Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[GlassCity]

I love the Canada Line seats. They're some of my favourite in the system. Wide and with lots of leg room. Not much to complain about.

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Yeah let's please not have credit/debit card capabilities on compass validators. I keep my compass card in my wallet when I tap and it is next to my cards.

I'm not sure if this is purposeful or not....

We should have both compass cards that can pay for things at NFC terminals and NFC fare gates.

[gillty]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Yeah let's please not have credit/debit card capabilities on compass validators. I keep my compass card in my wallet when I tap and it is next to my cards.

The reader's are already setup for this and the compass card is same standard, so I'd imagine you get quite a few errors when tapping in currently. You'll just need to learn like everywhere else in the world that you can't have your compass in your wallet (or smartphone if you keep NFC enabled)

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

I think youre misinterpreting what I said, I don't mean the ability to use credit cards on compass gates etc, I mean the ability to use your compass card to pay for things.

Yeah, I misread your post.

I seriously doubt it. The amount of infrastructure you'd need to setup and/or sell for such a limited market seems like this would do terrible for translink. I'd imagine they'd need to piggy bank off of an existing network like Interac, MC Maestro, Visa, maybe the local credit union network Exchange.

That would introduce fees be it end-user or translink's end, it would also introduce the cards to more fraud, and also introduce the issue above where users are worried about multiple cards.

Perhaps Oyster in Hong Kong does this better, but even in Japan this technology is limited, where across the country pay by IC cards is pretty limited.

In Tokyo on vending machines and some fastfood chains like Matsuya and/or convenience stores you see pay by SUICA (JR West's branding of IC cards which is cross compatible with the other regional and private IC cards across Japan) or PASSMO branded readers.

Outside of Tokyo? virtually non-existent. In Kansai the odd vending machine at a JR station has ic readers for ICOCA/SUICA (again cross-compatible), but in Kyushu? nope. In Tohoku? nope. In Hokkaido? nope. Maybe JR Central has done a better job in Nagoya, but who wants to go to Nagoya unless you work for Toyota?

Anyways I'd imagine that if compass becomes a payment network TransLink would operate have to operate under banking laws? Seems like a huge risk of liability for little benefit.

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by gillty

The reader's are already setup for this and the compass card is same standard, so I'd imagine you get quite a few errors when tapping in currently. You'll just need to learn like everywhere else in the world that you can't have your compass in your wallet (or smartphone if you keep NFC enabled)




Yeah, I misread your post.

I seriously doubt it. The amount of infrastructure you'd need to setup and/or sell for such a limited market seems like this would do terrible for translink. I'd imagine they'd need to piggy bank off of an existing network like Interac, MC Maestro, Visa, maybe the local credit union network Exchange.

That would introduce fees be it end-user or translink's end, it would also introduce the cards to more fraud, and also introduce the issue above where users are worried about multiple cards.

Perhaps Oyster in Hong Kong does this better, but even in Japan this technology is limited, where across the country pay by IC cards is pretty limited.

In Tokyo on vending machines and some fastfood chains like Matsuya and/or convenience stores you see pay by SUICA (JR West's branding of IC cards which is cross compatible with the other regional and private IC cards across Japan) or PASSMO branded readers.

Outside of Tokyo? virtually non-existent. In Kansai the odd vending machine at a JR station has ic readers for ICOCA/SUICA (again cross-compatible), but in Kyushu? nope. In Tohoku? nope. In Hokkaido? nope. Maybe JR Central has done a better job in Nagoya, but who wants to go to Nagoya unless you work for Toyota?

Anyways I'd imagine that if compass becomes a payment network TransLink would operate have to operate under banking laws? Seems like a huge risk of liability for little benefit.

I don't know when I was in Japan I found ic payment options everywhere, and from what I know these systems are fully capable of working with NFC terminals. And my assumption is that since you are loading the card with cash it would be simpler than a credit scheme.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I love the Canada Line seats. They're some of my favourite in the system. Wide and with lots of leg room. Not much to complain about.

Well, I'm glad someone was reading it anyway. Maybe keep the same seats but take out the front facing ones from one side of the train car and have one long bench running the length for more standing room, keeping the seats the same on the other side.

[Reecemartin]

Well I would certainly agree that the seats are comfortable Imo the seating style is not very sensual for a metro and you can see that considering they've had to haphazardly remove seats to improve passenger flow.

[cganuelas1995]

Currently at Brighouse. I see train times at 7, 19, and 31 minutes apart. It's 19:25 right now. Green coat says it's been like this since the beginning. Is this a joke?

[GlassCity]

In the evening they've always dropped down to 12 minute frequencies on the branches to combine for 6 on the mainline. Not really news.

[ilikeredheads]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Currently at Brighouse. I see train times at 7, 19, and 31 minutes apart. It's 19:25 right now. Green coat says it's been like this since the beginning. Is this a joke?

non peak is 6 min combined/12 min branch. After 11pm it gets further reduced to 10min/20min

[officedweller]

Yup - that's the schedule.

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Well I would certainly agree that the seats are comfortable Imo the seating style is not very sensual for a metro and you can see that considering they've had to haphazardly remove seats to improve passenger flow.

