Who should run the Interurban? A recommendation.

Now a recap of the earlier posting, Who should run the interurban?” TransLink TransLink has been against the ‘return of the interurban’ from the start and the recent study done by an engineering firmAi??Ai??that had no background in modern LRT was predictable. Why would you consider commuter rail on a route that was not designed […]

An European view of light-rail in North America. Is it time for a new definition of LRT?

The following maybe of interest on why LRT projects in Canada and the U.S.A. seem toAi??Ai??cost more than new European installations and some (Seattle is a good example) have more in common with light-metro, than what manyAi??Ai??people would callAi??Ai??light-rail. It seems in North America, what is called LRT, is really light-metro and real LRT has […]

Who Should Run The Interurban?

Who should run the proposed interurban service from Vancouver to Chilliwack? This is an important question that must be addressed before any operation is to commence. TransLink TransLink has been against the ‘return of the interurban’ from the start and the recent study done by an engineering firmAi??Ai??that had no background in modern LRT was […]

The Bistro Tram – Is it the right menu for the interurban?

Two previous postings – http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/why-the-valley-interurban-must-service-abbotsford-international-airport-yxx/Ai??Ai??and – http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/why-the-valley-interurban-must-service-vancouver/Ai??Ai??talk about long distance rail travel from Vancouver, East to Abbotsford, YXX, and Chilliwack and one must think of amenities for the transit customer. The proposed interurban service must be user-friendly from the start, to gain a solid consumer base and a ‘Bistro‘ car, serving light refreshmentsAi??Ai??maybe the ticket […]

Why the Valley Interurban Must Service Abbotsford International Airport (YXX)

To be successful, a transit system or transit line must serve popular destinations in order to generate ridership, the notion that transit customers will take ‘rail’ because it is just there is wrong. In order for successful interurban service it must serve destinations where customers want to go and Abbotsford International Airport (YXX) is a […]

Tales of Transit studies past – You’d be amazed at the hundreds of politicians manipulated over the last 30 years!

Since SkyTrain was forced onto the region, transit planning has been skewed to fit the expensive proprietary light-metro. Most recently, noted American transit specialist, Gerald Fox, found the business case for the Evergreen SkyTrain LineAi??Ai??had, “several instances where the analysis had made assumptions that were inaccurate, or had been manipulated to make the case for […]

Carole James & the NDP – Have they missed the train?

Carole James and the provincial NDP’s regional transportation platform is in stealth mode, which is not surprising, as past NDP administrations have ignored sound public transport practice and used ‘rail’ transit solely as an election tool. Glen Clark, successfully used ‘rail‘Ai??Ai??projects as reelection tools:Ai??Ai??theAi??Ai??West Coast Express (known at the time as the Reelection Express) and […]

Five reasons Why Gordo and his ‘Falcon’ don’t want the "Return of the Interurban".

It is all too simple, the tracks are there from Vancouver to Chilliwack, the diesel light-rail vehicles areAi??Ai??available from many manufacturers and have been proven in revenue operation, and the precedent of the Karlsruhe two-system or zweisystem LRT with almost 20 years of safe operation track-sharing with mainline railways, makes the return of the interurban […]

10 Quick notes on light rail – for quick letters to the Editor.

Light rail is a mode that can deal economically with traffic flows between 2,000 and 20,000 persons per hour per direction. LRT can be uses on-street, on elevated guide-ways (light-metro), in tunnel (subway), or track-share with existing railways. Calgary’s LRT (C-Train) carries over 250,000 passengers a day, more than SkyTrain. Capacity is a function of […]

Premier Campbell & Kevin Falcon ‘flips the bird’ to the valley

Gordon Campbell, like all politicians, likes to monument build and with good ‘polling’ numbers has promised a ‘monumental’ 10 lane bridge with all the whistles and bangs to target the car driver in May’s provincial election.Ai??Ai?? The $3 billion plus mega bridge and highways project has nothing to do about good transportation or planning, rather […]