Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[deasine]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Give that person a proverbial smack on the head. lol. There's A/C on all MKIIs, the yellow suburban buses, and the West Coast Express trains and trainbuses. Does the Seabus have A/C?

This is also what it says on the windows of the MK IIs:

Air Conditioned Car - Open In Emergency Only

Originally Posted by DKaz

It's a shame that the new buses don't come with A/C. What's another say $5,000 at the most on top of $400,000+ for the buses?

I have a feeling it's more than $5000 but if you think about it, Vancouver only gets hot two months of the year: it's just this year we got REALLY hot. Actually, to a point where I decided to drive instead of transit. But normally, we don't reach temperatures like this and a/c might not be necessary.

The Canada Line will, thankfully, also have a/c.

[metroXpress]

saw a new SkyTrain Mark II car leaving Lougheed Stn. last Saturday- Nothing else to add

[SpongeG]

rode on one the other day - it wasn't too bad except for an annoying hum

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Allen

saw a new SkyTrain Mark II car leaving Lougheed Stn. last Saturday- Nothing else to add

How many are out now? Slowest rollout ever. At this rate more will arrive before these ones are all in operation.

[Gordon]

there should be 4 new cars in service. I doubt there will be the 24 in service by Labor Day that Translink announced a couple of months ago.

[SpongeG]

when i was at broadway there was one just departing and I thought — i missed it and than the next train was one too

[DKaz]

Isn't it 6? 305-306, 307-308, and 309-310 should all be in revenue service. If they do have any more 1300/1400 series MKIIs, they're sure doing a good job hiding them somewhere.

[DKaz]

305-306 is heading to VCC-Clark with Waterfront displayed on it.

[afreak]

The hybrid busses in Edmonton have AC built-in. It was a scary thing one day to walk in and notice that it was absolutely cool inside on a hot day.

[mr.x]

Crunch SkyTrain safety numbers, Mr. Editor

Surrey Now
Published: Friday, August 07, 2009

The Editor,

Re: "Spare us the spin and make SkyTrain safe already," the Now editorial, July 31.

The Now's editorial concerning violent incidents on SkyTrain raises interesting questions for sure.

When TransLink says they are "very rare," we are talking perhaps 100 incidents per year in which some sort of violence causing harm or violence involving a weapon takes place.

With about 72 million boardings last year, that's about 1.4 incidents per million. We would be interested in the public's reading as to whether this is a rate that classifies as "rare" and, regardless, if it is a clear signal that TransLink should devote more resources to security.

MLA Harry Bains has made a genuine effort to familiarize himself with TransLink's issues, having taken time to attend at least one of the consultation forums we held over the past few months. As such, it is unfortunate that whoever researched Mr. Sidhu's incident failed to gather accurate information.

The attack, captured on video, lasted 23 seconds - although it had to seem like four or five minutes to Mr. Sidhu. He made his way to the emergency phone and a SkyTrain attendant, who was looking after an issue in the ticket vending area of Surrey Central when the attack took place, was there before he hung up.

It is regrettable that the Now seems to have failed to do some fact checking of its own in this incident.

The statistics aside, we've failed someone when an incident like this happens. There are uncounted occasions in which operations and security staff thwart such events. But those are not newsworthy, only the 1.4 in a million examples where the security system isn't 100 per cent effective. That's what news (and editorials, evidently) are all about. SkyTrain runs through some of Metro Vancouver's historically rough places, and they were that way for a very long time before the line was built.

To address the issues, TransLink has formed Canada's first dedicated Transit Police and increased its complement by 60 per cent in three years to over 160 officers. It has doubled a force of security guards to about 70, it has invested millions in better lighting, a 900-camera digital video system and has a full time presence at the stations where the public tells us it doesn't feel safe.

Is it enough? Obviously not for a 100 per cent guarantee of security at every moment.

Then again, Lee Harvey Oswald had a police officer on each arm when Jack Ruby shot him.

So, Mr. Editor, crunch the numbers and tell us what it will take?

Ken Hardie,

TransLink


© Surrey Now 2009








Spare us the spin and make SkyTrain safe already

Surrey Now
Published: Friday, July 31, 2009

You can expand SkyTrain all the way to Chilliwack for all we care.

You can bring the prices down, make it more comfortable - hell you can put TVs in there and offer free drinks on the cars - most of us still would not want to ride.

Bottom line is, we don't feel safe. And that has to change.

