Who Should Run The Interurban?
Who should run the proposed interurban service from Vancouver to Chilliwack? This is an important question that must be addressed before any operation is to commence.
TransLink
TransLink has been against the ‘return of the interurban’ from the start and the recent study done by an engineering firmAi??Ai??that had no background in modern LRT was predictable. Why would you consider commuter rail on a route that was not designed for standard passenger cars, but for light-rail in a form of an interurban? TransLink knows this, yet preceded with a transit study that was not only questionable, but next to useless. If the study was so good, why do another (after the election)? Traditionally TransLink has thought of LRT as a poor-man’s SkyTrain that has inferior service, even believing that just by building with SkyTrain, will attract about double the ridership. Funny though, TransLink never offers any studies that would substantiate this claim. But TransLink is the regional public transit operating authority and maybe compelled to plan and operate the interurban.
A South Fraser Transportation Agency
The new interurban service may herald a new South Fraser Transportation Agency to run public transit South of the Fraser River, from Delta or SurreyAi??Ai??to Chilliwack. Certainly when South Fraser taxpayer’s, faced with large property tax (read TransLink tax) increases to pay for very expensive ‘metro’ in other municipalities, may want to walk away from TransLink and even ‘Metro” Vancouver. In the very near future, the municipalities with RAV and/or SkyTrain, may have to pay the full shot! A new South Fraser Transportation Agency may be created out of the chaos and wish to plan for and operate much cheaper light-rail, in its various forms, instead.
Southern Railway of BC
As the proposed interurban service will operate on largely S.R.R. trackage they may be asked to run the service. Who knows better how to run a railway than those who run railways. Certainly if the interurban connects to Vancouver proper, via the existing Fraser River Rail Bridge, the S.R.R. will be asked to negotiate pathways (with historical rights going back to the BC Electric) with the CNR and Burlington Northern Sante Fe, to operate the service. The S.R.R. may be asked to run the interurban as a separate subsidized service for the provinceAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??or TransLink or evenAi??Ai??operate the interurban as a private venture. The S.R.R. maybe veryAi??Ai??interested in operating the interurban, light-rail, and tram-trains as the operation maybe a successful template for the E&N railway on Vancouver Island and many other short line railways.
The Province of BCAi??Ai??& BC Transit
The Province of BCAi??Ai?? may operate the interurban, strictly for political reasons, through BC Transit. BC Transit is TransLink’s older brother and has a dubious history with modern light-rail, which TransLink inherited, but may be compelled to by the transportation ministry and the Minister of Transportation.
The question of who will operate the proposed interurban is an important one and must be answered before the first tram-train operates. At this point of time Zweisystem will not give his preference but let the reader ponder four options or, if he/she wants, offer their own.
1. The TransLink board is populated with the Provincial government’s best buddies. They would never make a decision out of line with minister Falcon and his successors.
2. The provincial government allow a local planning body that they don’t control? Surely you jest! SFTA has about as much chance of happening as Kevin Falcon coming to you and Malcolm Johnston for advice.
3. SRY is an interesting choice given that their experience consists of mostly shunting freight. Still they have their own yards and maintenance facility so it could be a cost effective choice. The fact that they also run the E&N makes it an even more interesting possibility.
4. As long as the province has TransLink under their control they have no need to get their hands dirty.
The projected ridership figures in TransLink studies are always the ones that tip the scale in favour of SkyTrain and those are the numbers that make the least sense.
LRT stops at your apartment complex, at the college and outside the door of the mall.
SkyTrain runs past your bedroom window but doesn’t stop, stops 4 blocks from the college and out beyond the mall parking lot.
There is no conceivable way that SkyTrain could attract more passengers than LRT.
The most heinous lies are always hidden a document’s assumptions, the “facts” that are never supported by any evidence.