No More Vancouver to Squamish Ferry Route

[Ferryman]

Well as I was waking up to the radio this morning, I heard on the News that the VANOC is scrapping the idea of putting a passenger ferry from Vancouver to Squamish. But apparently they had trouble finding an operator and a ferry. So they decided that having a fleet of 750 buses run up and down the Sea to Sky Highway would be more efficient
That doesn't make sense to me, the highway is going to be alternating 2 to 4 lanes from Horseshoe Bay to Squamish, and 3-4 lanes to Whistler. It takes half an hour to get from here to Whistler, and it would probably take just over an hour if a ferry were to go as far as Squamish. So the time difference is pretty much the same. So I'll know now to be out of here before the Olympics as the highway triffic will keep me awake at night
Read more about it here in our local newspapers site...
www.squamishchief.com/madison/WQuestion.nsf/SCnews/C97D6F33ADFA83A1882570A7007D6408?OpenDocument

[Balfour]

Not a good idea! Busses will just make more congestion on Highway 99! The Ferry Idea to Squamish is a way better idea, then combine that withe high speed passenger train, less accidents on number 99, and a nicer trip to Whistler.

[Curtis]

I agree

[Queen of Saanbich Teen offline]

Me Too

[Queen of Saanich Teen offline]

I agree too.
And sorry 4 the sand*ich thing i was typeing to fast.

Touy Smith

[Ferryman]

Well the train idea would be another really good idea, but those engineers have to slow down going through the Cheakamus Canyon (Between Squamish and Whistler) because ANOTHER freight train has derailed while going through there on Monday!

[CN2972South]

The railway would be the best option.

BTW, the derailment in the Cheakamus Canyon has nothing to do with speed. The maximum speed we can do on the Squamish Subdivision is 35 MPH, 20 MPH through the Cheakamus Canyon. BC Rail had strict matrshalling restrictions on all trains running south of Prince George, at CN we don't have the same restrictions and the yard crews at North Vancouver are marshalling the train in accordance with CN marshalling restrictions. As well CN is running one very long train instead of 3 short trains. The longer the train, the greater the in-train forces are, more stress on the knuckles. A string of empty rail cars followed by loaded ones tend to want to "string-line" or pop off the track when going around a curve( think of a string being pulled around a curve). To combat this railways have regulations that heavy loads be marshalled at the front of the train while empties are marshalled to the rear of the train. From the looks of the derailment, the train wasn't marshalled properly.

We can't speed, the event recorder records the speed. The event recorder records everything, from the speed the train is doing(and shows the speed limit on the particular subdivision), to whether or not the locomotive engineer blew the correct whistle signal for a crossing( two long, one short and one long blast), to the amount of air that is taken out of the brake line when the engineer applies a service brake application, or whether the train goes into emergency.

[Scott]

Trains are the way to go, that's for sure. A ferry... well, there's already a rail from Squamish to North Vancouver, so it would just be an "attraction", not a necessity. I guess the "car" culture of North America still rules though, because BC Rail's train service to Whistler (and beyond) was eventually stopped. In Europe, I doubt this would happen - what do you think "europeans"?

[Balfour]

I think those who come from Europe to see the games will want to use a train service to Whistler over driving. We have to keep in mind that there will be guests from all over the globe, and they might not want to drive to get everywhere, some might find it a bit stressful to drive.

[Ferryman]

Well hopefully the Royal Hudson will be up and running by then, but I doubt it would be one of the main ways to get to Whistler, because the old coaches are getting pretty old, and should be preserved.

[NMcKay]

harbourlynx might have bid. if they hadn;t already annouced that WMG had won the contract.....

[Dane]

ferryman said:

Well hopefully the Royal Hudson will be up and running by then, but I doubt it would be one of the main ways to get to Whistler, because the old coaches are getting pretty old, and should be preserved.

They were and are preserved coaches, so you're right they are pretty old. 1954 vintage.

Former host, BC Rail's Royal Hudson Steam Train.

[Koastal Karl]

I think a ferry or train would be a much better idea than busses. Highway 99 will be so conjested with hundreds of busses back and forth between Vancouver and Whistler it will be crazy!

[Political Incorrectness]

if there were only 2 passengers a bus MIGHT AS WELL RUN A TRAIN OR SOMETHING!!

[Alex]

Is it actually possible to run a high speed train over those lines? If not, is it any faster taking a conventional train over driving?

[Political Incorrectness]

depends on what type of technology you use. If you use a mag lev system, it can reach up to 400km/h. I am not sure if it can be faster than a car if you run it for a period of time.

[Ferryman]

There's too many twists and turns for it to go fast. I don't think it's any faster than driving as it is. Plus for it to be efficient, there would have to be two lines parallel to each other all of the way up - both tracks being a different direction. But I doubt they would do that because some parts of the line run litterally on the shoulder of the highway, and there have been talks to rip up the tracks and use that space for more lanes on the highway. But that would be really stupid if they did that as I see the trains that run up and down that line everyday almost every hour or so, and each train is 100+ cars. So that would be alot of semi trucks to replace those trains along with the fleet of 750 buses running up and down the highway. I just don't think they've been using too much logic in all of this. I don't know why they scrapped the idea of building the highway from the Capilano area of North Van and have it come out at Squamish, there's already a dirt road that goes that way, and they wouldn't need to spend millions on trying to carve two more lanes into the sides of the mountains.

[Balfour]

The Idea of having the Highway running from the Capilano area of NV would upset alot of people including myself. It's a good idea but I don't want highway 99 running right by house.

[Doug]

Anyone know if they are still building hydrogen fuel stations on the Sea to Sky highway anymore?

[Ferryman]

I haven't heard anything about it since they had came up with the idea, when was that? Like a year ago?

[Doug]

Probably, but it would truly be a shame if they didn't built them.

[QSaanich]

I also know alot about trains.

i would be a good idea to use trains up there i know what company would have interest VIA RAIL CANADA could run the train to Squamish

[Scott]

I think CN has plans for a "pricey" passenger service on the old BC Rail lines in the coming years. The one rail is a problem though... you'd need a few sidings where trains could pass. If you could drive straight to Whistler without having to stop much, then you'd be fine... but when does that ever happen?

[cascade]

Someone some where has spend a lot of money on trying to get a "fast" Ferry route for the Squamish - Vancouver run. They sure like to drop a lot of money on these "studies". A part from the 2001 one - are there any other reports / studies done - and if not - why not ? Why just drop the idea concept - because the 2001 study showed that a ferry route - even after the 2010 games - the vessels could be moved to other routes, and that it could break even - without government help.

You are correct about buses and trains - plus and minus points for each form of transport - even for a ferry.

[CNconuctortyler]

There are enough sidings on the Squamish Sub that would allow trains to pass, I don't have my timetable on me right now but there are enough sidings that it would not be a problem.

admin said:

I think CN has plans for a "pricey" passenger service on the old BC Rail lines in the coming years. The one rail is a problem though... you'd need a few sidings where trains could pass. If you could drive straight to Whistler without having to stop much, then you'd be fine... but when does that ever happen?