SkyTrain Station Renovations

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by dpogue

IMO what Columbia needs is not a separate platform for trains towards Lougheed, but rather a centre platform for easier transfers. unfortunately, that's incredibly difficult to change at this point given the tunnels on either side of the station and the massive disruption to service it would cause.

You mean a Spanish solution?

[madog222]

I think they just mean a standard centre platform.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

From March 2022.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/435-colu...w-westminster-translink-columbia-station

Reminder that the Daily Hive article says that TranLink asked Perkins Will to examine a 3 side-platform configuration
(i.e. 3 separate side-platforms, meaning one additional side-platform together with the 2 existing side-platforms).

[mcj]

Originally Posted by dpogue

IMO what Columbia needs is not a separate platform for trains towards Lougheed, but rather a centre platform for easier transfers. unfortunately, that's incredibly difficult to change at this point given the tunnels on either side of the station and the massive disruption to service it would cause.

Spot on. There's not really any operating issues when it comes to the trains, the issue at Columbia is passenger circulation. Everyone here speculating that the purchase of the Boucher Centre somehow indicates that major trackwork is about to occur is dreaming. What we can expect out of this is a remodeling of the station itself, probably with some circulatory escalators and improved wayfinding to get people from one side of the tracks to the other slightly better than what currently exists. The purchase of the Boucher Centre will really just allow them to offset the costs by redeveloping that parcel into a more modern station hall with a residential tower on top.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Reminder that the Daily Hive article says that TranLink asked Perkins Will to examine a 3 side-platform configuration
(i.e. 3 separate side-platforms, meaning one additional side-platform together with the 2 existing side-platforms).

It was stated that the successful proponent would also examine the feasibility of “three side-platform upgrade approaches.”

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/435-colu...w-westminster-translink-columbia-station

Approach is plural so I read this as three different design approaches for a side-platform upgrade.
If they meant a three-platform design it should be written "a three side-platform upgrade approach."

Sure "three side-platform upgrade approaches" could mean multiple designs for a "three platform upgrade" but it's terrible language with that meaning and Translink's RFPs are always well written in unambiguous language.

It would have been great to see where Daily Hive is quoting that, the RFP posting on Ariba for the study doesn't contain that wording. http://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/7914873

[scottN]

As the expo line gets busier (especially the surrey branch) and train frequencies increase, I think it's going to become increasingly difficult to merge trains from the columbia-lougheed branch into the main expo line at Columbia. If a train coming from sapperton is late and misses it's spot, then the only option is to delay trains coming from surrey to make room for it. Without any slack in the schedule it becomes very difficult to clear the backlog.

A 3rd platform allows Columbia-Lougheed to be run as a shuttle or as a Millenium Line branch without impacting Expo line operations, eliminating any scheduling conflicts during normal operation. If the expo line ever needs full capacity over the skybridge to surrey, then this is the only possible solution. As noted, this would do nothing to improve passenger flows except maybe by providing more dedicated waiting space.

If Columbia-Lougheed was run as a shuttle, it could use 2 car trains to improve the frequency and reduce wait times. That might make up for the extra transfer that is needed for some users.

[madog222]

This was posted on Reddit February last year quoting an email response from Translink.

TransLink conducted a feasibility study to review potential upgrade options of Columbia Station in collaboration with the City of New Westminster. This study was completed in Spring 2021.

Concept designs for the station upgrade are currently being developed based on the information learned in the feasibility study. Once a preferred design concept is chosen, detailed design work will begin. Construction of the station upgrade would not take place until that is complete and funding is established, which is not expected to occur prior to 2025.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NewWest/comments/sj998t/response_from_translink_re_the_long_planned/

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by scottN

As the expo line gets busier (especially the surrey branch) and train frequencies increase, I think it's going to become increasingly difficult to merge trains from the columbia-lougheed branch into the main expo line at Columbia. If a train coming from sapperton is late and misses it's spot, then the only option is to delay trains coming from surrey to make room for it. Without any slack in the schedule it becomes very difficult to clear the backlog...

This. It could get even worse if the Expo branches to Newton as speculated.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by scottN

As the expo line gets busier (especially the surrey branch) and train frequencies increase, I think it's going to become increasingly difficult to merge trains from the columbia-lougheed branch into the main expo line at Columbia. If a train coming from sapperton is late and misses it's spot, then the only option is to delay trains coming from surrey to make room for it. Without any slack in the schedule it becomes very difficult to clear the backlog.

Don't really think this issue is as dire as you put it. Current headways still are quite flexible for most of the day. If this becomes a consistent problem for the hoards of people at Braid/Sapperton station delaying trains there's ways to alleviate the issue, like shortening the time the doors are open at the platform.

