Future Funding Implications Threaten Regional Transit Projects.

With the clear evidence that transportation authorities around the world opting to build with LRT, one must pose, again, the question; Why does TransLink inflate the cost of light Rail? The simple answer is, “they don’t want to build with light rail, so they inflate the cost to match that of SkyTrain. From the Briefing [...]

No, It Does Not Make Sense

It is as I predicted, the people in the Fraser Valley are awakening to the realities of TransLink, poor transit and high taxes. Politicians have such poor memories of the 2015 plebiscite. For too long TransLink has done what the City of Vancouver’s wants, continuing the city’s perverse desire to have a gold plated, Edsel [...]

Vancouver Will Need To Adopt Lower-Cost LRT In Its Lesser Corridors

But, eventually, Vancouver will need to adopt lower-cost LRT in its lesser corridors, or else limit the extent of its rail system. And that seems to make some TransLink people very nervous. Gerald Fox, 2008.   Here is the big crunch which TransLink seems deathly afraid of, do they continue with the now obsolete and [...]

A Stark Choice

The stark choice for the Fraser Valley. Does one want to spend $1.6 billion for seven or eight kilometres of a now obsolete light metro metro system, ending in  Fleetwood, with vague promises of future funding to go to Langley or a Vancouver to Chilliwack, via North Delta, Cloverdale, Abbotsford, Sardis and Chilliwack regional rail [...]

Tax, tax, tax – SkyTrain Needs New And Higher Taxes

From the very beginning, building the SkyTrain network demanded new and higher taxes. As the SkyTrain light-metro network is automatic, it must be grade seperated and grade separation is costly. It is the Achilles heel of light-metro as construction is so costly, compared to other modes, that extending the initial line into areas of low [...]

Mr. Cow Pegs It. Expo Line Extension Will Cost $3.2 billion

I am continually amazed that an area like the lower mainland of BC, an area that claims to be so high tech, yet can’t get its head around the simplicity of a regional rail line using already available track. Yet, will spend billions and you guys will be spending billions ($2.9-$3.2 Billion by current estimates) [...]

The South Fraser Community Rail Society Valley Rail Protects Farmland and Forests.

Another News Release from the The South Fraser Community Rail Society. By using existing railway rights-of-ways, there is little land take for operating the passenger service. By using existing railway rights-of-ways, reduces the overall cost of providing a passenger service. By using existing railway rights-of-ways a passenger service can be provide to areas otherwise omitted [...]

A Message From The South Fraser Community Rail Society

TransLink is up to its old games of deception and fabrication, by repeating lies so often that the public believe them. Who is not afraid to bell the TransLink Cat? As a reminder, the South Fraser Community Rail Society is not Rail for the Valley, but we are striving for one goal, to reinstate a [...]

Why Not Battery Powered EMU’s For A Vancouver To Chilliwack Rail Service?

As technology advances, the benefits of a “green” electric rail service will greatly increase. The long distance battery powered train is now upon us. A FLRT Akku battery powered train could be the answer for a regional passenger service in the Fraser Valley as Battery powered trains could be recharged from strategically placed sections of [...]

Valley Rail: Why Do We Not Do What Is Right?

Here we have another try in doing what is the right thing to do, reinstate the Vancouver to Chilliwack rail service, using the former and intact BC Electric rail line. Using existing tracks greatly reduces the cost of a transit project. TransLink is going to build a 5.7 km subway under Broadway for a cost [...]