Two Tram projects planned in northern France. What no VAL?

What is interesting about this announcement is that the new tram projects are planned near Lille France, which operates the VAL automatic mini-metro. The two approved tram or light-rail lines are very close to the City of Lille and the VAL mini-metro system. This poses the question: Why not build with VAL? French cities that [...]

Some Sunday Reading – The "Automatic Metro" or AGT Debate – Too Much Bunkum By The AGT Lobby

In various other transit oriented blogs, the myth that automatic operation of trains saves operating costs is perpetuated ad nauseum. Those who try to set the record straight are subjected to a sort of ‘Spanish Inquisition’ and are treated as latter day heretics. What is so Monty Pythonish about this is that back in the [...]

Véhicule Automatique Léger or VAL – SkyTrain’s real competition!

SkyTrain is not in a class of its own, despite first being marketed as ICTS or Intermediate Capacity Transit System, which was more a marketing name not a transit mode. SkyTrain is a light-metro and though SkyTrain initially competed against light rail, it was soon found that SkyTrain could only compete against other light-metros that were being marketed for the modal niche. Only [...]