Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[lightrail]

Just thinking. London officials are here to learn. Interesting that Skytrain and Canada Line ridership is practically double a normal working day.

This would be the equivalent of London Underground handling an extra 3 million passenger per day. And like London, Skytrain is actually running at capacity without the Olympics. So on that score, Translink has done a wonderful job making this thing work. They have people at stations helping direct crowds and lost tourists; they are quick to reroute buses or add more where needed; and skytrain is quick to deploy more trains if needed. The only failing in my mind is allowing Canada Line last train to leave Waterfront at 1:15am, while the Expo and Millenium last trains leave at 2:15am.

BC Transit should have been contracted to run the Olympic Bus Network - they know what they're doing and we would most likely have had none of the problems the current system has.

[SpongeG]

i was on skytrain around 7 ish just after the hockey game i got on at waterfront at stadium the train was sardine packed - it got really slow before patterson - they made an announcement that the train ahead was going out of service! so we crawl into patterson and all the people who got booted off the train before were waiting to get on and it was really full again than we got to royal oak and crawled at a snails pace between it and edmonds - the train ahead of us was having some issue they said and we would pick up speed after edmonds - but there were trains following right behind as well

but why did they take a train out of service just after the hockey game - crazy idea

[Spork]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i was on skytrain around 7 ish just after the hockey game i got on at waterfront at stadium the train was sardine packed - it got really slow before patterson - they made an announcement that the train ahead was going out of service! so we crawl into patterson and all the people who got booted off the train before were waiting to get on and it was really full again than we got to royal oak and crawled at a snails pace between it and edmonds - the train ahead of us was having some issue they said and we would pick up speed after edmonds - but there were trains following right behind as well

but why did they take a train out of service just after the hockey game - crazy idea

Sounds like the train that was taken out of service was the same one having issues, thus having been taken out of service?

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i was on skytrain around 7 ish just after the hockey game i got on at waterfront at stadium the train was sardine packed - it got really slow before patterson - they made an announcement that the train ahead was going out of service! so we crawl into patterson and all the people who got booted off the train before were waiting to get on and it was really full again than we got to royal oak and crawled at a snails pace between it and edmonds - the train ahead of us was having some issue they said and we would pick up speed after edmonds - but there were trains following right behind as well

but why did they take a train out of service just after the hockey game - crazy idea

Breakdown - my guess is they wanted to get it back to the OMC to get the issue resolved and get it back in service ASAP. It obviously could still move but a safety feature limited the speed.

[teriyaki]

2 things to note.

Although most stations are moving along quite briskly in terms of actual line-ups to get on the trains, the TVMS are a whole different matter.

The TVM's on the canada line are always jam packed with long cluster lineups of atleast 20-30 people.

Also of note, I got off at Brighouse-Richmond at 11:30pm and the line-up to get on back to Waterfront was enormous. It stretched all the way down no.3 road and around the HSBC branch on the same block. People were generally content with waiting though, Our Lady Peace must have had a pretty decent show.

Picture was taken from around the corner on the south side of HSBC. First time I've seen the line-up this long.

[deasine]

Yeah lineups for the TVMs are crazy. I'm surprised to see how people don't purchase FareSavers in advance.

I've also noticed the Canada Line TVMs breakdown very easily. Quite often, one of the ones at Yaletown is out of service, but a SkyTrain contractor is quick to fix it.

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Amazing that the rail lines continue to run smoothly, day after day, moving far more people than they were designed for.

This coming weekend will be the peak for ridership, with excellent weather and rising enthusiasm for the Olympics, plus more events taking place than last weekend. Downtown is going to be insane.

There will be worldwide headlines if we have a SkyTrain snafu, now that everyone has learned to rely on the system.

^ Edit to comment on the Georgia Strait letter: I have no patience for articles like that. This is someone denying responsibility for their own bad decisions. If you had an extra half-hour to get to your destination, then why wouldn't you allocate that half-hour to lining up for the Canada Line that you usually take, knowing it will be the most reliable service even if it has waits?

Or if the skytrain system doesn't break down. It could be viewed as a great system.

Originally Posted by lightrail

By the same token, the stats for Canada Line and Expo are also meaningless because we have tourist with free passes in town.

You missed my point.

And I disagree with your ridership figures - yes it will be less, but not as dismal as you predict.

Actually the tourists who are getting on for free for the events have paid. The price of the transit fair was included in the event ticket they are going to. For all the other tourists not going to an event they have to pay like everyone else.

Originally Posted by teriyaki

2 things to note.

Although most stations are moving along quite briskly in terms of actual line-ups to get on the trains, the TVMS are a whole different matter.

The TVM's on the canada line are always jam packed with long cluster lineups of atleast 20-30 people.

Also of note, I got off at Brighouse-Richmond at 11:30pm and the line-up to get on back to Waterfront was enormous. It stretched all the way down no.3 road and around the HSBC branch on the same block. People were generally content with waiting though, Our Lady Peace must have had a pretty decent show.

Picture was taken from around the corner on the south side of HSBC. First time I've seen the line-up this long.

Are most of the major lines for the TVMS or to get on the train. I ask as I have a monthly pass. So am I looking to have to wait in line for a train or will I be bypassing the lineup as I can just walk right down to the platform.

