How green is my rapid transit?

By popular demand, another posting on ‘green’ or grassed light rail rights-of-ways. Grassed light rail lines bring a ‘cooling’ green park-like atmosphere to city tram lines. Lawned rights-of-ways are also used on heavier (fast) light-rail lines on suburban routes. Even in dense city centres, a lawned tram line is ascetically appealing. The appealing nature of […]

The little railway that could – From the Globe and Mail

Food for though; has anyone ever thought of buying the old interurban railway? Would the current owner consider selling? Patrick White Darlingford, Man. A?ai??i??ai??? From Wednesday’s Globe and Mail Last updated on Wednesday, Jul. 01, 2009 02:56AM EDT The jangle of crossing bells never sounded so sweet. They echoed across the town green in Darlingford, […]

Tech stuff for the Valley Inturban A?ai??i??ai??? The Indusi Signaling System A?ai??i??ai??? how it works (Part 3)

Ai?? How To Drive Note: For this page I assume a passenger train of Zugart (train type) “O”. For other train types, the speeds, times and lengths differ. I assume no regular halt between the distant and main signal. The status of the Indusi is indicated by an array of lights (see the Cab displays […]

Tech stuff for the Valley Inturban – The Indusi Signaling System – how it works (Part 1)

The following article is on the “Indusi” signaling system used by Passenger Trains and Freight Trains on lines shared with Karlsruhe’s famous two system or zweisystem TramTrains. With nearly 20 years of accident free service, the Indusi signaling system may be the ticket for safe track sharing on the Valley interurban. Signaling is an important […]

A 2007 Presentation on Valley Rail – by the Light Rail Committee

First, before any discussion about rail transit, including Light Rail Transit, we must define LRT and other transit modes. The following is a brief descriptions of various transit modes advocated as solutions for transit in the region. Commuter rail: Locomotive hauled rail coaches or diesel or electric multiple unit trains, catering specifically to peak hour […]

Cranleigh Railway Line: All stop Bramley Station!

Rail for the Valley is not alone in trying to reinstate little used, abandoned, disused or mothballed rail lines for passenger use. The following web site for the Cranleigh reopening project……. http://www.cranleighrailway.info/reopen.htm ……in the U.K. is well worth a visit.Ai??Ai??One useful idea whichAi??Ai??could be copied,Ai??Ai??is aAi??Ai??a ‘model’ Valley Interurban station, locatedAi??Ai??in Chilliwack, Abbotsford or Langley […]

Michigan: Hearings on Hydrogen-Solar-Maglev Supertrain

Ai??Ai?? Got lots of federal recovery money to spend on ecconomic stimulusAi??Ai??transportation projects? Then, let’s spend it on questionable studies and silly projects instead of real transitAi??Ai??solutions that will solve real transportation problems. Even though this article comes from the USA, Canadian politicians are no different and when there is free money around it’s seldom, […]

Electrification Suddenly in Vogue Again

The Transport Politic 18 June 2009 Electrification Suddenly in Vogue Again Canadian, British, American railroad officials fighting to replace diesel locomotives. With efforts to combat climate change ramping up and ridership on public transportation increasing steadily, electrification of main-line rail corridors is in. Yet, though railroads in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. are studying […]

UK News – Train operators plan to reopen mothballed lines

Interesting news from the U.K. which might bolster the campaignAi??Ai??for those wishing the return of the Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban. The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) or in layman’s terms, the privatized companies formed from the old British Rail, have plans to reopen several abandoned or mothballed railway lines. What is of interest is […]

Tunnel vision correctable

A note by Zweisystem: Liz James is one of the few writers around who has taken the time to study the issue of transit and transportation and Rail for the Valley welcomes her article. Elizabeth James, Special To North Shore News Published:Ai??Ai??Sunday, June 14, 2009 a recent decision by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield […]