Canada Line | Completed

[Mac Write]

Originally Posted by raggedy13

Anybody else notice their photos being used in this video? I recognized 6 of mine, a few from Yume-Sama's recent trip to the Harbour Centre and one of the Shangri-La sunset ones recently posted by PROSTSHOCKER. I'm sure there are more from fellow forumers, perhaps some of Deasine's or Metro-One's?

If so, report it to YouTube as a Copyright Violation.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by raggedy13

Anybody else notice their photos being used in this video? I recognized 6 of mine, a few from Yume-Sama's recent trip to the Harbour Centre and one of the Shangri-La sunset ones recently posted by PROSTSHOCKER. I'm sure there are more from fellow forumers, perhaps some of Deasine's or Metro-One's?

I didn't even notice mine until now.

This is probably a vid by Towerguy, it would make sense if it came from his mind...

[CLC]

Translink: First week of Canada Line successful

High numbers of new transit users
Erin Loxam
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - Some complaints about overcrowding, and a few technical glitches - that's the extent of problems in the first week of the Canada Line. Translink considers the stretch, a success.

Translink's Ken Hardie has actually been surprised by the number of folks trying out the line, "The cash receipts coming out of the ticket machines have been very strong, in the neighbourhood of $40,000 a day. What that means is many people are sampling the line. New people are riding rapid transit that weren't doing it before because on our other services, most people have passes or pre-purchased tickets."

But the real test comes September 7th when the bus integration takes place - ending the run of the 99 B-line and upsetting many coming from South Surrey who will be forced to transfer to the Canada Line. He looks forward to finding out how well that change works, "The Bridgeport station will be a focus because many of those long-haul routes will now terminate at Bridgeport and many people will make the transfer there. In addition, Bridgeport will be quite a hub because there are also 1,200 parking spaces set aside in the daytime at the big parkade next to the River Rock Casino."

He hopes that people upset over the termination of long haul bus service should give it a go before getting back in their cars, "The main thing for them is to try it. When we look at all those long-haul bus services from the south of the Fraser, our average fare box recovery on those was something like 21%. We were subsidizing almost 80% of the cost of those trips. With these changes, people will have faster service, they'll get to where they're going more quickly in most cases and because the buses don't have to travel as long of a distance we can have more in the course of a day."

[CLC]

Originally Posted by mr.x

comments from the Sun:





Sharon

August 22, 2009 - 12:06 AM
Flag this as Inappropriate
......................................

I normally don't read these comments on news site. It's waste of time.
But guess I'm bored I read some of them, and the level of stupidity of some comments is high , but overall they are not as anti-transit as the Seattle news site (as their opinions on the Link).

Several comments point out Richmond rider being more honest. I do completely agree, as I stated that demographics is one huge factor for the current seemingly success of Canada Line

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by CLC

Translink: First week of Canada Line successful

They made a typo there, it's the 98 and not the 99.



It's going to be ugly on September 7th....and the 99 is going to be packed more than ever.

[mrjauk]

Originally Posted by CLC

Translink: First week of Canada Line successful

He hopes that people upset over the termination of long haul bus service should give it a go before getting back in their cars, "The main thing for them is to try it. When we look at all those long-haul bus services from the south of the Fraser, our average fare box recovery on those was something like 21%. We were subsidizing almost 80% of the cost of those trips. With these changes, people will have faster service, they'll get to where they're going more quickly in most cases and because the buses don't have to travel as long of a distance we can have more in the course of a day."

To make these long-haul riders happy, let's give them an alternative. I suggest a pilot project that begins sometime in mid-September (after the 7th September start of integration). Let's have two buses that continue to do the long-haul, but charge enough so that 81% of the cost is no longer subsidized. Charge a fare that is consistent with a what a full busload of passengers would have to generate in revenue so that the total subsidy is average for a Lower Mainland bus route. [Does anybody know what the average farebox recovery for a LM bus route is?]

