Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[GeeCee]

New webcam up for Inlet Station construction.. very nice location IMO.

http://wcs.pbaeng.com/projects/R1_Transit

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

New webcam up for Inlet Station construction.. very nice location IMO.

http://wcs.pbaeng.com/projects/R1_Transit

Nice, thanks!

Pic with WCE - @ 30 min interval

Aug 20 @ 4:15:41 pm


Aug 20 @ 4:45:37 pm


http://wcs.pbaeng.com/projects/R1_Transit

[Mac Write]

For commuters who normally take the WCE from Coquitlam Station, will they instead take the Evergreen line to Broadway/Commercial and go downtown that way instal? Or will WCE traffic increase?

[officedweller]

It would depend on the commuter's final destination - the Evergreen Line would work as both a distributor (from WCE) and a feeder (to WCE).

[WarrenC12]

I agree with officedweller, although for any downtown destination the WCE will be waaaaaay faster.

[Rico]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

For commuters who normally take the WCE from Coquitlam Station, will they instead take the Evergreen line to Broadway/Commercial and go downtown that way instal? Or will WCE traffic increase?

I don't think they will be able to get more track time from CP rail, but ignoring that I would assume WCE use will increase because it is (and will continue to be) the fastest most convenient way to get downtown IF the schedule works for you...so when the Evergreen line is complete you could take the WCE in the morning (or reverse depending on your schedule) and come back via the Skytrain if you can't make the last WCE train....or if you show up for the WCE and just miss the train you could still just hop on the Skytrain. So they are complementary services and should help increase each others demand.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Yeah, thank you so much for the pics, dpogue and Elysia17! Much appreciate the updates.



I'm beginning to think that ramp will not be levelled out, given how the columns and beams supports it (based on what you can see in the video). I think they will somehow incorporate it with the guideway design so there will be a little incline. But I'm not the engineer so I guess we'll find out it a few weeks.

That small incline of the unused Evergreen track is a result of the 'ALRT' planning for a connection between Vancouver and Coquitlam. With all the stops & starts & changes to the 'ALRT' project - including using LRT instead of SkyTrain - once the decision was made to use SkyTrain, the only way to build it within the budget was to only build from New West via Lougheed to VCC. At the time of the Millennium Line construction there were still plans to have that future segment to Coquitlam do a 'twist over' itself during the curve from Lougheed Stn, over White Spot and into the North Road centre median so the Inbound and Outbound tracks are on the 'right side'.

Looking from the West:


http://www.modelshop.bc.ca/porty2/file/4000/4021/4021-3.htm


Looking from the East:


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=87913907


Apparently the current plans are to eliminate the 'twist over' of the tracks and build them as normal (side -by- side) elevated tracks along the curve, so if the existing incline is left in place, the new track guideway will likely be lowered again to be level with the rest of the new guideway. the "Evergreen hump" may become just another 'quirk' of the Skytrain system. This may be cheaper than chipping out the two segments that start the incline and installing new replacement guideway segments that are level with the rest of the guideways in the area.

This implies that the Inbound and Outbound trains between Lougheed and Burquitlam are 'wrong railing': the Vancouver -bound trains are using the tracks on the eastern side of the North Road median, and the Douglas College -bound trains are using the tracks on the western side.

There will be cross-over switches south of Burquitlam Stn that all trains will have use to get to the 'proper side' of the Burquitlam platform: Vancouver -bound trains will use the west side platform and switch over to the eastern tracks, and Douglas College -bound trains will use the western tracks and switch over to the east side platform.

Between Burquitlam Stn and Douglas College Stn, Inbound trains will use the western tracks, and Outbound trains will use the eastern tracks, so trains are running on the 'right side' again

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I agree with officedweller, although for any downtown destination the WCE will be waaaaaay faster.

That's the thing....IF downtown is the destination and IF the schedule of WCE fits the individual. So its a great commuter train service for those that do work in downtown with normal office hours.

For everything else, meaning non-down town destinations (Burnaby, New West, Surrey, Eastside Vancouver), or those with odd work hours, or even those wanting to go to downtown for events (i.e. hockey games) or even spontanously for the hell of it (i.e. attend a rally in the Art Gallery), Evergreen Line is there for them.

