LIGHT RAIL – DIESELS FILLING A VACUUM – A fact sheet from the Light Rail Transit Association.

With the case for Diesel light rail for the Valley Interurban ramping up, this fact sheet from the LRTA may prove useful. INTRODUCTION In the past, many rail-based assets could not always be fully utilised because certain technical difficulties were preventing full integration. The transport world was somewhat astounded when German ingenuity developed the dual-voltage […]

Federal infrastructure spending: speak out

The Black Press newspaper chain is asking the question, “What is the number one project in your community that you feel would be most effective in helping improve local economic and social conditions?” Respond in 75 words or less, by either leaving a comment on one of their websites, or writing a Letter to the […]

U-Tube – a tool, transit advocates must make good use of – seeing, is believing.

In the 1980’s, the SkyTrain lobby made all sorts of pronouncements about transit and ALRT, that were not true. It took transit advocates over a month to write to experts and wait for their replies. By the time the facts were available, the media moved on and most of the hoopla from BC Transit became […]

All highways and no rail

There’ll be an “announcement about the South Fraser Perimeter Road” tomorrow. Probably a funding announcement. The SFPR is a new proposed highway from Deltaport to the Trans Canada Highway, primarily for trucks. It’s a major part of BC’s $10 billion Gateway project, which is focused entirely on road-building to the exclusion of rail. Looking at […]

A Question of Capacity – A LRTA Topic Sheet

A QUESTION OF CAPACITY THE CAPACITIES of different modes of transport are generally quoted as 0-10 000 passengers per hour for bus, 2000-20 000 for light rail, and 15 000 upwards for heavy rail. A?A?A? Maximum capacity is only likely to be required for a few hours during peak hours, and even here there are […]

Calling all passenger rail advocates – PLEASE WRITE YOUR MAYOR!

Calling all passenger rail advocates – PLEASE WRITE YOUR MAYOR! (spread the word) regarding the upcoming federal budget: You may have heard, with the economic turmoil, that the federal government is planning a massive amount of new infrastructure spending for their next budget, supposedly for projects that are useful, ideally sustainable, and can be started […]

West Broadway Business Association calls for light rail

A new group, the West Broadway Business Association, has been formed: The WBBA is a non-profit society representing the local interests of businesses along West Broadway, from Alma to Burrard, and beyond to Cambie. They’re calling for a surface-level light rail or tram system along Broadway instead of the current plan to build a subway: […]

Why it is important that SkyTrain not be built on the Evergreen Line

A letter in todays Vancouver Sun ~ SkyTrain extension not an astute investment Vancouver Sun January 8, 2009 The case for SkyTrain’s $1.4-billion Evergreen Line is terribly weak. Despite the hype and hoopla from local politicians, this version of a public-private partnership is more like a Ponzi scheme than an astute investment. David Gillen, director […]

TramTrain, the interurban of the 21st century!

With the ongoing campaign for the “return of the interurban” in the Fraser Valley, an understanding of what the 21st century interurban is needed. The old Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban,Ai??Ai??ran from downtown Vancouver along streetcar tracks, up Main St. and down KingswayAi??Ai??to the beginning of the Central Park Line, just past Commercial drive. Then the […]

Does light-rail make the grade?

There is a common misconception, especially with loal transit planners, that light-rail can’t climb steep grades. The industry standard (crush capacity or all seats taken and 8 persons per square metre standing) for the maximum gradient that modern LRT can climb is 8%. Sheffield’s trams (streetcars) because all axles are motorized, can climb 10% grades […]