kevin_roche
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When the ETCS /EVC based system issues get sorted
Can you explain what EVC is please?
When the ETCS /EVC based system issues get sorted
Not one I've heard before either but I assume it refers to the below:Can you explain what EVC is please?
The EVC is the core of the ETCS onboard device. It is part of the Automatic Train Protection logic and is the unit with which all the other train functions interact, such as the odometer or the GSM-R data reception.
- Euro Vital Computer (EVC)
It does.Not one I've heard before either but I assume it refers to the below:
Does that mean that the integration testing (which I think is the critical path to opening) has stopped? Or is it just the physical construction sites?TfL and Crossrail construction sites to come to Safe Stop
My understanding is that everything that requires human beings to be on site will stopped as soon as it safely can be. For many things (e.g. most station fit-out activity) that means it has already stopped, most other things will be stopping over then next few days as they get to a safe stopping point from which they can be safely resumed. Only things which cannot be stopped, e.g. essential daily maintenance, are continuing. I don't know enough about what integration testing entails to be sure, but I suspect that it will fall into one of the first two categories.Does that mean that the integration testing (which I think is the critical path to opening) has stopped? Or is it just the physical construction sites?
Software development and/or document review might be able to continue with staff working at home, but any physical testing will likely have to be postponed.
I would have thought that running of test trains, for example, could be achieved within social distancing requirements. And it would be far easier to arrange while physical construction has stopped, could even have pulled some time back. But it might just be simpler to stop everything. They are not carrying out essential work, after all, which is the most important thing now.My understanding is that everything that requires human beings to be on site will stopped as soon as it safely can be.
It usually requires two people in the cab a driver and an engineerI would have thought that running of test trains, for example, could be achieved within social distancing requirements. And it would be far easier to arrange while physical construction has stopped, could even have pulled some time back. But it might just be simpler to stop everything. They are not carrying out essential work, after all, which is the most important thing now.
Still requires people to travel to work, perhaps on other public transport services.I would have thought that running of test trains, for example, could be achieved within social distancing requirements.
Those drivers are probably required to keep some sort of commuter service running for essential workers.I would have thought that running of test trains, for example, could be achieved within social distancing requirements. And it would be far easier to arrange while physical construction has stopped, could even have pulled some time back. But it might just be simpler to stop everything. They are not carrying out essential work, after all, which is the most important thing now.
Agreed, better they do that. Nobody is going to die if CrossRail gets put further back, whereas people may die if doctors and nurses are stuck on a platform waiting for a train rather than treating the sick.Those drivers are probably required to keep some sort of commuter service running for essential workers.
I'd agree, the spare drivers being useful.TfL Rail are running a full service out west I speculate that the surplus of drivers have given a redundancy that is allow them to mitigate the absence
A number of 5Zxx 345 services have been running today between T5 and Paddington: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/F23638/2020-04-13/detailed
Rail News said:THE price of Crossrail has risen by another £140 million, and rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris described the further increase as ‘very disappointing’. It also seems likely that completion of the project will be delayed yet again.
The extra funding is needed to complete the surface sections in east and west London, which are run by Network Rail, and there is no connection with the coronavirus pandemic, because it has emerged that the additional costs were calculated before lockdown.
The east and west stations do not need to be complete for it to be open. TfL rail is already running to these stationsFrom Rail News today Crossrail likely to be delayed again - when will it open now I wonder
Yes I'm slightly puzzled. The BBC had a couple of paragraphs saying pretty much the same as above. Network Rail seem to have been late with some station improvements connected to Crossrail but it now seems that they have more to do which hasn't yet been funded?The east and west stations do not need to be complete for it to be open. TfL rail is already running to these stations
Yes I'm slightly puzzled. The BBC had a couple of paragraphs saying pretty much the same as above. Network Rail seem to have been late with some station improvements connected to Crossrail but it now seems that they have more to do which hasn't yet been funded?
No, 345s aren't running to Heathrow - still 360s. 345s are only doing Hayes shuttles (and Reading). Testing restarted last week.Are 345s not running to Heathrow in service yet? I passed one in the Paddington throat a couple of weeks ago about 17.50 with Heathrow Terminal 4 on the displays. I figured it must be in service, seemed an odd time to do testing. Of course the destination display may have been wrong.
No, 345s aren't running to Heathrow - still 360s. 345s are only doing Hayes shuttles (and Reading). Testing restarted last week.
Terminal 4 Station isn't open for passengers in any case. Heathrow Express and TfL Rail are both running half hourly to Terminal 5.
On the stations point I expect the two drivers of a need to finish the stations are accessibility and revenue protection. Opening a station that isn't accessible to all would be a spectacular public relations disaster. They will want a closed system (ie ticket gates at all stations) for revenue purposes.
Opening a station would be. Starting to run through services to a pre-existing station (that you already serve) that isn't accessible yet is much less spectacular of a disaster.Opening a station that isn't accessible to all would be a spectacular public relations disaster.
To some extent true, but there's ungated entrances/exits on the Underground (and more so the Overground) and the DLR is mostly ungated. Having the closed system (transfers from open parts of the system ignored) isn't essential.They will want a closed system (ie ticket gates at all stations) for revenue purposes.
The surface stations were adequately funded originally and also a 2011 value engineering issue. The result was that when NR went out to tender that not even Carillion bidding lower than every one else could match the Crossrail funding amounts fro the works. (10% construction inflation in London in the early part of the decade hence 5 years of that really blew estimates)Yes I'm slightly puzzled. The BBC had a couple of paragraphs saying pretty much the same as above. Network Rail seem to have been late with some station improvements connected to Crossrail but it now seems that they have more to do which hasn't yet been funded?
One council even thought they would be getting section 106 funding from NR doing station works when they would actually be funnelling that funding from other local schemes to NR...
Let us bear in mind that Crossrail has consistently had the highest paid top level engineering executives in the country, it's all been publicly announced as such, and to have this Intern level of incompetence YET AGAIN is just ludicrous, let alone bandying blame back and forth between Crossrail, Network Rail, TfL, DfT, and whoever else, like children in the primary school playground.This has been brewing 4-5years but CR have kicked the can down the road and stuck their head in the sand, this is all of that finally getting addressed. Admitting the costings were unrealistic 5 years would have been the simple solution.
Some of the delay is NR having to go back and continually pare back schemes to reduce costs. Councils then get upset that they get less nice new station which that time to address...
Section 106 has unfortunately developed from good intentions to some form of councillors' arm-twisting for their pet schemes for political co-runners. More than one I have been associated with I really queried with a lawyer whether there could be a prosecution for Demanding Money with Menaces. Sometimes the officers seem quite embarrassed by what the councillors have told them to extract.Bald Rick said:That’s not at all unusual - councils frequently expect section 106 payments from a station development / new station, even occasionally when they are paying for the development themselves.
Basically what was happening with these trains is they were picking up timetable data based on their headcode. So would show terminal 4 as that's where they were timetabled to be. They were actually getting turned at Hayes. Even though Heathrow Terminal 4 was shown as the destinationAre 345s not running to Heathrow in service yet? I passed one in the Paddington throat a couple of weeks ago about 17.50 with Heathrow Terminal 4 on the displays. I figured it must be in service, seemed an odd time to do testing. Of course the destination display may have been wrong.