Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[officedweller]

I think historically, it's a bit of a nod to the fact that the Lougheed Station was moved from the mall parkade site to the Lougheed Highway site.

[Dave2]

Google says it's a 9 minute walk from Cameron and North Road , or 2 minutes if you take a C24 or 97 bus (though there won't be a 97 bus anymore)

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&hl=en&geo...3&spn=0.006765,0.019999&t=h&z=16&start=0

[Dave2]

... or the 151 bus, or 110, there seems to be no shortage of buses connecting the 2 points, even at 9:35PM.. though for some reason google transit is calling them Trams from this station: for some reason.....

[clooless]

You have to be kidding me. Who would take the bus from Lougheed Station to Cameron Street? It's a very short walk from the west entrance to Lougheed Station and across Lougheed Mall's parking lot to Cameron Street.

[officedweller]

This article fails to mention that Bombardier's Canada Line bid involved a permanent open trench south of 49th Ave.

Anyways check out the mention of the Evergreen Line....

Strange though that the private partner would supply cars for the Evergreen Line - suggests that it will include an "operate" component (unlike the Docklands Light Railway model which is just supplying guideway availability) - but the private partner could just make cars available to Translink. But it does raise questions about interlining - hopefully interlining won't be dependent on whether Bombardier wins the bid.

Bombardier would have used a tunnel: Prez

Frank Luba, The Province
Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bombardier would have built the Canada Line rapid-transit project in a tunnel instead of the cut-and-cover trench that has opened Cambie Street up like a nasty gash.

While the $2-billion Canada Line is due to open on time and on budget late in 2009, the disruption to commerce, traffic and life has resulted in business failures and an ongoing lawsuit.

Raymond Betler, president of Bombardier Transportation's Total Transit Systems Division, revealed how his company would have done the project after a speech yesterday to the Vancouver Board of Trade.

Considering Bombardier's SkyTrain is already being used in the Lower Mainland, many observers were surprised the company was not chosen to build the Canada Line.

"Me, for instance," said Betler of his company's disappointment at not winning the lucrative job.

"Our approach was to tunnel, as opposed to cut-and-cover . . . because we thought that would be more community-friendly, less disruptive than cut-and-cover.

"In the end, our price was higher. I think fundamentally, because of that, we lost the job.

"It was not significantly higher," said Betler of his company's price to build the 19-kilometre line between Vancouver and Richmond.

"We were within single-digit percentages of the other competitor."

He would not give the actual difference.

Betler spoke to provincial Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon and TransLink yesterday and his company is assembling a team to bid on the Evergreen Line to Coquitlam when a request for proposals is issued.

Evergreen is supposed to use SkyTrain-like technology. Several companies that make linear-induction motors will also bid for the line.

Canada Line trains are being manufactured by Hyundai of Korea.

Betler said the new line would likely be a public-private partnership.

"Bombardier is involved in more [public-private] projects than any other transportation supplier in the world," he said.

He also expects to have to bid for the proposed extensions to the Expo Line SkyTrain that is part of the province's ambitious $14-billion transit plan.

[email protected]

© The Vancouver Province 2008

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by clooless

You have to be kidding me. Who would take the bus from Lougheed Station to Cameron Street?

Maybe when you're over 60...

[officedweller]

Agreed - you have to think least commn denominator. Could also be someone with bags & bags of groceries.

[mr.x]

Some travel is meant for the car....if you're going to be carrying a lot of groceries or heavy bags, get someone to pick you up, drive your car for that trip, or get a cab.

500-metres isn't far at all.....if you're so old that you can't walk that distance, you shouldn't be taking transit.

[Dave2]

yeah, if the bus is there when you get to LTC, why not take it.. but i here you, 9 minutes is not that far; i live 6 minutes from an M line platform and never bother taking the bus, but for those who want to, and if there's a bus sitting in the loop when you get to LTC, why not take it? And if you're going to LTC, you probably know when to get out to the stop.... I know that I should leave the house on the 0:05 or 0:10 to walk right onto an M train

[clooless]

Originally Posted by Dave2

yeah, if the bus is there when you get to LTC, why not take it.. but i here you, 9 minutes is not that far; i live 6 minutes from an M line platform and never bother taking the bus, but for those who want to, and if there's a bus sitting in the loop when you get to LTC, why not take it? And if you're going to LTC, you probably know when to get out to the stop.... I know that I should leave the house on the 0:05 or 0:10 to walk right onto an M train

I agree with you on that point and I've done that myself when I lived in New West and lived just up the hill from New West station.

