From Pole to Pan in Toronto

NO, we are not talking ‘pole dancing’ but another kind of ‘pole’ dance happening in Toronto. The use of panto-graphs or “pans” for the collection of electrical power has been around a long time and now it is Toronto’s turn to switch from the old trolley pole to a modern pan. Sadly, some of our [...]

The Perils Of A Proprietary Railway

ALRT/ART is what we call a proprietary railway and because Bombardier Inc. hold the technical patents for ART, they are the sole supplier of ART cars, as they can always undercut the competition, who must design a Linear Induction Motor powered car from scratch. Designing a specialty transit vehicle from scratch is a very expensive [...]

Seeing Is Believing – Why Doesn’t Translink Understand The Simple Facts Of LRT?

Courtesy of Mr. Haveacow from Ottawa. Zwei, I am sending you a very telling photograph. Its near Blair Station and the Ottawa LRV is undergoing testing. Notice the complete lack of paint effects and graphics as well as the fact that, many of its portals and access panels are in the down position, so equipment [...]

What The Hell Is Going On At TransLink?

Zwei knows that there are huge issues with TransLink’s mega-projects, but does this ponderous bureaucracy have a clue what it is doing? I don’t think so. Past comments from Mr. “haveacow” from Ottawa has the cost of the Broadway SkyTrain subway passing the $3 billion mark and two thirds of the Surrey’s $2.5 billion LRT’s [...]

Another Crash And Fatality On Hwy. 7

Too many auto deaths in the Fraser Valley this year, but with no alternatives but to drive and ever increasing population growth, leading to more cars and more congestion, more and more accidents and fatalities will occur. I sorry, only five West Coast Express Trains in and out of Vancouver doesn’t cut it, yet our [...]

How Many Fatal Accidents Does it Take For Politicians to Support A Chilliwack To Vancouver TramTrain!

  On Wednesday last (Aug. 9) the misses and I went to Harrison Hot Springs for some well deserved R & R. The trip to Harrison only confirmed the need for a Vancouver to Chilliwack rail service, to give a  transportation option for those living in the Fraser Valley. The many accidents, that I passed [...]

Dieting Is Mandatory On Some Of Lisbon’s Tram Routes

Who says trams can not operate in narrow confines? One of the regular complaints by various city engineering departments is that; “There isn’t the road space for LRT”. Really? For every LRT complaint, there is always an answer to the contrary. Zwei is not advocating, that trams should operate in exactly the same tight places, [...]

Why Cities Are Demolishing Freeways

With the decision pending to abandon the proposed mega bridge replacing the Massey Tunnel, this article should give some food for thought. As always, providing more road space, attracts more cars, creating even greater gridlock at the next choke point. It is time, in Metro Vancouver, to think 3 minutes into the future and evaluate [...]

Let’s Take A Trip On The Mulhouse TramTrain

Real TramTrain in action in Mulhouse France. Let’s go for a ride. https://youtu.be/46Fo7qCcyW0  

TramTrain For Halifax?

As LRT planning spreads across Canada, transportation planners are beginning to understand the flexibility of the mode. Commuter rail, using unwieldy commuter passenger cars are yesterdays transit solution, while TramTrain is a 21st century transit solution. Just to think, if Metro Vancouver had built the Leewood/Rail for the Valley, Vancouver to Chilliwack TramTrain, we could [...]