Why there is antagonism towards at-grade Light Rail/Tramways & streetcars (North America + Canada)

The following was sent to Zwei by a very concerned urban transportation advocate. All the SkyTrain lobby has is fear to debate light rail and spread fear they do. All technical debates between LRT and SkyTrain/light-metro have been won or lost decades ago and SkyTrain has been relegated to the history books. Like uber Regulus […]

UBC Transit A?ai??i??ai??? Rapid transit for UBC has priority over SurreyA?ai??i??ai???s, students and university say

Well now, someone should instruct the UBC Alma Matter Society on the economics of subway/light-metro and light rail, because there is no way that a $4 billion subway can be funded by $1.00 a day U-Pass ticket holders. That Translink still wastes the taxpayer’s money planning for yet more SkyTrain for the region only confirms […]

Build Murray-Clarke A?ai??i??ai??? or Evergreen support goes: PM council

An interesting little spat is taking place in Port Moody, where the city council want TransLink to chip in with the Murray-Clarke Connector project and if they don’t, they will pull their support for the Evergreen (Nevergreen) Line. This confirms two of Zwei’s opinions about the $1.4 billion light-metro project: The Evergreen Line is front […]

Vancouver Commuting Habits

Ai??Ai?? The following information from the Out-of-home Marketing Research Association of Canada or OMAC is certainly contrary to the SkyTrain lobby claims that SkyTrain takes a large share of Vancouver’s commuters. But Zwei knew that already as if any claims made by Translink about SkyTrain being a wunder system are quickly dispelled by the lack […]

Transit News From Here and There

Chilliwack Times http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/Uninformed+about+transit/3693739/story.html Nick Wimpney Ai??Ai??open letter to Sharon Gaetz in the Times needs following up North Shore News http://www.burnabynow.com/story.html?id=3699636 Hamilton Most Candidates Support LRT, Mayoral Candidates Split http://www.raisethehammer.org/article/1207/most_candidates_support_lrt_mayoral_candidates_split Winnipeg Bus rapid transit has edge in poll Winnipeg Free Press http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/bus-rapid-transit-has-edge-in-poll-105418328.html Cambridge, Ontario Light rail transit dominates regional debate Cambridge Times http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news/local/article/891078–light-rail-transit-dominates-regional-debate Los Angeles – […]

Transit News Around The World October 19, 2010

Phoenix METRO Playing With A Full House http://raillife.com/blog/ Los Angeles LAX rail line is early stop in plan to expedite transit work http://www.dailybreeze.com/opinions/ci_16357591 Tampa Bay Hillsborough rail plan is still taking shape http://tinyurl.com/35egf4g Wellington, NZ Councillors signal light rail battle lines http://tinyurl.com/2udcyql Norfolk, VA Light rail may be up & running by Dec. http://tinyurl.com/2es7phc Ottawa […]

Trains get streetwise

The following link from the Professional Engineering Magazine ….. http://www.profeng.com/archive/2010/2311/23110053.htm ….. is well worth the read as it neatly sums up the German city of Karlsruhe’s success in integrating transit. Karlsruhe, it must be remembered, pioneered the TramTrain concept andAi??Ai??with stunning results. When the firstAi??Ai??TramTrain line (which replaced a commuter train & one transfer) opened […]

The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree – TransLink’s Regional Transit Planning

Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal metaphor in the United States used to describe evidence that is obtained illegally.The logic of the terminology is that if the source of the evidence (the “tree”) is tainted, then anything gained from it (the “fruit”) is as well. TransLink’s planning officials still maintain that modern light […]

News Round-up – October 12, 2010

It seems Russian tram operators know how to conduct a tram emergency test.Ai??Ai?? The ultimate annual tram emergency exercise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4OwPSI5eJQ&feature=related From the Langley Times http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/langleytimes/opinion/104350994.html The Vancouver Province http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/Premier+transit+pitch+hard+swallow/3635873/story.html The North Shore News http://www.nsnews.com/news/Railroading/3643583/story.html Queensland First contracts awarded for Gold Coast Light Rail http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/07/3032028.htm or http://tinyurl.com/32w8j3e Green light for GC rail tenderers http://tinyurl.com/27gzfrs Avignon The […]

World Cities – population, population density, transport including Light Rail/Trams – Round 2

The following is a revised account of city population and the type of transit used; metro or light rail. With Vancouver’s low population density, makes one wonder why the transportation authority and politicians only look at light-metro for transit solutions. World City Rankings – 2 – Asia – view The top 31 No Asian cities, […]