Four Years Since the Release of the Leewood Study and the Silence is Deafening!

It now has been four years since the historic release of the Leewood/Rail for the Valley report, yet except for sparse political support, very few people actually know that the study exists, let alone that it is “shovel ready”. The Leewood study is just too simple, too cheap, and too practical compared to other politically […]

The Arbutus Saga Continues

Not much transit news about with the school strike and the lead up to the November civic elections, but old news is still news. The CPR want $100 million for the land and the City of Vancouver wants to pay only $20 million, yet $100 million is a bargain if one wants the land for […]

Will TransLink Overly Invest In Subways In Vancouver?

Interesting article from Toronto. In Germany in the 1960’s and 70’s many cities started building subways and replacing their surface tramways. The first noticeable change was that ridership dropped and for many, journey times increased. This was due to many more km. of tramway being abandoned compared to the very few km. of new subway […]

The Federal NDP suddenly Discouver Transit

The Federal NDP have never really cared about regional transit and desperately need some sort of policy to try to show the public they care and and have a plan in time for the 2015 election. Throwing more money at transit won’t solve transportation problems and will drive up transit costs. Canadian cities need a […]

The Truth Slowly Ekes Out – Surprise, Surprise

Well, someone is waking up at the Vancouver Sun or are they. SkyTrain is obsolete. The philosophy behind the operation of SkyTrain is obsolete. Obsolete transit mode + obsolete transit philosophy = lagging ridership. So it should come as no surprise Vancouver spends more for transit, but like fools at a carnival, planners and politicians, […]

We Must Welcome The 21st Century

Not really about urban rail, but still important for the planned Chilliwack interurban. Railways need to emerge from the 19th century into the 21st and the federal government must emerge from its 18thAi?? Laissez faire mentality. If France, the UK, and Germany can operate trams, in mixed traffic, on mainline railways, Canada can do it […]

The Vancouver Province Shills For The Canada Line

40 metre to 50 metre station platforms limit the Canada line train to just two cars, severely limiting capacity. I see TransLink is calling in its markers from the mainstream media and a staff writer (infomercial maybe) has penned a puff piece for the Canada Line. No mention is made of the tens of thousands […]

Lotus Land In Shock with the CPR Reactivating The Arbutus Corridor

The Arbutus corridor Interurban near 37th The Arbutus corridor debate continues and Zwei has a made a few observations. Has anyone in the media ask Molsons if they want to once again use the railway for both delivery and export? Has anyone in the the media reported that the CPR has paid taxes since the […]

Stupid is, as stupid does – TransLink – The faregate fiasco!

This article from Toronto contains some very interesting information. “………$8 million to hire 100 fare inspectors……..” …………and TransLink is spending at least $171 million on fare gates, with annual operating costs of $15 million to deter less than $5 million in fare evasion annually! http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/the-fare-evasion-fiasco-why-spend-171-million-to-save-4-38-million-annually/ By the way, there is no proof that fare gates […]

If you thought using a toll road was costly, try building one

From down under. As we are finding out with the $1.3 billion South Fraser Perimeter Road (which is both poorly designed and built) road projects tend to be as expensive or more, than comparable rail projects. If you thought using a toll road was costly, try building one The Sydney Morning Herald Melbourneai??i??s giant East […]