A Letter From Jacob de Raadt

There is a growing realization from Fraser Valley taxpayers that the South Fraser region should secede from TransLink and even the GVRD. For far too long, the North Fraser cities have used the South Fraser as a 'Milch cow' for taxes to fund politically prestigious light-metro projects such as SkyTrain. Valley taxpayers are waking up […]

Light Rail & Tram systems do not stop for snow!

From Thursday 17 December 2009 to Friday 15 January 2010 the United Kingdom experienced a spell of very low temperatures and significant snowfalls which affected almost the whole country. This was the most widespread and prolonged spell of this type across the UK since December 1981/January 1982. Large areas of England, Wales and Northern Ireland […]

Vancouver’s Olympic Streetcar Line Wins The LRTA’s Worldwide Project Of The Year Award!

Good news everyone, Vancouver’s Olympic LineAi??has wonAi??the Light Rail Transit Association’s www.lrta.org Worldwide project of the year award. There were two winners in this category, the Olympic Line and the new LRT line in Kayseray, Turkey, which both came in on time and on budget.. Below, the now disused Olympic Line in Vancouver. Below, theAi??award […]

Rail For The Valley In The International News Again!

Rail for the Valley and the RftV/Leewood report is featured again in an international publication. In the December issue of Tramways & Urban Transit (the official magazine of the Light Rail Transit Association) is a two page feature of the RftV/Leewood report. As the magazine is distributed not only to LRTA members but internationally as well, […]

Surrey’s main issue is simple: better transit – From the Vancouver Sun

Kudos’ for Surrey mayor Diane Watts to think “out of the SkyTrain box” and think light rail, but to do so requires hiring real light rail experts to assist local planners and engineers in planning a usable and efficient LRT/tram network in Surrey. Our local transportation planners still do not get it that the difference […]

Tramway Turnkey Solutions

Alstom Citidas Dualis Tram-Train Combining the best of trains and tramways The challenge The urban fabric now extends well beyond the city centre, with regional and urban networks tending to merge. Users’ needs are changing. They want to be able to move with ease from the city centre to neighbouring towns without having to change […]

Streetcars – The missing Link Symposium

The following is for the links for the speaker's presentations and the audio for the townhall meeting. Other that not one of the presenters could define what a streetcar is, the following should be of some value. For Zweisystem's view of the streetcar symposium http://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/the-streetcar-symposium-translink-doesnt-get-it/ Streetcars: The Missing Link? 29 September 2010 Renaissance Vancouver Hotel […]

International Comparisons of Urban Light Rail Systems

Three references, on the subject of International comparisons of Light Rail systems are posted for information purposes and education. 1) The roles of integrated ticketing, pedestrianisation and population density   http://www.raumplanung.uni-dortmund.de/rwp/ersa2002/cd-rom/papers/167.pdf                                                         […]

Adios TransLink?

Recent events are pointing that TransLink’s time may soonAi??come to an endAi??and a new regional (or two) transit authority(s) may come into being. The trouble with funding for the $1.4 billion Evergreen Line and TransLink’s strict adherence with SkyTrain and or light-metro is highlighting TransLink’s endemic financial woes. TransLink is getting a rough ride from […]

AdiA?A?s the Evergreen Line?

It seems TransLink’s game of brinkmanship will be their undoing. They have played this hand too often and regional politico’s are tired playing against a stacked deck. We all know that public transit is good, but when you have Gordon Price saying on the radio, that the LRT/SkyTrain debate is theological and radio personality singing […]