Montreal, Quebec – op-ed: death of Canadian light metro ??

An interesting read. Why would Quebec’s Caisse de dAi??pA?t et placement du QuAi??bec, invest in the obsolete SkyTrain? Could the real reason be to help Bombardier out of its aerospace financial embarrassment, by buying ART? At the current rate, the proposed 67 km Montreal ART light-metro system will cost well over $8 billion or more […]

The Desperate Hours – Basket Weaving Grade For TransLink

The only agency that can come close is assessing public transit systems in Canada is the Canadian urban Transit Association and they do a reasonable job at it. The preceding graph is from C.U.T.A. and shows that the cost per revenue passenger in Metro Vancouver is about one third higher than Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto. […]

Now do you beleive Zwei!

Zwei has stated over and over again, one modern tram and tram driver is as efficient as six to eight buses and six to eight bus drivers and for every tram or bus operated one needs a minimum of four people to drive, maintain and manage them. As wages account for 70% or more of […]

For Whom The Toll Tolls

Not surprised at all about this as a similar issue arose in children sports. Last year my child’s sports team saw a dramatic drop in players, from what was about 50 to less than 15. The team manager, upon inquiries, soon found the answer. Because of the new toll on the Port Mann Bridge, was […]

PyrAi??nAi??es Line Reopens – How About The Same Quality of Servcie to Chilliwack?

Interesting news from France. The cost to reopen this 25 km line, which was derelict for thirty-six years, was ai??i??102 million or CAD $146.5 million or put another way the cost to do the same with the former Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban line, which is still functioning for S.R.R. of B.C. freight traffic would be […]

Metro Vancouver Rejectes Massey Tunnel Replacement Bridge

Bakken oil and thermal coal unit trains from the American mid west are the big driver for the Massey Tunnel replacement. As expected. The real reason for the bridge is, of course nothing to do with the safety issues with the tunnel, rather Fraser Surrey Docks want to bring Panama Max. tankers and colliers to […]

Letters from Rail for the Valley folk

Two letters from people who support, Rail for the Valley and improving transit South of the Fraser Users and taxpayers lose with regional transit plan Delta Optimist June 29, 2016 Editor: The recent $740 million photo-op with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his protAi??gAi?? for the next federal election, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, and B.C.’s premier, […]

The Costly White Elephant In The Room

While Vancouver mayor Pines for a SkyTrain subway under Broadway and Trudeau the Younger smiles at the cameras with promises of transit manna from heaven, no one is addressing the real subway issue: costs! It is now estimated that the Millennium Line subway extension to Arbutus will now cost $3 billion or slightly higher, if […]

The German Transportation Fiasco

If one thinks German transit and transportation is a panacea, think again, as the countries transit infrastructure is beset with costly maintenance issues, the major one being under-funding. We see the same on this side of the pond, with aging transit infrastructure in need of major maintenance, especially in Vancouver. From the Guardian…. Why German […]

Evergreen Line Woes – How Much Over Budget?

The Honolulu light-metro is $1.4 billion over budget. Toronto’s Scarborough subway is already $900 million over budget. Then it should not come as a surprise that the Evergreen Line is over budget. The question is, by how much? Evergreen Line delay costs lead to mediation, B.C. government hiding info on costs, changes and challenges SNC-Lavalin […]