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Post by Dane on Aug 6, 2010 12:02:28 GMT -8
I will bet $500 cash that the current set up will not be in place for the next 15-20 years. Realistically transit in Vancouver has about a two year lead time for planning, just a slight touch more for rapid transit. Hell just read the short term plans from five years ago and see where we are now. It's almost useless (albeit it fun) to predict where we will be in 10 years down the road, let alone 5.
Everything is unpredictable with funding, ridership, political support, fuel prices, etc.
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Post by Mike C on Aug 6, 2010 13:34:09 GMT -8
I will bet $500 cash that the current set up will not be in place for the next 15-20 years. Realistically transit in Vancouver has about a two year lead time for planning, just a slight touch more for rapid transit. Hell just read the short term plans from five years ago and see where we are now. It's almost useless (albeit it fun) to predict where we will be in 10 years down the road, let alone 5. Everything is unpredictable with funding, ridership, political support, fuel prices, etc. How will funding affect this situation? It was my impression that this setup is long-term due to our cash-strapped TransLink, and that the consensus (between our leaders, in their infinite wisdom) was to avoid expansion in favour of the status-quo? But you are right, in the sense that things can change on a dime, based on ridership, bus-shuffling, etc. I guess we'll just have to "wait and see..." |
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Post by Dane on Aug 6, 2010 17:27:50 GMT -8
Decided upon because of lack of viable, stable funding.... Keeping the status quo actually required an increase of revenue to Translink. Maintaining the fiscal '09 cash flow would have resulted in a fairly substantial service drop.
The second cash becomes available I am sure Translink will act to change things up again - as you're probably more aware than others there is a fairly huge backlog of plans that are essentially ready for implimentation but simply lack realistic/viable funding.
For example, property is available to keep NVTC chugging at its current location, but that seems to have dropped dead in its tracks. I only use that because it's an example I was familiar with before I left the District.
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 7, 2010 15:09:28 GMT -8
I will bet $500 cash that the current set up will not be in place for the next 15-20 years. Realistically transit in Vancouver has about a two year lead time for planning, just a slight touch more for rapid transit. Hell just read the short term plans from five years ago and see where we are now. It's almost useless (albeit it fun) to predict where we will be in 10 years down the road, let alone 5. Everything is unpredictable with funding, ridership, political support, fuel prices, etc. Make it $750! 20 years? Somebody's messed in the head. They expect us to have 3 million people in Metro Vancouver by then! |
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 7, 2010 19:32:06 GMT -8
I've noticed way more articulated buses in Maple Ridge lately... I walk downtown every saturday to buy fresh rye bread, gouda, and berries from the farmers market, and I usually see one on my way there, and at least one on my way home (The bus loop is along the way). Not much more than a year ago, I don't remember ANY articulated buses in MR. What routes did they leave to come to our routes, and where would our old buses have gone?
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 7, 2010 19:47:23 GMT -8
I've noticed way more articulated buses in Maple Ridge lately... I walk downtown every saturday to buy fresh rye bread, gouda, and berries from the farmers market, and I usually see one on my way there, and at least one on my way home (The bus loop is along the way). Not much more than a year ago, I don't remember ANY articulated buses in MR. What routes did they leave to come to our routes, and where would our old buses have gone? The articulated busses are most likely on the #701 Maple Ridge East/Haney Place/Coquitlam Station, or possible the #791 Braid Station/Haney Place. If by old busses, you mean the MCI Classics and the D40HFs(High floor New Flyer busses), they have all been retired, or re-located to other transit centers. The C40LFRs and D40LFs are still in PoCo, but run the local routes. |
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 8, 2010 14:29:11 GMT -8
A few more Translink pics to share: S7452(2006 New Flyer D40LFR) on the 321 White Rock Centre  R9245(2001 Orion V Suburban) on the 354 White Rock South  R9221(2001 Orion V Suburban) Not in Service at Burrard Station  B8048 and another 1998 New Flyer D60LF at Burrard Station on the 135 SFU  |
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Post by Mike C on Aug 9, 2010 15:59:45 GMT -8
I will bet $500 cash that the current set up will not be in place for the next 15-20 years. Realistically transit in Vancouver has about a two year lead time for planning, just a slight touch more for rapid transit. Hell just read the short term plans from five years ago and see where we are now. It's almost useless (albeit it fun) to predict where we will be in 10 years down the road, let alone 5. Everything is unpredictable with funding, ridership, political support, fuel prices, etc. Make it $750! 20 years? Somebody's messed in the head. They expect us to have 3 million people in Metro Vancouver by then! Them's fightin' words. I'm not expecting the exact same configuration to last for 2 decades - I am well aware that changes month-by-month - but the same overall configuration has remained the same for a long time... |
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 10, 2010 16:12:30 GMT -8
How come the bridge material changes over the railway tracks? it doesn't on our Skytrains... |
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Post by Curtis on Aug 10, 2010 21:23:34 GMT -8
How come the bridge material changes over the railway tracks?. Perhaps so if the foundation collapsed, it wouldn't fall and block the rails. |
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Post by stvfishy on Aug 10, 2010 21:54:54 GMT -8
How come the bridge material changes over the railway tracks? it doesn't on our Skytrains...   Not sure what you are specifically referring too - the steel/wood? Everything but the concrete towers are temporary to keep the CPR national main line open. The Steel/Wood will come down - you'd think. |
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 11, 2010 12:10:11 GMT -8
Yeah, I knew the wood would come down, but the steel, you DO see quite a few steel rail overpasses, so I suspected that maybe CN was making them use steel for the overpass part for some weird reason  |
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 13, 2010 19:17:31 GMT -8
Well today, I went on an unplanned trip to downtown and Park Royal by transit. I started off by taking S7371 (1999 New Flyer D40LF) to the South Surrey Park and Ride. From there, I boarded R9228(2000 Orion Suburban) on the 351 Bridgeport Station. (Both busses were running with drivers to like to put them to their limits, putting them on very high speeds). At about 2pm, I arrived at Bridgeport Station, where I got on the Canada Line Cars #109 and #209. These particular cars are pretty much clean, no graffiti or damage to the cars yet. At about 2:20pm, I arrived at Waterfront, where I took the Burrard Beaver over to Lonsdale Quay. While waiting for the SeaBus, I had the pleasure to look at the RCL Radiance of the Seas docked at Canada Place. Soon after, we departed Waterfront Station, and the waters were a bit choppy out on the Inlet, she was rocking a lot on our crossing. 12 minutes later, I arrived at Lonsdale Quay, where I made a "B-Line" towards Bay 6. There, I got N3271 (1995 New Flyer C40) on the 239 Park Royal. This bus is really cared for well, it's pretty clean for a bus, and the driver was really outgoing to the passengers, and was driving the bus to perfection. After some time in Park Royal, I decided to head back to Vancouver. Waiting at the bus stop for 7 minutes, until #992 pulled in for the 251 Vancouver. That bus was packed before I got on. Another 8 minutes later, the (#990)250 Vancouver pulls in, and it is already full, nobody got on at Park Royal. I was losing patience, so I boarded the next 239 going back to Lonsdale Quay. And to my luck, I also got N3271 going back with the same driver. As soon as we left, I saw the(#995) 252 Vancouver pull in, and I could have been on it, but I didn't mind that much, knowing that I would be stuck on the Lions Gate Bridge and Georgia Street. I arrived in Lonsdale Quay at around 5:40, and went straight for the SeaBus, and I got the Burrard Beaver going back again. (The other Seabus running was the Burrard Pacific Breeze). The waters have settled down enough for the Burrard Beaver to make a somewhat smooth crossing. Half way to downtown, I saw the Radiance of the Seas heading under the Lions Gate Bridge bound for Alaska. I arrived at Waterfront Station at exactly 6pm, where I went straight back to the Canada Line. I was on cars #108 and #208 on the YVR-Airport train. The train was packed to the brim by Yaletown-Roundhouse. People at Broadway-City Hall and King Edward Station weren't too pleased about that. I wa also surprised to find out that the trains run every 5 minutes at rush hour, the platforms get busy within 2 minutes. Personally, if there were enough trains to do this, the trains should be every 3 minutes, with extra time at Bridgeport Station. Anyways, I got to Bridgeport Station, and went to Bay 6 for the 351 Crescent Beach. Thats where the line up ended for the 351 bus. I wasn't able to get on the first bus(R9240), but as soon as that left, the next bus (R9248) pulled in for the 351, and I was able to get the very last availible seat at the front of the bus. So, our bus left with about 15 people standing. I had a Daypass, so I took it to my advantage, I stayed on the bus up to White Rock Centre at around 7:30pm, where I was able to just make S7311(1999 New Flyer D40LF) on the 321 Surrey Central Station, and walk the rest of the way home. Thats all folks, my next transit trip will most likely be downtown again. My camera was full of pics that I havent uploaded on a computer yet, so I only took a couple photos. It will be uploaded shortly.
