Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[officedweller]

All generations of the SkyTrain car fleet to be modified to reduce noise
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-noise-top-of-rail-friction-modifier-tread-stick

Fresh Slice opens new location at the Broadway-City Hall SkyTrain Station
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fresh-slice-broadway-city-hall-skytrain-station

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by officedweller

All generations of the SkyTrain car fleet to be modified to reduce noise
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-noise-top-of-rail-friction-modifier-tread-stick

Fresh Slice opens new location at the Broadway-City Hall SkyTrain Station
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fresh-slice-broadway-city-hall-skytrain-station

I'm a little surprised we weren't lubing the wheels of all of the LIM rolling stock already. They're the perfect candidates for it since the wheel-rail interface friction is completely irrelevant for propulsion and braking. I wonder if the existing hardware is meant for traditional propulsion methods and they're switching to a lower friction coefficient?

Maybe we can save some of that Fresh Slice grease and apply that to the rails too for extra lube.

[madog222]

DH did a poor job of explaining this as usual. The existing hardware is from the pilot program to find what application method works best. To actually achieve the CoF required to have an effect applicators need to be installed on every car which is what is being done now. They are aiming to achieve the target CoF in 2028.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by madog222

DH did a poor job of explaining this as usual. The existing hardware is from the pilot program to find what application method works best. To actually achieve the CoF required to have an effect applicators need to be installed on every car which is what is being done now. They are aiming to achieve the target CoF in 2028.

Surely it doesn't take 3 years for the wheels to be sufficiently lubed up? The article states that all LIM rolling stock will have applicators by 2025.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I think it means it takes three years to figure out which applicator works best... also, who're the ten people keeping Fresh Slice from getting a Darwin Award?

[madog222]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Surely it doesn't take 3 years for the wheels to be sufficiently lubed up? The article states that all LIM rolling stock will have applicators by 2025.

The project RFP is a much better source than DH.

Originally Posted by madog222

Speaking of skytrain noise. The friction modifier program is launching and scheduled to achieve the target CoF in March 2028 (from the attached document).

http://discovery.ariba.com/rfx/15862196

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/service-changes
900…
Is this the first time that a bus number in the 900s shows up?

[madog222]

It ran last year but yes, I believe that's the first use of a 9xx route number.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by madog222

It ran last year but yes, I believe that's the first use of a 9xx route number.

Not much in the 800s either, other than North Vancouver's 880/881 school specials.

[madog222]

Yup, 800s are all the school specials.

[nname]

Originally Posted by madog222

It ran last year but yes, I believe that's the first use of a 9xx route number.

900s was always used internally, but you just normally don't see it displayed.

979 - Olympics Line
980 - Canada Line
991 - Millennium Line
992 - Expo Line
996 - Millennium Line (old)
997 - West Coast Express
998 - SeaBus
999 - Expo Line (old)

Originally Posted by madog222

Yup, 800s are all the school specials.

All except 890s. I believe the Metrotown accessibility shuttle during the station reconstruction was numbered 894 (but again, you don't see it displayed)

[Tvisforme]

The eastbound R2 should be a bit faster by the end of the year, as TransLink and the City of North Vancouver will be reworking Third and Cotton to extend the transit lane. TransLink expects the changes should save three or more minutes per trip through the area:

TransLink to fix big gap in North Vancouver transit route

The North Shore’s R2 RapidBus is about to get a bit more elbow room through one of the most congested corridors of its route.

The City of North Vancouver and TransLink are set to begin a six-month construction project to extend the eastbound transit lane along Third Street and Cotton Road to Gladstone Avenue. Currently, the transit lane ends about two-thirds of the way down the hill from Queensbury Avenue, requiring the R2 to merge with general traffic for about 650 metres before getting back to a bus lane.

That gap in the express lane has significant consequences for the 40,000 transit riders commuting through that stop-and-go corridor per month. According to TransLink, a typical trip between Ridgeway Avenue and Brooksbank Avenue should take about three minutes, although in reality, half of the trips take six minutes or more. During the afternoon rush hour, 20 per cent of trips through that short section extend to nine minutes or longer. TransLink calculates that to mean 320,000 minutes, or 5,333 hours, per year wasted sitting idle in traffic.

The hope is that by speeding up the overall performance of the R2 and getting that travel time back down to the typical three minutes, it will make transit a more competitive option with driving a personal auto, thereby further reducing traffic congestion.

Also included in the project is a new separated eastbound mobility lane on Cotton Road.

