Pipe Dreams

Transit studies are a “dime a dozen” in metro Vancouver, yet few are ever used for the simple fact that rapid transit is built for strictly politcal reasons and not for the needs of the transit customer. Kennith Chan and the Hive is pro SkyTrain, yet he know very little about the local transit system, […]

As Zwei Has Predicted…..

After all the raspberries that came my way about the Broadway Subway, I have been somewhat vindicated. The construction delays also translates into increased costs and with an election around the corner, the current government will wait until after the election to give the bad news. It also explains the puff piece in the Tyee […]

Ottawa’s O-Train

Part 1 Ottawa’s Trillium Line is often miscaptioned by the media as LRT, it is not. The Trillium Line is a DMU service. The Trillium Line is a good example of providing quality transit at a much lower cost than more expensive tramways and unrealistic and hugely costly light-metro. Monthly operating costs of the 24 […]

Stadler Delivers Trains Almost Anywhere!

An interesting article. Improvements to railway serving car-free village near completion By Railway Gazette International13 May 2024 SWITZERLAND: Stadler is delivering new rolling stock as part of the final stage of a programme to increase capacity and accessibility on Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren’s metre-gauge railway. Jungfraubahnen company BLM operates a cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp, where […]

Should We Convert The Canada Line to Light Rail?

Updated for 2024  With Covid-19, this becomes more important than ever. Right now we have a Hobson’s choice for regional rail transit, extend the Millennium and Expo Lines and continue using the proprietary Movia Automatic Light Metro or nothing. This must change and change soon, or the hugely expensive SkyTrain light metro system will become […]

The SkyTrain Lobby – Get Over it!

After a post in Facebook, where I stated some facts about the SkyTrain light-metro system in Vancouver, I was reported to Facebook for spreading fake news. Really! So, just set the record straight about Vancouver’s proprietary and non proprietary SkyTrain light metro system, here are some random facts. SkyTrain is not the name of the […]

Three Must Build Regional Railways

With global warming and climate change begin to cast a fiery shadow over the province this summer, what is the provincial government planning? Three guesses and the first two don’t count: building more highways. Our politcal “rubber on asphalt” mentality will be the death of this province as the provincial government continues to promote car […]

SkyTrain’s Daddy – The Krauss Maffei Transurban MAGLEV

OK children, a little history lesson, ALRT’s (SkyTrain) ancestor, The Krauss Maffei Transurban MAGLEV. For those who believe that, what we call SkyTrain, is a great Canadian invention, will be sad to hear it is not, not even close; it is a mix and match transit system, using largely discarded 1960′s and 70′s German technology. […]

Trouble In Paradise

When TransLink’s mouthpiece, the Hive prints negative stories about SkyTrain tells me that things are very bad. When your best friends are giving you the ‘raspberry’, maybe it’s time to do things differently. “Terrible lately”: Vancouver transit riders react to disruption frequency Amir Ali|Apr 12 2024 Daily Hive Some Vancouver transit riders are alleging an […]

TramTrain for Cape Breton?

Interesting news from the other side of the country. Cape Breton Island Population: 93,700 So, a population of 93,700 warrants a study to see if light rail is feasible? How about Vancouver Island and the E&N? How about restoring a passenger service on the former BC electric interurban route to Chilliwack? The distance between Port […]