Surrey Langley Skytrain - Expo Line Extension | U/C

[madog222]

The railing has been installed for long stretches, I think we can assume it will be installed along the entire length of the guideway.

[dpogue]

The guideway will have the standard walkway in the middle with handrail running the full length, for emergency passenger evacuation and for staff to access stalled trains. Beyond that, staff are not allowed to step off of that walkway into the actual track unless there is fall protection in place or walkways on both sides (such as at track switches).

The existing Expo and Millennium guideways have these fall protection railings installed around areas like electrical substation connections and sensor equipment, but for anywhere else that staff need track-level access they need to bring and install those temporary fall protection clips. My guess is that it's easy and cheap enough to just install it permanently at construction time here to save hassle in the future. (Although interestingly we have not seen this installed for the elevated portion of the Broadway extension.)

Visually, it shouldn't impact the view from the train. It's not especially noticeable in the spots where it already exists on the system, and it's not much higher than the noise dampening panels used along the Expo Line.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by dpogue

Although interestingly we have not seen this installed for the elevated portion of the Broadway extension.

FWIW noise dampening panels are being installed along the south side of the guideway for what looks to be the entire length. I don't recall seeing anything installed on the north side so far.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by madog222

The railing has been installed for long stretches, I think we can assume it will be installed along the entire length of the guideway.

God DAMN that's gonna be ugly.

[Metro-One]

It’s funny what bothers some people, but doesn’t bother me.

These railings are on that list. Looks like they are low enough not to obstruct the view from the train itself.

[Stainer]

To be fair it could also just be there to provide an extra layer of safety during construction. There's going to be a lot of workers up there over the next few years and having those railings probably removes the requirement to be tied in.

[MIPS]

It’s funny what bothers some people, but doesn’t bother me

It's the creeping What-if Boogeyman. The fear is that someone (an employee, a tagger, an urbexer or someone leaning out a train with a frozen door) falls off the edge and then sues BCRTC for "well, if there was a handrail I might of not done that" regardless of the obvious "what the hell were you even doing??" Odds are low, but WorkSafe exists purely to make a paycheck finding ways to say something might happen otherwise, no matter how stupid the scenario.
Expo started off with no handrails, then had them welded in at key locations (normally in the stations). This was followed by the Millennium Line with handrails in key locations such as switches and separated middle handrails on the guideway. The Evergreen Extension made that a near-continuous handrail the entire length of the guideway, now it's (at the least) handrails on the sides (presumably) the entire length.

Aesthetically it spoils the view. Yes, I'm dying on that hill. That's not priority when you just want to build a rail extension but when you are building an above-grade metro, the more it sticks out, the uglier it looks. Likewise unless people got stupider in the last 40 years (they didn't. People just got more paranoid) I don't see the need.


[ramble]
I also see it as a cash grab. The NDP will throw money at you if in exchange you can make them show all these (union) jobs they created as part of the construction because they will never shut up about all these jobs. Look at the jobs! We're building a better BC! Look at all the work that needs to be done! Look at all this money you can make!* [/ramble]


*I'm pointing out my bias here as someone who never went into the trades 20 years ago and thus without a Red Seal has never been eligible for any of the major provincial projects and employment opportunities because a piece of paper says I'm not a pipefitter, welder, general mechanic, electrician, general contractor, HVAC technician, foreman, framer or general laborer. This province 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵.[/ramble]

[Instakat]

Might be a silly question, but will the LCC terminus be designed for future extension? In the same way the track at KG Station will allow for connection to the SLS extension without interrupting operations.

I'm not aware of any plans to build out the expo line further east than Langley, but they'll need to have some track for switching anyway...

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by MIPS

.

Asthetically it spoils the view. Yes, that's not priority when you just want to build a rail extension but when you are building an above-grade metro, the more it sticks out, the uglier it looks.
I also see it as a cash grab. The NDP will throw money at you if in exchange you can make them show all these (union) jobs they created as part of the construction. They can shrug off the budget issues later.

It's a huge concrete bridge. With railings, it's a huge concrete bridge with railings. Those people who don't like huge concrete bridges probably won't like it any more or less with railings. I'd be surprised if many people who find the guideway aesthetically acceptable will care that it will have railings.

Your take on the NDP claiming more construction jobs because they added railings seems weird - the project website listing of benefits doesn't mention construction jobs, only improving transit access to anticipated new permanent jobs that will be developed as part of the TOD policies. Even the business case concentrated on the long term benefits to travel reliability and didn't mention construction employment.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Instakat

Might be a silly question, but will the LCC terminus be designed for future extension? In the same way the track at KG Station will allow for connection to the SLS extension without interrupting operations.

I'm not aware of any plans to build out the expo line further east than Langley, but they'll need to have some track for switching anyway...

I mean there's one section of guideway past the station so I guess the option is always there.

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sit...ntre-Station-Boards-November2024-WEB.pdf

[officedweller]

My understanding is that it'll be designed more like LaFarge Lake - Douglas, with the switches before the station with less than a full train length of tail track - but not like LaFarge Lake - Douglas which seems to come really low to the ground.
As the terminus is a centre platform, a train can be stored at the platform.

LaFarge Lake -Douglas:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/lafar..._ep=EgoyMDI2MDIyNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[MIPS]

-snip-

[bitter grumbling]

[jollyburger]

Steel guideway spans across Highway 15 on Fraser Highway and over the Pacific Highway PPS are expected to be installed in spring 2026

Track installation near 68 Avenue will start in spring 2026. This will include deliveries of rail, lifting rail
onto the elevated guideway, rail installation, welding, grinding, and concrete pouring activities. Expect
increased worker activity and equipment use on the elevated guideway, and intermittent, temporary lane
closures in the area during rail delivery and concrete pours.

More than 1,500 of 4,400 concrete segments have
been produced.

https://surreylangleyskytrain.gov.bc.ca/...-Construction-Advisory-Winter-2026-1.pdf

[jollyburger]

New videos

• Video Link

• Video Link

[jollyburger]

Drone footage of 96th Avenue to 84th Avenue from very far up

• Video Link

[officedweller]

From the project twitter:

March 18, 2026


Here is an aerial view of Bakerview-166 Street Station.
The Fleetwood Flyer has finished building the elevated guideway in this area and is moving west towards 152 Street Station
https://x.com/SLSkyTrain/status/2034298944805625957

March 20, 2026


https://x.com/SLSkyTrain/status/2035056338078687563
You may have noticed wildlife in some unusual places along the Project alignment.
Decoy wildlife have been placed throughout the Project area as part of our environmental measures.
These fake animals prevent bird nesting on structures during construction!


https://x.com/SLSkyTrain/status/2035056338078687563



March 24, 2026


https://x.com/SLSkyTrain/status/2036488362027053094

[mcj]

I hope they keep those wildlife decoys somewhere after construction, those are fun.

[dharper]

Last week where the Willowbrook Station is going, I saw 3 or 4 hawk kites flying above the station. At a glace they appeared quite realistic.

[Lexus]

We are approaching 2 milestones:

1: Langley Luncher lunched from the Hillcrest-184 St. is about to connect to Clayton Station - making it the first two stations connected with a guideway. Only 5 spans left.

2: Fleetwood Flyer that lunched at Bakerview 166St. Station soon to connect to 152 St. Station. Only 6 spans left.

Surrey Sprinter is now at 148 St. Right and the border of Green Timbers.

https://youtu.be/icc8nTbSXNs?si=sOOKrqsGWqXDJlLC

• Video Link

[dharper]

Has the Clayton Clipper restarted yet?