Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[bardak]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Is the Canada Line’s Richmond-Brighouse Station in need of a complete re-build to accommodate a second track and additional platform?
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/09/canad...-single-platform-causes-passengers-wait/

The main problem is that demand is very uneven between the the two terminals. Richmond has more than enough demand to warrant at least 5 minute frequencies. It would be nice to see rush hour frequencies go to at least every 2.5 minutes on the mainline. The fact that pretty much every bus in richmond feeds into brighouse does not help.

[officedweller]

The easy answer is to move the bus loop (or some bus routes) to Lansdowne Station and short-turn some trains south of Lansdowne Station.

[Metro-One]

What they should do is increase the train frequencies (which can be easily done even with the rolling stock we have) and begin servicing the two forks on a 2:1 basis. 2 trains to Brighouse, 1 train to YVR.

Another easy solution as noted is to begin terminating some buses at Lansdowne instead.

Also I believe Brighouse is still at 40 meters. It should be one of the first stations to be given its 10 meter extensions (along with Bridgeport).

And if worst comes to worst, seeing how this station will likely be a terminus forever (there are many terminal stations here in Japan that go to single tracks as well) there is no real need to twin the track to Brighouse, but Brighouse itself could have another platform built on the west side of the station. One side could be for exiting only, and the other side for entering only.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Someone left one of the doors open in the Bombardier building and I got to sneak a peek at a train and a half being refurb'd from the parking lot.

Interesting that the apparent 2-car married pair on the left isn't a married pair
- since the livery diagram shows that the end of 008 facing us should sit between an A & B pair:


http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/11/translink-rolls-out-refurbished-skytrain-vehicles/

[red-paladin]

O.o

[Mac Write]

Actually the A-B pair is correct, just facing the opposite direction look at the car behind.

[bardak]

Yeah the easiest solution would be to just bring the frequencies down to 5 minutes on the branches. I think in the long run I would like to see it go to 2:1 at 2.5 minutes for richmond and 5 minutes for YVR.

[st7860]

Originally Posted by bardak

The main problem is that demand is very uneven between the the two terminals. Richmond has more than enough demand to warrant at least 5 minute frequencies. It would be nice to see rush hour frequencies go to at least every 2.5 minutes on the mainline. The fact that pretty much every bus in richmond feeds into brighouse does not help.

Someone said before that the Canada Line is designed for 3 times the trainsets than it has now, right? So there's quite a bit of extra capacity in terms of headway that could be absorbed without modifying the 'endpoint' stations.

[WarrenC12]

More trains is the solution to all Skytrain/Canada Line capacity problems. We have a ways to go before we need to expand stations if we just get more cars.

Plus it has the added benefit of improving the throughput of the system...

[Zassk]

Vote yes in the referendum, and supposedly we will have new Canada Line trains enter service in 2019... and another set in 2024!

[st7860]

I actually had the chance to ride the 99 from/to broadway station a lot recently during peak hours. Sure its a mess and for sure a rail line is needed along broadway but it didn't look like that the route is at its maximum capacity in terms of the number of buses that can be run through that route with the existing amount of stops.

[SFUVancouver]

I rode on a refurbished Mk1 the other day: it's a bit more spacious inside due to the removal of tandem seating in the end thirds of the train, and the lighting is brighter and on the white end of the spectrum versus yellow-ish of the originals. After being a regular user of the Canada Line since moving back to Vancouver from Toronto, and with all of my trips on the Expo Line happening to have been in Mk2 and Mk2.5 cars, wow, I had almost forgotten how small the Mk1s are inside. I like the new paint job but I don't like that there are now large Translink decals on the windows right in the sight line of passengers sitting in the corners of the train.

[DKaz]

The refurb MKIs are definitely better with the extra standing room, but it's really too bad they couldn't retrofit A/C onto these trains.

Rode on a Telus free Wi-fi bus last night and again this morning. Was pretty decent last night on an empty bus but I barely averaged 700kbps this morning on a packed 555, seeing maybe as high as 1Mbps peak. With everyone moving to LTE, it seems my 3G has been doing no worse than 4Mbps lately. But I have exceeded my 6GB plan twice and come close many times so every little bit helps.

[WarrenC12]

The MKI's are still pretty loud inside.

Depending on the headways/time of day, I often wait for a MK2 or 2.5. Almost always on hot summer days.

[MIPS]

The floors used to be carpeted and absorbed a lot of the wheel noise.


Original photographer unknown

That carpet was only in there for what, one year? Two years?? Apparently it was a nightmare keeping them clean.

[DKaz]

They have carpets in the older trains in Edmonton. Worst. idea. ever.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

What they should do is increase the train frequencies (which can be easily done even with the rolling stock we have) and begin servicing the two forks on a 2:1 basis. 2 trains to Brighouse, 1 train to YVR.

Another easy solution as noted is to begin terminating some buses at Lansdowne instead.

Also I believe Brighouse is still at 40 meters. It should be one of the first stations to be given its 10 meter extensions (along with Bridgeport).

And if worst comes to worst, seeing how this station will likely be a terminus forever (there are many terminal stations here in Japan that go to single tracks as well) there is no real need to twin the track to Brighouse, but Brighouse itself could have another platform built on the west side of the station. One side could be for exiting only, and the other side for entering only.

I agree.

Although incredibly short sighted not to have double track the real issue isn't along the track but rather at the station itself. All they have to do is add another platform/tracks at Richmond/Brighouse itself and the problem will be solved.

I also agree with the idea of expanding service by having a 2 trains to Richmond for every 1 train to YVR. The YVR service is very good and I have never even seen standees after Bridgeport on a YVR bound train little alone at capacity.

The issue is the traffic coming in from Richmond. When taking the bus from WR to Vancouver in the mornings, you have to wait for a train but if a train from YVR is just leaving for downtown then you know you have a 7 minute wait for another. This is because the trains coming inbound from Richmond are packed beyond belief. A few people may get off the train but almost no one gets on it as they would rather wait for another train from YVR.

As long as they get rid of the Waterfront stand-by train, even with more trains the most they can really do is have the extra trains short-turn at Bridgeport until Brighouse builds a new platform & track.

[officedweller]

The ratio doesn't even need to be as drastic as 1 to 2.
It could gradually shift over time 3 to 4 then 2 to 3 then 1 to 2.

The YVR trains still need to provide empty trains for the Bridgeport bus loop passengers.

[st7860]

YVR paid for a few of 'their' stations didn't they? So it might be awkward to interleave the trains like that...

[officedweller]

Yup - YVR contributed $300 million or so to the line and imposed a travel time maximum of 24 minutes (I think) to downtown.