The speculation that Translink sees this as an issue is just that, speculation, all documentation from Translink shows they plan on maintaining the Expo Line spurs as is for the foreseeable future.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

This. It could get even worse if the Expo branches to Newton as speculated.

The transit designers need to get over this whole branching mentality that they've been stuck in for the past several decades. Instead of the line branching it should cross over, like the Canada Line and the Millennium line at Broadway and Cambie. Keep the two lines independent of each other. They can build an interchange track between the lines to allow rerouting of trains if need be, but normal trains running on one line shouldn't affect the other.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

The transit designers need to get over this whole branching mentality that they've been stuck in for the past several decades. Instead of the line branching it should cross over, like the Canada Line and the Millennium line at Broadway and Cambie. Keep the two lines independent of each other. They can build an interchange track between the lines to allow rerouting of trains if need be, but normal trains running on one line shouldn't affect the other.

Good thing Migrant is just speculating and the actual transit designers for this don't exist yet afaik.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

The transit designers need to get over this whole branching mentality that they've been stuck in for the past several decades. Instead of the line branching it should cross over, like the Canada Line and the Millennium line at Broadway and Cambie. Keep the two lines independent of each other. They can build an interchange track between the lines to allow rerouting of trains if need be, but normal trains running on one line shouldn't affect the other.

So once the South Surrey and PoCo lines are built we should just run trains between those and leave Expo only to Langley and Milenium only to Lafarge Lake?

The point of branch lines / interlining is to maximize capacity through the central areas where it is needed while not wasting capacity in the outlying areas.

I don't see how Cambie City Hall fits into this though.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by mcj

Good thing Migrant is just speculating and the actual transit designers for this don't exist yet afaik.

Whether or not the Newton becomes an Expo branch, aberdeen is somewhat correct - TransLink's upper echelon seems fixated on one big octopus sprawling from the Edmonds depot across the whole metro, but it doesn't necessarily have to work like that.

[Mac Write]

How much "down time" would be needed to change out the I beams New west side of Skytrain bridge to offer direct route Surrey to Lougheed. Sane for the work to tie into the track after the tunnel woodlands side?

[madog222]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

How much "down time" would be needed to change out the I beams New west side of Skytrain bridge to offer direct route Surrey to Lougheed. Sane for the work to tie into the track after the tunnel woodlands side?

The bridge approach is a steel box girder all the way to ground level which would need to be completely replaced. There is also the issue of track switches on an inclined curve.

May as well just build a second bridge if that routing is wanted by Translink.

[SpongeG]

Columbia station, could they have a bridge that goes over the tracks similar to what they have at New West station? a big part of the problem is the large volume of people changing trains at the station and only one option to do so. And at least put an escalator in at the Surrey/Lougheed bound side.

We got a letter about 6 weeks ago that said that Lougheed station would be starting some work to accommodate longer trains in the future and to expect some delays and such.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

How much "down time" would be needed to change out the I beams New west side of Skytrain bridge to offer direct route Surrey to Lougheed. Sane for the work to tie into the track after the tunnel woodlands side?

I would like to see a train that originates on 152 at Guildford and goes over to Lougheed, have at least two River crossings out of Surrey. When the "bus bridge" is needed it seems like a nightmare to get from the New West side to the Surrey side. having another crossing option would be great.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by madog222

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/435-colu...w-westminster-translink-columbia-station

Approach is plural so I read this as three different design approaches for a side-platform upgrade.
If they meant a three-platform design it should be written "a three side-platform upgrade approach."

Sure "three side-platform upgrade approaches" could mean multiple designs for a "three platform upgrade" but it's terrible language with that meaning and Translink's RFPs are always well written in unambiguous language.

It would have been great to see where Daily Hive is quoting that, the RFP posting on Ariba for the study doesn't contain that wording. http://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/7914873

Yeah, the language is awful, but it's Daily Hive, so I didn't expect much.
Your take didn't occur to me.
I thought "approach" would signal something quite different than what's there now.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yeah, the language is awful, but it's Daily Hive, so I didn't expect much.
Your take didn't occur to me.
I thought "approach" would signal something quite different than what's there now.

They also used "approaches" in the RFP for 22nd Street and Gateway.

As the first step in the upgrade project, TLFD is seeking a multi-disciplinary consultant team (hereafter “the Consultant”) to conduct a Feasibility Study analyzing two concept upgrade approaches and their component parts for each station (Gateway and 22nd Street).

http://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/15333921

[Hotwax]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Columbia station, could they have a bridge that goes over the tracks similar to what they have at New West station? a big part of the problem is the large volume of people changing trains at the station and only one option to do so.

There's already two options for transferring platforms at Columbia; I always take the stairs for the 4th Street entrance as most people seem to be unaware they exist.