Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Speaking of capacity, I just started taking the Canada Line in the early mornings, and pass ups occur occasionally. Why were the platforms built so much shorter than on the Expo Line? It's alright for now, but I'm sure it'll get worse.

$$$

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Speaking of capacity, I just started taking the Canada Line in the early mornings, and pass ups occur occasionally. Why were the platforms built so much shorter than on the Expo Line? It's alright for now, but I'm sure it'll get worse.

Blame the mayors on the Translink council of the day. They insisted on a $500 million reduction in scope. Thanks to that, we will never get a station at Granville and Nelson, platforms were underbuilt, the line is shorter than planned in Richmond, etc.

That said, the system can still run much more frequently than it does - the platforms are not yet the limiting factor. Translink's inability to pay for more trains is the current limiting factor.

[Meraki]

The P3 process pushed by the BC Liberals lead to the shortcomings of the Canada Line.

The private proponents proposed the absolute minimum and cut corners wherever possible to get the bid in at lowest cost (because that's what the contract was awarded by.)

Once the line was operating, they don't care if it's over capacity because they were contracted in the RFP to provide a certain level of service.

This is what happens when you run public transit for profit versus as a public service.

[xd_1771]

But the Canada Line isn't really over capacity o_o
It seems too that frequencies have moved back to 7/14 occasionally, down from the constant 3/6 of previously. Probably an audit-recommended service cut. That could be addressed.

By the way, length of station platforms should not have to do with how the line is over-capacity. It's the amount of trains. Get the spares in there (C-Line was running alright with 20 trains - spares included - during the Olympics), and you'd have people boarding the trains all the time. The problem is that there's no spares for the spares... not yet at least...

[dpogue]

Another video at Lougheed taken yesterday morning

It looks like they're starting to do some work at platform level at Lougheed station, seeing as they've put up opaque plastic to hide it all from sight.

They've also got a bunch of stuff for making more columns set up in the old bus loop and will probably be adding those heading toward the White Spot and up North Rd.

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by Meraki

The private proponents proposed the absolute minimum and cut corners wherever possible to get the bid in at lowest cost (because that's what the contract was awarded by.)

I would blame the mayors council that approved that, rather than the bidder. The bidder cut corners in response to the council's demand for a lower pricetag - based on their poor belief that the line would never meet ridership projections and was being forced upon them.

The mismanagement of that contract is what led to power being taken away from the mayors council. And the Evergreen line is the first major project that will benefit from that.

[GlassCity]

Thanks guys. I assume the Evergreen Line will have normal platform lengths to work with the Millennium Line, so that's good!

[officedweller]

Thanks for the video!

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Speaking of capacity, I just started taking the Canada Line in the early mornings, and pass ups occur occasionally. Why were the platforms built so much shorter than on the Expo Line? It's alright for now, but I'm sure it'll get worse.

Because the ultimate capacity for the line was established at (I think) 14,000 ppdph - based on Richmond being on a flood plain and an earthquake zone (it was not originally a "Growth Concrentation Area" under regional plans - but Richmond objected and I think it was included. (so blame the politicians).

It was up to the bidders to determine how to achieve that ultimate capacity.

Wider trains (Rotem 3.0m vs MKII 2.6m) allowed for shorter platforms to achieve the ultimate capacity. Shorter platforms also allowed shallower tunnel construction (closer to the surface) while maintaining achievable grades between stations.

Longer platforms would have required deeper tunnels to lessen the grades between stations - which in turn would have required bored tunnels, rather than cut and cover. i.e. completely disrupting the costing model.

and as mentioned, the line is no where near capacity. People just don't like crowds.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by dpogue

Another video at Lougheed taken yesterday morning

It looks like they're starting to do some work at platform level at Lougheed station, seeing as they've put up opaque plastic to hide it all from sight.

They've also got a bunch of stuff for making more columns set up in the old bus loop and will probably be adding those heading toward the White Spot and up North Rd.

Thanks again for the video. Unless I'm missing something, its looking more and more that they are really not going to flatten that hump.

I also went by the Evergreen route today. Sorry...no pictures but this is what I saw.

Definitely lots of activity in Lougheed from the "car point of view". And pretty much all the columns from the transition structure to the Burquitlam station itself are up (though one is still enclosed in the blue form thingy) and they are starting on the area where the old Kal Tire used to be. It will be very interesting to see once they start in North Road.

But the biggest thing is in the South portal itself...there is already a trench sprayed with that grey concrete thingy!

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by dpogue

Another video at Lougheed taken yesterday morning

It looks like they're starting to do some work at platform level at Lougheed station, seeing as they've put up opaque plastic to hide it all from sight.

They've also got a bunch of stuff for making more columns set up in the old bus loop and will probably be adding those heading toward the White Spot and up North Rd.

A similar video taken from the other end of the train might be just as interesting ...

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Thanks again for the video. Unless I'm missing something, its looking more and more that they are really not going to flatten that hump.

When riding the train it won't feel like a hump - each track will likely be separate then converge smoothly to a dual guideway.

[Tfreder]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks for the video!

and as mentioned, the line is no where near capacity. People just don't like crowds.

I would actually have to say that the line is almost near capacity during rush hour. Have you ever taken a train from City Centre to Richmond between 4:30pm - 6:15pm? It's not over capacity, but most of the time the Richmond bound trains cannot fit any more people in them.

Thankfully the evergreen line won't be cursed with those short platforms

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Thanks guys. I assume the Evergreen Line will have normal platform lengths to work with the Millennium Line, so that's good!

Yep, all 80m platforms so that they can use the same train consists as the rest of the network.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Tfreder

I would actually have to say that the line is almost near capacity during rush hour.

I meant ultimate capacity, not present capacity. Even if it is near present capacity at certain times of day, you can't them make the leap to the conclusion that it is at ultimate capacity (which is what some people do).

[dpogue]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

A similar video taken from the other end of the train might be just as interesting ...

I actually have one from last week taken from the back of the train, but it doesn't really show anything you can't see from the front.

Good to hear that there's nice progress around Burquitlam... Has anyone seen signs of construction around Coquitlam Centre?

[GeeCee]

They've been doing construction near the Evergreen Cultural Centre all summer, as for the rest, can't really say.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

They've been doing construction near the Evergreen Cultural Centre all summer, as for the rest, can't really say.

I noticed in the webcam that near the Port Moody station, the last of the buildings are being demolished.



Interestingly enough.....

Transit Police force size won’t grow to cover Evergreen Line

CEO Ian Jarvis says the size of the force won’t go up to cover the Evergreen Line when it opens three years from now.

“There’s been a decision now not to add a complement with respect to the Evergreen Line coming on, which is an additional six stations. We plan to police the rail network consistent with the complement we have now,” he tells us.

[Mac Write]

Bad idea to use the faregates as an excuse to reduce the police force.

[officedweller]

or, alternately, given a reduced need in light of the faregates, and by not actually laying people off, they'll have excess officers until the Evergreen Line opens.

[red-paladin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

or, alternately, given a reduced need in light of the faregates, and by not actually laying people off, they'll have excess officers until the Evergreen Line opens.

I hope this is the case. Some of my co-workers are under the mistaken impression that there won't be any fare checks or police after the faregates are operational. Police and Translink personell do a heck of a lot besides check fares anwyay, but yea, they can cut down on some of that (like hot spot fare checks at random stations / after events )