Now we know why SkyTrain is so expensive to operate.

The main story here is not the strike vote taken by Expo and Millennium Line workers, but the amount of workers that are needed to operate the SkyTrain mini-metro. According to the article, there are 530 CUPE members that work on the Expo and Millennium Lines, then add in senior non-union managerial staff, transit police and […]

Absurdity, Hiatus, Ignominy, Irony, Paradox and Prognosis

The Cardinal cordially welcomes Zweisystem back & offers him wishes for a speedy recovery from his recent illness; – Hurry up and get the heck out of there! Zwei, remember Mark Twainai??i??s advice `be careful when reading health books; you may die of a misprintai??i?? Ai?? With Zweisystem back in the section, continuing his mission, […]

Porkies from TransLink!

In the UK, London's Cockney's (the East End crowd) have long had an interesting rhyming slang tradition – examples: jam jar is a car; dicky dirt a shirt and so on. Well, a pork pie or porkie is – well you guessed it. The following letter from Ken Hardie, to the Delta Optimist, is full of "Porkies" […]

Delta Politicians Mull Leaving TransLink

As predicted, the South Fraser municipality of Delta is mulling over the proposal to leave TransLink. Delta is the first, but if TransLink doesn't change its current very expensive metro only policy, then providing second rate transit services for customers, then more South Fraser municipalities will contemplate leaving. If TransLink stopped being devious and actually told […]

Long-awaited tram system for Tampere (Finland) is under consideration

Residents are now being polled on their route preferences       The construction of a light rail system for Tampere has been discussed for decades.       It has finally been decided that the construction of tracks could commence in 2015, provided that the city can reach a binding political decision on the necessity of […]

European Light Rail news

Light Rail/Tramways in France. Four new Light Rail/Tramways are currently under contruction in France and are scheduled to be opened between 2011 and 2013. The 11.2 km Reims Tramway – 2011 http://www.tramwaydereims.fr/start.html A 12 km Tramway in Angers – 2012 http://tramway.angersloiremetropole.fr/ A 14.3 km Tramway in Brest – 2012 http://www.letram-brest.fr/ A two line, 20 km Tramway in Dijon – […]

Canada Line workers take a strike vote – Is The Driverless Myth About To Be Exposed? (Updated)

Well, well, well, the 180 control room workers, maintenance personnel and attendants for the Canada Line are taking a strike vote and TransLink is very worried. Since the SkyTrain light-metro was built over 30 years ago, the mainstream media and politicians sang in chorus that automatic metros were good because they did not need drivers and […]

Why Are North American Engineers So Afraid Of European Transit Developments?

Answer: They can't plan for $1.4 Million a mile rail transit schemes, like what their European friends are doing! The Valley Rail naysayers abound, but when faced with undisputable facts that light rail and/or its many variants can be built very cheaply indeed; much cheaper than $125 million/km SkyTrain or even $20 million/km highways, they […]

How to Spot the Transit Denier?

Transit, LRT, Tram & Public Transport deniers come in many forms; from libertarians, petrol heads & asphalt warriors to right wing neocons. ..the Cardinal has compiled a list of thirty eight most commonly used arguments by opponents to at-grade LRT:- Excuses Ignorance Criticism Opposition Hostility 1.    Trams are inflexible. a.    If the road becomes closed, due to an accident or emergency road or utility […]

Fords condemnation of St. Clair streetcar is off-track

TheAi??Globe & Mail article by Marcus Gee; Ford’s condemnation of St. Clair streetcar is off-track http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/marcus-gee/fords-condemnation-of-st-clair-streetcar-is-off-track/article1859391/ published on January 5th, shows how the successful St. Clair streetcar line speaks against mayor Rob Ford’s plans to cancel Transit City and most LRT projects. It is depressing to see that the same dunderheaded opposition to light rail […]