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Post by Scott on Jan 22, 2010 17:37:04 GMT -8
Yes, this project has been in the works for a long time and been in the media for more than a few months.
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Mill Bay
Voyager 
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,885 
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Post by Mill Bay on Jan 22, 2010 18:01:02 GMT -8
I do sincerely hope that the project continues after the demonstration has passed - extensions are planned into Downtown Vancouver and around False Creek. Now just imagine if they had left all the in street trackage that used to be used by the BC Electric in place: there'd already BE a route to Stanley park, and several in the downtown core on which these street cars could operate. For better, or for worse, Vancouver opted for trackless trollies when it came time to replace the original street car routes. They are a lot more versatile than street cars running on in-street rails, however, so it is more likely that this new street car line will end up only being a tourist jaunt, because I doubt people in Vancouver would be willing to accomodate street cars running on fixed rails that can't get out of the way of annoyed drivers fast enough. |
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Post by lmtengs on Jan 22, 2010 18:06:21 GMT -8
I do sincerely hope that the project continues after the demonstration has passed - extensions are planned into Downtown Vancouver and around False Creek. Now just imagine if they had left all the in street trackage that used to be used by the BC Electric in place: there'd already BE a route to Stanley park, and several in the downtown car on which these street cars could operate. For better, or for worse, Vancouver opted for trackless trollies when it came time to replace the original street car routes. They are a lot more versatile than street cars running on in-street rails, however, so it is more likely that this new street car line will end up only being a tourist jaunt, because I doubt people in Vancouver would be willing to accomodate street cars running on fixed rails that can't get out of the way of annoyed drivers fast enough. Are you sure those old rails would have been the right scale (size) and type for the new trains? |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 22, 2010 19:03:49 GMT -8
Here is a YouTube video of the street car:
Is that Paul K. at 4:47 of the video, taking pitchers? Or maybe there's more than one person on the lower-mainland that has both a blue jacket and an interest in photographing a street-car?
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,885
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Post by Mill Bay on Jan 22, 2010 19:16:10 GMT -8
Now just imagine if they had left all the in street trackage that used to be used by the BC Electric in place: there'd already BE a route to Stanley park, and several in the downtown car on which these street cars could operate. For better, or for worse, Vancouver opted for trackless trollies when it came time to replace the original street car routes. They are a lot more versatile than street cars running on in-street rails, however, so it is more likely that this new street car line will end up only being a tourist jaunt, because I doubt people in Vancouver would be willing to accomodate street cars running on fixed rails that can't get out of the way of annoyed drivers fast enough. Are you sure those old rails would have been the right scale (size) and type for the new trains? The correct term for distance between the rails is the ' gauge' and, they are only running the demonstrators on the same track that the restored BC Electric cars were using before being banished for the Olympics, but I guess by definition that might not necessarily indicate that the new street cars could have used the same track as the original ones. Here is the City of Vancouver's little blurb. Looks like the proposed new routes would most likely only be for shopping convenience in the downtown, so it would mostly only be a railway running from nowhere to nowhere in particular. vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/streetcar/index.htm |
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 23, 2010 15:37:25 GMT -8
Here is the page location of the video of the First Day Ride. It also contains a short trip on the Canada Line. Enjoy. Nice video! One of these days, sometime after the Olympics, I want to get up to Vancouver and try out the Canada Line, and maybe this Olympic Line, too, if I can get up there in March. |
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Post by fargowolf on Jan 23, 2010 18:58:53 GMT -8
For those who are curious, the gauge (distance between the rails) is 4' 8/2" (Standard Gauge) The TTC built their streetcar tracks to something a little bit wider in order to stop CN from using them to access various parts of the city (Toronto).
As for the question of whether or not the rails can take the weight of these trams... The answer is yes, as prior to Expo, CP Rail (Prior to CP, the line was part of BC Hydro's regional railway) used this same line to access various False Creek industrial areas. In fact, when I lived in North Van and used to make various excursions into Vancouver, I discovered that the rails are still in place to the Marpole/New West area.
Interesting video. I'm amazed at how quickly the trams get going from a full stop.
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Post by WettCoast on Jan 23, 2010 20:35:26 GMT -8
For those who are curious, the gauge (distance between the rails) is 4' 8/2" (Standard Gauge) That should read 4 feet 8 & 1/2 inches (1.435 metres). This is the standard gauge of railway tracks throughout most of the world. The distance supposedly just happens to be the width of two horses butts. There is a story there! Almost all Canadian railways are standard gauge. Some notable exceptions are/were the narrow gauge Newfoundland Railway and the White Pass & Yukon. |
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Post by lmtengs on Jan 23, 2010 22:05:36 GMT -8
For those who are curious, the gauge (distance between the rails) is 4' 8/2" (Standard Gauge) That should read 4 feet 8 & 1/2 inches (1.435 metres). This is the standard gauge of railway tracks throughout most of the world. The distance supposedly just happens to be the width of two horses butts. There is a story there! Almost all Canadian railways are standard gauge. Some notable exceptions are/were the narrow gauge Newfoundland Railway and the White Pass & Yukon. Wasn't the Kettle Valley Railway a narrow gauge line too? |
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Post by fargowolf on Jan 24, 2010 11:49:42 GMT -8
Nope. The KVR was standard gauge throughout it's life. Just west of the Crows Nest Pass there was a railway that started out as a 3' (3 foot) gauge railway, but was converted to standard gauge in later years so that coal no longer had to be transferred from one rail car to another. This branch line is still in operation today I believe.
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Jan 24, 2010 15:40:49 GMT -8
Just went for a ride on the new streetcar and I was impressed. It's good that it stops so close to the Canada Line Olympic Village station. Lots of people were trying it out but there weren't any waits to get on while was there.
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Post by Jacob on Feb 19, 2010 21:49:30 GMT -8
I think this is awesome that this is here. I sincerely hope this is the first chapter of much wider streetcar use in the city. I would love to see it in Victoria, too... Could EASILY go from downtown Victoria via Johnson St Bridge and Via Rail E&N tracks to Esquimalt and Colwood... pretty much anywhere out there. Would ease a lot of bad congestion if people would use it. It would also be faster, more economical and envioronmentally friendly even than regular buses!
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Post by Northern Exploration on Feb 22, 2010 8:27:59 GMT -8
I definitely think we will see a return to streetcars or as they are being called now Light Rail. Our Mayoral race currently underway might have an impact on the very aggressive additional plans for light rail in Toronto.
Unfortunately the adding of the lines in Vancouver would cause a disruption not unlike that experienced with the Canada Line. We had a similar nightmare when the existing streetcar line on St. Clair Avenue was converted to an exclusive right of way, and was significantly over budget and very delayed. Businesses were interupted and a lot of economic hardship resulted for small shop owners. Now there is much less street parking which also has an impact. However, passenger traffic on the line itself has picked up because the streetcars aren't held up any longer by traffic and trip times have reduced.
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Post by CN2972South on Feb 24, 2010 12:04:17 GMT -8
I think this is awesome that this is here. I sincerely hope this is the first chapter of much wider streetcar use in the city. I would love to see it in Victoria, too... Could EASILY go from downtown Victoria via Johnson St Bridge and Via Rail E&N tracks to Esquimalt and Colwood... pretty much anywhere out there. Would ease a lot of bad congestion if people would use it. It would also be faster, more economical and envioronmentally friendly even than regular buses! It would be better to use the old Canadian National Railway line as it goes through more Western Communities than the E&N; the old CN line goes through Saanich, View Royal, Colwood, Langford, Metchosin, East Sooke, and Sooke on its way out to the Cowichan Valley. The E&N only goes through Esquimalt, View Royal, Colwood and Langford. Not to mention the E&N is heavy rail and you can't run light rail vehicles on a heavy rail line; the E&N should be used for heavy rail operations such as commuter trains,etc. |
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Mar 11, 2010 15:54:05 GMT -8
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Post by northwesterner on Mar 12, 2010 18:14:41 GMT -8
Scott -
Nice pictures. Saw them on facebook too (you tagged a mutual friend, so they popped up in my feed).
What did you think of the car?
I rode them when they were pretty new in Brussels in Dec 2006 - I think they are the best 100% low floor streetcar on the market.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Mar 12, 2010 22:11:08 GMT -8
Scott - Nice pictures. Saw them on facebook too (you tagged a mutual friend, so they popped up in my feed). What did you think of the car? I rode them when they were pretty new in Brussels in Dec 2006 - I think they are the best 100% low floor streetcar on the market. Thanks, northwesterner. I was very impressed by the Bombardier streetcar. I have only travelled on one streetcar prior to this one, a Breda running for SF MUNI. However, the Bombardier is much better in all respects from my perspective as a passenger. It's very quiet, it has plenty of legroom for those seated, it has a tasteful interior and the huge windows allow a lot of natural light to enter the car. For those who have yet to ride it, I would recommend doing so. The Olympic Line runs until Sunday, March 21st. |
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Post by Northern Exploration on Mar 13, 2010 12:59:08 GMT -8
The Flexity Outlook version the TTC is buying is 2.54m wide and has room for 2 x 2 seating, so wider than the Belgium ones on loan. Vancouver would have the room to order the wider version as well I think. The TTC version will be 28m long so slightly shorter. However the width means capacity per unit is 240 people. These are for replacement of the current fleet of both single and articulated streetcars that run on city streets and on some routes their own right of way. The additional versions (approximately 400 more) needed for the new routes in the Transit City plan have yet to be ordered and it is possible the specs will be slightly different. For example even longer car sets. The first vehicle of the first order arrives next year for testing on the system. www.bombardier.com/files/en/supporting_docs/image_and_media/products/BT-PR-20090630-TTC_Street_Car-HR.jpgMississauga also is in the first phase of a study to use the same vehicle on the busy north/south corridor between it and Brampton. Next is another route that would link up with the TTC subway. All in all the streetcar is getting quite the large boost once again. Also reiterated this week is the Blue Line downtown Toronto to Pearson Airport rail link being finished in time for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Hopefully these lines will pull people off the highways, including the 401 which is North America's busiest highway. |
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Apr 20, 2010 21:28:10 GMT -8
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Post by lmtengs on May 3, 2010 14:04:55 GMT -8
So, Translink's Annual General Meeting is taking place on the Burrard Pacific Breeze this year, and we are invited to attend!
