The End Of The SkyTrain “Gravy-Train?

Gravy Train: Used to refer to a situation in which someone can make a lot of money for very little effort. Mr. Cow’s comment in the previous post, deserves a post of its own, because it could be a game changer in regional transit planning. Criticizing regional transit planning has been somewhat taboo with the […]

Maintenance Costs – What Politicans Ignore

This is a must read as maintenance is one of the least understood functions of operating a transit system. It is often ignored by politicians because most politicians do not understand it nor want to due to unpleasant tax implications that tend to be embarrassing at election time. The Ottawa LRT/Light-Metro is a very good […]

T.E.A.M’s LRT – Offering Much More Light Rail At A Far Cheaper Cost.

Again, old Zwie, the Curmudgeon Laurette of transit, is delighted that Vancouver T.E.A.M. mayoralty candidate Colleen Hardwick is talking LRT while those running against her are still talking dated light-metro. So, let us have a look at costs of the three proposals. T.E.A.M’s Hardwick’s 58 km of LRT The Aprox. 7 km Millennium Line subway […]

Dislodgment My Arse – TransLink Hides A Derailment!

Derailment: the action of a train or tram leaving its tracks accidentally. When TransLink invents new terms for a train derailment, you know they are trying to hide something. Two bolts sheared on a turnout or switch is not a coincidence, rather it points to a lack of maintenance on the system. That TransLink is […]

Mississauga and Brampton – The Hurontario LRT

It is an interesting comparison that in Vancouver, 5.7 km of SkyTrain light-metro subway will cost over $3 billion and 16km of new SkyTrain light metro in Surrey and Langley will cost around $5 billion (both projects will actually cost over $11 billion for 21.7 km of new line, including the much needed rehab), while […]

What Is The Real Cost For The Expo & Millennium Line Extensions?

It is the civic election season, or more fondly called the “silly season” and all sorts of claims and promises are made. Recently on a local radio talk show a politcal wannabe claimed that; “SkyTrain operates almost free because it does not have any drivers and is cheaper than LRT” and the host agreed with […]

Take the H Train

It now seems hydrogen powered trains are now mainstream and set to become the worlds least polluting transit mode. It is time Canada and BC politicians get on board the H-Train, but I am afraid in Canada, politicians and bureaucrats have left at the station and gone to the airport to travel on the taxpayer’s […]

Driverless Trains

Old Zwei has told you so, operating driverless trains is very expensive. In December 2019, it was reveled that the SkyTrain Light metro system (Expo and millennium Lines, had over 900 employees. That is over 900 workers for just two rail lines. The Canada line, being a P-3, has it own employees and the number […]

The Expo Line Land Rush

Like the Millennium Line extension to Arbutus more commonly known as the Broadway subway, the main reason for extending the SkyTrain light metro system is to give politcal friends and insiders, mainly land speculators and land developers the ability of make large profits by assembling land, having council up-zone the land to allow for higher […]

Zwei Replies……………………

  The following has been posted on Facebook and other transit blogs with some unfavorable comments about RftV. First off, the article is by Alon Levy, a chap I have never heard of before, who has been described as an expert. An expert, well I think not, but neither is good ole Zwei for that […]