Canada Line sneak peak photo tour

SFUVancouver · #1 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:15 AM**

Last week I was lucky enough to have won a contest for a sneak-peak tour of Vancouver's newest SkyTrain line: The Canada Line.

A huge thank-you to Jhenifer Pabillano, editor of Translink's Buzzer Blog, and InTransitBC, for organizing the tour.

Hard hats on!

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Descending the steps to the Canada Line area of Waterfront Station.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

The new ticket level is very nice and leaves an excellent first impression of the transit system as a whole. The existing parts of Waterfront Station, save for the heritage entry hall, are downright ugly by comparison.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

The seating used throughout the new line is bizarrely incongruent to the design of the stations.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

This is where the walkway to the platform jogs 90 degrees and travels underneath Cordova Street. I like the lights a lot, though the space was dim because most of the ceiling lights were out. The high level of finishing on the column from the ticket area is carried on into this space before transitioning into the more utilitarian blue tile motif of the station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

The curving roofline of the walkway and the platform area are a clever way to take advantage of the climbing topography of Granville Street to add height to the station.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

The platform level of Waterfront Station with a YVR Olympic store ad-wrap on a train.

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The Olympic and Paralympic brands are given prominent positions on the doors.

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The wonderfully simple LED display showing the arrival time of the next three trains as well as their destination. I saw this exact same display in Berlin and Paris is installing them in its Metro right now.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

There is a limited amount of seating at the platform level.

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A detailed shot of the track.

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Seems simple enough.

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Passing through the crossover atrium leading to Vancouver City Centre Station.

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Travelling through the round bored tunnel under Granville Street.

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Approaching Vancouver City Centre station.

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Olympic Village station. I took platform photos on the return trip.

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Broadway-City Hall Station. Sorry for the poor quality. This one came up so quickly after Olympic Village that I wasn’t quite ready with my camera.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Exiting the tunnel portal just before Marine Drive station.

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Marine Drive Station.

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Approaching the North Arm Bridge.

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Ascending the North Arm Bridge. The approach to the cycling and pedestrian level of the North Arm Bridge is visible to the right of the guideway.

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Leaving Bridgeport Station. The flyover tracks to the airport make this a dramatic piece of civil infrastructure.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Approaching the Middle Arm Bridge that leads to Sea Island and the airport.

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Approaching Templeton Station.

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Approaching Sea Island Centre station.

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A section of at-grade track on Sea Island. To the right of the guideway is a small windmill, which I thought was neat.

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The transition from double track to single track just before YVR station.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

YVR station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

An interior shot showing some of the other tour participants and of the amount of space people take up in the car when they are relaxed. This is as possibly opposed to how people stood around when they boarded the trains at the open house. Also note the LED destination display at the front of the car, just before the accordion joint.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Sea Island Centre station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Templeton station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

An interior shot of the Canada Line train that illustrates just how much space there is by this set of doors. This is where it is envisioned most people with substantial luggage will stow it, plus there is space for people in wheelchairs and those with bikes.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

This is such a simple little detail but I am so glad it was included.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Bridgeport Station platform. This is going to be a busy place.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

A glimpse down to the mezzanine level of Bridgeport Station.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Stay tuned for part 2 of my photo tour of the Canada Line. This will include the Richmond portion of the line and photos of the platforms of all of the underground stations in Vancouver.

lightrail · #2 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:32 AM**

Nice tour and pics - thanks

That glass at Templeton is just stupid and pointless - it seems to restrict access for no reason. The "way out" sign seems to direct you to walk through the glass. I wonder how many people will walk into it before they finally remove it?

GeeCee · #3 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightrail

Nice tour and pics - thanks

That glass at Templeton is just stupid and pointless - it seems to restrict access for no reason. I wonder how many people will walk into it before they finally remove it?

Faregates..

Distill3d · #4 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

now there is a wonderful idea! I hope the implement this sort of hand pole throughout the SkyTrain network!

quobobo · #5 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:41 AM**

Really, really great - can't wait until this opens.. Thanks for taking the time to post these.

mr.x · #6 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 1:57 AM**

Awesome photo reel!!!

Does that windmill actually generate power or is it just for aesthetics? The bushes as sound barriers on the left along the side of the track look great.

Very sleek.

It's a shame those roof/wall strip lights don't go all the way around to the right side as well.

SkyTrain is pretty frequent, but it would be nice if we could get these to replace all the displays....to show time, especially in the early morning and evenings/late-night. We'll certainly need these for Millennium Line/Evergreen Line expansions to Coquitlam and UBC.

Looks nice, but horizontal wood beams instead of those steel beams would have been much better.....great metal/wood contrast, like on the Millennium Line or Sea Island Centre Station.

Those "Way Out" signs, or the overall signage scheme in fact, are just terribly ugly.

Considering how busy Bridgeport will be, it's a shame they didn't start with a 50-metre platform right off the bat to give passengers more space to move around.

SpongeG · #7 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 2:07 AM**

looks good

i like the blue on blue for the way out signs

and that glass at templeton - my friend pretended to run into it at the openhouse to shw the woman there how easy it would be and she was like oh i never even thought but i guess if one is running off or to the train for whatever reason wham

flight_from_kamakura · #8 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 3:20 AM**

sfu, dude, thanks a lot for taking that time to post these, it's greatly appreciated.

as for the substance (imo):

1. i really like the tunnels at waterfront
2. city hall station looks great
3. marine drive station is a disappointing piece of shit
4. i'm real excited to get on at airport station when i'm back in vanada in sept.

