Calgarians question decision to not add 4th CTrain car to handle Stampede crowd

With hundreds of thousands of group making their measurement down to nan Calgary Stampede this week, attendees utilizing Calgary Transit are getting alternatively adjacent to 1 another.

“The trains are very full, and there’s nary room for group to get on,” said Brad Dewhirst, who rode nan CTrain to Stampede Park Tuesday. “We were benignant of getting moved astir successful nan crowd opinionated up, which isn’t ever a bully thing.”

Tuesday was a engaged time connected nan grounds for TC Energy Community Day, which offered free admittance until 2 p.m. and free introduction for seniors (aged 65 and over) and subject veterans each day.

It follows much than 200,000 group visiting Stampede Park connected Sunday, which collapsed nan Calgary Stampede’s single-day attendance record.

Calgary Transit officials told Global News they’re moving to “meet nan level of work demand” during nan 10-day event, pinch 24-hour CTrain work passim nan Calgary Stampede.

“It was very packed,” Trish Koziel said aft getting disconnected nan CTrain astatine nan Erlton Stampede station. “They request to person 4 cars alternatively and not 3 during Stampede.”

According to Calgary Transit, four-car trains aren’t moving connected nan Red Line during this year’s Stampede owed to description activity astatine nan Haysboro Storage Facility to accommodate nan longer CTrains.

Work began connected nan task earlier this twelvemonth and is expected to beryllium complete successful nan autumn of 2025.

“They should person them out,” Dewhirst said. “There’s a batch of group getting connected nan trains and it’s nan champion measurement to travel down here.”

Some four-car CTrains began moving crossed nan LRT web successful December 2022 aft Calgary Transit shortened nan trains to 3 cars owed to reduced ridership during nan COVID-19 pandemic.

“In nan process, we person to tally nan 3 cars … We person to tally pinch what we’ve got,” said Melissa Morrow, a transit relations master pinch Calgary Transit. “We are moving pinch a higher wave though truthful we tin lucifer nan capacity of nan four-car trains.”

That wave is each 10 minutes betwixt 5 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., past each 15 minutes until 1 a.m. and each 40-50 minutes betwixt 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

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There are besides 2 shuttle definitive routes straight to Erlton Stampede position each 10 to 15 minutes from North Pointe (Route 504), and McKenzie Towne and Douglas Glen Terminals (Route 507).

“We cognize it’s really engaged and really packed correct now, but if we tin fto group get disconnected and group get on, it would beryllium a immense thief for everyone,” Morrow told Global News. “Just make judge to springiness yourself immoderate other clip and if nan train is packed, different 1 will beryllium coming on soon after.”

Transit officials besides recommended riders recreation to Erlton Stampede position alternatively than Victoria Park position for shorter lines to get onto nan grounds.

The CTrains will beryllium moving 24 hours per time until nan greeting of July 15.