Anglais

How a few centimetres could improve your GO Transit commute

Published

5 années ago

janvier 5, 2019

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It’s a few centimetres tall and the thousands of people who use GO Transit every day hardly notice it’s there, but getting rid of it could lead to major improvements at Canada’s busiest rail station.

The single step at the door of every GO Transit car may not look like much, but Metrolinx plans to eliminate it as part of a wider effort to more than double the capacity of Union Station.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of GO, estimates making modifications that would allow passengers to directly board the cars without a step, just like a TTC subway car, could shave up to 20 seconds off the time it takes each train to enter and leave Union.

With about 40 GO trains serving Union during every weekday morning rush hour those seconds add up, and the time saved could allow Metrolinx to run more trains.

“It’s just the way to go for the system,” said Michael Wolczyk, vice-president of technical resource management in Metrolinx’s capital projects group.

Finding ways to run more trains in and out of Union will be crucial in the coming years as the region’s population grows and the province moves ahead with plans to dramatically increase GO Transit service.

Under the GO expansion program, which was formerly known as regional express rail, Metrolinx plans to add more two-way, all-day service, run trains every 15 minutes or sooner, and electrify some of its rail lines. As today, the vast majority of all trips will start or end at Union.

The station’s location in the heart of downtown prohibits any major physical expansion, so instead Metrolinx is focusing on making operations more efficient.

Proposals outlined in a recent Metrolinx business case analysis of the GO expansion program include reconfiguring Union’s platforms and tracks, which according to Wolczyk haven’t been significantly altered since the station opened in 1927.

Perhaps counterintuitively, Metrolinx is proposing to increase capacity by reducing the number of tracks at Union, from 16 down to 10. The number of platforms would also be decreased from 13 to 10 (a single platform can serve two tracks), but they would be made wider.

In addition to the 10 main platforms, six smaller “bay” or “stub” platforms, which are open at just one end, would be installed at either end of the station to accommodate smaller GO, Via Rail, and Union Pearson Express trains.

Fewer main platforms means fewer trains would be able to enter the station at once, but the wider platforms could significantly improve operations.

The existing platforms at Union are the narrowest on the GO network, despite being the most heavily used. At times, particularly when trains are delayed, they can become perilously overcrowded, making it difficult for passengers to obey Metrolinx’s safety directives to stay clear of the platform edges.

“They always tell you don’t walk on the yellow lines, but you have a very hard time. People are zooming in front of you” because they want to get to a train, said Robert Campbell as he waited for his train home to Burlington one recent afternoon.

“You obviously get tensed up.”

To reduce crowding at track level, GO doesn’t announce which train is arriving at which platform until 10 minutes before it’s set to depart. Passengers are encouraged to wait in the concourse below track level, which delays boarding.

GO trains can sit at platforms for at least 10 minutes while they take on passengers.

According to Wolczyk that’s “really inefficient in terms of train and platform usage.”

“Ideally we’d like a train to come in and only spend two or three minutes here, and leave,” he said.

Wider platforms would allow for an entire train load of passengers to safely wait at track level and quickly board when the train pulls in.

The wider platforms could also let GO lift the speed restrictions on trains entering the station. Vehicles are only allowed to travel at about 16 km/h for safety reasons, Wolczyk said.

Getting rid of the step at the car doors and implementing subway-style “level boarding” would have two major benefits, according to Metrolinx.

Currently, GO operators need to slow down in order to carefully align the doors of each train’s single “accessibility coach” with the ramps on station platforms that allow access for customers with mobility devices.

By making the entire platform accessible, level boarding would eliminate the need to align the doors with the ramps, which Metrolinx estimates would shave seven to 10 seconds off the time it takes each train to enter Union.

Eliminating the step up onto trains would also allow passengers to board and exit coaches more quickly, contributing to a time savings of five to 10 seconds for each train.

Neither the existing platforms nor GO trains were built to allow for level boarding, however, and significant modifications would be required to both the vehicle fleet and platforms across the GO network.

Metrolinx is still unsure exactly how the alterations would be done or how much they would cost.

“We’re still in the concept phase, but we’re pretty sure we’re going to be able to solve that,” Wolczyk said.

Taken together with other modifications, including streamlining the track switches on the approach to Union, the proposed platform changes would more than double the current capacity at the station to 100 trains per hour, according to Metrolinx. The agency expects that to meet demand until about 2050.

Exactly when the platform reconfiguration will take place is still not known. The province intends to award a contract for the entire $16.8-billion GO expansion program, including the Union platform reconfiguration, by spring 2020.

The GO network expansion is scheduled to be complete by 2025.

Agency spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said Metrolinx would work to minimize the inconvenience to the 300,000 people who pass through Union every day, including by performing construction on weekends. But service could be reduced or modified at times.

The modifications mean yet more construction at Union, which is already nine years into a major $823-million revitalization that was originally supposed to be done by 2015 and has already exceeded its initial budget by $180 million.That project is now slated to be done later this year.

Wolczyk said the public shouldn’t expect Union to be construction-free any time soon.

“For decades, there was nothing done to this place,” he said. Work at the station will “never be finished, cause it’s continually evolving.”

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

admin

Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

admin

In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

admin

MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.