Vancouver second most traffic congested city in North America: report

Ha, ha, ha – or should I weep. I guess “rubber on asphalt” with a $8 billion SkyTrain Canada Line sweetener hasn’t worked. Does the taxpayer really want to throw more money at TransLink to carry on with their unworkable and unaffordable light-metro dreams? The failure of the SkyTrain and the Canada Line light-metros to […]

Should We Convert the Canada Line metro to LRT?

The George Massey Tunnel is back in the news, as Premier Christie Clark is using the tunnel as an election gimmick, promising to replace the tunnel within 10 years. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Christy+Clark+announces+plan+replace+Massey+Tunnel/7315511/story.html Replacing the tunnel with a larger structure, bridge or tunnel will only send the gridlock to the next choke point, the Oak Street & Knight […]

Eric Chris Tackles Vancouver’s Media and Politicians SkyTrain Hubris

A picture that Vancouver’s SkyTrain lobby do not want the public to see! Modern LRT on a lawned rights-of-way. Eric Chris’s letter to Vancouver media and politicans. SkyTrain is by far the worst possible alternative for theAi?? proposed Evergreen Line from Burnaby to Coquitlam in Metro Vancouver.Ai?? HereAi?? are some highlights from a recent UBC […]

Tours ‘architecture in motion’ tram unveiled

The new Alstolm trams being delivered to Tours certainly demonstrates the 21st century streetcar or tram. The 43.7 metre (143.3 feet), seven section articulated tram has a nominals capacity of 300 persons, with seating for 88. This equals the capacity of a four car rake of Mk.1 vehicles. Being 100% low-floor, means easy access for […]

Next-generation streetcars arrive in Toronto for trials

National Post http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09/27/next-generation-streetcars-arrive-in-toronto-for-trials/ Although it will not be accepting passengers until 2014, the TTCai??i??s next generation of streetcars arrived in the city by freight train this week. Still the property of its builder, Bombardier, the train is in town for a series of trials to see whether it can smoothly navigate Torontoai??i??s streets. The vehicle, […]

TransLink’s Demands and the Mainstream Media’s Embarrassment

Liz James, whoAi??pens opinion pieces for the North Shore News has taken the time to study and understand our regional public transit debacle, unlike the immortal scribes who inhabit the mainstream media andAi??are nothing more than shills for TransLink. The failure by the mainstream media to understand why TransLink is in economic peril is breathtaking […]

Lyon tram-train service launched

The French city of Lyon is opening a new TramTrain line, while in METRO Vancouver TransLink still dreams of massive (and massively expensive) SkyTrainAi??light-metro lines.Ai??After two years, TransLink still Ai??refuses to deal honestly with the RftV/Leewood TramTrain study for the former BC Electric Vancouver to Chilliwack Interurban. The cost for Lyon’s new 26 km TramTrain […]

The Light Rail Revolution in France

The one country that has spurred on the “light rail revolution” is France, yetAi??in the late 70’s and early 80’s French politicians and planners were going the light-metro route with the French VAL rubber tire mini-metro system. MATRA, the massive French Arms consortium, were the owners of the VAL proprietary light-metro system and the French […]

TransLink Just Doesn’t Get It – Increasing Fares Via The Park & Rides

In one of TransLink’s moreAi??daft ideas, a strict cash grab by bureaucrats, TransLink is going to charge at the park & rides that service the transit system.Ai??For many, this amounts to a 20% fare hike for 3-zone transit customers, which in the end will just provideAi??an incentive for transit customers to go back commuting by […]

Memo To TransLink – The Regional Mayors Did Not Blink – Well At Least For The Moment.

It seems TransLink’s game of chicken has failed at the regional level; well for the time being. The real problem why TransLink is on a financial precipice, is the SkyTrain light-metro system and light-metro systems, especially driverless light-metro systems, cost a lot to build and operate. Like many who work for TransLink, regional mayors have […]