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 13, 2010 19:43:29 GMT -8
Sorry for the double post, but it is different from my personal trip today. Apparently in downtown this afternoon, at 2:30pm, a West Vancouver Blue Bus driver blacked out behind the wheel, hit a minivan and a car, and smashed into a hydro pole. The driver was sent to hospital with undetermined injuries, and there's no word on the condition of the passengers and drivers in the two vehicles the bus crashed into. It happened on W Georgia on Howe Street, the bus was heading westbound. We wish all of them a speedy recovery, and that everybody is okay. CBC Story: www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/08/13/bc-vancouver-bus-collision.htmlAlso, on September 7th, the #4,7,10,16,17 and 50 will be returning to Granville Street in both directions as their private bus lanes. However, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays AFTER 9pm, those routes will use Howe(Southbound) and Seymour(Northbound) Streets, as it is a pedestrian only zone on Granville Street at those times. |
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 13, 2010 21:12:44 GMT -8
Apparently in downtown this afternoon, at 2:30pm, a West Vancouver Blue Bus driver blacked out behind the wheel, hit a minivan and a car, and smashed into a hydro pole. I wonder if that's why I heard so many sirens today downtown (yes I was there too) Funny, we both seem to be going a few places the same lately: Vancouver today, Pacific Rim this week, and I think there was a third thing too...? So, my travelogue for today starts off at 5:50am this morning when my alarm clock went BUZZ. I got up, had a nice hot bowl of oatmeal, got an assortment of my camera gear ready, including my trusty D60, an 18-55mm lens, a 55-200mm lens, my SB600 flash, and my backup camera: A waterproof Olympus Stylus, which I brought for it's video capabilities. I was driven to Port Haney station at 7:00am to catch the next West Coast Express train, which was filled pretty much to capacity by the time we arrived at Waterfront. Along the way, I caught photos of such landmarks as the McBarge, the Garibaldi II, Ballantyne Pier, and the old Rogers Sugar Refinery. Once I left Waterfront station, I set off on foot to Canada Place to get some photos of the Radiance of the Seas (soon to be posted in the Cruise Ships thread). I mindlessly made my way into the lobby of Canada place, and down the escalator into the connecting passageway between it and the new West building of the Vancouver Convention Center. It was looking grand as always, so I tromped off to the Marine Building. I definitely recommend going inside it if you haven't already. So grand! It was once the tallest building in the British Empire. I got some photos of some steamship engravings in the entranceway which will be posted elsewhere on the forum. By the time I finished my business wandering around the Waterfront district, it was time to head back to the Station to meet my friends. We set off down Granville Street in search for a bite to eat, and we came across a quaint little pizza shop offering slices for $1.50 each. What a steal! They tasted great too, unlike most budget pizza slices. After we ate, we walked up the street about 50 meters to Tom Lee Music's flagship location. It contains seven stories of pretty much anything that comes to mind when you think 'music'. I believe it's also BC's largest music store, if I'm not mistaken. We spent about an hour and a half in there, trying out different guitars, pianos, drum sets, etc. I found a few pretty swell looking flugel-horns that Mike would definitely like. By 12:00pm, it was time for my friends to go, as one had to go watch his cousin's dance recital (fun, fun fun...  ) and the other two had an event they were going to. They went off on the Millenium Line back to their homes, and I hopped on the SeaBus (Burrard Beaver) to North Van, where I saw the Queen of the Islands, still sitting there, waiting for God knows what, and Dennis Washington's yacht, Atessa. I wandered around for about an hour, noted some places to return to, etc, and then stopped off at the Burrard Dry Dock restoration project. It looks like it's almost complete, and there were some preschool groups touring the site, learning how 'lots of people worked really, really hard building a bunch of big boats here'. Their teacher/guide then showed then some photos of some of the ships built at the dry dock. I then left, chuckling over the little kids who all want to become boat-builders when they grow up now. I walked back to the SeaBus, this time hopping on the 'Breeze. It appears that the Burrard Otter is just sitting, useless in the SeaBus maintenance wharf next to the Lonsdale Terminal. When I arrived at Waterfront, I hopped on the Canada Line to the Olympic Village Station, and then walked to it's namesake neighbourhood, which I've been wanting to see for awhile now. It's quite nice, and reminds me a lot of Yaletown's waterfront condos. I then walked the Sea Wall out to Main Street/Science World Station, and rode that to Stadium/China Town where I hopped out to walk to the VPL and do some ferry research. I found about 8 good books and case studies, which I'll elaborate on in the ferry books thread. By the time I left the library, I was running out of things to do, so I hopped on the Skytrain from Stadium/Chinatown to Waterfront and walked back down to the West Coast Express, which was due to leave in ten minutes. It was packed. Not in a million years was I going to try to find a seat for me and my camera equipment in that mess of tired, grouchy businesspeople. So I walked back out and bought myself today's copy of the Vancouver Sun, which I read on a bench in the Great Hall of Waterfront Station. After finishing the paper, I went to the other side of the station and bought myself an Italian BMT Subway sandwich, and walked down to the train again, which was due to leave in 32 minutes now. I stepped onto the train, which was nearly empty, and easily found a window-seat with a table to eat my sandwich at. The train filled up slowly, and at 5:35 it left Waterfront. It was quite a nice ride, and I fell asleep somewhere between Port Moody and Coquitlam Central, only to wake up at Pitt Meadows Station, when the train was emptying out again, so I changed seats to give myself a better view of the Fraser River, which runs beside the tracks from Maple Meadows Station to Port Haney. I hopped off the train expecting to walk home, but to my surprise, they must have added more buses to the C47 Community Shuttle route, as one rolled up just as I got onto the sidewalk. I rode that to the stop directly in front of my house, hopped off, walked in my front door, and logged on here  My friday the 13th was a fairly lucky one. Was yours? ;D And too bad if that trip report was too tedious and long. Be happy I didn't include my two (or was it three?) bathroom breaks. |
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Post by FerryDude2012 on Aug 13, 2010 21:24:15 GMT -8
Yes, it's quite a coincidence ;D
For some similarities of our days, here's a list:
- We were both in downtown in the same day
- Going to Pacific Rim next week, and I don't think there's a third thing, unless your going on the Queen of New Westminster tomorrow?
- We both took the Burrard Beaver to Lonsdale Quay
- Witnessed, and took pictures of the Radiance of the Seas
- Took the Canada Line at around the same time
- I actually saw your West Coast Express train depart Waterfront from the SeaBus walkway
- Both happened to hear about the Bus accident on Georgia
- Hung around Lonsdale Quay
- Got good pizza for under $2 ;D
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Post by lmtengs on Aug 14, 2010 15:41:29 GMT -8
This is of the West Coast Express arriving at Port Haney Station. I kept the camera facing towards the floor in the train because one other time I recorded the train, a grouchy commuters shouted at me because he didn't want to be filmed. Note: this video is also posted in the 'Trains' thread, to make it easier to find in the future. I couldn't decide which of these two threads to post it in since it's a train, but also transit... |
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Post by dofd on Aug 20, 2010 23:14:16 GMT -8
Canadaline: These are coming from youtube 'radiofreebc'.
