Is LRT becoming the new Light-Metro?

A metre gauge tram in Germany is still considered LRT. Since theAi??Ai??early 1970’s, the term LRT or light rail transit, has been in common use describing streetcar or interurban type rail transit. The first generation of modern LRT were German ‘Stadtbahn’ (City railway) style of tram, generally articulated and heavier built than trams or streetcars […]

New Hope For-Light Rail Folks ~ Brian Lewis, May 17, 2009 Province

New hope for light-rail folks Ai??Ai?? Brian Lewis has done some research on the ‘Interurban’ project and has written another interesting and supportive article. Discovery of a long-forgotten legal document is giving new hope to advocates for re-establishing passenger rail service in the Fraser Valley. It’s a 21-year-old Master Agreement between B.C. Hydro and Canadian […]

Track facts – Modern light-rail track

The recently built tramtrain line in Heilbron Germany There has been much debate about the cost of track laying and the cost for new tracks for light rail or streetcars. The following will hopefully shed some light on how modern LRT (streetcar) tracks are laid on-street. With the interurban, of course, the majority of the […]

Debunking the SkyTrain myth – Part 2

A tramtrain traveling through a village near Karlsruhe Germany. The “Debunking the SkyTrain myth. Rail for the Valley answers the UBC SkyTrain Lobby”Ai??Ai??, post…….. http://railforthevalley.wordpress.com/2009/04/23/debunking-the-skytrain-myth-rail-for-the-valley-answers-the-ubc-skytrain-lobby/ …….has become the most readAi??Ai?? and commented one to date, yet no one with the SkyTrain lobby has posted a credible reply. On the various SkyTrain blog sites, the one […]

From the Light Rail Transit Association – CAN LOCAL FUNDING SUPPORT A HERITAGE TYPE TRAMWAY

The following is a discussion document (#72 January 2009)Ai??Ai??from the Light Rail Transit Association www.lrta.org which may be interesting for those who are interested in building a ‘start-up’ heritage interurban/streetcar service. The Federation of Small Businesses (Yorkshire and Humber) have shown concern about the need to reduce traffic congestion in Leeds. Their suggestion was that […]

PROVINCIAL ELECTION QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS

Rail For The Valley asked South of Fraser candidates where they stand on light rail. Click here for their responses Of particular interest is the BC Liberal party’s support in principle for a demonstration project to be launched by 2010. (See last page of Questionnaire, BC Liberal party response to Q3: Will you support a […]

The German disease – What is it? Do we suffer from it?

In the early 1960’s, when the German economy was beginning to recover from the war, Germany invested heavily in new subways (U-Bahn) and fast commuter style metropolitan railways (S-Bahn). The tram or strassebahn, which bore the brunt of providing public transitAi??Ai??from theAi??Ai??late 40’s, to theAi??Ai??60’s, was largely regardedAi??Ai??by manyAi??Ai??as a dated or evenAi??Ai??obsolete.Ai??Ai??At the time, […]

Useful links for the BCE Interurban – old and new

A BCE interurban leaves Chilliwack station………… For a map of the old interurban and time tables: http://www.scribd.com/doc/2473591/Interurban-Timetables Though Zweisystem doesn’t agree with their conclusions: http://www.scribd.com/doc/515139/DRL-Solutions-Interurban-Report And a short history of the interurban: http://www.hastebc.org/haste-news/a-short-history-interurbans-lower-mainland ………….and arrives in downtown Vancouver!

Debunking the SkyTrain myth. Rail for the Valley answers the UBC SkyTrain Lobby!

It was brought to Zweisystem’s attention yesterday that a blog site was established by the UBC SkyTrain Lobby, critiquing modern LRT.Ai??Ai?? Zweisystem responded,Ai??Ai?? posting correctionsAi??Ai??forAi??Ai??the many myths, half truths and anti-LRT claptrap so often used by the SkyTrain lobby. The SkyTrain folks removed the comments and by doing so, fully admit that they are afraid […]

One hundred posts!

Light Rail in Nice France – Could be Langley, Abbotsford or Chilliwack! This marks the 100 post to the Rail For the Valley blog and I hope that for all who read the various postings have found them informative. When John Burker asked me to help with postings for the then new Rail For the […]