Train Interactive System Map

• O-Train System map (As of the time of recording)

• O-Train Phase 2 map

• 2010 Ottawa municipal election

• Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Investments

• AMF, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board and KKR become new shareholders in Caruna alongside Elo

• Indian toll roads: Investing in India’s infrastructure to boost economic growth

• European Airports: Creating runway for a more prosperous and sustainable future

• Alstom was 'pushing the limit' of what a light rail car can do, inquiry hears

• The Citadis Dualis began service in 2019

• 1,200 Japanese workers convert above-ground train to subway line in a matter of hours

SH85: The O-Train Odyssey: Ottawa's Transit History and the 2001 Pilot (Part 1)

In this episode, the Humans introduce part one of a series exploring the cursed history of the Ottawa O-Train Confederation Line project. Special guest and transit expert Declan joins to unravel the challenges faced by one of Canada's most infamous transit projects, offering valuable lessons to improve future projects in other cities. This episode touches on what an LRT is, the history of OC Transit, and the surprisingly successful 2001 Trillium Line pilot project, setting the stage for the series to come.

Show Notes

• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Public Inquiry

• O-Train Interactive System Map

• O-Train System map (As of time of recording)

• O-Train Phase 2 map

• Occasional Transit

• North of 7 Distillery

• Bicycle Craft Brewery

• What the Heck is an LRT? RM Transit video

• Eglinton Crosstown LRT

• Ottawa On-Demand Transit Pilot Project

• Josh Matlow vs Rob Ford

• Ottawa LRT Stage 1: 103 Lessons on Building a Better Rail Line

• Ottawa's original LRT: 68 years of streetcars in the capital

• Ottawa's Streetcars: The Story of Electric Railway Transit in Canada's Capital

• Streetcars in Montreal - They did get new streetcars during World War 2

• Bus rapid transit in Ottawa, 1978 to 2008: Assessing the results by Sami Al-Dubikhi and Paul Mees

• Shifter - Bicycle Commuting YouTube Channel

• OC Transpo Ridership Numbers

• Are Streetcars Better Than Buses?

• Bi-articulated buses

• HUGE Double-decker bi-articulated bus

• O-Train Light Rail Pilot Project (2001)

• Why shortening the downtown rail tunnel doesn't matter very much

• The rail transit system Ottawa should have had

• The Delcan Corporation Transit Technology Choice Report

• Houston METRORail

• Texas High-Speed Rail with Japanese Bullet Trains

• What is CBTC?