Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Gordon

appearantly after this years delivery of 48 skytrain cars. The only order for new train cars is the 7 WCE cars due in this fall.

I wonder what happened to the24 mark2s that were supposed to arrive by 2011?

Probably subject to the same push for additional sources of funding that could derail the new WCE cars. The current order has already been paid for, that's that and they probably can't sell those if they need cash, whereas the WCE cars are compatible with many commuter rail systems country wide (although I suspect that not many transit systems can afford it right now).

[Gordon]

good point

There may well be more announcements in the fall when the mayors council votes on the 10 year transit plan in October, which will include sources of newfundidg that they plan to use.

[usog]

I woulda sworn I saw one of the new MKIIs in service now today, but I only caught a glimpse of it since I wasn't paying attention that much and we were passing each other really quickly. Anyone else catch anything?

[Mac Write]

Was it loaded with people? It could still be doing "revenue service testing" meaning running during revenue service but still testing.

[Gordon]

I think the cars that being used for the in-service testing will go through 2,000 Km of to work out all the kinks?

[deasine]

Sources on image

Looks like Seattle got their signage right with their first LRT line.

[usog]

Yeah I'm 99% sure that I saw people inside it. And haven't the cars been with Translink for a month and a half now? Dunno, I think I saw a blue MarkII with people inside it wooshing by and was like O_o

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by deasine

Sources on image

Looks like Seattle got their signage right with their first LRT line.

what could have been.

[DKaz]

I took the 595 from Maple Meadows Station today and there were only 2 other passengers besides me, both of them getting off just after the bridge in the industrial park, leaving the driver to chauffeur me the rest of the way to Langley Centre. I suspect that the ridership will go up after the tolls come into effect but that's just pretty horrible. No wonder Translink doesn't want to invest in South of Fraser.

On the plus side, it only took me 70 minutes to get from Mission to Cloverdale.

The 341 had about 10 people, still not great but at least it wasn't an empty bus. Things got busy after Surrey City Hall.

The 321 was crowded despite running on 7.5 minute headways between Newton and Surrey Central. They could really use the articulated buses soon.

Somehow the general transit atmosphere in Surrey is that the riders generally take transit because they have no other means of getting around especially on the 321 (aka... it feels really really ghetto over there), whereas in Vancouver and its immediate surrounding suburbs you have a lot more people who could drive but choose to take transit instead. I have a feeling that you could amp up Surrey's bus system a lot but people will still be married to their cars there. I could tell from some of the people on the bus that they would really rather be driving if only they could afford it. The 341 was not as bad. I'm sure the demographics change significantly during rush hour. Not anything against the poor at all, but when I see a guy half sticking out into the aisle and another guy who just got onto the bus and walking up the aisle push into him, say "f**k you man" and the guy seated with half of him in the aisle saying the same thing back... it's stuff that's scaring the people who have the means to drive back into their vehciles.

[Gordon]

The first of the new Skytrain cars is apparently finishing it's 2nd phase of testing ans is expected to be in service in early July.

The LCD screens on the platforms may continue to show ads because Translink receives revenue from the ads.

[DKaz]

Anyone know what's going on at Metrotown right now?

[Kodii]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Anyone know what's going on at Metrotown right now?

BURNABY (NEWS1130) - A police incident has shut down all transit service to Metrotown station. Drew Snider with TransLink says SkyTrain is passing through Metrotown station, "Skytrain is running through Metrotown station without stopping. So they are going to Patterson, they are going to Royal Oak and then keeping right on through. A bus bridge is being set up between Royal Oak and Patterson."

Snider adds buses are also being affected, "We have buses that are going to Patterson and no further. The trolley buses, the number 19 are only going to Joyce and turning around and then shuttles are taking the rest of the way to Patterson."

Keep it on News1130 for the latest on this developing story.

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090628_183237_7512

[DKaz]

Yah I saw that, just wonderring if there are some eyewitness accounts here. Sounds like something big like a gang shootout if they've had to close the station AND bus loop.

[Xerx]

There was a suicidal guy about to jump from the walkway between the skytrain station and the mall.

[mr.x]

^ does he realize that it's probably not high enough for an assured death? That's just sad.

[Xerx]

here's a link with some pictures and video

http://www.al6400.com/blog/2009/06/28/looked-like-a-suicide-attempt-at-metrotown-mall-today/

[mr.x]

Pics of Seattle's Sound Transit from SSC:

[deasine]

Their route map makes much more sense and looks much better too -__-" However, I expected more light in the Downtown Transit Tunnel considering they did a lot of renovation. I guess lighting really wasn't a big part of it.

[DKaz]

For the next couple of months I'm going to take a different commute downtown to save a bit of money: West Coast Express to Pitt Meadows Station, transfer to 791 to Braid Station, Skytrain to Burrard.

Surprisingly, it's only added 10 minutes to my commute this morning though there was NO traffic on Mary Hill Bypass this morning, that probably saved 15 minutes there.

Cost? $121.50 instead of $269. In essence... I'm commuting from Mission to downtown Vancouver for a bit cheaper than a 3 zone bus pass.

[mrjauk]

Originally Posted by DKaz

For the next couple of months I'm going to take a different commute downtown to save a bit of money: West Coast Express to Pitt Meadows Station, transfer to 791 to Braid Station, Skytrain to Burrard.

Surprisingly, it's only added 10 minutes to my commute this morning though there was NO traffic on Mary Hill Bypass this morning, that probably saved 15 minutes there.

Cost? $121.50 instead of $269. In essence... I'm commuting from Mission to downtown Vancouver for a bit cheaper than a 3 zone bus pass.

Very nice. It pays to be frugal when you can. That's a savings of (269-121.50)*12=$1770 dollars for the year. That's a nice 10 days or so in Hawaii--maybe even longer if you rent out a condo privately off Craigslist.

On the other hand, let's assume that you're correct and that the commute really should have taken you longer. Rather than the extra 15 minutes you think you saved from a non-busy MH bypass, let's assume that it was an extra 10 and that your trip will take 20 minutes longer in the morning (and the afternoon, presumably). That's equivalent to 40 extra minutes of commuting time, which works out to a an extra (let's assume 20 days of commuting monthly) 800 minutes (or 13.33 hours) monthly.

So if your time is worth any more to you than (269-121.50/13.33) $11.06/hr, you're not being rational (in the economic sense).

I don't know what kind of work you do, but if you can work while commuting, that brings down the cost of the time spent commuting.