The Realities of Subway Mania In Lotus Land

A repost from March 4 2020 The realities of subway mania. Vancouver politicians live in “The Land of the Lotus Eaters”, when it comes to transit. In Greek mythology the lotus-eaters, were a race of people living on an island dominated by the Lotus tree. The lotus fruits and flowers were the primary food of […]

From September 2010 – The Groundbreaking Leewood Study

On September 20, 2010, Rail for the Valley unreleased the groundbreaking Leewood Study regarding the reinstatement of a passenger service using the former BC Electric, now Southern Railway of BC route. Why Groundbreaking? The Leewood Study was the first and only independent study done on passenger rail for the Fraser Valley, without political or bureaucratic […]

Adios Bombardier. Adios Movia Automatic Light Metro (SkyTrain)?

As predicted, Alstom is now buying Bombardier Transportation for CAD $10 billion. The question, which may worry Translink and the hapless Mayor’s Council on Transit is: “Will Alstom keep MALM (SkyTrain) production or abandon the proprietary light metro altogether? Will Alstom keep already expensive replacement parts available or discontinue production altogether?” I reached out for […]

Political Duplicity – The NDP Insults The Fraser Valley!

I just shake my head. Premier Horgan’s Chief of Staff, ex Vision(less) Vancouver Councillor and notorious Broadway subway promoter is the last person to discuss “rail” transit for the Fraser Valley. A West Coast Express commuter rail train with limited service will not work, nor will a prohibitively expensive rapid transit link. Rail for the […]

Chemnitz Tram-Train Passenger Traffic Doubles

  Chemitz TramTrain, using the Stadler Citylink has more than doubled ridership since operation commenced in 2016 by allowing, as in Karlsruhe, unimpeded service (no transfer) to the city centre by using light rail vehicles that can act both as a mainline EMU’s or as a streetcar. This is the lesson TransIink doggedly refuses to […]

OK Mr. Horgan and Translink, Why not TramTrain?

  It has now been 10 years since Rail for the Valley commissioned the Leewood Study on reestablishing a passenger rail service from Vancouver to Chilliwack and all the public got was invented excuses from all levels of government. Light rail doesn’t work; no one will take it, too circuitous a route; etc., were the […]

New TramTrains for Manchester?

As interest in TramTrain grows abroad, we are left with Translink’s SkyTrain only planning. The lack of flexibility of SkyTrain will soon hamstring our urban rail system under the weight of massive subsidies and debt serving costs. TramTrain, first designed to make transit more user friendly, by eliminating transfers, now seems to be the affordable […]

Merry Christmas from Rail for the Valley

A Merry Christmas, From Rail for the Valley and a Very Happy New Year

The Vancouver SkyTrain Executive Committee – Looks Good In A Brochure

  In the UK, there is a plan to service Heathrow Airport with another rail link and one of the contenders is the London Air Rail Transit System or “LarTs”. The Buckley family are heavily involved with LarTs and includes: Captain Peter Buckley – Airline Pilot Hugh Buckley – P Eng, MPTIC – Vancouver SkyTrain […]

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

RAIL FOR THE VALLEY WISHES ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR