Canada Line | Completed

[clooless]

It seems that all the trouble with the machines could be avoided if the main screen simply guided you through the process, including a message indicating when and where to type in your PIN.

I install POS systems for a living and my development group does usability tests on new equipment with people here in the office. If they can't understand it, we go back to the manufacturer and request changes or reprogram, if possible. With some of the products we get it seems the manufacturer hasn't even done one iota of usability testing.

[mezzanine]

^^ agree about the elevator design - it is for assurance that ppl pay their fare. They have a 'direct' elevator at Burrard, from street - ticketing - platform, and every now and then you will see a sting by translink cops at the platform level for fare evaders.

[CLC]

Canada Line ticket terminals temporarily shut down


Ticket terminals along the Canada Line are flashing 'Cash only.' August 26, 2009. (CTV/Heron Hanuman)

Updated: Wed Aug. 26 2009 13:59:42

ctvbc.ca

The credit card and debit functions on Canada Line ticket terminals went down Wednesday, forcing attendants to offer free boarding to anyone unable to pay cash.

TransLink says for at least half an hour Wednesday morning all ticket machines along the Canada line were either out of service, or flashing the words "Cash only."

One commuter at the King Edward Station told ctvbc.ca Canada Line attendants were instructed to urge passengers to pay with available cash, but in lieu of hard currency, they could walk on free of charge.

TransLink spokesman Drew Snider says that even when ticket machines go down, passengers are still expected to provide proof of payment - or risk facing Transit Police.

"Transit Police do issue tickets to violators, although in all cases they exercise discretion," Snider said in a statement.

The rapid transit system is the most expensive infrastructure project in B.C. history. But since its grand opening on August 17, passengers have reported having trouble using the ticket terminals.

Officials say it's because the machines were outfitted to read "smart cards," credit cards containing a microchip that makes swiping redundant.

"My understanding is that we went with the ones that can read the chip technology," Snider said Tuesday.

[CLC]

Canada Line's ups and downs

By Martin van den Hemel - Richmond Review

Published: August 26, 2009 2:00 PM
Updated: August 26, 2009 2:46 PM

It was a busy weekend for the Canada Line, which aside from the opening-day freebie, experienced the highest volume of passengers since making its debut last week.

Some 80,000 people rode the $2 billion system on Saturday, and another 85,000 on Sunday, according to Jason Chan, spokesperson for PROTRANS B.C., the operator of the Canada Line.

With university, college and high school classes slated to go back in session in two weeks, and buses scheduled to be integrated with the system in the coming days, the projected ridership figure of 100,000 appears within reach. But Chan said the goal is to reach that number by 2013.

As wildly popular as the system has been, it's not been all good news through eight days of operations.

A source told The Richmond Review that the escalators and elevators, both produced by Switzerland-based Schindler, have on a daily basis been stopping.

But Chan said the incidents have been relatively infrequent, when you consider the more than 70 escalators and elevators in use in the system.

Chan said the escalators have a fail-safe system that has been switched to a sensitive setting to ensure passenger safety, and as a result have been tripping.

He explained that there have been a few incidents per day, and when they've tripped, the cause was likely someone dragging their feet along the escalator's skirting.

"That minor bit of resistance and friction might trip the system," Chan said.

But it takes just a matter of minutes for Canada Line staff to get the system up and running again, and passenger on their way, Chan said.

Like the burning-in period on a new automobile engine, Chan said the escalator and elevators will also take a short time to be worked in—perhaps days or a couple of weeks—and for the wrinkles to be ironed out.

He said the early opening of the Canada Line has been a blessing, because it's enabled the escalators and elevators to work under real conditions, something that couldn't be simulated during the testing period when there weren't passengers available.

Asked if the escalators and elevators were properly designed to handle the volume of traffic expected on the system, Chan said there's no suggestion the system isn't capable.

[CLC]

Originally Posted by mr.x

^ it's like that for the underground stations at King Edward, Oakridge, and Langara. It's because the tunnel is relatively shallow, and it didn't allow them to have an overpass to the other side of the platform like Broadway Station.

shallow platform at Langara is particlar good for my commute. From 49th bus stop to northbound platform (heading downtown) in 15 seconds for me. Very easy transfer.

[radacal]

not sure where to put this but anybody know why they didn't reinstate the left turn lanes from pacific onto davie when they repaired the road after the canada line construction?

[Pinion]

One thing I'm still surprised about is how they did nothing with the office tower stairs and handrail that end about one foot from the Granville/Waterfront elevator. I walk down that part of Granville every day and it's very counter-intuitive to walk around the other side of the elevator (only possible due to super wide sidewalk).

[seaJ]

Originally Posted by hollywoodnorth

is it just me or is it SHOCKING that

1) Metro Seattle is 8 larger area wise than Metro Vancouver

2) With 8 times more area they only manage to have 50% more people than Vancouver does........thats just CRAZY

3) if Seattle was build up to Vancouver Standards it would have a population of what 17 million people?

4) if you do the math the other way if Vancouver was build up (or build OUT) like Seattle is our population would be what....a Metro of 425,000 people!


crazy or CRAZY!?!?

