Quebec Corruption Inquiry: SNC-Lavalin Linked To Scheme To Raise Construction Project Prices

What happens in Quebec must surely happen in BC, asAi??SNC Lavalin has been involved with the heavily engineered SkyTrain and Canada Line light-metros. The question that must be asked; “Has the very expensive SkyTrain and Canada line light metros part of a provincial scheme to ensure healthy profits for corporate friends of the government by […]

Winter Tramway, Light Rail, LRT and ART reliability?

The Cardinal is confident that friends & colleagues in Vancouver will take satisfaction from knowing that European Light Rail & at-grade tramway systems are providing a faultless public service this winter. Images of Croydon (London) Tramlink Ai??Ai??& Manchester Metrolink, are the evidence. Ai?? Ai??A video of Croydon Tramlink services this weekend. Ai??http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zzak2MHvN0 I hope TranLinkai??i??s […]

13.9% Grade in Lisbon – Impossible Claims the City of Vancouver!

Ever see a tram climbing a 13.9% grade? Well now you have! A Lisbon tram climbing the famous 13.9% grade in the city. Please don’t tell the City of Vancouver or its Engineering Department, because they will just just believe you.

TransLink’s Subway Fiscal Time Bomb

The SkyTrain/metro Lobby remain mute on the long term fiscal effects of operating subways, especially on routes that have low ridership, say less than 15,000 pphpd. Building a subway is a very expensive proposition and many factors should be considered before embarking on such a costly investment. The first questionAi??any knowledgeable transit planner must ask […]

Traffic congestion in Metro Vancouver as bad as Los Angeles. A report that TransLink will ignore!

Oh yes, TransLink is on the right path in providing an affordable public transit alternative – NOT! Vancouver faces many transportation problems, but TransLink and its very unconventional transit planning must rank as number one. As I have said before, “Transit is to move people and not money“, yet TransLink still bumbles along planning hugely […]

SkyTrain is Obsolete, Why Then Doesn’t The SkyTrain Lobby & TransLink Get It?

Two letters in the North Delta/Surrey Leader, one from Daryl Cruz of “SkyTrain For Surrey” fame and a rebuttal from Malcolm Johnston, a contributor to this blog. The assertions by Cruz that “building LRT will cost us billions and billions more than building SkyTrain”, is outright dishonest and comes from a profound ignorance about light […]

January 2013

The Cardinal sends greetings & fraternity to all for the new year. The Cardinal concludes with conviction, that 2013 will mark a watershed forAi??@ grade Light Rail, Trams & Streetcars in Canada & BC in particular. So, Mr Daryl Dela Cruz, LIM, Rico & Richard be afraid, be very afraid for the day of street […]

Canadaai??i??s light rail renaissance

From the International Railway Journal http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/light-rail/canadas-light-rail-renaissance.html Light rail is experiencing a renaissance in cities throughout Canada with various new lines planned and some currently under construction. LIKE most cities across the world, Canada’s leading urban centres suffer from traffic congestion leaving many residents wasting time in their cars. In recent years light rail schemes have […]

Ottawa, Canada – city to hire outside consultants for LRT project

The city of Ottawa will be hiring outside consultants to oversee various phases of its light rail construction project, The Ottawa Citizen reported Thursday. Canada’s federal capital plans a 7.7-mile east-west starter LRT route that will include a 1.5-mile downtown LRV subway. Here’s a graphic showing the planned LRT: http://metronewsca.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/train_04.jpg?w=618 The consortium awarded the construction […]

Ottawa Light Rail system receives official approval

Ottawa light rail gets official OK http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Ottawa+light+rail+gets+official/7721060/story.html OTTAWA ai??i?? Ottawa council voted 24-0 Wednesday morning to formally approve a contract for the first stage of light rail transit in the capital. To cost $2.1 billion initially, the 12.5-kilometres rail line will run from Tunneyai??i??s Pasture in the west to Blair Road in the east, and […]