Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[logan5]

Originally Posted by nname

I'm sure it meant to say getting from Coquitlam City Centre to Lougheed in 15 minutes.

Of course! I'm so dense.

[Millennium2002]

Hmm... why is Bombardier of all things being forced to bid on a project that it'll technically win by default? I mean, it's the only company capable of providing the ALRT cars other than Kawasaki, and they are not on the list... =S

[Metro-One]

Please correct me but are they needed for the construction of the guide-way and stations. Seems to me we would only need Bombardier for the rolling stock.

Anyways, if you were to re-read what is posted above today 15 minutes is the length of journey, for it also states that the trains will operate with 3 minute head-ways during peak periods to start.

Fantastic news, getting my camera revved up already for taking some pictures once construction starts!

[Mac Write]

Canada line all over again? Bombier looses since there bid is higher even though they will give big discounts but aren't allowed to include in the bid. Sigh. Canada Line just feels so corporate and non Vancouver.

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

Hmm... why is Bombardier of all things being forced to bid on a project that it'll technically win by default? I mean, it's the only company capable of providing the ALRT cars other than Kawasaki, and they are not on the list... =S

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Please correct me but are they needed for the construction of the guide-way and stations. Seems to me we would only need Bombardier for the rolling stock.

Anyways, if you were to re-read what is posted above today 15 minutes is the length of journey, for it also states that the trains will operate with 3 minute head-ways during peak periods to start.

Fantastic news, getting my camera revved up already for taking some pictures once construction starts!

The rolling stock is not part of the tender:

TransLink will provide the vehicles, fare collection and fare gate equipment required for the Evergreen Line but the contractor will have to make sure the vehicles run seamlessly between the old and new parts of the Millennium Line and make sure the facilities can support the fare collection system.

[Xerx]

Providing the reaction rails perhaps?

[queetz@home]

Just reading all these posts. So essentially, by "early 2012", all those prep work (i.e. North Road widening, CPR track relocating) will start happening and once the contract is awarded by summer, construction of the actual Evergreen Line will begin shortly after?

Am I misinterpreting or misreading anything? So essentially starting "early 2012", we'll be seeing some actual digging, physical signs of progress and all?

Just need to be sure if I got this right...

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Xerx

Providing the reaction rails perhaps?

That's just a piece of metal bolted to the middle of the track. Nothing special - can be easily made to spec.

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Just reading all these posts. So essentially, by "early 2012", all those prep work (i.e. North Road widening, CPR track relocating) will start happening and once the contract is awarded by summer, construction of the actual Evergreen Line will begin shortly after?

Am I misinterpreting or misreading anything? So essentially starting "early 2012", we'll be seeing some actual digging, physical signs of progress and all?

Just need to be sure if I got this right...

Sounds right.
That work is "by others" - so they'll be under separate tender and given the "small" scope of each project, can probably be awarded quickly.

[hollywoodnorth]

I would say within 4-5 months we should see some action!

[BCPhil]

Here are some interesting tidbits in the summary of the scope of the project in the RFP.

SUMMARY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SCOPE
 Obtaining necessary permits, approvals and authorizations, including those required pursuant to applicable federal and provincial regulatory requirements and legislation
 Site preparation including, where applicable, demolition of existing buildings
 Design and Construction of Guideway along the approximately 11-kilometre-long Alignment, including a combination of elevated and at-grade Guideway for approximately nine kilometres and approximately two kilometres through Bored Tunnel
 Design and Construction of an expansion of the existing Lougheed Town Centre Station and five new Stations and associated facilities
 Design and Construction of a Vehicle Storage Facility
 Design, supply, installation and integration of Systems
 Road and other civil works required to accommodate the Project
 Utility relocations and other Utility Work
 Traffic Management, including maintenance of residential and commercial access along the Alignment
 Integration of the Evergreen Line with the Existing SkyTrain System including the existing Systems and the Existing SkyTrain System vehicle fleet
 Testing, commissioning and integration of all Evergreen Line components including necessary coordination with TransLink personnel

So the 3 platform station at Lougheed is for sure. And a storage facility? It also mentions that they need to plan for 3 potential future stations. Hmmmm, I wonder where they are.

[Gordon]

It sounds like the Columbia to Lougheed section will be a shuttle.

I wopnder if the expo Line serice in 2016 shorrt trurns at Metrotown?

[s211]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Sigh. Canada Line just feels so corporate and non Vancouver.

Umm, why exactly?

Because it doesn't run on elf tears and unicorn farts?

[LeftCoaster]

Any reason why they wouldn't construct the station with the millennium spur ending in the middle allowing passengers to disembark from either side of the train to go into Coquitlam or Vancouver?

In this sort of configuration:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Sorry if it has already been discussed but I don't remember seeing anything about it.

[red-paladin]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Here are some interesting tidbits in the summary of the scope of the project in the RFP.