You have to remember, a big part of it is simple geography. Seattle has the room to grow out, Vancouver really doesn't with the mountains on one side and an international border on the other. If the border wasn't there, Vancouver would probably have grown south to encompass what is now Blaine. Vancouver has the advantage of being the end of the line of sorts with respect to I-5. There is no going further north to another large city and therefore no major highway to grow lengthwise with either.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by seaJ

You have to remember, a big part of it is simple geography. Seattle has the room to grow out, Vancouver really doesn't with the mountains on one side and an international border on the other. If the border wasn't there, Vancouver would probably have grown south to encompass what is now Blaine. Vancouver has the advantage of being the end of the line of sorts with respect to I-5. There is no going further north to another large city and therefore no major highway to grow lengthwise with either.

at last check Hwy #1 seems to run the length of Metro Vancouver even divides it in half

[deasine]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Specifically for King Edward, it's the only stacked tunnel station along the line. And as for Bridgeport, there were space issues. Note that the first elevator brings you to the ticket hall, to buy your ticket, and then you go past the fare paid line to get to the elevator to the platform.

It wasn't because of space issues for Bridgeport. They could've had the elevator running all the way down if they wanted to, but they didn't. It's because of future fare gates. When there are fare gates, the first elevator just brings you to the ticket concourse before the fare gates, the second elevator is inside fare paid zones bringing you up to the platform. The same reason for many of the downtown stations and why they have separate elevators, aside from limited street space above.

[Mac Write]

Would have been smart to design the elevators so they they have a faregate at street level and then whisk the person to the platform, instead of this extra walking which 90% of people using the elevator won't need a ticket as they will have a pass.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Would have been smart to design the elevators so they they have a faregate at street level and then whisk the person to the platform, instead of this extra walking which 90% of people using the elevator won't need a ticket as they will have a pass.

Well, like I said, there are space limitations within many stations. Secondly, it's not economical for them to have another fare gates JUST for the elevator. Separating these Fare Paid Zone Access area will then require them to hire another person just to man THAT fare gate.

I understand it's a pain to take the elevator twice, especially when the people that use the elevator already have problems with mobility (or should have). But this is all over the world and not just in Vancouver.

[deasine]

Also, I rode the train bound for Bridgeport from YVR-Airport today: you can feel it accelerate going through the airport portions and not slowly rolling down. That's why it gets there in scheduled 6 minutes to Bridgeport vs a Waterfront bound train getting to Bridgeport in 7 minutes.

[SpongeG]

i noticed that

the other day we were coming back from teh airport - just before bridgeport - the richmond inbound train was getting there just before our train and we had to sit up there for quite a few minutes - seemed really long - in reality maybe 4 minutes? it was a long time - people didn't seem to freak out or say much - but i think the richmond train pulled in - made everyone get off and than that one went to the yard - cause when ours pulled up the platform was quite busy

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by radacal

not sure where to put this but anybody know why they didn't reinstate the left turn lanes from pacific onto davie when they repaired the road after the canada line construction?

Part of the revitalization of Pacific Boulevard with the multi-ways etc. (already completed from Homer to Richards).
It's also in preparation for the eventual streetcar tracks down the middle, but that seems a bit distant to me. It's just going to perpetuate the bottleneck that has existed there during Canada Line construction, although there shouldn't be as many cars going straight through to Drake, since Davie reopened.

[Vancity]

Those ticket machines are trouble!

Doesn't seem like they are very reliable O__o

hope they get them ticket machines fixed soon. Translink might be getting lots of complaints. I also think they need more of those ticket machines, so that people don't necessarily have to wait in line (for what..2 or 3 machines per station?). They should install (the busy stations), like 5-6 machines, and expand in the future, to accomodate those riding the c-line.

[smasher000]

With the Canada Line integrating itself within the Skytrain system, is there a noticeable higher count of passengers boarding the Millennium and Expo lines?

If so, how many of the new Mark II cars for the Expo/Millennium are currently being used to accommodate the higher fluctuations of passengers? And when all the new Mark II's are in service, will this new addition of trains increase the Skytrain frequencies for the Millennium line?

[deasine]

We wouldn't really know since there aren't counters at every station unlike the Canada Line. Mr X, I guess that's why they call it "advanced wayfinding."

The Canada Lien serves quite a different set of commuters. I would think there may be a slight bit of an increase, but probably less than the average increase per year. The new MK IIs just allow longer MK IIs.

[Mac Write]

Originally Posted by smasher000

With the Canada Line integrating itself within the Skytrain system, is there a noticeable higher count of passengers boarding the Millennium and Expo lines?

If so, how many of the new Mark II cars for the Expo/Millennium are currently being used to accommodate the higher fluctuations of passengers? And when all the new Mark II's are in service, will this new addition of trains increase the Skytrain frequencies for the Millennium line?

The new cars are going into service as 2 car trains which replaces an older Mark II 2 car train, which is then paired up with another Mark II train to add another 4-car Mark II train to the system. When all is done, we should have 25 6-car Mark I trains and 27 4-car Mark II trains to replace the current 37.5 4-car Mark I trains and 5 4-car Mark II and 20 2-car Mark II trains (getting an exact number on 2-car vs 4-car Mark II trains is difficult).

[DKaz]

But we need 56 operating train sets and 6 spare train sets. Most MKIs will continue to run in 4 car sets, there'll be a few 6's.