[lightrail]

Here's my first go at a track diagramme for Canada Line. This is based observations when riding the line and from Google airphotos. Distances between stations are estimates (probably under estimated) - so if you have the actual distances, let me know.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by mrjauk

To make these long-haul riders happy, let's give them an alternative. I suggest a pilot project that begins sometime in mid-September (after the 7th September start of integration). Let's have two buses that continue to do the long-haul, but charge enough so that 81% of the cost is no longer subsidized. Charge a fare that is consistent with a what a full busload of passengers would have to generate in revenue so that the total subsidy is average for a Lower Mainland bus route. [Does anybody know what the average farebox recovery for a LM bus route is?]

The average farebox recovery in the region is 48%.

[AMTDGT]

Got to take the RAV from YVR to Yaletown station Friday night about 7PM after arriving from a business trip.

1. I am UNHAPPY about the fact I have followed the building of this since the beginning (I was a major sidewalk superintendent at the Yaletown Station) and I when out of town on Sunday missing the opening. This was made worse by my wife, who never really knew what all the holes were for, stopped walking 6 blocks to work & has been "subway girl" since Tuesday AM. She loves it.

2. YVR HAS TO DO a better job. I knew where to go to get from domestic arrivals to the station. A number of people asked me if I knew the way. The issue is the very small YVR signs. (which is normal at YVR and a complaint of mine about YVR for quite some time) and the almost total lack of advertising for the train.

3. TransLink's (or who ever) fair machines NEED TO BE FIXED. If I didn't know it was 2 zones to Yaletown I wouldn't have been able to tell. My wife says there is a line, but without my reading glasses I couldn't see it. I will check next week when I go out of town again. A the very least, the fare dividing line is not really obvious. Imagine someone who doesn't read English. I also had to help a person with using their card. The 3 light thing that is not very well explained either.

4. Sucks TO BE YOU to the Lower Mainland cabbies who are wining about lost fares. If the YVR & Vancouver cabbies weren't the worst I have used anywhere in the world (including ones in China that try to give you change with counterfeit money) I might have almost shed a tear. Our cabs are a reason NOT to come to the Olympics in Vancouver.

5. The train I was on was more than half full, most with suit cases. Worked well. I was very happy as were the pax around me. I believe it was more pax than some projected in the beginning.

6. Speed, service, ride, customer service etc. 4 3/4 stars to the 3P for a job well done. You loose 1/4 for 3 above and 7 below.

7. Yaletown station. Great including the prebuy return ticket booth for people attending the football game. Only issue was the upper escalator that was out of service. My wife warned me and I used the elevator. She says its been down from day 1. It is the same escalator that I watched them try an install but it wouldn't fit in its concrete form. They took the unit away, jack hammered out the form and re-poured the concrete, the reinstalled the escalator. My uneducated guess is they twisted something and I suspect we will see it out of service very frequently over the years because it will continue to break down because of alignment issues.

Tax money well spent for once. I will be on it again next Sunday and all our future trips to YVR will be on the RAV even when the surcharge is added.

[mr.x]

Thanks for the diagram lightrail! Really nice work there.


It's a shame there aren't more track switches along the line....are there really none along the Richmond portion?

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Thanks for the diagram lightrail! Really nice work there.


It's a shame there aren't more track switches along the line....are there really none along the Richmond portion?

Not that I know and I just checked Google and don't see any - they're easy to see.

With the setup - trains from Waterfront can be reversed:
1. at Broadway City Hall
2. at 41st Avenue
3. at Marine (by using the switch just before the bridge)
4. at Bridgeport
5. at Templeton
6. at Sea Island Way
7. at Lansdowne

and of course the end of the track. Being automated, switching trains to the other track and reversing only takes a few seconds.

Three trains can be stabled on the running lines:
1. one in Waterfront on the unused platform
2. one between switches at the end of the double track between Sea Island and YVR Airport
3. one between switches at the end of the double track between Lansdowne and Richmond-Brighouse

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by mrjauk

To make these long-haul riders happy, let's give them an alternative. I suggest a pilot project that begins sometime in mid-September (after the 7th September start of integration). Let's have two buses that continue to do the long-haul, but charge enough so that 81% of the cost is no longer subsidized. Charge a fare that is consistent with a what a full busload of passengers would have to generate in revenue so that the total subsidy is average for a Lower Mainland bus route. [Does anybody know what the average farebox recovery for a LM bus route is?]

