Tram on Tires – Guided Light Transit (GLT), the ultimate BRT

Guided Light Transit or GLT is a hybrid bus/tram system, where rubber tired vehicles are guided by a single rail and the TransLohr GLT falls into this category. It has been long realized that for a bus to obtain higher performances to compete against LRT, it must be guided. The Achilles heel of BRT in […]

From the Guardian.Co.UK. – London transit executives may head to New York to consult on subway

Ai??Ai??The recent visit byAi??Ai??Janette Sadik-Khan serving as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, seemed to create a blog frenzy about how New York was today’s transit nirvana, but with a population of over 8 million (or about the same population as BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan combined), the city does have the […]

CargoTram – Taking Commercial Trucks Off the Road. Is TransLink planning for the future? Can TransLink plan for the future?

What local transit planners have not done in the Vancouver regionAi??Ai??is take into account the versatility of modern light rail with their strategic planning and always plan for LRT as a poorman’s SkyTrain. In many cities, trams pull small trailers to carry bicycles or specialized cars toAi??Ai??carry rubbish from refuse bins along the line, adding […]

Dublin’s LUAS LRT – A streetcar without subsidy, a template for the Broadway LRT?

There is much to learn about Dublin’s LUAS LRT or tram system and the ability to operate and make an operating profit is completely lost on TransLink, it’s bureaucrats and BC’s current lot of tax and spend politicians. SkyTrain is hamstrung by massive construction and operating costs and the annual subsidy to operate the metro […]

From U-Tube – Trams Of Karlsruhe, Germany. Finest in the world?

An interesting video on Karlsruhe’s tram system, including their famous TramTrain, which can operate as a streetcar, a light railway or a commuter train! It’s worth a watch. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzFgSOTUVPM]

From the Vancouver Province – Inter-Urban exhibit sparks debate – ‘B.C. Electric Railway: More Than Just a Tram’ an example of light-rail transit

It seems that the momentum for the return of the Fraser Valley Interurban is gaining strength. If we can get the consensus of Valley mayors to support the return of the interurban, the next big hurdle is to take on the SkyTrain/light-metro lobby, because they desperately do not want much cheaper light rail operating any […]

More unhappiness from South of the Fraser – From the Delta Optimist – Train offers miserable experience

It seems that the RAV/Canada Line is not swaying the transit customer’s minds to happily use the metro. It’s crowded, but over crowding could be the result of TransLink deliberately underestimating Richmond and South of the Fraser buses ridership, to crow about packed trains to a very complacent media. Obviously, TransLink isn’t operating enough capacity […]

From the Vancouver Sun: "Olympic traffic plan could leave a lasting legacy — but it will depend on us". NOT

The editors at the Vancouver Sun have never grasped the realities of the many transit issues in Vancouver, let alone the challenges of the ‘Olympic‘ road closures. The problem in METRO Vancouver is that transit planners have always seized the latest “flavour of the month” in transit operationAi??Ai??from light-metro to GLTAi??Ai??and revenue gathering such as […]

Train crashes into car in Nanaimo: Another example of a car driver ignoring the dangers of a railway level crossings

Here we have another sad example of a motorist ignoring railway signals and driving into the path of a passenger train, with tragic results. Rail For The Valley must deal with two issues before the reinstatement of the interurban. 1) Before any interurban or streetcar service is to begin in BC, a complete review and […]

From the langley Advance – Rail task force forming up

Good news, everyone, valley politicians are on the right track. Rail task force forming up The Township’s mayor will lead the new organization. Matthew Claxton, Langley Advance Published:Ai??Ai??Friday, October 09, 2009 A task force to kick start community rail is being formed in the South of the Fraser area. Mayor Rick Green brought his plan […]