So the 3 platform station at Lougheed is for sure. And a storage facility? It also mentions that they need to plan for 3 potential future stations. Hmmmm, I wonder where they are.

The PDFs showed reserved spots in West Port Moody, Falcon, and Lincoln

[crazyjoeda]

Sigh. Canada Line just feels so corporate and non Vancouver.

Originally Posted by s211

Umm, why exactly?

Because it doesn't run on elf tears and unicorn farts?

The Canada Line branding doesn't fit. The colour scheme, typography, symbols and information design don't conform to Trans-Links standards. I understand Canada Line is operated by a separate company but it's still part of Trans-link and the look and feel should seamlessly integrate with the rest of the system. The Canada Line has a very conservative and bland look.

Not to mention the stations were built to minimum standards. All stations look identical, but the real issue is the platforms are too short to accommodate future expansion and most stations only have up escalators, which is a pain especially for airport travellers with luggage.

At the end of the day the line is functional and as a regular user I'm very happy with it for the most part, but some aspects could be better.

[s211]

Originally Posted by crazyjoeda

The Canada Line branding doesn't fit. The colour scheme, typography, symbols and information design don't conform to Trans-Links standards. I understand Canada Line is operated by a separate company but it's still part of Trans-link and the look and feel should seamlessly integrate with the rest of the system. The Canada Line has a very conservative and bland look.

Not to mention the stations were built to minimum standards. All stations look identical, but the real issue is the platforms are too short to accommodate future expansion and most stations only have up escalators, which is a pain especially for airport travellers with luggage.

At the end of the day the line is functional and as a regular user I'm very happy with it for the most part, but some aspects could be better.

The short stations are un-Vancouver? The city where small is somehow holy? Say it isn't so!

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by crazyjoeda

The Canada Line branding doesn't fit. The colour scheme, typography, symbols and information design don't conform to Trans-Links standards. I understand Canada Line is operated by a separate company but it's still part of Trans-link and the look and feel should seamlessly integrate with the rest of the system. The Canada Line has a very conservative and bland look.

Not to mention the stations were built to minimum standards. All stations look identical, but the real issue is the platforms are too short to accommodate future expansion and most stations only have up escalators, which is a pain especially for airport travellers with luggage.

At the end of the day the line is functional and as a regular user I'm very happy with it for the most part, but some aspects could be better.

I use the Canada Line everyday now, and I actually love it! To me the stations are clean and very functional, all I want from a station! (trust me, the vast majority of metro stations in the world are conservative / bland, look at any JR or Hankyu station in Japan).

I actually prefer the rolling stock (for someone over 6 feet tall the leg room is great and the wider cars make it feel far more comfortable physiologically IMO)

As for capacity, I am not worried at all, I believe that it has been shown on here several times that ridership can comfortably nearly triple if the third C cars are added and the trains are run at their minimal headways (of course this will require the ordering of more A/B cars as well).

Also, not having down escalators is quite common on most metros i have ridden, unless they are hub stations. With that said, outside of the airport stations, Bridgeport, Waterfront and Vancouver City Centre should all have down escalators, the rest don't need them, the elevators are enough. (maybe Broadway when the M line is extended and it becomes a true hub).

Overall i would give the C-line a score of 8 out of 10, which is pretty good. (comparatively I would only give Seattle's new LRT line a 5 out of 10)

In fact, nothing — more now than transferring at Waterfront form a nice C-Line car to — old Mark 1 Expo line car with layers of newspapers thrown throughout it. (that being said I do love the new Mark 2 cars, and would rank them on par with the C-Line cars).

just my 2 cents, i feel when it comes to mass transit we get spoiled in Metro Vancouver (especially in North American terms). The C-Line is better and more "big city" IMO than any of the new LRT projects built throughout the US.

[Metro-One]

Anyways, back on track, it looks like to me according the this diagram that Officedweller posted that the M line will not be a shuttle between Columbia and Lougheed but will interline with the Expo Line and run from Waterfront to Lougheed.

[Gordon]

If the minimum headways are 90s on the c line than capacity won't be an issue for a while. even 108s (combined e&M line would be a 65+ % increase in capacity, so the short platforms are not that much of a problem.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Any reason why they wouldn't construct the station with the millennium spur ending in the middle allowing passengers to disembark from either side of the train to go into Coquitlam or Vancouver?

In this sort of configuration:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Sorry if it has already been discussed but I don't remember seeing anything about it.

That would function well for transfers in both directions, but would require them to build over/demolish the pre-built north guideway and switch (which are currently configured for a "side platform" arrangement.

Your arrangement would also require criss-crossing of trains east of the station (although the original plans for the routings also involved criss-crossing of trains, so that may not be a big deal).

The RFP asked for innovation in the bids - so maybe (hopefully) one of the proponents will suggest this.
One aspect I would hope they preserve is the ability to run through trains bteween New West and VCC-Clark.