Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[argon007]

Originally Posted by argon007

how many buses did they order? after 2010 olympics, they will be used by translink to reduce the current buses' loads? or something else?

no one replies?

[ravman]

Originally Posted by mrjauk

How much annual revenue is projected to be generated by the toll on the Golden Ears?

it is used to pay the private company... if the # are not met, TRANSLINK is on the hook

like for the Canada Line, Translink has a contract guaranteeing approximately thirty‐three million boardings in 2010 and if those numbers do not occur, then Translink would be fully responsible for the shortcomings.
Based on the report, 37,000 NEW transit users are going to have to use the Canada Line and this does not include the existing users that will be switching from buses.

[nname]

Originally Posted by mrjauk

How much annual revenue is projected to be generated by the toll on the Golden Ears?

About 27mil per year, but the operating expense (maintenance, payment to private sector, insurance, etc) will cost another 12mil. Both of these numbers will go up as time goes on while the interest expense will go down and the amortization will stay the same for the first 30 years and become zero after.

[mr.A]

expanded maintenance building


new storage track


new MKII

[red-paladin]

Does anyone know why the OMC gave up the facility next door? There used to be tracks to the former MK II construction facility, and there is still a bridge for an extra track to there. If they need to expand the OMC, wouldn't it make sense to expand back to where that factory is?

[Millennium2002]

Not entirely sure why either... however it was a factory... I have that feeling that the factory's designs didn't suit TransLink's maintenance operations or it was surplus after the Millennium Line opened.

[Mac Write]

Bombardier threw a tantrum when they lost the contract for the Canada Line and pulled out of that facility (they had spent allot on that bridge to the yard). Can't remember what it is now (clothing factory?).

When was that road put in? I don't ever remember seeing being constructed (I use the skytrain at least a couple times a week). I know it was around 2000-2002. Also where are the mock skystrain cars that used to be stored where the bombardier building is now?

[mr.x]

^ any chance we could buy back that building?

[mr.A]

The taxpayers paid for the building so that Bombardier can build the cars in BC, part of the deal! Also they hoped to sell more cars to Asia but no buyers so the building was sold.

[mr.A]

check out www.soundtransit.org photo of the week
one of the new transit stations in Seattle with a expected daily ridership of 21000!!!!!! (only)

[ravman]

Originally Posted by mr.x

^ any chance we could buy back that building?

well it was the NDP who actually built that... and it was the Liberals who got it sold... so NO we cant buy it back... not for atleast the next 4 years

[jlousa]

Wouldn't be a Ravman post w/o politics, but since you started it, you should have stated that the NDP guaranteed Bombardier that if they didn't receive enough orders to keep the factory up and running that the government would buy it back, Bombardier originally had no interest in building the factory here as they had enough capacity to meet demand, but with such a sweet proposal they agreed to build it, and sure enough there wasn't enough demand to justify it so the provincial government was forced to buy back the factory. Since the government isn't in the business of building trains it didn't need it and sold it off to the highest bidder.
Just another example of the NDP knowing better then industry.

[Gordon]

As far as the former Skytrain vehicle goes we may not need the physical building it's self but there would have been property attached as well for vehicle
storage, why doesn't Translink try to buy whatever lands they need from the current owner so the OMC can be expanded?

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by mr.A

check out www.soundtransit.org photo of the week
one of the new transit stations in Seattle with a expected daily ridership of 21000!!!!!! (only)

WOW..this station looks great! I will definitely be there during summer. It opens on the 3rd of July I believe...just in time for Independence Day!

[Gordon]

Is that 21,000 for the entire system, if so that's not much compared to Skytrain( 18,000 \dir\hr)?

[SEA-TOWN]

Originally Posted by Gordon

Is that 21,000 for the entire system, if so that's not much compared to Skytrain( 18,000 \dir\hr)?

That's the initial ridership that is projected using the FTA's system (I think it is their system) that usually underestimates the actual ridership. The line does not serve the densest parts of seattle so it takes another hit there. It is eventually projected to serve about 40,000 or so as a standalone, but once the 3. something mile extension to UW via Capital Hill is complete (much denser), then an additional 70,000 are expected to ride the system, which is also calculated using that method I mentioned before. Once ST2 is built out, it will be a 55 mile system with a daily ridership of 286,000 (Also using said estimating process). So by 2020 or so, it should have a ridership slightly higher than the present day skytrain. Not too shabby I think. By the way, it opens July 18th, and is free for that weekend, not the 3rd.

[ravman]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Wouldn't be a Ravman post w/o politics, but since you started it, you should have stated that the NDP guaranteed Bombardier that if they didn't receive enough orders to keep the factory up and running that the government would buy it back, Bombardier originally had no interest in building the factory here as they had enough capacity to meet demand, but with such a sweet proposal they agreed to build it, and sure enough there wasn't enough demand to justify it so the provincial government was forced to buy back the factory. Since the government isn't in the business of building trains it didn't need it and sold it off to the highest bidder.
Just another example of the NDP knowing better then industry.

yeah but that plan of the NDP govt was to EXPAND our rapid transit network with trains built in BC. The evergreen line had its foundation built( the switches/third platform at Lougheed station) before it was cancelled by the gordo.

what we could have had would be a line going to coq centre, richmond, ubc et al on a single system with the trains built in BC.... is that too much to ask of our govt. build the infastructure that is needed in the city and build it right here in the province....

because as they (as the autocrat (aka gordo)) says, "Every job matters"

[SpongeG]

wow it opens soon - i thought it was closer to the end of july like july 21st?

[DKaz]

There was a report on the Mission Times that WCE's 7 new bilevel cars could get sold off if Translink does not secure additional funding for transit, despite the fact that WCE is almost at the point of paying for its own operations, I guess the infrastructure required is still expensive.

They went for Bombardier's Bilevel cars without a competitive bidding process for $28.1 million, saying the competitive process would've lengthened the arrival of the trains by two years. They want the trains in service by Fall 2010. 1 car will be a spare, and the trains will get lengthened to 6-8-10-10-8 cars from its current 4-7-9-9-7 cars.

[Gordon]

appearantly after this years delivery of 48 skytrain cars. The only order for new train cars is the 7 WCE cars due in this fall.

I wonder what happened to the24 mark2s that were supposed to arrive by 2011?