JackTatt 🇨🇦
@jacktatttran.bsky.social
MASc. Graduate from UofT CivMin who researched public transport fare and service integration @TAL_UofT.
Like trains and buses and trams and people. Urban Transit Planning.
Like trains and buses and trams and people. Urban Transit Planning.
Sydney has one ferry route (F10 Blackwattle Bay) operated by the state’s contractor (Sydney Ferries Proudly Operated by Transdev) which does not take the state Opal farecard but only accepts credit/debit payments onboard at Opal prices but without discounted transfers or counting to the Opal caps.
November 25, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Sydney has one ferry route (F10 Blackwattle Bay) operated by the state’s contractor (Sydney Ferries Proudly Operated by Transdev) which does not take the state Opal farecard but only accepts credit/debit payments onboard at Opal prices but without discounted transfers or counting to the Opal caps.
WeGo Niagara Parks Commission only accepts RFID bus day passes (no cash or single ride) which can be purchased from the GO/VIA station or gotten from your hotel or purchased online in a package with GO tickets. It is completely separate from the Niagara Region Transit’s fare system.
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 PM
WeGo Niagara Parks Commission only accepts RFID bus day passes (no cash or single ride) which can be purchased from the GO/VIA station or gotten from your hotel or purchased online in a package with GO tickets. It is completely separate from the Niagara Region Transit’s fare system.
If you look at the train map, three stations have white dots not accessibility icons as the stop marker: Mimico, Long Branch, and Oriole. There buses are fully accessible, using lifts for their coach buses and low floor double-decker coach buses with ramps.
November 24, 2025 at 11:17 PM
If you look at the train map, three stations have white dots not accessibility icons as the stop marker: Mimico, Long Branch, and Oriole. There buses are fully accessible, using lifts for their coach buses and low floor double-decker coach buses with ramps.
Yeah, Montreal will be the winner of that award. Old Mill had expropriation challenged by a condo about construction layby. Warden and Islington need new bus terminals built for connections (the accessibility dates are for street with temporary bus bays in a lot at Warden and on-street at Islington)
November 24, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Yeah, Montreal will be the winner of that award. Old Mill had expropriation challenged by a condo about construction layby. Warden and Islington need new bus terminals built for connections (the accessibility dates are for street with temporary bus bays in a lot at Warden and on-street at Islington)
Not a typo. Five minutes to draw a circle, number a clock and draw a time.
November 18, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Not a typo. Five minutes to draw a circle, number a clock and draw a time.
Cops should not do fare inspections. Unarmed agency personnel should do the fare inspections, see pictures from Sydney Australia (the state and private operators employ authorized officers who do random ticket checks. State police basically never check tickets, their job is law enforcement).
November 4, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Cops should not do fare inspections. Unarmed agency personnel should do the fare inspections, see pictures from Sydney Australia (the state and private operators employ authorized officers who do random ticket checks. State police basically never check tickets, their job is law enforcement).
Interesting how it’s all Carried on Diversion I looked it up, it’s a parliamentary term for passed without a recorded vote but noting that the opposition is against it (but are in the minority).
Of course it has some fancy esoteric name about a more competitive economy (I guess lawless roads help?)
Of course it has some fancy esoteric name about a more competitive economy (I guess lawless roads help?)
November 4, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Interesting how it’s all Carried on Diversion I looked it up, it’s a parliamentary term for passed without a recorded vote but noting that the opposition is against it (but are in the minority).
Of course it has some fancy esoteric name about a more competitive economy (I guess lawless roads help?)
Of course it has some fancy esoteric name about a more competitive economy (I guess lawless roads help?)
Okay looking into it more. The Australians pronounce it with a British influence as THREE syllables prem-ee-uh, contrasting with both Americans and Canadians two syllable pronunciations. Canadians emphasize the first while the Americans sound like they’re talking about a movie: PREM-wee vs pre-MEER.
November 2, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Okay looking into it more. The Australians pronounce it with a British influence as THREE syllables prem-ee-uh, contrasting with both Americans and Canadians two syllable pronunciations. Canadians emphasize the first while the Americans sound like they’re talking about a movie: PREM-wee vs pre-MEER.
WEGO Niagara Parks Commission (Ontario, Canada) is rather small. They have only one and a half routes, only take prepurchased cards (no payment on board), and run frequent services during the day only. Connects resorts, attractions like the power station, the GO/VIA train station, and key points.
November 1, 2025 at 3:05 AM
WEGO Niagara Parks Commission (Ontario, Canada) is rather small. They have only one and a half routes, only take prepurchased cards (no payment on board), and run frequent services during the day only. Connects resorts, attractions like the power station, the GO/VIA train station, and key points.
The buses had placards and/or destination boards for it too!
November 1, 2025 at 2:26 AM
The buses had placards and/or destination boards for it too!
Finally, there is a terminal station layout common in Europe, UK, and Australia where you have three parallel tracks at stations with the middle track not serving platforms but with mid-platform crossovers so you can do shunting moves more easily.
Pictures show it at Sydney Central on platforms 1-4
Pictures show it at Sydney Central on platforms 1-4
October 31, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Finally, there is a terminal station layout common in Europe, UK, and Australia where you have three parallel tracks at stations with the middle track not serving platforms but with mid-platform crossovers so you can do shunting moves more easily.
Pictures show it at Sydney Central on platforms 1-4
Pictures show it at Sydney Central on platforms 1-4
Some other pics from Hillcrst complex (Harvey Shops). The facility is currently being expanded to be a car barn for the storage and maintenance of operating streetcars (the fleet is being expanded by an additional 60 which maxes out the existing car houses).