I'm taking my parents downtown on Sunday to see the sights. Of course they don't have to pay cause I'm covering them. So it would be nice to walk past everyone

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by cabotp

Are most of the major lines for the TVMS or to get on the train. I ask as I have a monthly pass. So am I looking to have to wait in line for a train or will I be bypassing the lineup as I can just walk right down to the platform.

I'm taking my parents downtown on Sunday to see the sights. Of course they don't have to pay cause I'm covering them. So it would be nice to walk past everyone

For starters, one of your parents is free while traveling with you. Your monthly pass covers one additional adult and up to 4 kids on Sundays and holidays.

The line-ups for the TVMs are pretty constant. I'd just get a day pass from 7-11 ( do they still sell those at 7-11? ) for your other parent.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by lightrail

You mean something like this? This is on the platform and shows all station served from that platform. The station you're at is at the top, so stations in the other direction are not shown. Maps like this are also placed as way finding to get to the correct platform.



Source:z.about.com

That's exactly what i mean ( i couldn't find an image, thanks! )

They have these at any fork in a station, where you have to make a decision. France does the same thing.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by cabotp

Are most of the major lines for the TVMS or to get on the train.

As far as I understand, the major lineups found around 3pm-6pm each day in Downtown stations southbound, Broadway northbound, King Ed northbound, Aberdeen northbound are controlled lineups to get to the platform to board.

See the buzzerblog photo taken by Jhenifer


At other times or situations, the "smaller" lineups you may discover are for TVMs

If you are not using C-Line, I don't think there is any lineup to worry.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by cabotp

I'm taking my parents downtown on Sunday to see the sights. Of course they don't have to pay cause I'm covering them. So it would be nice to walk past everyone

Arrive downtown before noon, and leave after 7pm. It would be the best bet to avoid the major transit crowd from my experience

[CLC]

I got off at Brighouse-Richmond at 11:30pm and the line-up to get on back to Waterfront was enormous.

It is because Ozone shutdown at 11pm each day.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by Spork

Sounds like the train that was taken out of service was the same one having issues, thus having been taken out of service?

No kidding if it was going that slow and going out of service means it was having problems and they were working on getting that one out of the way. Driving it manually too, which is why it would have been going slow.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by CLC

As far as I understand, the major lineups found around 3pm-6pm each day in Downtown stations southbound, Broadway northbound, King Ed northbound, Aberdeen northbound are controlled lineups to get to the platform to board.

...

At other times or situations, the "smaller" lineups you may discover are for TVMs

If you are not using C-Line, I don't think there is any lineup to worry.

Another trick is DON'T use the entrance everyone else is using.

C-Line: try the entrance on Hastings/Granville opposite Birks.

E-Line & M-Line: Try using the street entrances at Howe/Cordova outside the PWC building, or from Sinclair Center, or from the Fairmont Waterfront hotel "Food Court & Shops" entrance.

So far, no lineups for me this week.

[Yume-sama]

I had several people ask me where the "subway" is lastnight. It's such a dignified word, isn't it? At first I thought they meant the restaurant.

But no, they mean the train. The "subway" to Richmond! Mmmm. We almost need to start calling it this.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

They have these at any fork in a station, where you have to make a decision. France does the same thing.

Like I said, similar maps are there, it's just on the opposite wall across from International News.

[Lover Fighter]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i was on skytrain around 7 ish just after the hockey game i got on at waterfront at stadium the train was sardine packed - it got really slow before patterson - they made an announcement that the train ahead was going out of service! so we crawl into patterson and all the people who got booted off the train before were waiting to get on and it was really full again than we got to royal oak and crawled at a snails pace between it and edmonds - the train ahead of us was having some issue they said and we would pick up speed after edmonds - but there were trains following right behind as well

but why did they take a train out of service just after the hockey game - crazy idea

I was actually on the train in front of you. One of the people who had boarded from the hockey game shattered a window (I boarded at Waterfront and there was a long wait for the train to pull into Stadium station). There didn't seem to be any mechanical issues with the train, just a safety issue. I didn't get on your train (I walked to Metrotown to get dinner instead) but when I jumped back on the skytrain I did notice a multiple train backup before New Westminster. I also noticed the train with the broken window in the skytrain yards getting an immediate fix!

[tybuilding]

A good report on transit from the British Press http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adrianwarner/2010/02/can_vancouvers_transport_succe.html

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

For starters, one of your parents is free while traveling with you. Your monthly pass covers one additional adult and up to 4 kids on Sundays and holidays.

The line-ups for the TVMs are pretty constant. I'd just get a day pass from 7-11 ( do they still sell those at 7-11? ) for your other parent.

Actually my mom already has a seniors pass. So I only have to cover my dad.

I'm also lucky in that I can take any of the lines to get home. So I will just see how things go.

[racc]

A few articles on transit.

Transit ridership doubles in early days of Games
http://www.francesbula.com/uncategorized/transit-ridership-doubles-in-early-days-of-games/

Vancouver transit posts record-breaking ridership
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/about-vancouver/news/newsid=46117.html

http://www.straight.com/article-291976/v...rts-olympic-guests-while-locals-miss-bus