Comments on: TransLink Announces Evergreen Line and Demo Streetcar

By: EvergreenRailfan

EvergreenRailfan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:16:32 +0000

I wonder if BC will do the same with the Double Decker buses that Victoria and Kelowna are using, and Vancouver is considering trying out? If more are ordered, have them built in Canada. Alexander Dennis is contracting with an American Company to handle orders from US Systems.

By: poncho

poncho — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:03:30 +0000

i think they were for the anacostia line which apparently wasnt completely owned by the railroad that they were going to buy the route from. i guess they were far enough in design to order cars though.

By: poncho

poncho — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:59:08 +0000

no the charlotte avenue streetcar, the some of the rails are being laid now while the street is reconstructed but service maybe a decade away…

http://theoverheadwire.blogspot.com/2009/02/elizabeth-avenue.html

By: Lydia

Lydia — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:57:07 +0000

I thought the difference between Skytrain and light rail (ALRT and LRT) had more to do with the grade separation and automation than with the motor technology. Skytrain is grade separated, doesn’t need drivers, can use lighter cars and provides more frequent service than LRT.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:31:46 +0000

If you’re referring to the Charlotte LYNX Blue Line, it’s up and running revenue service

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:58:15 +0000

Yeah, pretty much all of the regions Streetcars can be longer, either to MU the streetcars together or for longer vehicles. The 10T’s can add several more “modules” which makes them such a popular model. I think the stopping point would be the maintenance facility(s).

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:33:01 +0000

Poncho,

I didn’t know the DC cars were built. They must’ve built them along with the Seattle order to make the overall cost cheaper. They keep having some setbacks with the system which is why they haven’t laid any track at this time. Sounds like according to this article, they’ll be rolling soon

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1610001

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:16:30 +0000

Correct,

Bombardier built the Mark II vehicles for SkyTrain (and will be building the cars for the Evergreen Line)

Rotem built the cars for the Canada Line. They would be capable with SkyTrain however the cars (Canada Line) are wider than SkyTrain vehicles are.

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:03:38 +0000

Well, not everything is cut and cover. The Canada Line for example had a twin bore tunnel that was built for the route throughout most of Downtown. It was cut and cover along another stretch of right of way.

http://www.canadaline.ca/constructionMethods.asp

And actually, the Canada Line has been testing for just about as long as Link has been. They still require the amount of testing.

By: poncho

poncho — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:59:48 +0000

its interesting how every major city in the pacific northwest will have a “modern streetcar” line by 2010 and yet outside of the pacific northwest there isnt one operating “modern streetcar” line… DC bought the cars which are still sitting in the czech and charlotte is laying some pieces of track now but despite this it wont be operational for about a decade. other than that all the operating systems are portland, tacoma, seattle and now vancouver

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:59:43 +0000

Matt,

I totally agree, more so after watching this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT7wuUfxl6w

I am looking forward to riding it when I’m up there! A large chunk of trackwork has already been completed for the route. Its a shame it won’t be in service when I go up for the Canada Line opening day.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:22:13 +0000

I suspect there are reasons beyond being proprietary that LIM hasn’t exactly set the transit world on fire.

TTC supposedly isn’t terribly happy with their line and a combination of politics and money is all that keeps them from replacing their line with more conventional technology.

Contrast this with rubber tire metros which while unusual can be found in a number of places other than Paris.

By: AJ

AJ — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:19:15 +0000

And Seattle has the capacity to increase platform length as well.

Portland does as well, I think.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:57:46 +0000

The current Seattle and Portland trams will carry more people than the articulated trolley buses. The trams are much more comfortable when nearly full than any bus I’ve ever been on as well.

Inekon has a 5 segment tram which is a longer version of the Seattle and Portland trams.

By: EvergreenRailfan

EvergreenRailfan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:22:59 +0000

The Canada Line uses a vehicle built by a different company, but the LIM in SkyTrain is proprietary technology of Bombardier. If it’s true that Bombardier would not license the LIM to Rotem, it spells doom for another revolutionary technology, Bombardier’s PriMove technology. Takes away the bidding competition.

By: MarkyM

MarkyM — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:08:07 +0000

“Skytrain Technology” has changed. These new extensions don’t utilize the old linear induction motors, correct? The only reason I ask: technology nuts and monorailians used to always cite linear induction as a key feature to separate SkyTrain from light rail. From what I can tell, this innovation has been abandoned for more traditional technology.

By: EvergreenRailfan

EvergreenRailfan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:36:38 +0000

I might have exagerated a little, I thought I heard of a made in Ontario rule, but it looks like just made in Canada with at least 25% Canadian Content. Still, a little on the protectionist side. Ontario Government and TTC procurement has had some interesting past instances. It was a crown corporation of the Province that built these cars, and the Province later sold it to Bombardier.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/01/22/ttc-contract.html

The LINK LRVs were pre-fabed in Japan but assembled here. I am not sure what the deal with Siemens in Sacramento, but I think they do full assembly there, they just expanded the plant.

By: EvergreenRailfan

EvergreenRailfan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:20:38 +0000

They also had disagreements over what was going to be built. First it was going to be another Skytrain line, then conventional Light Rail, and now it is SkyTrain again. Also, meddling from Victoria even though Translink is supposedly autonomous from BC Transit did not help much either. Although since the MLAs in Victoria, many of them are from the Greater Vancouver Area, it’s easy for meddling to occur, and it’s an election year. COming up in May. The Olympics also helped to get the Canada Line built, just like the University extension of Salt Lake City’s TRAX line for the Salt Lake City Games.

By: EvergreenRailfan

EvergreenRailfan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:17:53 +0000

I know. I monitor some podcasts of various Canadian media sources, CBC, CanWest Global, and CityNews(out of Toronto), and it was the NDP and Liberals both pressing the Tories. Although in the case of politics of rail, the PM does not have a leg to stand on(He is from Calgary). I do not know if the Siemens LRVs that Calgary Transit uses are built in Canada or not. They might be built in Sacramento. The funniest argument now is over a slush fund for stimulus projects, he wants $3 Billion to spend on projects, and daring the opposition to vote no. In Canada, budget motions are confidence motions. He only has 144 votes, needs 11 more, that means he needs one of the three other parties to support it. The most likely outcome of losing the budget motion, they go to the polls, and I don’t mean opinion polls. Our politics can be political theater, Canada, Australia, and Britain makes our guys look like amatuers. Also, as we seem to get with trade agreements, it’s always one way.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:01:48 +0000

There’s no tunneling for starters, they do everything cut-and-cover, which is way faster buy way more disruptive, and doesn’t work well for cutting through or under hills. Link only began construction in 2003, and most of ST2 will have six or seven year construction times, so the construction time isn’t as big as it seems.

I guess this means that the Canadians don’t have as strict testing requirements?