So maybe instead of treating us all like we're stupid (we're looking in your general direction, Transit Police Chief Ward Clapham - 'attacks on SkyTrain are very rare') the Transit Police and the B.C. government should step up to the plate and actually make change happen.

Despite their incredibly poor job of spin doctoring, the Transit Police, we like what they've been doing lately with their increased police presence.

The Greater Vancouver Transit Police and the Integrated Gang Task Force have been working together to patrol transit hubs to quell gang activity and violence.

That means criminals loitering around SkyTrain stations and bus loops will have more chances of running into the police.

We like that. But what we don't like is TransLink's defeatist attitude when it comes to keeping our families safe on SkyTrain.

After the most recent, but of course "very rare," attack - Ravinder Sidhu, a Canada Post employee jostled with a robber for "four to five minutes" in full view of cameras and no help arrived - NDP transportation critic Harry Bains repeated his call for more police on SkyTrain and for the continual monitoring of security cameras.

TransLink's response?

Spokesman Ken Hardie said having transit police staffing every station or having people watch each of the 900 cameras would be "an enormous waste of resources."

It seems our safety is not TransLink's No. 1 priority.

So until you guys get a handle on all these "very rare" attacks, we'll stay off the train and keep driving to Vancouver, thank you very much.


© Surrey Now 2009

[WarrenC12]

Good, sounds like we can skip the Surrey E-Line extension and focus on the UBC extension.

[CLC]

Though it is offtopic, but Bombardier-made taiwan new metro Neihu Line has yet another big breakdown incident. The issue again is rooted from "difficult integration" with the old Muzha Line. For those interested, the latest story here:
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1024140

hope Bombardier would fare us better if it indeed will build the extension for Skytrain network BC

[DKaz]

The Neihu and Muzha Lines have weird looking track. The Muzha Line seems like GLT (Guided Light Transit) technology like for example in Caen, France: http://www.answers.com/topic/caen-guided-light-transit . Weird stuff.

[deasine]

Well the problems is that obviously two different companies build the lines. What we do not know is if the computer system has been completely revised and the how the signal system on the two lines (if they are different) is programmed with each other. I don't think this is the fault of Bombardier, but just a number of small issues that create one big problem.

SkyTrain wouldn't have this issue at all. We've introduced the Millennium Line in the past with little problems and the Evergreen Line would be the same. The UBC Line would be even easier as it is just an extension of a line, rather than integrating one line with another.

[go_leafs_go02]

I live in Surrey, and never read the Now....shows how relevant it is. Surrey Leader is what I check out when local Surrey news is what I want.

[mr.x]

LOL, it's almost as if they didn't even test the Taipei line before opening it.

[flight_from_kamakura]

though off topic, this seems as good a place as any to call attention to an unusually interesting set of day enders at the infrastructist.com

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/08/07/the-daily-dig-high-speed-rail-edition-13/

[Gordon]

When Canada Line Bus Integrating happens on Sept. 8th The #15 Cambie will still have 10mim headways. That's exvellent service combined with 3min C Line service at peak times.

[usog]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Isn't it 6? 305-306, 307-308, and 309-310 should all be in revenue service. If they do have any more 1300/1400 series MKIIs, they're sure doing a good job hiding them somewhere.

I've spotted 313/314 and 315/316 out and about today.

[deasine]

Rode the 310 today and they had an issue with the LED maps: all were blinking red.

I spy the Canada Line;

Photography by Deasine - Hosted on Facebook - Creative Commons Protected


Photography by Deasine - Hosted on Facebook - Creative Commons Protected


Photography by Deasine - Hosted on Facebook - Creative Commons Protected

The Good:
Great to see some consistency finally: the style of the maps on the SkyTrains are similar to the ones on the Canada Line, aside from the colour, which can be changed if they used a "bluer" bulb.

The Bad:
While the Canada Line is posted on the map, I find it funny that the design of it (i.e. stations, terminus) doesn't match the SkyTrain ones. I understand it's a different line, but I think it might be better to just cover the entire Canada Line with the SkyTrain legend. The Expo Line and Millennium Line stations aren't indicated on the Canada Line maps. Even if they have the Canada Line on the map, I really think it's important to make sure there is a message to remind users to add-fare when going to the airport.

Passengers travelling to Templeton, Sea Island Centre, and YVR-Airport stations on the Canada Line are required to pay an AddFare available at Canada Line Stations only.

Notice:
The Broadway hub is now Commercial-Broadway... hmmm....

Now... we just need to update the maps on the new SkyTrains and add the transfer point message at Waterfront Station.