As Predicted By Rail for the Valley, TransLink’s Financial Fiasco

Nothing shocking at all, as TransLink’s financial failure has been long known to those who understand all things transit. As predicted, TransLink is running head long into a financial wall. The villains in this tawdry two-penny play is politcal interference, corruption, ennui, and the SkyTrain light-metro system. Currently the province (that is the taxpayer) is […]

The Hydrogen Train Debate – The Expensive Quebec Connection

The great panacea to solve all our problems or currently a Popular Science “pipe-dream”? Well is is now worse than that as it seems the push for hydrogen powered trains has more to do with huge Liberal government subsidies to Bombardier Inc. and now Alstom, to keep jobs in Quebec. The old Canadian story; transit […]

Why Do University Professors Get it all Wrong?

I shake my head in utter despair, when academics, get it all wrong. Zwei, probably knows more about Karlsruhe’s Zweisystem or TramTrain than most in BC and or Canada. Karlsruhe’s famous TramTrains are powered by electricity, delivered from an overhead supply. What Karlsruhe’s Zweisystem Trains are famous for is the ability to operate on the […]

The North Shore’s “Hobson’s Choice”

From: Rail for the Valley For the past 17 years, Rail for the Valley has advocated for the “return of the interurban” on the former Vancouver to Chilliwack BC Electric interurban line that still connects Vancouver to Chilliwack, via Surrey/Cloverdale; Langley; Abbotsford and Vedder/Sardis. Rail for the Valley, due to the soundness of the plan, […]

We Have Done It All Wrong

I am recovering from a classic “heart attack” and after four stents and severe lectures from the surgeons, it was made amply clear, I had it all wrong. Three days in bed at Royal Colombian Hospital, gave me much time to think. That time on my back also made it amply clear, that we are […]

Regional Passenger Service reinstated In Ontario

It is interesting that Ontario is reinstating the Northlander Passenger service in Ontario, yet the BC government ignores reinstating, at least three regional railways. The prediction that the service would see 40,000 to 60,000 passengers a year; three BC regional railways could easily reach the same passenger loads a day, per line! Rail for the […]

Pipe Dreams

Transit studies are a “dime a dozen” in metro Vancouver, yet few are ever used for the simple fact that rapid transit is built for strictly politcal reasons and not for the needs of the transit customer. Kennith Chan and the Hive is pro SkyTrain, yet he know very little about the local transit system, […]

As Zwei Has Predicted…..

After all the raspberries that came my way about the Broadway Subway, I have been somewhat vindicated. The construction delays also translates into increased costs and with an election around the corner, the current government will wait until after the election to give the bad news. It also explains the puff piece in the Tyee […]

Should We Convert The Canada Line to Light Rail?

Updated for 2024  With Covid-19, this becomes more important than ever. Right now we have a Hobson’s choice for regional rail transit, extend the Millennium and Expo Lines and continue using the proprietary Movia Automatic Light Metro or nothing. This must change and change soon, or the hugely expensive SkyTrain light metro system will become […]

Three Must Build Regional Railways

With global warming and climate change begin to cast a fiery shadow over the province this summer, what is the provincial government planning? Three guesses and the first two don’t count: building more highways. Our politcal “rubber on asphalt” mentality will be the death of this province as the provincial government continues to promote car […]