I hope I can attend, but I'm not sure whether or not I'll have the time...
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Post by dofd on Jul 31, 2010 21:54:47 GMT -8
Does BC Transit and Translink have any solid corporate connection anymore?
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 4, 2010 18:13:13 GMT -8
Some Translink photos of mine: 2006 New Flyer D40LFR (S7458) on the 321 Surrey Central Station:  2008 Orion V Suburban (R9285) Not in Service  2001 Orion V Suburban (R9240) on the 351 Crescent Beach (Taken Pre- Canada Line times)  2006 E40LFR (2144) on the 19 Metrotown Station  1998 New Flyer D40LF (former C40LF) R3297 on the 402 Two Road  1999 New Flyer D40LF (S7301) on the 375 Guildford (With S7456 in the background as 375 White Rock South)  2000 New Flyer D60LF (R8063) on the now eliminated 98 B-Line Richmond Centre:  1995 New Flyer D40LF (R7130) on the 401 Garden City  |
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Post by BreannaF on Aug 5, 2010 21:40:42 GMT -8
2000 New Flyer D60LF (R8063) on the now eliminated 98 B-Line Richmond Centre: OK, a Translink question for those closer to the situation: What happened to all the buses suddenly available when the 98-B was eliminated? Additional buses for other routes? Phasing out older buses? New route? Or something else? Just curious. Thanks in advance! |
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 5, 2010 23:56:46 GMT -8
2000 New Flyer D60LF (R8063) on the now eliminated 98 B-Line Richmond Centre: OK, a Translink question for those closer to the situation: What happened to all the buses suddenly available when the 98-B was eliminated? Additional buses for other routes? Phasing out older buses? New route? Or something else? Just curious. Thanks in advance! Well, Richmond Transit Center kept a few busses to use for a few other routes, such as the 620 or 480. Other busses have been transfered to other transit centers, such as Burnaby(135,145 etc.) and Port Coquitlam(143,160,190,701 etc.) Also, in the near future, some busses will be transfered to Surrey Transit Center. The reason is that Surrey is going to implement a new B-Line route #399 Guildford/Surrey Ctrl/Newton Exchange/White Rock Centre. It will replace the routes 320,321 and 394. So, I have a feeling most of the old 98 B-Line busses will end up in Surrey, eventually. For those who don't know what routes I'm referring to, here is a complete list: 98 B-Line Burrard Station/Richmond Centre 480 UBC/Richmond-Brighouse Stn 620 Tsawwassen Ferry/ Bridgeport Stn 135 SFU/Burrard Station 145 Production Way University/SFU 143 SFU/Coquitlam Station 160 Vancouver/PoCo Station 190 Coquitlam Station/Vancouver 701 Coquitlam Station/Maple Ridge East/Haney Place 321 White Rock Centre/Surrey Central Station/Newton Exchange 320 Surrey Central Station/Fleetwood/Langley Center 394 White Rock Centre/King George Station Express |
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Post by Mike C on Aug 6, 2010 7:50:41 GMT -8
OK, a Translink question for those closer to the situation: What happened to all the buses suddenly available when the 98-B was eliminated? Additional buses for other routes? Phasing out older buses? New route? Or something else? Just curious. Thanks in advance! Well, Richmond Transit Center kept a few busses to use for a few other routes, such as the 620 or 480. Other busses have been transfered to other transit centers, such as Burnaby(135,145 etc.) and Port Coquitlam(143,160,190,701 etc.) Also, in the near future, some busses will be transfered to Surrey Transit Center. The reason is that Surrey is going to implement a new B-Line route #399 Guildford/Surrey Ctrl/Newton Exchange/White Rock Centre. It will replace the routes 320,321 and 394. So, I have a feeling most of the old 98 B-Line busses will end up in Surrey, eventually. For those who don't know what routes I'm referring to, here is a complete list: 98 B-Line Burrard Station/Richmond Centre 480 UBC/Richmond-Brighouse Stn 620 Tsawwassen Ferry/ Bridgeport Stn 135 SFU/Burrard Station 145 Production Way University/SFU 143 SFU/Coquitlam Station 160 Vancouver/PoCo Station 190 Coquitlam Station/Vancouver 701 Coquitlam Station/Maple Ridge East/Haney Place 321 White Rock Centre/Surrey Central Station/Newton Exchange 320 Surrey Central Station/Fleetwood/Langley Center 394 White Rock Centre/King George Station Express The current setup will be in place for at least the next 15-20 years. I can tell you that we have those B-Line artics (New Flyer D60LF's) coming out of our ears, with most of them being transferred to Port Coquitlam for use o the #97 B-Line. This also marked the impending retirement of our 1992 artics from active service, our New Flyer D60's. |
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