[DKaz]

Some WCE riders are a bit snobbish and would rather not mingle with the common folk taking Skytrain for anything more than a few stations. I still remember when there was the medical emergency at Coquitlam Station, the transit supervisors were getting frustrated trying so hard to get people on to shuttle buses to Braid Station. Meanwhile, there was a queue of two to three hundred people formed for the 160 who wanted a transferless trip downtown in the presence of fellow WCE riders. I was among those wanting the 160. Passengers boarding at Coquitlam Station just went to their cars at the Park & Ride and drove to work that day.

[red-paladin]

I would expect that the Evergreen line and WCE will feed each other.
I am very interested to see what the ridership numbers will be like for the new line.
Depending on things like WCE and people changing their commutes, etc, a lot could happen.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I would expect that the Evergreen line and WCE will feed each other.
I am very interested to see what the ridership numbers will be like for the new line.
Depending on things like WCE and people changing their commutes, etc, a lot could happen.

Yeah. Those people living in Maple Ridge, Mission, etc but working in Burnaby, New West, East Van or the Whalley area of Surrey can take the WCE, get off at any Evergreen Line station, and just take the Skytrain, as oppose to just driving.

That's what bugs me when people say the Tri Cities already have service to downtown via WCE and don't need the Evergreen...they don't realize how limited it is. If the employment centre of Metro Vancouver is as centralized as Calgary, maybe. But its so spreadout, and majority of the movement of people too and from work is not suburb to downtown, but suburb to suburb.

Plus people, including politicians who support the Evergreen, tend to forget it will not only service the Tri Cities, but the entire Northeast Sector. There are people living beyond Port Coquitlam that will use it too...

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Some WCE riders are a bit snobbish and would rather not mingle with the common folk taking Skytrain for anything more than a few stations. I still remember when there was the medical emergency at Coquitlam Station, the transit supervisors were getting frustrated trying so hard to get people on to shuttle buses to Braid Station. Meanwhile, there was a queue of two to three hundred people formed for the 160 who wanted a transferless trip downtown in the presence of fellow WCE riders. I was among those wanting the 160. Passengers boarding at Coquitlam Station just went to their cars at the Park & Ride and drove to work that day.

That's a little different though vs the Evergreen. A shuttle to Braid is brutally long and if the ultimate destination is downtown anyway, it will still take forever via shuttle to Braid then Skytrain, as oppose to just driving.

I think the people who were not able to take the WCE service should be reimbursed for the fare, given that WCE fares are higher. So those taking the 160 should have received some credit.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

That's a little different though vs the Evergreen. A shuttle to Braid is brutally long and if the ultimate destination is downtown anyway, it will still take forever via shuttle to Braid then Skytrain, as oppose to just driving.

I think the people who were not able to take the WCE service should be reimbursed for the fare, given that WCE fares are higher. So those taking the 160 should have received some credit.

At that time I was riding to work almost everyday. If I didn't, I usually took the 160. This particular morning, I decided to spoil myself and take the WCE. Paid for myself, paid for my bike. Got on at Poco, had to get off at Coquitlam Station. It didn't cross my mind at the time and when it finally did all the thoughts of what happened that day came back in full force and it didn't seem right.

We were pulling into the train as usual, the guy decided to jump in front of the train right where the train was going the fastest. First I felt the emergency brakes applied, then as my car reached the platform area, I heard all these people screaming and crying on the platform. People were running trying to see if they could help this guy but I think they finally found his body under the second or third car from the front. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the front and centre witnesses of this tragic event went home instead.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by DKaz

At that time I was riding to work almost everyday. If I didn't, I usually took the 160. This particular morning, I decided to spoil myself and take the WCE. Paid for myself, paid for my bike. Got on at Poco, had to get off at Coquitlam Station. It didn't cross my mind at the time and when it finally did all the thoughts of what happened that day came back in full force and it didn't seem right.

We were pulling into the train as usual, the guy decided to jump in front of the train right where the train was going the fastest. First I felt the emergency brakes applied, then as my car reached the platform area, I heard all these people screaming and crying on the platform. People were running trying to see if they could help this guy but I think they finally found his body under the second or third car from the front. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the front and centre witnesses of this tragic event went home instead.

That is a totally unique situation and most certainly is not indicative of WCE riders being snobby and not wanting to mingle with common folk. I can totally understand why people who have the option to just take their cars would do so. Given the chaos of the incident, its definitely much better to do so. Less emotional trauma and stress. I would do the same.

