Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Random question: I have often wondered why there has never been talk about extending the Expo Line toward Gastown and beyond. The Waterfront terminus is pointed in the right direction, and it could follow the edge of the railyard for a very long way, potentially all the way to the PNE. It could service a lot of communities in that direction, at a much lower cost than building through the street grid. Has anyone ever heard talk of this at any point, going back to the 80's?

I'm sure the idea of extending Expo Line East along Hastings has been thought about before. And I do feel that one day it will be built out to at least Sperling. In fact I think it should somehow connect to the Millinium Line around Production Way.

But at the same time I also realize that there are other priorities that must be done before this one is even thought of. Evergreen, Broadway, and Massive investment into Surrey.

[The_Henry_Man]

Originally Posted by DKaz

New ticket vending machines in action on the West Coast Express.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM1tBUMjxpM

Looks complicated to use. And what about if they can extend the GO2 card system to the rest of the Skyrain system?

[Millennium2002]

It has been thought of... but making one super-long line isn't really the best way to go... if one part of the system has a problem then everything else gets pulled down with it...

btw check out the Transit Fantasies thread as we've discussed about this already...

the WCE machines look a little funky to use from the video...

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

It has been thought of... but making one super-long line isn't really the best way to go... if one part of the system has a problem then everything else gets pulled down with it...

btw check out the Transit Fantasies thread as we've discussed about this already...

Yes, I've seen the various maps with rainbow-colored lines drawn all over. :-) But running SkyTrain a few more kilometers alongside the existing railway right-of-way would seem to be a very cheap way to extend rapid transit service to more neighbourhoods. Certainly cheaper than any other expansion option.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by The_Henry_Man

Looks complicated to use. And what about if they can extend the GO2 card system to the rest of the Skyrain system?

It's actually very easy. Translink is waiting until 2011 to implement faregates and smartcards. The GO2 Card is more like a reloadable cash card than a true transit smartcard. West Coast Express will never have faregates though, just attendants checking fares at Waterfront everyday except when they're assisting customers with ticket purchases on the complicated old machines. There's also the odd westbound farechecks with police on board.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Yes, I've seen the various maps with rainbow-colored lines drawn all over. :-) But running SkyTrain a few more kilometers alongside the existing railway right-of-way would seem to be a very cheap way to extend rapid transit service to more neighbourhoods. Certainly cheaper than any other expansion option.

As much as running the skytrain down the tracks would be a very low cost way to extend the line, I think it would be much more prudent to wait and spend more later to run the line under hastings.

a line running down the tracks would not hit enough of the population base imo, and i think on a per dollar basis a line down hastings would be more cost effective.

the tracks would be more effectively used by putting another WCE station somewhere in Vancouver (PNE area) and linking it up with an east west hastings extension of the expo line.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Yes, I've seen the various maps with rainbow-colored lines drawn all over. :-) But running SkyTrain a few more kilometers alongside the existing railway right-of-way would seem to be a very cheap way to extend rapid transit service to more neighbourhoods. Certainly cheaper than any other expansion option.

I think we'll see it get more attention when the East Side gentrifies. A station in China Town, and terminating at Renfrew.

Then again, if faced with the choice of extending SkyTrain there or a new line that would terminate around Denman... that would be a hard decision.

[officedweller]

Agreed that there are other priorities - but a station with a link to Maple Tree Square near the Gassy Jack statue would be great - togther with a railway overpass to the north and Crab Park. I suspect that it won't be built until the port lands are developed and the railway lands are decked over).

[tom_g]

Ballantyne pier seems like a gong show everytime a cruise ship is docked there and is a terrible place for a visitor's first impression of the city. I wonder if that could be served by such an extension.

Of course I'm in agreement this is a very low priority compared to other projects.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by tom_g

Ballantyne pier seems like a gong show everytime a cruise ship is docked there and is a terrible place for a visitor's first impression of the city. I wonder if that could be served by such an extension.

Of course I'm in agreement this is a very low priority compared to other projects.

I agree. Ballantyne pier is in a lousy location and I think one of the many reasons some cruise ship lines are defecting back to Seattle. Making tourists take a taxi through the lower east side doesn't help in generating good word of mouth and reviews about the cruise.

However, I would also agree any future Skytrain Extension should go down Hastings, which is a bit too far to get people to and from Ballantyne with luggage.

But, I think the Ballantyne port problem could be sorted out with 100% private funds, and keep Skytrain possibilities for commuters. The port facility is right on existing tracks, that run between there and Waterfront station. A small platform could be built down from the Seabus walkway on the North Side of the rail yard. The Port and Cruise ships could contract with CP to run a shuttle train. Then on cruise ship days the train could just run back and forth every few minutes.

