Canada Line | Completed

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by The_Henry_Man

The 100 bus should've continued from Marine Dr. Station along Marine Dr westwards, and then via W.70th to Granville/W.63rd terminus loop, instead of just stopping at Marpole loop. That way, you can pick up more passengers in the Marpole business district as well as many of the apartments along W.70th.

If anything I think the 100 should've terminated at Marine Dr since #10 continues to Marine Dr duplicating service there.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by DKaz

If anything I think the 100 should've terminated at Marine Dr since #10 continues to Marine Dr duplicating service there.

It does. The 70 routes via Marine, Granville, 70th and Hudson to Marpole, then around a 2 minute layo-over, before continuing via Marine back to 22nd Street.

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Documents/Schedules%20and%20Route%20Maps/58/routemap/r100.ashx

BTW - how's the uni-bay working out at Marine Drive Station?

[lightrail]

RICHMOND (NEWS1130) - The private company that runs the Canada Line can't guarantee another fire won't disrupt SkyTrain service as it did early this morning. About 12:30a.m., a fire affecting power cables broke out on the guideway of the Canada Line near the Richmond-Brighouse Station.

An attendant managed to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. Luckily, no one was injured and service soon resumed.

Jason Chan with Protrans BC tells News1130 SkyTrain fires are not common, "We are dealing with a high voltage power source, we can not rule out the possibility of it happening again, however we are trained to deal with incidents such as these."

SkyTrain service on the Canada Line is running normally this morning.

Source: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090907_095424_14116

[mr.x]

Comments from the Vancouver Sun on the Canada Line:


Jimmy

September 08, 2009 - 4:10 PM
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2 CARS?? 2 CARS?? Do these morons not think into the future??? Greater Vancouver has one of the worst infastructure for both vehicles and transit that I have EVER seen compared to any other "World class city" (as this is what you morons would like to be called) Give your head a shake you "transit developers" This horrid city is only going to become more congested.... I for one and so glad to be getting the hell outta here next year before the HST arrives!





Andrew

September 08, 2009 - 3:07 PM
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Get use to it... we've been dealing with packed trains on the Expo and Millennium lines for years! If TransLInk would throw on a few extra cars it would relieve the congestion but they're all a bunch of jokers.

Can't wait for the next fare increase due to the HST!





Whine & Cheese Night

September 08, 2009 - 2:42 PM
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Weren't people complaining before that the Canada Line would not be popular at all & that it was a waste of taxpayer dollars?





John

September 08, 2009 - 2:13 PM
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I've commuted by train in Tokyo for the last 5 years and can guarantee that these people have it much better. People in Vancouver are spoiled and quick to complain. But they should complain, I guess. If Vancouver wants to be a world-class city, there has to be a transportation system that can deal with thousands of people on a daily basis. They have no excuses. It's Transit's job to make this work. Good luck!





Pat

September 08, 2009 - 2:04 PM
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Well, people were complaining before that the Canada Line was not going to be used....guess they were dead wrong...I guess now people have to complain about it being too busy...we complain way too much :-)





foresight translink!

September 08, 2009 - 1:45 PM
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First of all, I'm glad about the Canada line, support it and I have little empathy for commuters who expect public transit to be a type of coach service. Plus, like it says in the article - wait for the train comming out of the airport (and please don't tell us it's full).

That being said, to me, the most glaring fault of the Canada line when I rode it was how small the trains and station platforms are. Of course there's going to be overcrowding when you're only sending two cars per train. What's worse is that even if they order more cars - the platforms cannot even fit anything longer. Aren't they running into this problem on the expo line? The people likely suffering from overcrowding are probably Richmond commuters (and not the few hundred from South Surrey who can wait one train), similar to Surrey commuters on the expo line who have no other options.

I'm all for great public rapid transit, but it is frustrating to see simple details overlooked.





Mike C

September 08, 2009 - 4:13 PM

If TransLink puts in two-car toy trains and calls it mass transit, they should at least have some redundancy with buses in such a busy corridor as Highway 99 through Vancouver. TransLink's planning is not about planning at all. It's a numbers game to get as many people jammed onto the new line as possible to justify its existence.

If another small electrical fire breaks out like it did the other day on the line, an entire 10 lanes worth of traffic will come to a complete standstill.





Hanz

September 08, 2009 - 2:24 PM

Stupid former translink directors said the canada line wouldn;t have enough riders, well what are they saying now. I rode the line labour day it was packed,long needed in vancouver.