Good idea. The WCE TrainBus service could easily be extended south to the fringes of the region and carry riders downtown on a premium single-seat service that charges a commensurate price. I would love it if Translink were to adopt a GO Transit system of long distance suburban buses that both feed and pick up from SkyTrain and run downtown. I do think that a fair number of people who took the highway coaches won't bother with SkyTrain but would be prepared to pay a premium to keep their single-seat trip.

With that said, the ProTrans concessionaire agreement has that magic 100,000 daily passenger (passengers or boardings?) number that needs to be met. Perhaps the WCE Train Bus could be introduced once the mayors of the outter suburbs throw their support behind Translink's $450M/yr expansion plan.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by AMTDGT

2. YVR HAS TO DO a better job. I knew where to go to get from domestic arrivals to the station. A number of people asked me if I knew the way. The issue is the very small YVR signs. (which is normal at YVR and a complaint of mine about YVR for quite some time) and the almost total lack of advertising for the train.

It does make me wonder what reason YVR has not aggressively advertised the Canada Line service. To keep "fair" opportunity to some taxi companies and limos? (which as reported have contract with YVR)

4. Sucks TO BE YOU to the Lower Mainland cabbies who are wining about lost fares. If the YVR & Vancouver cabbies weren't the worst I have used anywhere in the world (including ones in China that try to give you change with counterfeit money) I might have almost shed a tear. Our cabs are a reason NOT to come to the Olympics in Vancouver.

China taxi services in major cities has been improving, while Vancouver cabbies never. In China, you have to be selective about the taxi companies though

[Yume-sama]

Well, I have now taken the entire Canada Line and my review:

OH MY GOD IT'S TOO FRICKEN SMALL!!! And buggy.

To start off, at VCC, 1 machine accepts only coins, 1 machine accepts only bills, and 1 machine accepts only credit. All of the seating was already gone, too.

At Broadway City Hall, the train unexpectedly stopped before the station. An announcement came on saying that due to a technical problem, service to YVR has been discontinued. A few stops later he came back on saying that train service has been restored, so the train is bound for YVR again and not for Richmond-Brighouse, of course all of the signs from the previous stations had said Richmond-Brighouse instead of YVR, so a bunch of people had to get off at Bridgeport. At Bridgeport, the already nearly capacity train, became a CRUSH LOAD train, it was PACKED beyond belief and ability to breathe, most trains in Japan aren't this busy. The next few stops saw more people trying to squeeze on to the train, but some elected to wait. It was insanely busy, and people with tons of luggage and big backpacks significantly reduced the number of people that could fit on.

At YVR there were hundreds of people lined up for the train with luggage, HUNDREDS, the lineup extended down the pathways to Domestic and International. People were not going to fit all on 1, or possibly even 2 trains. And, they were all just standing around in a non-uniform way, making it extremely hard to exit the train, and of course, people were getting on the train at the same time a COMPLETELY PACKED train was trying to exit, creating a lot of bumping.

We elected to take a taxi back downtown, as after my friend arrived the lines were not any better.

Avoid this train at all costs during the 2010 Olympics.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Well, I have now taken the entire Canada Line and my review:

OH MY GOD IT'S TOO FRICKEN SMALL!!! And buggy.

To start off, at VCC, 1 machine accepts only coins, 1 machine accepts only bills, and 1 machine accepts only credit. All of the seating was already gone, too.

At Broadway City Hall, the train unexpectedly stopped before the station. An announcement came on saying that due to a technical problem, service to YVR has been discontinued. A few stops later he came back on saying that train service has been restored, so the train is bound for YVR again and not for Richmond-Brighouse, of course all of the signs from the previous stations had said Richmond-Brighouse instead of YVR, so a bunch of people had to get off at Bridgeport. At Bridgeport, the already nearly capacity train, became a CRUSH LOAD train, it was PACKED beyond belief and ability to breathe, most trains in Japan aren't this busy. The next few stops saw more people trying to squeeze on to the train, but some elected to wait. It was insanely busy, and people with tons of luggage and big backpacks significantly reduced the number of people that could fit on.

