A 2007 Presentation on Valley Rail – by the Light Rail Committee
First, before any discussion about rail transit, including Light Rail Transit, we must define LRT and other transit modes. The following is a brief descriptions of various transit modes advocated as solutions for transit in the region. Commuter rail: Locomotive hauled rail coaches or diesel or electric multiple unit trains, catering specifically to peak hour […]
What is the Cost of Building a Subway Line? Are Vancouver’s subway plans realistic?
Ai??Ai?? I found this item on the excellent ‘ The Toronto LRT Information Page’ http://lrt.daxack.ca/Ai??Ai?? What is the Cost of Building a Subway Line? Underground: $200 million to $250 million per kilometre At grade: $150 million to $200 million per kilometre …plus the cost of vehicles. Since Toronto has recent examples of constructed and proposed […]
Portland, Oregon: New streetcar line finally gets federal funding
Light Rail Now! NewsLog 17 June 2009 Portland, Oregon: New streetcar line finally gets federal funding Portland, Oregon: Ai??Ai??After years of federal stalling by the previous Bush administration, Portland’s new streetcar line has finally received a go- ahead to proceed … from the Obama administration. On 30 April 2009, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced […]
Cranleigh Railway Line: All stop Bramley Station!
Rail for the Valley is not alone in trying to reinstate little used, abandoned, disused or mothballed rail lines for passenger use. The following web site for the Cranleigh reopening project……. http://www.cranleighrailway.info/reopen.htm ……in the U.K. is well worth a visit.Ai??Ai??One useful idea whichAi??Ai??could be copied,Ai??Ai??is aAi??Ai??a ‘model’ Valley Interurban station, locatedAi??Ai??in Chilliwack, Abbotsford or Langley […]
Electrification Suddenly in Vogue Again
The Transport Politic 18 June 2009 Electrification Suddenly in Vogue Again Canadian, British, American railroad officials fighting to replace diesel locomotives. With efforts to combat climate change ramping up and ridership on public transportation increasing steadily, electrification of main-line rail corridors is in. Yet, though railroads in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. are studying […]
Debunking the SkyTrain myth part 4 – The curse of the gadgetbahnen
Ai??Ai?? Ai??Ai?? Gadgetbahn (also gadgetbahnen) is a pejorative term used by some transit professionals to describe what they view as infeasible or unnecessary transportation concepts. It is a compounding of gadget, meaning “device that has a useful specific purpose and function. Gadgets tend to be more unusual or cleverly designed than normal technology,” and the […]
UK News – Train operators plan to reopen mothballed lines
Interesting news from the U.K. which might bolster the campaignAi??Ai??for those wishing the return of the Vancouver to Chilliwack interurban. The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) or in layman’s terms, the privatized companies formed from the old British Rail, have plans to reopen several abandoned or mothballed railway lines. What is of interest is […]
Tunnel vision correctable
A note by Zweisystem: Liz James is one of the few writers around who has taken the time to study the issue of transit and transportation and Rail for the Valley welcomes her article. Elizabeth James, Special To North Shore News Published:Ai??Ai??Sunday, June 14, 2009 a recent decision by B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield […]
TorontoA?ai??i??ai???s new streetcar: sleeker, lower, longer
By Allison Hanes, National Post TorontoA?ai??i??ai???s next generation of streetcars will be sleeker, lower, longer and bigger. At 28.2 metres, the new Bombardier cars will be longer than the iconic red rockets on the roads now, which stretch to a maximum of 22 metres. MORE: Bombardier gets nod for new streetcars.Ai??Ai?? Each will have five […]
TransLink to phase out printed bus schedules at Metro Vancouver stops. Want to know when the next bus is coming? Translink says, get a cellphone. – from the Vancouver Sun.
TransLink, in one of their most boneheaded decisions to date, Ai??Ai??is going to phase out local bus schedules at bus stops. What the news story does show that the TransLink Board hasn’t a clue about public transit, nor do they care about the transit service. The Comte’s received so far from the Sun shows complete […]
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