Translink West Coast Express and SkyTrain at Waterfront Station
Once again, our Canadian friends to the North are continuing an aggressive push in Vancouver’s rail infrastructure.
Under a joint program, TransLink will upgrade infrastructure on its SkyTrain automated light-rail system, as well as several stations along the Expo Line, including the Main Street and Scott Road stations, by lengthening platforms and improving pedestrian circulation and access, and access for passengers with disabilities. The agency also will upgrade the Waterfront and Mission stations on its West Coast Express commuter-rail line to accommodate longer cars and improve passenger access.
Mind you, West Coast Express can already accommodate 10 car trains. The extensions will allow train lengths of 12 cars, like Toronto’s GO Transit.
Several of the Canadian railroads, including BNSF, will be performing major track rehabilitation on the ROW between the Canadian boarder and various points in the lower mainlines. Amtrak will benefit directly from this project with an estimated time savings of 10 minutes with the increased train speed. The trackwork portion is expected to be done in 2010 but after the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
SkyTrain works more like a subway than a Light Rail system … but is it still considered Light Rail? The cars can fit inside a NYCTA IRT subway car (two maybe in the 85′ IND/BMT cars) … so I don’t think it really can be considered Heavy-Rail.
Does anyone know?
You are absolutely right.
Our system could never be called Heavy Rail. In fact, I don’t think our city will ever see heavy rail, other than in conventional commuter trains.
Our system is small. The trains are sort. But they are totally-grade-seperated
and are driverless. (something I’m not 100% comfortable with)
Someone called it a “Light Metro,” and that’s fairly accurate
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I’d like to know more about YOUR Light Rail System.
How is it working out. Well, I hope. I love Seattle
TransLink calls it ALRT so I would assume “Automated Light Rapid Transit”
http://www.translink.bc.ca/Transportation_Services/SkyTrain/default.asp
I’d call Skytrain a “light metro”.
Capacity and speed wise I’m not sure how it compares to a traditional heavy rail metro though.
Skytrain is more like a subway system in that it has dedicated lines with no traffic or pedestrian obstructions to deal with compared to light rail (most of the line is elevated). In some ways it is superior to typical subways in that it is automated (driverless) which allows it greater frequency of service compared to a driver operated train. The new Canada Line (service starting Aug 17) to the airport and Richmond will have wider trains compared to the Expo and Millenium lines already in service.