Transit History That Politicians Would Like The Public To Forget

The history of Vancouver’s SkyTrain light-metro system has been somewhat altered to fit today’s politcal narrative; the following is a brief but concise history of how metro Vancouver got saddled with the SkyTrain light metro system. Prior to the Social Credit government forcing the then called Advanced Light Rail Transit (ALRT) system onto Metro Vancouver […]

The 2024 Provincial Election And Transit

How will the 2024 provincial election impact transit? Hard to answer but, the current major “rapid transit” (Expo and Millennium Lines) projects are seeing a funding shortfall of around $4 billion and it is hard to see the new Parliament in Victoria approving funding, for what is now largely seen a “prestige” transit projects. Oh, […]

JOHN RUSTAD’S HIGHWAY TO HELL

This will be John Rustad’s highway to hell. The Conservatives, true to their ignorance of all things transit, have set forth a program, that if implemented will cost tens of billion of dollars, yet do little, if anything to alleviate congestion and gridlock. In fact it will create massive gridlock in the region. It is […]

Back On Track

Cities across Europe are building trams (streetcars) at a rate not seen in nearly a century. Places that had torn up their tram tracks in the 1950s have realized they had made a mistake. Twenty-one French cities have built a tramway system this century. Sixty German cities now have trams. Further afield, China has built […]

Are You A Transit Expert? 15 Questions.

Here are ten questions to test the knowledge of political candidates about LRT & public transit for this coming provincial election. Passing grade is 70%. Answers: 1) LRT is a transit mode, generally electrically powered, able to operate in mixed traffic, that can economically carry between 2,000 and 20,000 persons per hour per direction. (Light […]

The Song Remains The Same. The NDP Stick To Their Worn SkyTrain Script

An at grade SkyTrain R-o-W in Coquitlam. could this happen on Broadway or the Fraser Highway to save costs?

The Upcoming SkyTrain Mk.5 Train Fiasco

Zwei told ya so! First, the 16 km Expo line extension cost is now put at $6 billion; $7 billion if one includes the operations and Maintenance Centre Number 5. The next shoe to drop will be the announcement that the 5.7 km Millennium Line (Broadway subway) extension to Arbutus, will top $4 billion. And […]

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 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 […]