[The_Henry_Man]

I don't know if this was posted on this thread, but here's an interesting tidbit on the boring machine for the Evergreen Line.

http://www.tunneltalk.com/Evergreen-LRT-...confirms-Caterpillar-as-TBM-supplier.php

Vancouver confirms Caterpillar as TBM supplier29 May 2013
Peter Kenyon, TunnelTalk

Following a series of "detailed" meetings the consortium selected to design, build and finance the new Evergreen Line in Vancouver, Canada, confirms Caterpillar as manufacturer of the TBM that will excavate the 2km tunnel section.
Millennium Line alignment EGRT Construction, a consortium led by Canadian contractor SNC-Lavalin with Seli as its tunnelling partner, won the Can$889 million construction contract in January (2013). Since the purchase order was placed for the machine, Caterpillar made the shock announcement earlier this month (May) that it will not be taking new machine orders and will be withdrawing from the TBM manufacturing market by 2016 and closing its factory and workshops.
"The manufacturer was chosen because they were the best suited to the needs of the Evergreen Line Project and Caterpillar was able to meet our financial and scheduling requirements," EGRT Communications Manager Jodi Rogers told TunnelTalk from Canada.

"We have had detailed meetings with Caterpillar since the announcement that they are to cease their TBM manufacturing operations, and have received satisfactory assurances on the delivery dates. We are also comfortable that they will continue to support our machine through the construction period."

"The purchase order was placed in January 2013 and delivery of the machine on site is scheduled for late 2013. Initial TBM boring is scheduled to begin in early 2014 and excavation will take approximately 12 months to complete," said Rogers.
The 11km Evergreen Line LRT project, which upon completion will fully integrate into the existing Skytrain system, will connect Coquitlam city centre to Vancouver via a connection with the Millennium Line at Lougheed. The project comprises elevated and at-grade guideways, a 2km bored tunnel, seven stations, power substations and train operating systems.

Vancouver area transit network
Caterpillar will supply a 9.84m diameter mixed face EPBM, plus back up, for excavation of the single-bore tunnel section. Specification calls for ability to withstand pressure up to 5 bar.
The project has been in the making for more than a decade. The tunnel section was originally considered at concept planning stage as a twin-running structure requiring use of two EPBs, but EGRT was able to demonstrate significant savings at the bidding stage by suggesting a single bore alignment. Two risk options were offered at bid stage: one in which the geotechnical risks of tunnel construction were shared between contractor and the Client (Canadian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure), and another where the contractor assumed all risk for differing site conditions.

Under the terms of the three-and-a-half year fixed price DBF contract, EGRT assumes all tunnel-related geotechnical risk and agrees to penalty causes for delays to the summer 2016 project delivery date. During construction EGRT will receive partial progress payments to the value of Can$582 million from the Client, to reflect work completed, and agrees to finance through private instruments the Can$307 million that will be needed to complete the final phases of construction. Approximately Can$256 million of this will be reimbursed at "substantial completion" of the project, followed by a further Can$40 million after a year of satisfactory operation of the line. A further Can$9 million is withheld as security for general warranties.

[East Van]

Any chance the Evergreen success will spawn more realistic usage of the WCE ? Don't these guys look at the success of the GO system. Decentralized travel patterns or not, you run that train a few times the other direction people will get on it. Or are we just short of track out here ?

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by East Van

Any chance the Evergreen success will spawn more realistic usage of the WCE ? Don't these guys look at the success of the GO system.

Ha hah! No they don't...or more accurately won't. And if they ever do, it will probably require studies, junkets and such. And will probably even require flights to Europe to look at extensive commuter trains there.

I remember a few years back when Translink staff wanted the entire board to go all the way to France to look at LRT systems, even though Portland and Calgary are just around the corner.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by East Van

Any chance the Evergreen success will spawn more realistic usage of the WCE ? Don't these guys look at the success of the GO system. Decentralized travel patterns or not, you run that train a few times the other direction people will get on it. Or are we just short of track out here ?

I think the issue is with Track Usage restrictions by CP more than anything. GO has been constructing their own track in spots for all day service.

Heck, the Lakeshore has 30 minute frequencies all day long from Aldershot (west of Burlington) right across to Oshawa. Can you imagine if the WCE had this?

[adrianroam95]

Another column mold ready to be erected. Shot August 26.

[officedweller]

Thanks!

I guess the two grooves are a design element?
(as opposed to a slot for downspouts?)