I think our whole cruise ship port system could be improved. I was down there the other week when the 4 ships were docked. It was a mad house. The Canada Line was so busy with people getting to the terminal, and I don't think I've ever seen so many suitcases in Waterfront Station.

But at the same time, people had no idea where they were going. I think it would be better to have a large facility located near Waterfront station instead of buried under the Pan Pacific Hotel. When you are on your own (not in a taxi) the actual cruise ship terminal entrance is kind of hard to find. You have to walk into the Convention center or the Hotel (kind of counter intuitive if you ask me) then notice the fairly plain looking stairs that go down to the terminal. Rather lack-luster if you ask me. It should be grandiose and amazing; a nice goodbye or welcoming hello.

If they had a nice big lobby next to Waterfront Station, everyone could go there, then either walk down a walkway into Canada Place, or take a shuttle train to Ballantyne (no need to actually know which port you need to find). I hope something is part of the proposed Waterfront upgrades.

[Gordon]

Cruise ship terminals tend to be in industrian areas Seattle's new Terminal share's space with the Alaska Salmon Fleet. The 2 Royal Carribean international owned lines that use Ballantyne Pier prefer that terminal & have requested that berth. Air tranpotation & the need for a pasport are the main reasons we are losing traffic to Seattle.

[twoNeurons]

Seattle's port location is crappy too. At least one of them is. Holland America and Princess's port.

[mr.x]

Beijing's newest subway line is about to open...pics from SSC. They definitely perfected the signage....then again, they copied the Hong Kong MTR right to the pixel.

[Metro-One]

One thing I have always wondered is how come skytrain has no manned info / help booths at any of our stations? In almost every other metro system I have been on there would be such booths at many high volume stations (usually placed around the platform entrances or ticket turnstiles). It makes it much easier if you are a tourist taking the system, you just have to look for the "info" symbol. We should at least have these at our hub stations (Columbia, Broadway-Commercial, Waterfront, Birdgeport) and also at such stations as Metrotown, Granville, City Center, YVR and Lougheed.

[ryanmaccdn]

Ill give them huge points for efficiency, but the asian ideal of interior design (esthetically) leaves me really disappointed.

[metroXpress]

^ exactly, we would really need those people once we have all the faregates/smartcards. They would be able to assist us with many techincal issues or simply answer some of our questions

Stronger presence of people= safer station!


* I hope Vancouver gets those faregates shown above in the pics!



And these maps are excellent for people to know where they are at and where the train is heading.
Lots of metro systems around the world have these.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by ryanmaccdn

Ill give them huge points for efficiency, but the asian ideal of interior design (esthetically) leaves me really disappointed.

Agreed. There are a few stations in Beijing's Metro that stand out (love the one's on the ABC line) but most of them are pretty depressing looking.

[ryanmaccdn]

Originally Posted by deasine

Agreed. There are a few stations in Beijing's Metro that stand out (love the one's on the ABC line) but most of them are pretty depressing looking.

I think its the florescent lighting.... ohh and the floor/wall tile that reminds me of the office building in Die Hard. LoL

[Kwik-E-Mart]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Beijing's newest subway line is about to open...pics from SSC. They definitely perfected the signage....then again, they copied the Hong Kong MTR right to the pixel.

That's because MTR has a stake in Beijing's Line 4 and will operate it for the next 30 years: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_4,_Beijing_Subway

[Waders]

I feel jealous knowing other cites have such an efficient rapid transport system.
I feel depressed reading the following new articles. It looks like the LRT vs Skytrain arguement just wouldn't stop.

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090929_220852_2196

Light rail groups renew call to scrap SkyTrain expansion
Groups say light rail is a less expensive option

Bruce Claggett TRI-CITIES (NEWS1130) 2009-09-29 19:15

The two groups have called for light-rail in the past (Photo: Courtesy Rail for the Valley)TRI-CITIES (NEWS1130) - Two community action groups are calling on senior governments to scrap plans for SkyTrain expansion and concentrate on at-grade light rail, which they say is a less expensive option.

The request comes from the community action groups ‘Rail for the Valley’ and the ‘Light Rail Committee’ who are calling for an at-grade light rail system for both Surrey and the Tri-Cities area .They say local mayors, like Surrey's Dianne Watts, already understand the potential exists to rapidly expand the light rail network using a mixture of track-sharing.

The Light Rail Committee also says the proposed Evergreen expansion is not the wisest choice. The group says the Tri-Cities area would be better off with diesel-electric light rail vehicles, which is something the Committee proposed years ago.