Bait and Gate – The Fare Gate Scandal Unfolds

Well, Rail for the Valley told you so, but with the hoopla in the mainstream media and on certain radio station, to a certain lobbyist’s delight, fueledAi??a public frenzyAi??on the subject of fareAi??evasion. So much so, was the public’s anger over fare evasion, the public demanded fare gates be installed at all SkyTrain stations. The […]

Liz James UpsetsThe SkyTrain Lobby

It seems North Shore News weekly columnist, Liz James has upset the SkyTrain Lobby with her most recent article, “No shortage of projects for the new AGLG“.Ai??Ai??So much so, that an email to Ms. James, from a SkyTrain lobbiest comes very close inAi??libeling her good name.” The fact that Ms. James has been on the […]

Quebec Corruption Inquiry: SNC-Lavalin Linked To Scheme To Raise Construction Project Prices

What happens in Quebec must surely happen in BC, asAi??SNC Lavalin has been involved with the heavily engineered SkyTrain and Canada Line light-metros. The question that must be asked; “Has the very expensive SkyTrain and Canada line light metros part of a provincial scheme to ensure healthy profits for corporate friends of the government by […]

Regional Politicians Mull Political Oblivion

Well, here we go again! “Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble“, the dreaded TransLink auto levy again has raised its ugly head. Here we have a largely incompetent transportation agency, which doesn’t run our transit system, which has absolutely no public scrutiny, and is in constant financial peril, demanding more taxpayer’s money. TransLink’s mission statements seems […]

Winter Tramway, Light Rail, LRT and ART reliability?

The Cardinal is confident that friends & colleagues in Vancouver will take satisfaction from knowing that European Light Rail & at-grade tramway systems are providing a faultless public service this winter. Images of Croydon (London) Tramlink Ai??Ai??& Manchester Metrolink, are the evidence. Ai?? Ai??A video of Croydon Tramlink services this weekend. Ai??http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zzak2MHvN0 I hope TranLinkai??i??s […]

Mainz’s Trams Climbing 9.5% Grades

Mainz, Germany has rebuilt its metre gauge tramway as modern LRT, with new low floor cars, etc. Mainz’s LRT has three route with a total mileage of 20 km. Please cue to 5:00 on the following U-Tube video of mainz’s trams climbing 9.5% grades with ease. Mainz Germany  

TransLink’s Subway Fiscal Time Bomb

The SkyTrain/metro Lobby remain mute on the long term fiscal effects of operating subways, especially on routes that have low ridership, say less than 15,000 pphpd. Building a subway is a very expensive proposition and many factors should be considered before embarking on such a costly investment. The first questionAi??any knowledgeable transit planner must ask […]

The Greer Report & Rapid Transitai??i?? A repost from 2009.

From 2009 Posted by zweisystem on Thursday, September 17, 2009 – With minor editing for 2013. OverAi??13 years ago the Greer Report, done by Greer Consulting Services, issued a scathing report on the Broadway/Lougheed Rapid Transit Projects, later to be know as the SkyTrain Millennium Line. The report found: cost comparisons appear to have been […]

The London Underground: 150 Years in Culture

Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? The first journey on the London Underground was made 150 years ago, on this day, 9 January 1863 from Praed Street (Paddington) to Farringdon; the line opening for public service on the 10th of January . Since then, the iconic transport system and culture have crossed paths. We look at the artists, writers and […]

Traffic congestion in Metro Vancouver as bad as Los Angeles. A report that TransLink will ignore!

Oh yes, TransLink is on the right path in providing an affordable public transit alternative – NOT! Vancouver faces many transportation problems, but TransLink and its very unconventional transit planning must rank as number one. As I have said before, “Transit is to move people and not money“, yet TransLink still bumbles along planning hugely […]