Not enough room

September 08, 2009 - 1:57 PM

I had a transit rep advise me that people from White Rock should drive or find alternate routes, that the new train is not there to service the White Rock/South Surrey Area. I rode on the train this morning. It took three trains before I could get on. Several people missed getting off because the doors didn't stay open long enough. It is a simple numbers game. There isn't enough room.





B-Line Buzzed

September 08, 2009 - 12:20 PM

They NEVER should have gotten rid of the B-line route along Granville. That was the DUMBEST thing they could do. It would have alleviated a lot of the problems with crowding on the train.

[argon007]

The situation of Richmond Centre-Bridghouse...

the people does not have to line up to get the skytrain... and the bus stop near it... many people have to line up... to wait for the bus.

and the bus loop at this station need to be built because near roads (saba and buswell) get the congestion...

when will the bus loop be built? after 2010?

[CLC]

15,000 rode Canada Line between 6-9am

CBC News: Canada Line's 1st big test gets mixed grade

Metro Vancouver's addition to the SkyTrain rapid-transit system, the Canada Line, got mixed reviews from commuters on the first day after the Labour Day weekend.

Commuters from Richmond and other points south of the Fraser River who were used to riding a single bus into Vancouver were routed to the Canada Line starting Tuesday.

Some were looking forward to the change because the old bus routes didn't work well with their work schedule.

"I have been waiting for a long time for something like this that's clean and green," said one commuter.

Others were less keen. "It used to be one direct bus, but now I have to transfer and stand and take slightly longer," said another.

The Canada Line's Bridgeport station became a busy hub in Richmond.

Morning trains arriving from Richmond were full, some with standing room only. But those who waited a couple of minutes later found the next train from the airport had plenty of room.

Ken Hardie, spokesman for Translink, Metro Vancouver's transportation authority, said commuters should start figuring this out.

"Over the next few days, we can see some strategies developing, especially at Bridgeport, where people will say, 'Ah, this one's a little full, so the next one will be OK," said Hardie.

Fifteen thousand commuters rode the Canada Line on Tuesday morning, compared with 9,000 for the same 6 to 9 a.m. period last Tuesday.

The Canada Line cost a reported $1.9 billion and took about four years to build.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

why does this thread have to close? Is deasine going to close the golden ears bridge and shangri-la threads for example since those projects are also complete? so just because construction has finished it cant continue to have its own thread? that doesnt make any sense.

Originally Posted by lightrail

We'll just start a new one if this one closes. Makes no sense to me either.

Simple answer: because it's part of Metro Vancouver Transportation. Technically, the Golden Ears Bridge can be closed down because it's already complete, but Metro Vancouver Roads Discussion isn't a large enough of a topic as of now. From what I know of what moderators from other regions do, once a project is complete, the thread is closed.

I'm not stopping anyone from talking about the Canada Line: that's just a crazy thing to do. I'm just wanting all discussions moved back into the Metro Vancouver Transportation thread, where all in-service SkyTrain lines are discussed, bus changes (for instance, for the Canada Line), etc. Do you guys see discussion threads for the Expo Line? For the Millennium Line? No. They are in the General discussion thread. Evergreen Line, Expo Extension, and UBC Extension are ongoing projects.

[DKaz]

Mr.X, you must be happy that everyone shares your sentiments, lol.

[NetMapel]

Originally Posted by mr.x

[B]
Not enough room

September 08, 2009 - 1:57 PM

I had a transit rep advise me that people from White Rock should drive or find alternate routes, that the new train is not there to service the White Rock/South Surrey Area. I rode on the train this morning. It took three trains before I could get on. Several people missed getting off because the doors didn't stay open long enough. It is a simple numbers game. There isn't enough room.

This worries me, a lot.

[mr.x]

^ yea, i had a WTF moment too when reading that.

Originally Posted by DKaz

Mr.X, you must be happy that everyone shares your sentiments, lol.

Well, I hate it when I'm right about this....but it's simply logic and common sense that it's far from sufficient for today's demands nevermind the future when in fact this line was suppose to be not just for today but more importantly the future as well.....though if I were wrong about this, there would be lower ridership.

Simply said, the Canada Line will be a victim of its own success.

Focusing on short-term only, we need more trains TODAY and at the very earliest we could maybe see them rolling on the line in 2012 ONLY IF we order TODAY, but from what we've heard so far don't count on it with Translink's financial situation. Ridership has nowhere to go but up from this point on, and we'll just have to make the best out of our 20 trains until 201X.

[fever]

There was a line to get to the platform in the city centre station around 5:15. I didn't wait in it so I don't know how long it was. Looked to be about 75 people in it.

