Arbutus: Greenway & Future Streetcar | Proposed

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Tetsuo

They removed the tracks crossing Burrard on 4th (they just added it to the overall sewage project work being done on Burrard)

Didn't cover over them, they took them out and paved over. The tracks are now laying on top the existing tracks adjacent to the crossing, surprised no one is trying to jack them

You clearly have never tried to lift up solid steel. A 1 foot length weights at least 50lbs. Any real length of track needs a crane to take it away.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

You clearly have never tried to lift up solid steel. A 1 foot length weights at least 50lbs. Any real length of track needs a crane to take it away.

Don't underestimate junkies looking for scrap metal.

Although this is westside Vancouver, not Surrey, so it probably won't happen.

[MIPS]

Rail steel is about worthless to them otherwise they would of stolen the tracks from the trolley line years ago like they did with all the other wiring.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Jebby

Don't underestimate junkies looking for scrap metal.

Although this is westside Vancouver, not Surrey, so it probably won't happen.

If I walk by and see two or three junkies trying to lift a quarter-ton rail, I'll let the forum know. It'll be hilarious.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

If I walk by and see two or three junkies trying to lift a quarter-ton rail, I'll let the forum know. It'll be hilarious.

Word is that 150m of rail was stolen from the old Central Park Line spur near the Skytrain OMC during the summer of 1999. How they did it? Who knows. There was rail theft all along that line in the 2000's though. Point is, people can steal them.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Word is that 150m of rail was stolen from the old Central Park Line spur near the Skytrain OMC during the summer of 1999. How they did it? Who knows. There was rail theft all along that line in the 2000's though. Point is, people can steal them.

Sure, but that much heavy rail requires planning, teamwork and at least two trucks. The average junkie'll probably just go at it like Thor's Hammer.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Word is that 150m of rail was stolen from the old Central Park Line spur near the Skytrain OMC during the summer of 1999. How they did it? Who knows. There was rail theft all along that line in the 2000's though. Point is, people can steal them.

That might not have been metal junkies taking it. People can come up with other uses for it. Heck, it might make good RAILing for a deck

If it was valuable, people would take it all the time. I read about a few incidents in Port Alberni about how people using a trail for quading in the winter bring a torch and cut up the railway the heritage society uses so their Quads can cross the ROW without bumping on the rails. They leave the rails behind in small pieces. If it was valuable there would probably be no rails left between Port Alberni and Parksville.

[logicbomb]

http://globalnews.ca/news/2735916/canadi...emoval-along-arbutus-corridor-next-week/

Canadian Pacific and City of Vancouver start rail removal along Arbutus Corridor next week


Next week the city and CP Rail will begin to remove the train rails, ties and rail bed materials along the 42-acre corridor.

CP Rail, which is responsible for rail removal along the corridor with the exception of street crossings, will start at the north end and work at a rate of removing one kilometre of track per week.

Work on the rail removal will involve heavy equipment and be done between 7 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

The city will be responsible for removing the rails at street crossings. The removal of the rails, ties and rail bed materials will need to be completed before the City of Vancouver can start construction on the new greenway.

They are also removing all rail up to Oak St and work will begin to pull out the Marpole yard (heard from the City)after the Arbutus work is done. Looks like the Marpole Spur will be pulled up next year.

[Tetsuo]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

You clearly have never tried to lift up solid steel. A 1 foot length weights at least 50lbs. Any real length of track needs a crane to take it away.

I'm not a junkie or a scrapper , thought someone would be interested in them (similar to the central park spur mentioned above), I talked to one guy walking his dog by the tracks who was ranting that CPR got to keep the tracks, kept saying the city should of kept them and sell them
______________

Work starting next week to remove them

The future of the Arbutus corridor has been one of the most contentious issues in Vancouver over the past 20 years.

Some have wanted it set aside for a light-rail line, others for a greenway, and still others for community gardens.

Meanwhile, the former owner, Canadian Pacific Railway, repeatedly asserted its rights and occasionally destroyed vegetable patches created along the fallow line.

Earlier this year, the City of Vancouver bought the nine-kilometre stretch from Canadian Pacific Railway for $55 million, which put an end to the company's claims.

Today, the city announced that the train rails and rail bed will be removed, starting next week, to clear the way for a "green transportation corridor".

"Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP) is responsible for all rail removal along the corridor, with the exception of street crossings, as part of the City's land purchase agreement announced in March 2016," the city said in a statement. "The City is responsible for removing the rails at street crossings."

[...]
http://www.straight.com/news/709726/trai...ed-vancouvers-arbutus-corridor-next-week

[bluefox]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

http://globalnews.ca/news/2735916/canadi...emoval-along-arbutus-corridor-next-week/



They are also removing all rail up to Oak St and work will begin to pull out the Marpole yard (heard from the City)after the Arbutus work is done. Looks like the Marpole Spur will be pulled up next year.