At YVR there were hundreds of people lined up for the train with luggage, HUNDREDS, the lineup extended down the pathways to Domestic and International. People were not going to fit all on 1, or possibly even 2 trains. And, they were all just standing around in a non-uniform way, making it extremely hard to exit the train, and of course, people were getting on the train at the same time a COMPLETELY PACKED train was trying to exit, creating a lot of bumping.

We elected to take a taxi back downtown, as after my friend arrived the lines were not any better.

Avoid this train at all costs during the 2010 Olympics.

I hate to say that I was right about the whole line being far too small....and this is just the beginning, day 6.

It's rather depressing really to hear these stories just days after it opens.

The line is a victim of its own success, and bus integration hasn't even happened yet. September 7th is going to be a gong show, especially at Bridgeport.



It's time to bring back the platform length discussion, unfortunately. It should have been built to accommodate 80-metre platforms....a lot more room for people to wait on the platform for the train, and obviously a lot more capacity for both today and the future. The number of ticket vending machines at each station is also obviously in accordance to their ridership projections, which they grossly underestimated....so really, that tells you about their entire design for the line.

Really, they need to buy more TVM's asap....in the meantime, borrow some TVM's from some of the less busier SkyTrain stations. And certainly, start thinking about buying more trains.

[Political_R]

I agree, they should've built it for expansion.

They should have been ready for 2 minute combined service frequencies instead of the 4 minute top frequencies minimum. The minimum frequency should have been 5 minutes combined. 10 minutes is unacceptable and I hope they will change that to promote off peak travel. Most of us figured it would be successful and we were right.

Say, how much did Templeton cost to build and was it worth it? Would double tracks be needed at YVR and Richmond for 3 minute frequencies on each branch?

[nname]

Originally Posted by Political_R

Would double tracks be needed at YVR and Richmond for 3 minute frequencies on each branch?

The train takes 48 seconds to clear the first switch and 54 seconds to clear the second switch between YVR and Sea Island Centre, so a headway of 2min 30sec is probably possible for each branch without double tracking.

[GeeCee]

Do they ever run both platforms at Waterfront? Both times I've been there they've had one train parked out of service..

I'm not sure if Yume-sama's experience can really be considered typical given the problems with the line.. but we've been hearing a lot of reports of issues with the YVR branch the last couple of days. What the heck is going on?

[mezzanine]

Took a ride to brighouse today:

-transit use at the richmond stations is heavy. on top of that, the platform, although can be expanded linearly, seem to be narrow. Take less frequent service and wider trains = very crowded platforms. This problem is exacerbated by attempts at the trains trying to catch up - a train dwelled for about 10 seconds before leaving, leading to a lot of crowd surging and a frazzled c-line attendant.

-I saw a lot of elderly amahs on the train - too endearing! i wonder if these are still looky-loos or if this is an unforeseen demographic - elderly chinese folks who cannot drive, but like to take the train.

-a lot of passengers seem to be people who live in south vancouver and go food shopping in richmond.

-the a/c may be adequate for the tunnels, but severely underpowered above ground in the summer sun.

I suppose i should be happy that the c-line is wildly popular...

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Took a ride to brighouse today:

-transit use at the richmond stations is heavy. on top of that, the platform, although can be expanded linearly, seem to be narrow. Take less frequent service and wider trains = very crowded platforms. This problem is exacerbated by attempts at the trains trying to catch up - a train dwelled for about 10 seconds before leaving, leading to a lot of crowd surging and a frazzled c-line attendant.

-I saw a lot of elderly amahs on the train - too endearing! i wonder if these are still looky-loos or if this is an unforeseen demographic - elderly chinese folks who cannot drive, but like to take the train.

-a lot of passengers seem to be people who live in south vancouver and go food shopping in richmond.

-the a/c may be adequate for the tunnels, but severely underpowered above ground in the summer sun.

I suppose i should be happy that the c-line is wildly popular...

This is getting ridiculous....I've been a huge critic of the Canada Line's capacity, but I never thought capacity problems would emerge so early....days, not even years (2-3 years).

I'm not looking forward to September 7th at all.

I'm happy that it's popular, but not to the point where it become a victim of its own success.