Trying to figure out what word this is supposed to be .. "usual"?

Anyways, they favour forward and backwards facing seats because passengers like them that way (i.e. from surveys).

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yup - that's the schedule.



Trying to figure out what word this is supposed to be .. "usual"?

Anyways, they favour forward and backwards facing seats because passengers like them that way (i.e. from surveys).

Indeed usual was the intention .

While it is true that seats parallel to the direction of motion are typically preferred, for the sake of increasing capacity I seriously think bench style would be better in the future.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Indeed usual was the intention .

While it is true that seats parallel to the direction of motion are typically preferred, for the sake of increasing capacity I seriously think bench style would be better in the future.

Thanks.
Totally agree that sideways seat would help capacity.

I also think that removing all seats from the ends of some MKI SkyTrain cars (and adding strap hangers) would provide nice flex areas for bikes and luggage (like on Canada Line).

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks.
Totally agree that sideways seat would help capacity.

I also think that removing all seats from the ends of some MKI SkyTrain cars (and adding strap hangers) would provide nice flex areas for bikes and luggage (like on Canada Line).

Indeed, it seems like all of the Canadian rapid transit systems are somewhat space inefficient, with most metros internationally opting for bench style seating. One thing I think Vancouver could draw from Toronto is getting rid of the pole in the centre of the area by the doors, replacing that with straps would probably be good because when people are standing next to that central pole it actually really hampers flow on and off the train.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Indeed, it seems like all of the Canadian rapid transit systems are somewhat space inefficient, with most metros internationally opting for bench style seating. One thing I think Vancouver could draw from Toronto is getting rid of the pole in the centre of the area by the doors, replacing that with straps would probably be good because when people are standing next to that central pole it actually really hampers flow on and off the train.

Yeah the train is packed enough when people have to exit the train to let other people exit the train.

[Reecemartin]

In general I think Canadian transit agencies would do well by paying more attention to the approach taken by systems in Asia, particularly Tokyo and Hong Kong. These systems have an almost obsessive approach to efficiency and if we want to make our somewhat underbuilt infrastructure go much further this is an ideology we should be embracing.

[Express691]

Most refurb mark 1s ive been on dont have the extra seats removed. Dont know if this was a time saving measure or not.

On mark 3s I always ride up front. You would be surprised to see how much standing room you have beside you. I do see hand straps making a difference in train capacity especially on mark 2s and younger where there are significant amounts of free floorspace since theres nowhere to hang on to. "Forcing" people to stand in certain positions can maybe create space.

[Reecemartin]

I'm curious, does anyone have any numbers on what the expected daily Expo Line daily ridership will be following an extension to Langley, I wonder if at that point we might see our first line exceeding half a million daily riders especially if we see the line being utilised for more local trips and not just commuters.

[Bdawe]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

I'm curious, does anyone have any numbers on what the expected daily Expo Line daily ridership will be following an extension to Langley, I wonder if at that point we might see our first line exceeding half a million daily riders especially if we see the line being utilized for more local trips and not just commuters.

Page XVI of the Surrey Rapid Transit study Phase 2 lists RRT1 as having 115,000 rides in 2041 and RRT1A having 202,000 rides, with 17,000 and 24,500 New Regional daily Transit Trips on the average 2020-2049 weekday.

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by Bdawe

Page XVI of the Surrey Rapid Transit study Phase 2 lists RRT1 as having 115,000 rides in 2041 and RRT1A having 202,000 rides, with 17,000 and 24,500 New Regional daily Transit Trips on the average 2020-2049 weekday.

Pretty impressive, seeing as how Im confident that we will see an Expo Line Extension to Langley this thrusts the Expo Line into the Metro Line big leagues with fairly significant ridership and significant track length, I'd be interested to see where if anywhere the line would extend past Willobrook area, perhaps up 200st in 30 or so years

Two questions for some of the transit wizards on the forum, how earthquake resistant are the older segments of the line or perhaps the line as a whole? And also what is the lifespan of the guideway, I'd imagine by the time the extension is built to Langley the line would be approaching that age especially with improved seismic proofing probably in the cards, how difficult would it be to systematically rebuild the guideway?

[dpogue]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Two questions for some of the transit wizards on the forum, how earthquake resistant are the older segments of the line or perhaps the line as a whole? And also what is the lifespan of the guideway, I'd imagine by the time the extension is built to Langley the line would be approaching that age especially with improved seismic proofing probably in the cards, how difficult would it be to systematically rebuild the guideway?

Expo Line phase 3 (Surrey) and Millennium Line (including Evergreen extension) should be fine in terms of earthquakes. Canada Line should also be fine.

The biggest concern with the Expo Line is to original demo segment running along Terminal Avenue from Main Street station. That was build in the early 80s, to slightly different standards than the rest of the Expo Line. When we had the earthquake in December a few years back, the VP of Maintenance ordered them to stop service and do a visual sweep along the guideway for any issues, with particular concern to that demo segment.

As for a rebuild, I think it's extremely unlikely until at least the Broadway extension is completed to connect to the Canada Line.