Starting in July, crews will begin removing and rebuilding the concrete medians through that stretch, relocating traffic signals and light poles and painting new lines. The project will require three poplar trees to be cut down and five Maple trees to be transplanted.

To mitigate the impacts on commuters during the construction period, work hours will be between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. and occasionally overnight in order to keep crews off the road during the afternoon rush.

One travel lane in each direction should be open at all times, and all of the affected cross streets and local businesses will still be accessible, according to the city.

TransLink is covering the budget for the infrastructure upgrade.

(Image from the North Shore News)

[Waders]

TransLink studying ways to limit SkyTrain track intrusions, including the installation of platform screen doors

..with the major fleet of Mark I cars being fully retired between 2024 and 2028 and the retirement of the initial Mark I fleet in the early 2030s, the technical feasibility of installing platform screen doors will likely improve.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

The eastbound R2 should be a bit faster by the end of the year, as TransLink and the City of North Vancouver will be reworking Third and Cotton to extend the transit lane. TransLink expects the changes should save three or more minutes per trip through the area:

(Image from the North Shore News)

I'm kind of confused how they plan on fitting a bus lane in that section under the pedestrian bridge. And that section which intersects with the Low Level Road looks like fun as well.

I also wonder how those calculations deal with severe bridge events that just cause traffic to basically stop around Lower Lynn. Like if you had 5 R2s just sitting eastbound headed to Phibbs at some point do they exclude the data as not being a regular occurance?

[idunno]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I'm kind of confused how they plan on fitting a bus lane in that section under the pedestrian bridge. And that section which intersects with the Low Level Road looks like fun as well.

I also wonder how those calculations deal with severe bridge events that just cause traffic to basically stop around Lower Lynn. Like if you had 5 R2s just sitting eastbound headed to Phibbs at some point do they exclude the data as not being a regular occurance?

They are removing the bike lanes to fit the extra lane EB.

- WB bike lane will transition to the sidewalk earlier
- EB bike lane will become shared downhill lane (I guess fine because of speed of bikes here)

This project eliminates one of only two remaining gaps in the almost 3km full time bus lane from St Davids Ave to Phibbs. The other is the Main St bridge over Lynn Creek, which CNV is already studying: https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/city-of-north-van-eyes-major-bridge-replacement-3817028

[Tvisforme]

Some more information:

City of North Vancouver: Marine-Main R2 RapidBus Upgrades

We’re partnering with TransLink to make upgrades to a section of the eastbound R2 Marine-Main RapidBus corridor. This work will improve bus speed and reliability along East 3rd Street and Cotton Road by extending the eastbound transit priority lane between Queensbury and Gladstone.

Currently, the transit lane ends at Queensbury, requiring buses to merge into the general travel lane until Gladstone. As a result, this segment experiences the greatest delay along the R2 corridor, resulting in slow, unreliable service and over 320,000 minutes per year sitting idle in traffic. These upgrades will greatly improve transit travel times and provide a more reliable experience for the 40,000 transit customers who travel along this corridor each month. This project also provides an opportunity to make improvements for pedestrians and cyclists along the corridor, including a separated eastbound mobility lane on Cotton Road.

Overall construction activities include:

• Removing and rebuilding new concrete medians
• Relocating traffic signal poles and light poles
• Removing and adding new paint lines
• Removing three trees at the southeast corner of Cotton Road and Gladstone
• Transplanting five trees east of Heywood Street to a new location
• Asphalt paving

TransLink: R2 Transit Priority Lane Upgrades

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by Waders

TransLink studying ways to limit SkyTrain track intrusions, including the installation of platform screen doors

It is silly to not build platform screen doors into the Broadway Subway stations. Just run the older trains exclusively on the Expo line to mitigate some of the door spacing concerns.

With the overcrowding on the Canada Line, platform screen doors at those stations, especially the busiest ones, should be prioritized.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I'd argue that platform screen doors add marginal capacity at best - most of their benefits are in safety and/or climate control.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

I'd argue that platform screen doors add marginal capacity at best - most of their benefits are in safety and/or climate control.

I'm guessing that's why FarmerHaight wants TransLink to prioritize the Canada Line.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

I'm guessing that's why FarmerHaight wants TransLink to prioritize the Canada Line.

Sure, as soon there's enough shorter middle cars for each trainset. The various possible combinations of door spacing is why there's no doors on the Millennium or Expo either; remember, TransLink's only doing this now that the Mark I and IIs are retiring.

Besides, doors increase capacity by, what, another few dozen people standing beside the barrier? IMO the answer to crowding at City Centre or Broadway is more trains.