Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[Spork]

Does anybody have any idea what happens to transit for the time change tonight? At 2:00am, it turns to 1:00am. Does that mean that transit will be running an hour extra, or do they register their time switchover for the start of the next day's service?

[DKaz]

Something interesting, a transparent VW assembly factory downtown. The highlight midway through the video is a light rail cargo train carrying parts to the factory using public light rail lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd5WGLWNllA

Perhaps we can inspire to move away not only from passenger vehicles but also from delivery trucks.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Something interesting, a transparent VW assembly factory downtown. The highlight midway through the video is a light rail cargo train carrying parts to the factory using public light rail lines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd5WGLWNllA

Perhaps we can inspire to move away not only from passenger vehicles but also from delivery trucks.

Yup. This tram vehicle is called the CarGoTram. Not that I can understand or translate, but the photos in this presentation is self explanatory.
http://www.dvb.de/downloads/de/Die-DVB-AG/Zahlen-Daten/CarGoTram/cargotram_070426.pdf

[kylemacmac]

That's probably the coolest factory I've ever seen. Amazing that it uses light rail, which many of us think creates great urban environments, to deliver parts to a factory to create cars, which many of us think destroys great urban environments.

On street LRT is a neat take on the ol' freight car to the back of factory delivery systems of days gone by. I think this type of delivery could be economical to some degree, but only with an extremely developed freight rail system to move the loads into place efficiently. Also, it this wasn't a central city showpiece factory, with strong local pressure to not have trucks, most likely trucks would be delivering these parts to the factory door.

Again, awesome factory.

So, all we have to do is put back in all the streetcar and heavy rail tracks we've ripped up over the last century around Vancouver, and voila, instant showpiece VW factory! Prost.

[zivan56]

That factory is one of the most expensive in the world to operate. They only make the Phaeton there...which they stopped selling in North America because it was ridiculously overpriced even for a VW. If there was ever an award for the most unprofitable factory/waste of space, this is it. It is more of a statement than an actual factory IMO.

[biketrouble]

The Phaeton is an amazing car though, if you're a car geek. Definitely a vanity project for the VW management at the time and a marketing disaster, but an amazing car nonetheless. There have been rumours that it is coming back to North America too. The Phaeton platform was also used to build (in a completely different factory) the Bentley Continental & Flying Spur - and it's been a huge success for them in that form.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Vancity

I don't understand why Translink doesn't install the fare gates on skytrain stations, if most people are abusing the "honor system". Doesn't that make sense? If people are coming onto the stations, and they're not being checked most of the time, then that means that Translink is losing money. I think I remember that they were going to install fare gates by either 2010 or 2011? I'd welcome the additions of the fare gates to the skytrain system.

For some reason Translink seems to have dug in their heels at the idea of putting in fare gates, despite the fact its near standard everywhere else.

Too bad Falcon was moved out of transportation, he had the guts to take them to task over their foot-dragging.

[SpongeG]

they rebranded the VW Phateon for North America - its now sold as the Audi A8

[Alex Mackinnon]

... actually they're just platform mates. The Audi a8 is a completely different car, for instance its an aluminum space frame instead. The phaeton is still in production in europe and may potentially come back to NA.

[SpongeG]

ah - i read though that they replaced the phaeton in the USA with the A8 - maybe thats what it meant - an $100,000 audi was sellable in the states but not a $100,000 VW

[Zassk]

I am all for increased ridership, but I don't think our bus system needs this kind of ridership....:

http://laughingsquid.com/raccoons-line-up-to-ride-san-francisco-muni-bus/

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by Zassk

I am all for increased ridership, but I don't think our bus system needs this kind of ridership....:

http://laughingsquid.com/raccoons-line-up-to-ride-san-francisco-muni-bus/

I'd rather have them taking the bus rather than each of them in SOVs..

[jlousa]

Looks like the city has given the planning dept the green light to look at the area around the expo and millenium line stations. But it will not be happening until late next year, once the Cambie corridor work nears completion. The Cambie corridor work is going very smoothly and better then expected.

Do not expect to see towers like Joyce around stations though, indications are for more density but in more human scale developments.

I would not be the least bit surprised to see a B-Line installed along Kingsway with New West to D/T service within the decade.

[deasine]

That means it's pretty much parallel to the Expo Line... interesting.

[jlousa]

The line would parallel skytrain for a portion but serve a different demographic, Kingsway is expected to densify quite a bit, and the line would serve to connect the existing and future hubs together more so then having people ride end to end.
There is also concern about rezoning around the expo line in Vancouver due to the system being full already by the time the trains enter the city, a somewhat parallel line is seen as reducing some of that strain.

[red-paladin]

I've often though Kingsway would be good for a streetcar or LRT.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I've often though Kingsway would be good for a streetcar or LRT.

Great idea! I've often thought the same thing myself. Kingsway lends itself to such a facility, and such a routing.

[WarrenC12]

We all know the solution to full trains: more frequency, and eventually, longer platforms for longer trains.

A future "Evergreen" route that runs from Coquitlam Centre to at least City Hall would do a lot to alleviate the Expo line's peak areas as well. Huge parts of the transit system are aligned to get people downtown on Expo. No wonder it's busy.

I'm not arguing against a few more buses on Kingsway, but LRT would be a mess to construct, and although it is wider than Broadway, it's simply not wide enough to accommodate LRT and car traffic.

[BCPhil]

A B Line down Kingsway? West of Metrotown it's already served well by the 19, and to the East of Metrotown, there are many bus routes that take you to New West. The 106 goes from Metrotown past Royal City Center. What more do you need?

It would be a much better investment to get Rapid bus service on King George from White Rock, and Fraser Highway from Langley, to Surrey Center.

[dreambrother808]

Why would running a B-line down Kingsway mean there could be no Rapid Bus in Surrey? Those Langley/White Rock/Surrey plans are already in place.

As for the 19 on Kingsway, it's a slow, well-used route that could use a B-line.