Anyway, I find it curious that several manufacturers of linear induction motors are expected to bid on the Evergreen project. Does this mean that the ALRT technology used on the line might not be Skytrain compatible? It's difficult to understand what is meant by "Skytrain."

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by clooless

I agree with you on that point and I've done that myself when I lived in New West and lived just up the hill from New West station.

Anyway, I find it curious that several manufacturers of linear induction motors are expected to bid on the Evergreen project. Does this mean that the ALRT technology used on the line might not be Skytrain compatible? It's difficult to understand what is meant by "Skytrain."

It would be SkyTrain compatible, with a possibility that it won't be built by Bombardier. One major reason in why they've chosen to spend more is to make it "ALRT-like", so that it would eliminate an unnecessary transfer for those traveling from UBC. It would be one seamless train ride from UBC to Coquitlam.

[Dave2]

IIRC, "SkyTrain" was a brand invented by Grace McCarthy, not long before the originial system opened in '86... I would hope that whatever they do, the new line would operate Coquitlam-VCC Clark interleaved with the current M line service... it's almost a no brainer, just extend the line from LTC to Coquitlam using the same tech and order a bunch of new MK-II cars.

[clooless]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

It would be SkyTrain compatible, with a possibility that it won't be built by Bombardier. One major reason in why they've chosen to spend more is to make it "ALRT-like", so that it would eliminate an unnecessary transfer for those traveling from UBC. It would be one seamless train ride from UBC to Coquitlam.

When you think about it seems obvious, but politicians love to throw terms around without any consideration to what they exactly mean. Thanks for the clarification.

One advantage to using compatible technology is that it ensures some competitive bids. Bombardier won't have us over a barrel.

Originally Posted by Dave2

IIRC, "SkyTrain" was a brand invented by Grace McCarthy, not long before the originial system opened in '86... I would hope that whatever they do, the new line would operate Coquitlam-VCC Clark interleaved with the current M line service... it's almost a no brainer, just extend the line from LTC to Coquitlam using the same tech and order a bunch of new MK-II cars.

It's a case of going back to the future since as far as I know the intention was to build the Coquitlam extension as Skytrain back when the Millennium Line was conceived. If I recall correctly when the Liberals swept into power they made no firm commitments on an extension and Translink stumbled along for years trying to find the money to get it built.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

500-metres isn't far at all.....if you're so old that you can't walk that distance, you shouldn't be taking transit.

How else would you have them get around?

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

How else would you have them get around?

If you can't walk that far, you shouldn't even be independent....you should be in a senior home, or you should have someone drive you.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

If you can't walk that far, you shouldn't even be independent....you should be in a senior home, or you should have someone drive you.

Luxury chauffeur service for the elderly. That defeats the purpose of mass transit.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

Luxury chauffeur service for the elderly. That defeats the purpose of mass transit.

Isn't that what Handydart is?

[flight_from_kamakura]

^ uh, what? how could anyone begrudge a city councilor for pushing for another station for his town? give us a break with the "comrade corrigan" nonsense, yeesh

[clooless]

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

^ uh, what? how could anyone begrudge a city councilor for pushing for another station for his town? give us a break with the "comrade corrigan" nonsense, yeesh

Because his suggestion that Translink spend 70 million dollars for a station only 500 meters from another station is an incredibly poor use of resources.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by clooless

..... One advantage to using compatible technology is that it ensures some competitive bids. Bombardier won't have us over a barrel.

.....If I recall correctly when the Liberals swept into power they made no firm commitments on an extension and Translink stumbled along for years trying to find the money to get it built.

Huge advantage....or negotiating tactic....

The PMC Line was cut by the Liberals following I think it was called the "Core Review"? to cut government spending. Since them the economy has changed. I kept trying to tell Queetz (member who moved away) that the Liberals cancelled the PMC extension but he never believed me.

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BTW - train control, signalling, etc. is from Thales (formerly Alcatel), the rail gauge is North American standard gauge. Car dimensions would have to correspond with turning clearances, platform heights, etc. on the existing lines if they are to be interlined.