TransLink and the Canada Line – The real story – Part 2

It even gets better! More from the email I received Monday and what a bombshell! If the following is to believed and I believe very strongly it is true, TransLink is doing a very poor, yet very expensive job in moving transit customers. This why TransLink and the provincial government are deathly afraid of an […]

North American light rail systems

Modern LRT is reasonably cheap to build, when compared with metro type systems, but in NorthAi??America transit planners have done the impossible, they have planned LRT to be more expensive than a metro to build.Ai?? Such stupidity should be stopped at once! From the Globe and Mail. This maybe of some interest, but the cost […]

High Costs For LRT In Waterloo Ontario Questioned! Is LRT Being Designed as a Money Pit?

It seems well known light rail advocate, Malcolm Johnston, Ai??is at it again, sticking his nose in other peoples light rail business, butAi??there there is a very good point for his interest in Canadian light rail projects, as they are farAi??more expensive when compared to new build European light rail lines. Also in the fray […]

A Tale of Two Letters

The SkyTrain lobby has entered the Surrey political arena with the all so predictable misinformation that is so common with the "metro lobby". Sadly much of their anti-LRT rhetoric is thirty years out of date.   Light rail system may be the wrong choice Published: October 31, 2011 1:00 PM I have a few important points […]

The Novice’s Guide to “Rail” Transit Or…………

…………..cutting through the BS about light rail, SkyTrain and BRT. The following is a guide plus definitions about “rail” transit for the November civic elections. ALM: Automatic Light metro, the fourthAi??marketing name given for the SkyTrain family of light-metros, when Lavalin briefly ownedAi??SkyTrain before gong bankrupt. ALRT (1): Advanced Light Rail Transit, the secondAi??marketing name […]

Occupy TransLink and rid ourselves of the SkyTrain cult!

TransLink and SkyTrain in the news again. I find it strange that the mainstream media has failed to tackle the ‘SkyTrain’ question and continue to blather on about the benefits of SkyTrain, when the rest of the world have found none! The 34 year old proprietary SkyTrainAi??light-metro system has created it own operating philosophy in […]

SkyTrain – increasing rents, but at what cost?

The following item is nothing more than a ‘hard sell’ for the Evergreen Line and for the proposed Broadway subway. Granted that office space near one of Vancouver’s three metro lines have lower vacancy rates and higher rents, but what has not been taken into account is that offices next to the present metro lines […]

The Ultimate BRT

Here we have the next generation of rapid bus. I understand Translink is sending stakeholders (first class) to see the new BRT in Action. Rumour has that the first trials will take place the first day of April, 2012. The following is a preview of the new  BRT. BRT Vision I think I'll take a tram […]

Transit is about moving people stupid!

Interesting news item, from all places, the SkyTrain friendly CKNW radio station. VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980) 10/7/2011 Just as the mayors vote today on funding for the Evergreen Line, a report by the transportation commissioner says TransLink’s ridership predictions may just be wishful thinking. The Province newspaper reports commissioner Martin Crilly wrote last week that the growth predictions […]

Interesting letter in the Vancouver Sun – Is the proposed two cent a litre gas tax to fund SkyTrain renewals?

The Vancouver Sun, Like the old Soviet "Pravda" of old, is interesting for what it prints and for what it doesn't print. The Sun has been a long supporter of SkyTrain and the paper and its editorial board has gone so far as to play fast and loose with the truth about light rail. Anyone who […]