TramTrain study for York, in the U.K. – How long until we have a TramTrain study for the Fraser Valley?

Though the following is from 2008, it again shows the feasibility of the TramTrain concept is gaining wide acceptance with transit planners. And why should it not, when compared to more expensive, yet less flexibleAi??Ai??rail options. If the ongoing ‘transit study’ currently being done for transit optionsAi??Ai??in the Fraser Valley, doesn’t include TramTrain, it will […]

The many faces of tramtrain; how soon will the Fraser Valley see one?

It has been a long established transit maxim, long ignored by TransLink and BC Transit before, “use existing rail routes first“. Why? Because existing rail routes are much cheaper to build and install light rail, rather than going ‘greenfields’ construction.Ai??Ai?? Of course, SkyTrain and RAV are the epitome of ‘greenfields’ construction! The cost to build […]

How other countries see light rail and appraise light rail investments? From the Light Rail Transit Association

Article from the March 1999 edition of Tramways & Urban Transit As anyone involved in a British light rail scheme knows, the appraisal system is rigorous and, many feel, fatally flawed, oriented as it is to short term and financial criteria rather than a properly broad social cost-benefit analysis. It is now also heavily influenced […]

B.C. Rail, C.N. Rail & Gordon Campbell – Why it is important for ‘Rail for the Valley’ to understand the current situation.

The following item on David Berner’s blog…… http://thebernermonologues.blogspot.com/2009/07/really-big-smell.html ……is well worth a read, to understand the politics of TRIANGULATION, including Mr. Campbell, his family and the hierarchy of CN Rail. It seems that the Premier regards ‘rail’ transit issues as a political plum, for his own amusement, phony environmental claims and multi billion dollar reelection […]

From the BBC – "Drivers ‘distrust’ road tax spend". Will regional mayors ‘here’ impose the auto levy?

And TransLink wants to add more taxes on cars. Local politicians take note. A note added re comment, as the title states, this article comes from the BBC. Motoring taxes have been handled so badly that drivers no longer trust what ministers say the charges pay for, an MPs’ report says. Inconsistency over justification for […]

Time to Bell TransLink’s Cat

A letter that appeared in several lower mainland weeklies. Editor: TransLink is bankrupt, but as every bureaucracy knows, the taxpayer can be forced to ante up; in Canada, higher taxes cures all ills. TransLink may not know how to plan for affordable transit, but the ‘boys and girls in the ivory towers’ know how to […]

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, […]

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 […]

US Fed Funding Policy Heavily Favors Roads Over Transit – From the Light Rail Now Folks

Tipping the Playing Field: How America’s Federal Funding Policy Heavily Favors Roads Over Transit Susan Pantell with Light Rail Now Project Team Ai??Ai?? May 2009 It should come as no great surprise that the federal government gives substantially more financial support to roads than to transit. However, what’s really disturbing Ai??Ai?? especially in a new […]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FLOOD: Rail for the Valley, & the new Port Mann bridge

To all supporters of passenger rail service for the Fraser Valley Last Wednesday, the provincial government announced, out of the blue, an entirely new Port Mann bridge to be built. It will not be a twinned bridge, but a single 10-lane span, and the existing bridge will be torn down, only 45 years into its […]