I noticed today they had removed the rails on West 4th @ Fir... how long ago was that work done? The rails are still in place on either side of the street though.

[Trainguy]

It is not likely that you will ever see rails laid along this corridor ever again. It will become just a bike/walking path/greenway. The city would not be able to afford the cost of relaying rail and installing overhead catenary for electric LRT. I am sure it will get lots of use as a multi-use trail.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

The rails underneath the SkyTrain from Metrotown to Edmonds were also removed recently.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

It is not likely that you will ever see rails laid along this corridor ever again. It will become just a bike/walking path/greenway. The city would not be able to afford the cost of relaying rail and installing overhead catenary for electric LRT. I am sure it will get lots of use as a multi-use trail.

Give it 30 years. Once Robertson and VV are frail old pieces of wet paper we can steamroll them and the greenway back into a rail corridoor and by then the area won't care about a rail line running down the lane unless before that happens they sabotage any future plans and start building on the RoW regardless of what they already said because nobody in City Hall has a spine.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Give it 30 years. Once Robertson and VV are frail old pieces of wet paper we can steamroll them and the greenway back into a rail corridoor and by then the area won't care about a rail line running down the lane unless before that happens they sabotage any future plans and start building on the RoW regardless of what they already said because nobody in City Hall has a spine.

I fully expect this to happen. VV or future governments will aim to sell off portions of the greenway, narrowing it in sections which will make conversion into a rail corridor impossible. I personally think everything North-East of Burrard is as good as gone, including the Downtown Historic Railway.

Now the focus will shift to Marpole. That corridor will need to be preserved.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

It is not likely that you will ever see rails laid along this corridor ever again. It will become just a bike/walking path/greenway. The city would not be able to afford the cost of relaying rail and installing overhead catenary for electric LRT. I am sure it will get lots of use as a multi-use trail.

Originally Posted by MIPS

Give it 30 years. Once Robertson and VV are frail old pieces of wet paper we can steamroll them and the greenway back into a rail corridoor and by then the area won't care about a rail line running down the lane unless before that happens they sabotage any future plans and start building on the RoW regardless of what they already said because nobody in City Hall has a spine.

Originally Posted by logicbomb

I fully expect this to happen. VV or future governments will aim to sell off portions of the greenway, narrowing it in sections which will make conversion into a rail corridor impossible. I personally think everything North-East of Burrard is as good as gone, including the Downtown Historic Railway.

Now the focus will shift to Marpole. That corridor will need to be preserved.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/beatty-street-bike-lane-fight-1.3611734

I would be willing to bet that once the tracks are lifted and they have a cycle path on them, they will never see tracks again.

The cycling community is too strong in Vancouver.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

The cycling community is too strong in Vancouver.

Yet they wonder why so many people hate them so much.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Yet they wonder why so many people hate them so much.

I have been present at many meetings at the COV. Yes, the cycling community is strong and over-represented but you'd be surprised at the number of developers and real estate stakeholders that were pushing the COV to purchase the corridor. One agent claimed that homes within a 20 meters of the corridor were selling for 15% less due to the smell of creosote and subsequent concerns surrounding contamination and toxicity. This will no doubt have a positive impact on property prices...we are already seeing some listings advertise the future Greenway.

http://www.rew.ca/properties/R2052893/6825-west-boulevard-vancouver

The City Of Vancouver’s plans for the Arbutus Greenway will soon put one of the world's finest urban walking/cycling paths just steps from your front door.

The cycling community are a nuisance but not the reason why this corridor will never be re-purposed over the next half-century.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Yet they wonder why so many people hate them so much.

Ahhh yes, the infamous Cycling Lobby that controls the COV with their army of lawyers, lobbyists and endless money.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

I have been present at many meetings at the COV. Yes, the cycling community is strong and over-represented but you'd be surprised at the number of developers and real estate stakeholders that were pushing the COV to purchase the corridor. One agent claimed that homes within a 20 meters of the corridor were selling for 15% less due to the smell of creosote and subsequent concerns surrounding contamination and toxicity. This will no doubt have a positive impact on property prices...we are already seeing some listings advertise the future Greenway.

At this point it's no longer positive to see an increase of %15 in the price of a west side home. Maybe I'm naive to ask but why didn't translink purchase the Arbutus corridor?

[Trainguy]

Originally Posted by retro_orange

At this point it's no longer positive to see an increase of %15 in the price of a west side home. Maybe I'm naive to ask but why didn't translink purchase the Arbutus corridor?

One huge problem with selling off the land for property development is CP Rail. They have a written agreement that states: "The agreement also allows CP to share in future proceeds on the eventual development and/or sale of certain parcels of the corridor."

That was a sticking point for negotiating the price. I doubt Vancouver would want to wade into those waters.

An LRT running up and down Arbutus would have to have the traffic to justify the cost. The old interurban line on the south side is still partially used for freight traffic. CP will only remove the tracks they don't use obviously.