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Post by Retrovision on Aug 26, 2010 21:24:05 GMT -8
A heads up to transit fans who take pictures from buses, the back-two windows at the rear on either side of the 2008 Orion Vs have anti-graffiti plastic coverings on the inside, that will distort your pictures far more than the other windows toward the front.
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Post by Nickfro on Oct 12, 2010 11:51:33 GMT -8
Wanna know what happens to older buses that aren't in service anymore? Check THIS out. |
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Post by lmtengs on Oct 12, 2010 14:32:47 GMT -8
If they scrapped those buses so quickly, what kind of fate might the Albion boats suffer?
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Oct 27, 2010 1:32:33 GMT -8
Someone posted a link to a new article about 140 unwanted buses going for scrap. Well here's some more photos of the carnage happening down the road from me. www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/sets/72157625084366133/with/5101190917/And here's a photo of the bus barge, a standard barge filled with the ripped apart bus bodies. www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/5083207786/The Vancouver article only scratched the service about these buses if you ask me so I'll fill in the blanks to paint this picture. A few months ago BC Transit sold a 1989 MCI transit bus on public auction for slightly under $5,000. Translink was asking $19,900 for these 1991/1992 buses. Although they are not identical, these buses are not work 5 times as much. They [Translink] also publicly stated they did not wish to sell used buses due to "liability issues" They fear they could be sued by buyers as a lot of the parts on these buses, as most of older buses, are fabricated "in house" So instead of lowering the price, they went for scrap. The estimated scrap value is anywhere between $800-$2,000. This being said at least 2 of them were purchased, one is sitting at YVR, the other is planned to be used as a Chilliwack to Metrotown shopping shuttle. I've also been told these buses will be heading to Tacoma for final "processing" If anyone has any questions feel free to ask, I probably have an answer |
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Post by Retrovision on Oct 28, 2010 2:38:12 GMT -8
Someone posted a link to a new article about 140 unwanted buses going for scrap. Well here's some more photos of the carnage happening down the road from me. www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/sets/72157625084366133/with/5101190917/And here's a photo of the bus barge, a standard barge filled with the ripped apart bus bodies. www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/5083207786/The Vancouver article only scratched the service about these buses if you ask me so I'll fill in the blanks to paint this picture. A few months ago BC Transit sold a 1989 MCI transit bus on public auction for slightly under $5,000. Translink was asking $19,900 for these 1991/1992 buses. Although they are not identical, these buses are not work 5 times as much. They [Translink] also publicly stated they did not wish to sell used buses due to "liability issues" They fear they could be sued by buyers as a lot of the parts on these buses, as most of older buses, are fabricated "in house" So instead of lowering the price, they went for scrap. The estimated scrap value is anywhere between $800-$2,000. This being said at least 2 of them were purchased, one is sitting at YVR, the other is planned to be used as a Chilliwack to Metrotown shopping shuttle. I've also been told these buses will be heading to Tacoma for final "processing" If anyone has any questions feel free to ask, I probably have an answer "I think that I'm going to be sick" was my first reaction to this sight, after being out of the transit fanning loop for a few months now, let alone the ferry fanning loop. I thank you, though, for the contribution, as painful as it is to witness. |
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Post by Cable Cassidy on Nov 20, 2010 0:24:22 GMT -8
Here's my photos of the CUTA Trans-Expo this year held at the new Vancouver Convention Centre. Each manufacturer had the latest and greatest on display along with various parts suppliers from signs, to seats and bumpers! www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/sets/72157625289450599/with/5190991863/The first bunch of photos were taken after the show as a friend and I chased down a bus loaded onto a semi all the way to Chilliwack. Chris Cassidy |
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Post by lmtengs on Nov 20, 2010 7:03:22 GMT -8
Thanks for that report, Chris. Neat photos.
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) and the other two had an event they were going to. They went off on the Millenium Line back to their homes, and I hopped on the SeaBus (Burrard Beaver) to North Van, where I saw the Queen of the Islands, still sitting there, waiting for God knows what, and Dennis Washington's yacht, Atessa. 