GeeCee · #9 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 3:45 AM**

I'd guess that the windmill is for determining windspeed for airport operations rather than anything to do with the C-Line.

SFUVancouver · #10 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 3:59 AM**

Approaching Abberden Station in Richmond.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Approaching Lansdowne Station.

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Richmond double track transitions to single track before Richmond Centre-Brighouse station.

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Richmond-Brighouse Station.

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Lansdowne Station platform.

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Aberdeen Station platform.

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Marine Drive Station platform.

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Langara-49th Station platform.

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Oakridge Station platform.

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King Edward Station platform.

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Broadway-City Hall Station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Olympic Village Station platform.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Looking up from Olympic Village station platform towards the daylight coming from the entrance.

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Yaletown-Roundhouse Station platform.

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Vancouver City Centre station platform.

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Waterfront Station connection to the entrance on Pender Street.

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Close-up of the airport add-fare information on the route map.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Close-up of the Waterfront Station transit hub portion of the route map.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

flight_from_kamakura · #11 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 4:16 AM**

thanks again dude. those richmond stations look great, i can only imagine how pleased folks out there must be. bonus = the translink signage makes up for the wagons.

TransitJack · #12 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 5:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeeCee

I'd guess that the windmill is for determining windspeed for airport operations rather than anything to do with the C-Line.

It's a YVR thing... a test I believe to see such a devices effectiveness for powering street lights?

lightrail · #13 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 6:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TransitJack

It's a YVR thing... a test I believe to see such a devices effectiveness for powering street lights?

Close. It's a wind turbine and solar cell on a lamp post and it powers a pumping station near Canada Line.

Here's the story:

http://www.yvr.ca/pdf/authority/skyt...k_july2009.pdf

MistyMountainHop · #14 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Close-up of the airport add-fare information on the route map.

Taken by SFUVancouver, July 24th, 2009.

Why wouldn't it be available at all SkyTrain stations? It would be annoying to have to use two ticket machines to go from the Expo or Millenium line to the airport.

Bureaucromancer · #15 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 3:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by marmorek

Why wouldn't it be available at all SkyTrain stations? It would be annoying to have to use two ticket machines to go from the Expo or Millenium line to the airport.

I'm guessing thats going to be annoying procedure whatever happens given the transfer locations; either a walk to City Centre or around to Waterfront and back. I actually don't see very many places where it makes much sense to go to the airport by way of the E or M lines (at least without the 99 between them).

Northern Light · #16 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 4:46 PM**

First, thanks for the photos.

On the new stations:

Best features:

Very creative use of lighting in many stations, would be nice to see that in Toronto, where since the Spadina line in the 1970's (which was very artist driven, most of the new/renovated stations use standard boxy looking fluorescent lights.

I also really like the (wood?, pseudo-wood?) ceilings in the outdoor stations, that adds a lot of warmth vs metal or concrete.

Worst Features:

Sameness, too many of the stations look the same.

Bland Colour palate: What's with Blue, Grey and Cream being the only legal colours? What did burgundy, forest green, or warm auburn ever do to deserve being banished from the line? A little bold splash of colour is nice, warm's the place right up!

lightrail · #17 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 5:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Light

First, thanks for the photos.

On the new stations:

Best features:

Very creative use of lighting in many stations, would be nice to see that in Toronto, where since the Spadina line in the 1970's (which was very artist driven, most of the new/renovated stations use standard boxy looking fluorescent lights.

I also really like the (wood?, pseudo-wood?) ceilings in the outdoor stations, that adds a lot of warmth vs metal or concrete.

Worst Features:

Sameness, too many of the stations look the same.

Bland Colour palate: What's with Blue, Grey and Cream being the only legal colours? What did burgundy, forest green, or warm auburn ever do to deserve being banished from the line? A little bold splash of colour is nice, warm's the place right up!

Lack of seats - don't they expect older people to use the system. Those seats they have - did they get a deal from Corrections Canada?

deasine · #18 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 5:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightrail

Lack of seats - don't they expect older people to use the system. Those seats they have - did they get a deal from Corrections Canada?

Actually, the number of seats they used is the same amount at the Millennium Line stations... they might have more since there are seats by the elevator.

Overground · #19 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 5:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northern Light

Worst Features:

Sameness, too many of the stations look the same.

Bland Colour palate: What's with Blue, Grey and Cream being the only legal colours? What did burgundy, forest green, or warm auburn ever do to deserve being banished from the line? A little bold splash of colour is nice, warm's the place right up!

Light colours they've used give a neutral palette which don't clash with colourful adverts, brand signage, and wayfinding signs. It also lightens stations up. I think that is pretty standard anywhere, especially over something like earth tones in underground stations of all places.

mr.x · #20 Posted **Aug 1, 2009, 6:00 PM**

Laval Station in Montreal, one of a two station expansion project built in 2006 and completed by SNC-Lavalin as well. I really like the airy space and the station layout, which is quite similar to City Hall Station, but it does look a bit dark and dingy: