All-candidates meetings in the Fraser Valley

With the election campaign now in full swing, it’s time to get some concrete answers from the candidates and keep Rail for the Valley on the agenda.

Here is a very incomplete list of All-candidates meetings in the Fraser Valley. Check back for updates. There WILL be more meetings posted as they are announced. (E-mail railforthevalley@gmail.com, or post a comment, to add a meeting to this list.)

 

Surrey

Langley

Fort Langley-Aldergrove
May 5, 7:00-9:00pm
Fraser River Presentation Theatre
Langley Township Civic Facility
20338 – 65 Avenue

Abbotsford West
May 7, 7:00-9:00pm
UFV Abbotsford campus
Envision Athletic Centre North Gym
*hosted by the UFV Student Society

Abbotsford-Mission
May 5, 7:00-9:00pm
Heritage Park Secondary School Cafeteria, Abbotsford
*hosted by the UFV Student Society

 

Abbotsford South
May 6, 7:00-9:00pm
UFV Abbotsford campus
Envision Athletic Centre North Gym
*hosted by the UFV Student Society

Chilliwack (both Chilliwack constituencies?)
May 5, 6:00-9:00pm
Evergreen Hall
9291 Corbould Street

Chilliwack
May 6, 7:00-9:00pm
UFV Chilliwack campus
Yale Road – UFV Theatre in Building D
*hosted by the UFV Student Society

Chilliwack-Hope
May 7, 7:00-9:00pm
UFV Trades and Technology Centre
Tyson Road, in the Oval
*hosted by the UFV Student Society

*For more information on UFV Student Society-hosted meetings, click here.

If you can go to just one meeting in your area, and ask a question… with many of us acting together in doing this, it will make a difference in this election.

*Be prepared: most meetings will require that you submit a written question, and the most common questions will be asked.*

Getting a handle on the cost of light rail – How much does modern LRT cost?

Relaying new trackAi??Ai??for Nottingham’s LRT, on a disused railway formation.

What does light rail cost to build?

What has been left out of the ‘Rail for the Valley’ debate is real cost of light rail construction. True, a $35 million/km. figure has been bandied about, but this seems much too high and is based on recent American LRT projects, many of which have been designed to a mainline railway standard, with much gold plating. Two earlier postings showed that modern LRT is being built much cheaper, less than $8 million/km.Ai??Ai??in Europe.

http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/trams-on-the-cheap/

http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2008/12/26/trams-on-the-cheap-part-2/

But are all American LRT projects so expensive?

No, and the followingAi??Ai??table of light rail construction costs from the Greater Victoria Electric Railway Society (1995) givesAi??Ai??good insight ofAi??Ai??the capital costs of newer American LRT lines.

Comparative capital costs for new-start lower cost LRT systems updated to 1995 Canadian dollars

CITYAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??INITIALAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? KM. OFAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? 1995 COST

Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??SERVICEAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??LINEAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??($MIL)/km.Ai??Ai??

BaltimoreAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1992Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??36.2Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??15.4

DenverAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1994Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??22.5Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??15.4

PortlandAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1985Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??24.5Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??16.2

SacramentoAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1987Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??29.5Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??10.5

San DiegoAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1981Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??67.4Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??13.8

St. LouisAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??1993Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??28.9Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??17

Notes: Inflation at 4% per year compounded. Conversion based on $1 Canadian $0.65 USD; .6 mile = 1 km. Sacramento LRT was 60% single track, hence lower construction costs. Table adapted from Central Puget Sound Regional Transit.

What should be noted is that LRT construction costs have not changed much since this table was prepared, but what has happened in the interim,Ai??Ai??is that gross and needless over-engineering has driven upAi??Ai??construction costs to such an extent, that light-rail’s construction costs rival that of the SkyTrain light metro, as witnessed with the planned LRT Millennium and Evergreen Lines!

The 300 km. solution – An affordable way to reduce gridlock and pollution

For overAi??Ai??two decades the Light Rail Committee has stated that toAi??Ai??have a viable alternative to the car, over 300 km. of light rail must be built in the region, the question of course is, “can we afford it?” The answer is yes!

To be successful modern LRT must not just serve major destinations like town centres, universities and alike, but it must penetrate into the suburbs where people live. To do so, it must be built cheaply and to build LRT cheaply, it must be free of any major engineering such as tunnels andAi??Ai??viaducts.

TransLink’s planners have generously inflated the cost of modern LRT to such a point that it has become equal to SkyTrain, which coincides with their thinking that light-rail is just a poorman’s SkyTrain. This blinkered thinking has greatly reduced the ability of TransLink and ‘Metro’ Vancouver (GVRD) to plan for future transit applications, especially for rail transit. With SkyTrain’s costs now wellAi??Ai??exceeding $100 million/km., planning is now done in about 10 km. or $1 billion and change, increments. This myopicAi??Ai??vision has retarded any useful ‘rail’ planning for the Fraser Valley.

To build 300 km. of SkyTrain in the region would cost over $30 billion, but by using LRT both on the former Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban route and separate LRT/streetcar networks in Vancouver,Ai??Ai??Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford, could cost for 300 k. of new LRT could be as little as $5 billion. A deluxe Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban service (15 to 20 min headways) would cost about $1 billion to install, while 200 km.Ai??Ai?? of LRT/streetcar in Vancouver, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford, at about $20 million/km. to build, would cost about $4 billion, or a grand total of $5 billion. The key is to build it cheaply, by building light rail on-street where possible. Of course, the more engineering included in construction increases the cost, the trick is to keep engineering to a minimum.

In a province where the cost metro construction has exceeded $2.5 billion for the 19 km. RAV Line, TransLink and Metro transportation planners have forgotten thatAi??Ai??a real light rail alternative can be built much cheaper than SkyTrain. As well, that hoary old saw that theAi??Ai??Fraser ValleyAi??Ai??doesn’t have the density for rail can be put to rest once and for all,Ai??Ai??for if RAV/SkyTrain operates in areas with densities as low as 2,000 per sq./km., much cheaper LRT, costing about one fifth the cost of SkyTrain, could happily operate in areas with densities as low as 400 persons per sq./km.!

The defenders of the massive Gateway highways and bridge project, as well as the SkyTrain/RAV lobby have failed to understand modern light-rail philosophy, “Build it cheaply and build lots”, and by doing so have condemned the region to continued and future gridlock, pollution, withAi??Ai??ever increasing property and auto taxes to fund and subsidize an unworkable, ill-conceived, and dated regional transportation infrastructure.

The 300 kilometre solution: it’s time we start now, to save the future.

Highway 1 Day of Action a Soaking Success

By all accounts!

Pictures: Day of Action in pictures on Flickr (feel free to upload yours)

I’ve heard over and over again, from people up and down the Valley and in Vancouver, that this was actually a really fun event, & people want to do it again.

*If you have a banner that needs storing, please contact us by sending an email to railforthevalley@gmail.com.

News coverage so far:

VIDEO: Global TV news item on our Day of Action

VIDEO: CTV news item on our Day of Action

Chilliwack Progress: Light rail demonstration honking success in Chilliwack

Aldergrove Star: Rail transit supporters rally

Surrey Leader: Protesters push for rail not freeways

Abbotsford News; Railing for transit

Chilliwack Times: A honking success

Langley Free Press: Rail For The Valley Protests along Highway #1 Overpasses

Highway 1 Day of Action TOMORROW!

Just one more day…

Please get your friends and family out to this important, historic event in the Fraser Valley.

It’s simple: Choose an overpass, make some signs, & do your part, Saturday from 11:00am to 1:00pm, to bring passenger rail service back to the Fraser Valley!

LIGHT RAIL FANS TO HIT THE HIGHWAY

Our Day of Action is in the news – big-time!

Day of Action will focus on light rail advantages (Abbotsford Times, April 10)

150 km of track, trains for price of new bridge: Study (The Province, April 9)

A?ai??i??E?MassiveA?ai??i??ai??? transit protest planned (Robert Freeman, Chilliwack Progress, April 7)

Light rail fans to hit the highway (Jeff Nagel, Surrey Leader, April 3)

On April 11, from 11:00am to 1:00pm, we will make history, holding banners for two hours atop Highway 1 overpasses throughout the Lower Mainland, from Chilliwack in the east to Eagleridge Bluffs in West Vancouver, in support of passenger rail and in opposition to our governmentA?ai??i??ai???s current single-minded Gateway agenda of road-building and 2nd-class transit for the South of Fraser.

*To sign up to take part in this important action, please send an email to railforthevalley@gmail.com*

We need to be very organized to pull this off, so

HAVE A LOOK AT THE MAP

& let me know your overpass preference, and whether you can make a sign or a banner.

Light rail fans to hit the highway – article by Jeff Nagel in the Surrey Leader (click here)

10 questions for May’s election – How much of a transit expert are you?

Lisbon tram climbing a 13.8% grade!

Ai??Ai??

Here are ten questions toAi??Ai??test the knowledge ofAi??Ai??political candidates about LRT & public transit in May’s provincial election. Passing grade is 70%.

1) What is light rail transit?
2) What is metro?
3) What is capacity?
4) What grade maximum is now industry standard for light rail?
5) What is the maximum gradeAi??Ai??that LRT/tram climbs (by adhesion) Ai??Ai??in revenue service today?
6) After the introduction of ‘busways’ in Ottawa, ridership changed by how much?
7) Approximately what percentage of operating costs of a transit system can be attributed to wages?
8) Approximately how much ridership is lost per transfer?
9) Are automated transit systems cheaper to operate than non automated transit systems?
10) What is the maximum capacity of theAi??Ai?? largest light rail vehicle today, calculated at all seats filled and standing passengers at four persons per square metre?

Answers:

1) LRT is a transit mode, generally electrically powered, able to operate in mixed traffic, that can economically carry between 2,000 and 20,000 persons per hour per direction.

2) Metro is a grade separated transit mode, electrically powered, built for average hourly ridership loads in excess of 15,000 pphpd. LRT can be operated as a metro, though a metro can’t operate as light rail!

3) Capacity is a function of headway.

4) 8%

5) 13.8% (Lisbon, Portugal)

6) A decline of ridership of 15.7% from 1986 to 1997 (OC Transpo)

7) 70%

8) 70%

9) No, studies have found that LRT is cheaper to operate, when comparing equal systems.

10) 350 passengers; the ‘Jumbo’ modular light rail cars used in Strasbourg, France. (By comparison, four Mk.1 SkyTrain cars have a capacity of 300 persons!)

The Heritage Tram – Interesting possibilities for the Vancouver to Chilliwack Interurban

Heritage streetcars, operating in museums, onAi??Ai??their own trackage orAi??Ai??running in scheduledAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??service, on existingAi??Ai??transit routes, have proven to be extremely popular and operate in many cities around the world. A proven tourist generator, heritage streetcars and interurbans could expandAi??Ai??Vancouver centricAi??Ai??tourism up the Fraser Valley to Chilliwack.

There is plenty of scope for vintage streetcars or heritage interurbans to operate on part orAi??Ai??the entire route of the reinstated Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban line.Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??With short branch lines for heritage tram only operation in Cloverdale, Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack, could also improve local service, with heritage trams providing revenue service. There is even a possibility of a destinationAi??Ai??tram museum located somewhere along the the old BCE Ai??Ai??line, offering a variety of classic vintage trolleys on show or in operation.

The Valley Interurban offers not just regional passenger transportation but a vehicle that will enhance valley tourism, with an added quality attraction, something that SkyTrain and or RapidBus could never do.

April 11 Day of Action UPDATE

LIGHT RAIL FANS TO HIT THE HIGHWAY

Banner-making workshops

Abbotsford
Where: gather at UFV – Abbotsford campus, east lobby of building A, by the Roadrunner Cafe (bottom floor). If you get lost, contact Paul Gieselman at 604-703-3650.
When: Tuesday April 7, 7:00 pm

Vancouver workshop/party
Where: 1825 Charles St (@ Salsbury)
When: Thursday April 9, 6:00pm-9:00pm

Bring: Supplies will be provided. If you have your own banner material, that is of course welcome!

Our Day of Action is in the news!

‘Massive’ transit protest planned – article by Robert Freeman in the Chilliwack Progress (click here)

Light rail fans to hit the highway – article by Jeff Nagel in the Surrey Leader (click here)

On April 11, from 11:00am to 1:00pm, we will make history, holding banners for two hours atop Highway 1 overpasses throughout the Lower Mainland, from Chilliwack in the east to Eagleridge Bluffs in West Vancouver, in support of passenger rail and in opposition to our government’s current single-minded Gateway agenda of road-building and 2nd-class transit for the South of Fraser.

*To sign up to take part in this important action, please send an email to railforthevalley@gmail.com*

We need to be very organized to pull this off, so

HAVE A LOOK AT THE MAP

& let me know your overpass preference, as well as a contact telephone number.

*If you don’t have a banner, don’t let that stop you. We can provide you with one.*

Light rail fans to hit the highway – article by Jeff Nagel in the Surrey Leader (click here)

Karlsruhe’s TramTrain’s – Why is TransLink so afraid!

A map of Karlsruhe’s regional tram (tramtrain) network

Since 1993, Karlsruhe’s award winning two system (now called tramtrain) LRT system has been operating safely, track-sharing with mainline railways. Karlsruhe’s tramtrain concept is now used on no fewer than ten light-rail systems in Europe and North America and presently being planned for numerousAi??Ai??transit systems world wide. The tramtrain concept has been proven in revenue service and has been very successful. Why then is TransLink so afraid of LRT and especially tram train?

Tramtrain servicing a mainline railway station.

TransLink ignores modern light-rail and treats it as a poor-man’s SkyTrain, despite much evidence that LRT has made SkyTrain obsolete on the world stage. TransLink has become aAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??creature of the provincial government, even though it is supposed to be responsible to Metro Vancouver, the real controlling force for TransLink resides in the Premier’s office and like so many provincial premier’s before all hints of transit economy are thrown out the window, in favour ofAi??Ai??very expensive glitzy metro systems. Simply, a metro like SkyTrain or RAV/Canada Line is far more sexier for a photo-op than a tram or a bus! In Vancouver’s metro region, rail transit is to promote land development and not move people, whichAi??Ai??has lead to a perversion of transit planning. Unlike other cities where transit is planned and built to cost effectively move people, in the Vancouver metro region, transit planning is to further extend SkyTrain, enriching a small clique property speculators and developers who own or have purchased lands next to the guideway.

TramTrain operating a rural service.

TransLink’s bureaucratsAi??Ai??are loath to build with light-rail is because it is simple, much simpler to plan for and build than metro and if LRT was the chosen mode, TransLink would not needAi??Ai??the layers of duplicateAi??Ai??bureaucracy to function. Many bureaucrats have created little fiefdoms within their departments in TransLink, where any hints of economy is treated with disdain. LRT would bring economy to TransLink and a new philosophy of providing public transit that conflicts with current philosophy that “the more money one throws at transit, the better it is!” TransLink invests in transit that is good for TransLink and its political masters, not what is good for the transit customer and with no real public input. Sadly, there is no change on the horizon.

Tramtrain fits well into the cityscape.

TransLink fears change and wants to keep doing things as they always have done things and building with LRT/Tramtrain represents change.Ai??Ai?? Into the mix, the province wants to keep building metro, to placate the ossified transportation bureaucracy in Victoria, who in turn advise the transportation ministry and the Minister of Transportation. Building with light-rail represents change; change how the region views transit and how transit will reduce congestion and pollution. The threat of ‘peak oil’ and global warming have not registered with the current provincial government, who still want to pursue very expensive metro solutions an build new highways and bridges as they believe such a course will win votes at the polls.

Tramtrain is seen as a further complication by a transportation Ai??Ai??bureaucracy that is stalled with 1960’s thinking, unwilling or unable to understand proven successful transit philosophies used elsewhere.

Have a coffee?Ai??Ai??Try aAi??Ai??’Bistro’ tram.

In an age where ‘rail’ transit is invested in to reduce auto congestion, pollution and be an attractive alternative to the car, the upcoming election should be a vehicle to tell political hopefuls that a change is needed and the electorate will stand for nothing less. Tramtrain and track-sharing represents a cost effective beginning to the 21st century public transport philosophy that to be effective LRT must not only service major destinations but also service suburbia. To do this, there is no reasonable choice but to track-share with existing railways as the cost of goingAi??Ai?? greenfields is cost prohibitive.

Rail for the valley must draw a line in the sand and not tolerate TransLink’s and the Transportation Minister’s pathetic attempts to downplay modern LRT and not supporting the reinstatement of the interurban from Vancouver to Chilliwack. The map of Karlsruhe’s 400 km. tramtrain/LRT network at the top, illustratesAi??Ai??what can be builtAi??Ai??for less than the cost of the 19 km. $2.5 billion RAV/Canada light-metroAi??Ai??line and one wonders why TransLink keeps planning for SkyTrain and is so afraid of modern LRT!

Nordhausen – TramTrains for small towns

Nordhausen is a German cityAi??Ai??at the southern edge of the Harz Ai??Ai??mountains, in the state of Thuringia.Ai??Ai?? Nordhausen’s population is a very modest 44,272 andAi??Ai??with a population density of 421 /kmAi??A?, one would think that the town is just too small for light-rail butAi??Ai??has a metric gauge tramway networkAi??Ai??with 2 lines (7 km long, built at the beginning ofAi??Ai??20th century). The central point of the system is located at the railway station, where a double track ring allow urban electric trams (internal track) and diesel trains (external track) from Ilfed to the Central Station or Bahnhof.Ai??Ai??To extend the metre gauge tram service along existing metre gauge railways,Ai??Ai??the local railway adopted the TramTrain concept, first pioneered in Karlsruhe Germany.Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??This allowsAi??Ai??local trams to act as regionalAi??Ai??trains toAi??Ai??extend their run alongAi??Ai??existing Harz railwayAi??Ai??tracks without any vehicle interchange at the railway station.

Look, no overhead wires!

Nordhausen trams and TramTrain should dispel any notion that towns in the Fraser Valley do not have the population or density for successful operation of light-rail, either electric or diesel!