An Open Letter To The Minister of Transportation

To whom it may concern: Cutting ribbons is not the main function of the Minister of Transportation, but in BC it seems it is. Trying to justify the Premier’s (or should I say Fraser Surrey docks/SNC’s) $3.5 billion Massey Tunnel vanity bridge replacements is seemingly taking a lot of your time. I understand your many […]

Another Suicide

In Europe, EEC Health and Safety rules mandate that all driverless or automatic passenger transit systems must have platform gates to prevent suicides or accidental falls onto tracks. Not so in Canada, as “Death by SkyTrain” continues unabated.   UPDATED: Massive delays after SkyTrain medical emergency Terry Schintz February 02, 2016   Crowds pack SkyTrain […]

The White Elephant Line

A white elephant is a possession which its owner cannot dispose of and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. To recap, the Canada Line is not a true P-3, rather a mock P-3, where SNC Lavalin/Bombardier, bid against, SNC Lavalin/ROTEM. Judge Pittfield who resided over the failed Susan […]

Broadway Subway Reality Check – Toronto’s 8.6 km Spadina Line Subway Now $3.2 Billion!

For those of you who have been pooh-poohing, Zwei’s cost estimate for the Broadway subway, the following news item from Toronto should send a not too subtle message that subways are very expensive to build and are only built when there is the massive traffic flows that demand long trains and large stations to accommodate […]

Sobering Thoughts

The future may not be as transit friendly as many would have wished. The preceding chart should send chills down TransLink’s collective spine. Metro Vancouver’s transit system is based on the “Spoke and hub” theory of transit practice where major “transit hubs” are connected by light-metro and fed by a network of bus routes (spokes). […]

Out of the Pan and Into the Fire Dept.

It seems TriMet, in Portland are playing the part of rubes by hiring former TransLink president and general manager of its subsidiary British Columbia Rapid Transit Company Ltd.,Doug Kelsey. I believe TriMet will soon have buyers remorse because under Kelsey’s leadership, Vancouver’s light-metro system suffered many shutdowns due to lack of maintenance and poor management. […]

Happy New Years, Or Is It?

Transit news in the Vancouver metro region in 2015 was dominated by the TransLink plebiscite and despite over $12 million dollars spent to bolster the ‘YES” side the vote was decidedly against giving TransLink any more tax money. What is even more tragic is that the politicians, bureaucrats and academics who supported the “YES” side […]

A Bad Day For SkyTrain

Oops, a bad day for TransLink and the mini-metro system. Confusion reigns, as TransLink can’t even manage a coherent news story. Canada Line resumes after ai???fire incidentai??? causes delays Vancouver, BC, Canada / News Talk 980 CKNW | Vancouver’s News. Vancouver’s Talk Simon Little December 29, 2015 Good news for rush hour commuters ai??i?? TransLink […]

The Other SkyTrain Saga – Part 2

It just gets better and better. If we look at the traffic flows for Broadway, which are under 4,000 pphpd, there is no way a subway would meet any honest business plan requirements. But in BC, business plans are a dime a dozen, you get what you pay for. It is interesting that those promoting […]

If It Is Not Stock, Don’t buy It!

Our friend Haveacow is a Canadian Transportation Engineer and when he says something, we should be listening. * Zwei is not an engineer, but under the tutelage of the late Des Turner (Des was a chemical engineer who worked at Shell Oil, who took early retirement and went back to university and earned a master’s […]