October 30, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Some other pics from Hillcrst complex (Harvey Shops). The facility is currently being expanded to be a car barn for the storage and maintenance of operating streetcars (the fleet is being expanded by an additional 60 which maxes out the existing car houses).
Rail bending in action during a United Way Open House a few years ago (TTC staff volunteer to host these open houses with the proceeds of the entry fee going to United Way)
October 30, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Rail bending in action during a United Way Open House a few years ago (TTC staff volunteer to host these open houses with the proceeds of the entry fee going to United Way)
Fascinating. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Germany yet. Do automobiles drive on the raised road when no streetcars or is it just for cyclists?
October 29, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Fascinating. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Germany yet. Do automobiles drive on the raised road when no streetcars or is it just for cyclists?
Compare for instance these posted speed limits on the brand new Parramatta Light Rail in New South Wales (sorry about the picture quality):
20 kph straight and 15 kph diverging in a pedestrianized zone
20kph diverging (ending turnout) at a terminus
35kph straight and 25kph diverging at terminus
20 kph straight and 15 kph diverging in a pedestrianized zone
20kph diverging (ending turnout) at a terminus
35kph straight and 25kph diverging at terminus
October 29, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Compare for instance these posted speed limits on the brand new Parramatta Light Rail in New South Wales (sorry about the picture quality):
20 kph straight and 15 kph diverging in a pedestrianized zone
20kph diverging (ending turnout) at a terminus
35kph straight and 25kph diverging at terminus
20 kph straight and 15 kph diverging in a pedestrianized zone
20kph diverging (ending turnout) at a terminus
35kph straight and 25kph diverging at terminus
Namely:
- Reliable switch controls and switch status (including alignment) displayed outside or in cabs.
- Switches suitable for operation over at 15-30kph not 10kph even for straight moves
- Dedicated lanes and transit malls
- Intelligent TSP that actually prioritizes transit
- Improved stops
- Reliable switch controls and switch status (including alignment) displayed outside or in cabs.
- Switches suitable for operation over at 15-30kph not 10kph even for straight moves
- Dedicated lanes and transit malls
- Intelligent TSP that actually prioritizes transit
- Improved stops
October 29, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Namely:
- Reliable switch controls and switch status (including alignment) displayed outside or in cabs.
- Switches suitable for operation over at 15-30kph not 10kph even for straight moves
- Dedicated lanes and transit malls
- Intelligent TSP that actually prioritizes transit
- Improved stops
- Reliable switch controls and switch status (including alignment) displayed outside or in cabs.
- Switches suitable for operation over at 15-30kph not 10kph even for straight moves
- Dedicated lanes and transit malls
- Intelligent TSP that actually prioritizes transit
- Improved stops
@auguststreet.ca I will be coming but please let me know if there is anything I can do to contribute. Having had the opportunity to experience trams in other jurisdictions and discussed with TTC, the streetcar system seriously needs improvements for this century and the TTC lacks the competency.
October 29, 2025 at 10:14 PM
@auguststreet.ca I will be coming but please let me know if there is anything I can do to contribute. Having had the opportunity to experience trams in other jurisdictions and discussed with TTC, the streetcar system seriously needs improvements for this century and the TTC lacks the competency.
I think the key to controlling fare evasion is making inspection seem likely (like saying you have plain clothes inspectors) and making fare inspectors approachable transit personnel and not security-lite. Like in Sydney they wear white shirts with knit sweaters or vests and are friendly.
October 28, 2025 at 3:45 AM
I think the key to controlling fare evasion is making inspection seem likely (like saying you have plain clothes inspectors) and making fare inspectors approachable transit personnel and not security-lite. Like in Sydney they wear white shirts with knit sweaters or vests and are friendly.
I’ve been on the Peak2Peak Gondola. Dangling over a kilometre above the ground from cabs whose nearest supports are 1.5km away. It’s fine. Actually quite awesome.
It is the world’s longest freespan gondola (3km between supports on a 4.4km gondola)
It is the world’s longest freespan gondola (3km between supports on a 4.4km gondola)
October 28, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I’ve been on the Peak2Peak Gondola. Dangling over a kilometre above the ground from cabs whose nearest supports are 1.5km away. It’s fine. Actually quite awesome.
It is the world’s longest freespan gondola (3km between supports on a 4.4km gondola)
It is the world’s longest freespan gondola (3km between supports on a 4.4km gondola)
Similarly the South Coast Intercity Line (like the Barrie line or a LSE extension to Port Hope or Belleville) takes 2hrs20 to Kiama on express with local services to Port Kembla. The Illawarra escapement and Royal National Park slow trains significantly between Waterfall & N Wollongong.
October 21, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Similarly the South Coast Intercity Line (like the Barrie line or a LSE extension to Port Hope or Belleville) takes 2hrs20 to Kiama on express with local services to Port Kembla. The Illawarra escapement and Royal National Park slow trains significantly between Waterfall & N Wollongong.
I have a system with views and schedules to beat that.
October 20, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I have a system with views and schedules to beat that.
The express could be operated under a mutual fare agreement with South Shore Line so tickets are valid on Metra Electric local, Metra Electric Express, and South Shore services if used on the part of the line bounded by the stations the ticket was issued for.
Double deck trains could be like Sydney
Double deck trains could be like Sydney
October 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The express could be operated under a mutual fare agreement with South Shore Line so tickets are valid on Metra Electric local, Metra Electric Express, and South Shore services if used on the part of the line bounded by the stations the ticket was issued for.
Double deck trains could be like Sydney
Double deck trains could be like Sydney
My neighbourhood is now proudly home to GreenP’s 500th electric vehicle charging station featuring a fancy gold charger.
October 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
My neighbourhood is now proudly home to GreenP’s 500th electric vehicle charging station featuring a fancy gold charger.