Is SkyTrain To Langley Derailed?

No surprise here. The escalating cost to build with light metro, due to Covid 19, means there is little money in the pot to further extend the light-metro to Langley. TransLink is said to be in a state of shock as former customers are leaving transit in droves and not coming back. Over 80% of [...]

From The South Fraser Community Rail Society

It is beginning to sink in, that post Covid-19, many things will change. The other valley passenger rail, group, the South Fraser Community Rail Society, also sees that the post Covid-19 and post Bombardier world will change the transit landscape dramatically. Light metro is just too expensive for what good it will do; why no [...]

Quizz Time!

Lisbon tram climbing a steep grade! Here are ten questions to test your knowledge of transit mode and issues. Passing grade is 70%. 1) What is Light Rail Transit? 2 ) What is metro? 3 ) What is capacity? 4 ) What grade maximum is now the industry standard for light rail? 5 ) What [...]

The Charleroi. Could This Be The Fate Of The Broadway Subway?

The Charleroi, the metro extension that never was. Since the story of the Charleroi pre-metro was first posted in 2009 (see story below), nothing has changed and talks of completing the line have come to naught. Could be the fate of the $3 billion Broadway subway?  Built, but far too expensive to operate and portions [...]

A Letter To Premier Horgan

The Honourable John Horgan, Premier of BC * Dear Premier Horgan, * The Covid-19 pandemic has made absolutely clear, we cannot go back to normal, as it has forever changed how people behave. Covid-19 is a prelude for great change in BC. * Metro Vancouver’s regional transit system has been greatly affected by the pandemic [...]

Absolute Madness!

Absolute madness from the Mayor’s Council on Transit. The game has changed, the taxpayer is broke and cannot pay more. The transit customers are broke and cannot pay higher fares. Covid-19, like it or not has changed the transit game completely. Spending a budgeted $4.6 billion to extend the Movia Automatic Light Metro lines (Expo [...]

Reality Hits TransLink Square In The Face

As Zwei has pointed out, the new Covid-19 reality has hit TransLink square in their hypocritical face. With cap in hand, TransLink went to provincial and federal governments for more handouts but it seems they have had enough and TransLink had to shed employees and unproductive bus routes. From Radio 1130: TransLink announces layoffs, other [...]

More Bad News For TransLink

While TransLink’s senior bureaucrats are desperately trying to salvage their embarrassingly high stipends, more bad news; people like working from home. Research Co. says 73 per cent of those polled expect to keep working from home after COVID-19. If, even 25% of the 73% quoted in the news story, decide to work at home, it [...]

Did I just hear “Shovel Ready”?

Two transit projects in BC are “shovel ready”. 1) Rail for the Valley’s plan for regional railway connecting, Chilliwack, Sardis, Abbotsford, Langley, Cloverdale and North Delta to Vancouver and 2) The E & N Railway connecting Courtney, Qualicum Nanaimo Chemainus, Duncan, Langford to Victoria, with a future connection to Port Alberni. All is needed is [...]

Has The Great TransLink Lollipop Ride Ended?

Fiscal reality is now hitting TransLink and the Mayor’s Council on Transit square in the face. Memo to the Mayor’s council on Transit: It is time to rethink your transit priorities, especially that $4.6 billion price tag to extend the MALM system (Expo & Millennium Lines) 12.8 km. The estimated added $40 million annual operating [...]