Edmonton Transit Service Clareview LRT Station

Clareview Station is the Northernmost station on Edmonton's LRT. This station was part of the first extension of the LRT beyond the original 5 stations and opened on April 25, 1981.

The original station was built as a temporary station, and as a result, it was replaced by a new building in 200X. During the rebuilding a temporary Clareview Station with a single side loading wooden platform was built, with shelters from the original platform serving as sheltered waiting areas. One of the shelters would go on to become a new shelter for Castle Downs Transit Centre! As of August 2017, this shelter is finally set for replacement by a new terminal building during Fall 2017/ Winter 2018 due to the availability of Federal PTIF and Provincial GreenTRIP grants. With that, the final legacy of the original Clareview Station will be gone.

Clareview Station, both incarnations, features an extended tail tracked used for "bump up" and "bump downs", that is, removing and adding cars to trains, or as a place to take trains encountering issues offline. While it was common at one time to see midday bump up and downs in between the peak periods, this is rare now due to the logistics of a mixed fleet of cars, and the mixing on consists during middays. Bump downs do occur in the evening but don't need to utilize the tail track as a service person just comes out for each train and pulls a car off.

During the construction of the new station and not having access to a tail track, bump ups actually occurred by having the train pull into Track 1 (open air track next to the mainline) to couple to the cars being added to the train! This was certainly a unique experience! With the test magnet at signal BMYN to access the mainline from the North yard, the motorman would advise riders to prepare for a sudden stop!

Both the original and temporary Clareview Station's featured a 4 car platform, unlike the original Belvedere which was only 3 cars. The new Clareview was built with a 5 car platform.

The original Clareview Station was unique in that the entrance to the LRT Station was also the entrance to the bus loop for passengers on foot or from the park and ride. The bus loop was originally designated as a fare paid area. I'm not sure how long with arrangement lasted, but, I don't think it was for too long.

Original fare payment at this station followed the POP concept, with Duncan coin operated fare receipt issuing turnstiles and free-wheeling turnstiles for pass holders. This equipment was replaced by Ticfak machines and ticket validators as the fare collection system was made barrier free in the 1980's.

The layout of the original Clareview building was all at grade level, which meant that the building extended across the path of a future Northbound track should the line have been extended. In fact, the catenary carried over top of the building. It was quite neat to look out the window facing the Northbound track and have an LRV right there!

The new Clareview features an underground entrance, that serves both bus terminals on the North and South sides of the LRT line. Originally there was only the bus loop on the South side of the station. Both the West and East ends of the station feature an emergency exit ramp. The ramp at the East end was opened up with a new sidewalk to allow access to the platform without having to go down and under, much like the original layout of the station. This entrance is signed as being a fare paid zone once you step beyond the fence. Since then, a TVM and validator was added onto the platform near the East end. It's still signed a a fare paid zone, despite that the intention of that equipment is to allow fare payment from patrons using that entrance. Much like the original station, the catenary for the Northbound track continues on quite a ways down with no track under it.

Original Station
East doors to the bus loop.	Station building to platform, not catenary has been removed,	Doors from platform, note that this is an earlier photo. The catenary continues over top of the building for the Northbound track.	Platform looking West, Southbound track is to the right.	Platform looking East. Southbound track is to the left.
Platfrom looking East with a train on the Northbound track.	All GM New Look's in the original bus loop.	#226 departing the Clareview bus loop.	Apparently I picked a good day to show up. A platform shelter being removed from platform.
Temporary Station/ New Station Construction
Platform and main supports for the roof.	Platform and main supports for the room, from the East end of the temporary platform.	#510 departing the temporary bus stop. Note 948 which would go to Beaumont Transportation Services for that ill fated operation.	Temporary bus stop sign.	Train 6 with 1024 at the temporary platform.
Exterior of the temporary station.	Exterior of the temporary station.	Exterior of the temporary station, with the new station in the background.	Walkways to the temporary platform, with a 3 car train on the platform. I quite like this shot!	Train at the temporary platform.
Shelter seen from the platform.	Temporary platform looking East. Note the catenary pulled off, and the concrete stairs for ETS personal who needed to take a train onto that track.	Temporary platform looking East. Note the concrete stairs for ETS personal who needed to take a train onto that track.	Temporary platform looking West.	Temporary platform looking West.
New station nearing completion.	Temporary platform looking East.	I believe at this point the buses had relocated to the original loop to allow the construction of the new transit terminal. This shelter was moved again to this location! Note the handrails for the emergency exit ramp. This would eventually be turned into an entrance.	Similar angle to the previous image Note where the bike racks are. This is about where the new entrance will end up.
Current Station
1037, train 6 at the new station. I would imagine this was my first photo taken from the new entrance that allowed for this angle.