[Gordon]

Would pro trans B.C. no have some say as far as ordering trains goes, seeing that they have the concession the operate & maintani the line for 25years.

Hopefully Translink's financial situation will will be dealt with properly by the Mayor's Council by the end of October

[GoogalieBear]

My son and I got on the South bound Richmond train at City Hall around 5:30pm. It was packed but then it wasn't Tokyo packed, everybody got on except for the cyclist who too would have pushed her way in if she wasn't stopped by the police. I was watching the police wondering why they were there before the train arrived, I guess they are cracking down on cyclists not following the rules, pushing their way in regardless. It does make me angry that some cyclists are disregarding the rules, particularly because I am a cyclist myself and I too use the line to commute with my bike occassionally and would hate to see them cease allowing bicycles on because of these blatant abuse.

Anyhow We got off at King Edward and watched the next two south bound train went by. They were both packed but again still had room enough for people to squeeze in. I think people just need to get used to it, it was no big deal really, we will see what it's like the next few days.

[NetMapel]

Originally Posted by mr.x

^ yea, i had a WTF moment too when reading that.





Well, I hate it when I'm right about this....but it's simply logic and common sense that it's far from sufficient for today's demands nevermind the future when in fact this line was suppose to be not just for today but more importantly the future as well.....though if I were wrong about this, there would be lower ridership.

Simply said, the Canada Line will be a victim of its own success.

Focusing on short-term only, we need more trains TODAY and at the very earliest we could maybe see them rolling on the line in 2012 ONLY IF we order TODAY, but from what we've heard so far don't count on it with Translink's financial situation. Ridership has nowhere to go but up from this point on, and we'll just have to make the best out of our 20 trains until 201X.

I haven't traveled to downtown after this schedule change yet, so I don't know how bad it is at Bridgeport station during rush hours. I worry that Bridgeport station will be completely full during morning commute because that's what I'll be fighting through. I will be very unhappy if I have to miss one or even two trains just because it's too overcrowded with people.

Furthermore, it would suck if the earliest time we can get new cars is 2012 since that is a long wait. I thought they would want more cars prior to the 2010 Olympics just so we don't embarrass ourself with our overcrowded Canada Line.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by fever

There was a line to get to the platform in the city centre station around 5:15. I didn't wait in it so I don't know how long it was. Looked to be about 75 people in it.

(CBC)

[deasine]

To that person who was complaining: I really can't imagine missing three trains at Bridgeport, considering there are trains coming from the Airport.

With regards to the City Centre one, from what I know, Canada Line staff were making sure there wasn't any sort of overcrowding at any of the stations, and were making sure trains weren't filled up to a point where they can't be filled up even more. But then again, I don't have first hand experience.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by CLC

(CBC)

Ridiculous.


Six years ago, when I supported RAV and wanted Translink to approve the project I was hoping for a line with muscle and a long-lasting solution to the corridor's transit needs...but this is barely even a band-aid solution for the corridor and to previously crowded routes like the 98 B-Line.

Those long-haul express buses should be reintroduced again mid-decade and possibly even a reintroduction of the 98 B-Line further down the road.

I think it's unheard of to have long lineups for a new system barely a month old.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by CLC

(CBC)

I hope this is not an experience passenger would have every day. I just hope this doesn't cause some people to give up using public transit. As Mr. X said, the Canada Line will be/is a victim of its own success. The line has only been opened since Aug. 17, just 3 weeks and Translink already has to do crowd control at stations? Time for Translink to plan for more trains and platform expansion.

[deasine]

The Richmond portion is probably suffering the most from the Canada Line: the might want to start running 2 trains to Richmond-Brighouse, 1 train to YVR-Airport. It would probably help with the crowding going on at those stations. I'm not concerned of overcrowding in general, more concerned about the Richmond branch of the line.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by mr.x

I think it's unheard of to have long lineups for a new system barely a month old.

M-line had seats available leaving Commercial in the PM rush hour at the first year; nowadays it is packed. But Canada Line, it is not even 1 month into service...

I still couldn't believe some politicans/commentators kept saying Canada Line being wrongly built in a low-density corridor. It won't surprise me if the ridership per km will exceed Expo line at some point.

I am not particularly worrying about the "crowd-control line-up" will defer too much riders, given that some Richmond residents have been able to tolerate with the much worse #98 for 7 years. A portion of south-of-fraser riders will be lost for sure, but they may choose to transfer to Expo (Surrey) if there is more capacity there.