From The Infrastructurist – 36 Reasons Streetcars Are Better Than Buses

Just an interesting article that came Zweisystem’s way. If you have a complaint or comment, please register with the Infrastructurist’s web site: http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/06/03/36-reasons-that-streetcars-are-better-than-buses/ The Infrastructurist Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 36 Reasons Streetcars Are Better Than Buses Posted on Wednesday June 3rd by The Infrastructurist If you want a system that really attracts riders and investment, […]

From the North Shore News – No light at end of TransLink funding tunnel

Well Zweisystem isn’t the only oneAi??Ai??waving a red flag about TransLink and transit funding in the region. It seems the transit alarm bells are sounding on the North Shore, as more and more taxpayers are saying no to increased funding to TransLink. This is tragic, but predictable, where senior politicians with out any meaningful public […]

French Delights part 5 – Paris’s TramTrain Line T-4. Could this be a template for TramTrain in the Tri-Cities at $11 million per kilometre?

Ai?? In November 2006, Paris transit authorities openedAi??Ai??a new tram-train line (T4) running from Aulnay-sous-Bois to Bondy (right side of Seine river),Ai??Ai??using the tracks of anAi??Ai??old life expiredAi??Ai??suburban railway (Coquetiers Line), with old and noisy rolling stock.Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Even though the old suburban line hadAi??Ai??14 level crossings,Ai??Ai??it was still important for the connection with Paris center. The […]

A letter to the Editor in the Tri-Cities news – TransLink is broke and broken

The Editor, TransLink is broke and the reasons are easy to understand. TransLink operates light metro (in the guise of SkyTrain and the Canada Line) on routes that do not have the ridership to support them. SkyTrain is subsidized by more than $230 million annually and to date more than $8 billion has been spent […]

French Delights – Paris’s Tramway line 1 & Line 2

In 1992 trams (LRT)Ai??Ai??returned toAi??Ai??Paris, afterAi??Ai??their abandonmentAi??Ai??in 1938. The new tramAi??Ai??line,Ai??Ai??Line T1Ai??Ai?? ran fromAi??Ai??La Courneuve to Bobigny and was extendedAi??Ai??few months later to Gare St. Denis. So successful was line T-1, that it tripled theAi??Ai??ridershipAi??Ai??of the bus route it replaced. In 1997, after the success of the new tramway, Line T2 opened, running fromAi??Ai??Issy Val […]

Is it time to replan the Evergreen Line? Could diesel LRT be the answer for the Tri-Cities?

Both the provincial and federal government want TransLink to build SkyTrain on the Evergreen Line and it is clearly evident that the decision to build with SkyTrain is purely political to keep Ontario and Quebec jobs secure in Bombardier owned plants.Ai??Ai??With theAi??Ai??ongoingAi??Ai??propagandaAi??Ai??campaign of the SkyTrain lobby, combined withAi??Ai??the complete ignorance of Transportation Ministers, both provincial […]

The propaganda campaign for the UBC subway has begun. Here comes the Campbell Line!

OnAi??Ai??September 8, theAi??Ai??first day of regular commuting, after the summer break,Ai??Ai??in the region, the Vancouver Sun had a “Canada Line” Live chat where a poll question pops up “Should SkyTrain continue to UBC” and not surprisingly 59% have voted, “Yes get on with it”. Here we have the the firstAi??Ai??push ofAi??Ai??a massiveAi??Ai??propaganda campaign to win […]

Last of the interurbans – Part 5 A video of the South Shore interurban.

Courtesy of U-Tube, a video of the South Shore interurban. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hd4qqWZM4s]

From the LRTA – Karlsruhe orders Bombardier TramTrains

Good news for Rail for the Valley, Bombardier is now producing TramTrains for the famous Karlshrue Two-System light rail network. One would guess that Bombardier Inc. would love to demonstrate this product here. Imagine, the “Great Tram Train Trials” for the Fraser Valley, with Alstom, Siemens, Bombardier, Stadler all competing for orders here; it would […]

Tramtrain trials in Sheffield UK – Should we not have TramTrain trials here?

The concept of tramtrain or light rail vehicles track-sharing with mainline railways is now being tried in the U.K. with a Rotherham to Sheffield demonstration Line. This is good news for Rail for the Valley as if TramTrain passes muster with the very conservative Her Majesties Railway Inspectorate, one can be well assured that TramTrain […]