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Transit Service Discussion (Articulated/Conventional/Shuttle/Skytrain/Seabus)

cleowin

By cleowin
in Metro Vancouver

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InfiNorth

InfiNorth

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Phillip said:

Yes, more and more charging stations are being installed. I passed several along hwy 1 at rest stops and at gas stations and parking lots, almost every town I pass has one. Driving between Vancouver and Edmonton is doable with an electric car nowadays.

But that's still a ways away for me, I'm going to run my Civic as long as it will live. I will only replace it when it dies or I'm involved in a major collision and the car is a write off... 

Not to mention that we really should be changing our way of life to stop expecting the ability to just blow halfway around the planet on a whim. It's not healthy for our bodies or the planet. Maybe it can be both environmentally, socially, and mentally healthy to not spend ten hours straight in a car, instead stopping every few hours for a stretch, some fresh air, and low stress.

And, of course, keep that Civic going. 

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8800GTX

8800GTX

Posted
Posted
On 2/21/2021 at 12:43 AM, GORDOOM said:

...and that the lower curb weight reduces wear and tear on the roads, which again reduces resource use.

On 2/21/2021 at 9:14 AM, InfiNorth said:

And safety. A lighter vehicle can stop faster. Trolleybuses are far lighter than a battery electric bus. I would much rather fall off the sidewalk in front of a bus that doesn't have a literal ton of batteries slowing its stopping abilities, and I would also rather have my car rear-ended into an intersection in front of a trolleybus rather than a battery-electric with the inertia of a loaded eighteen-wheeler. 

You're actually both wrong though :huh:

So I'm about to derail this whole trolley discussion but, uh, trolley buses are in fact heavier than battery-electric buses—not the other way around. Even then, the weight difference is probably not significant enough to seriously affect road wear or acceleration/braking time.

My guess? The fact that trolley buses still need to have large batteries (maybe not the kind that will run hundreds of km, but they are there for off-wire operation on all NF-built trolleys).

See: Seattle XT40 spec sheet (32,878 lbs) and Philadelphia E40LFR spec sheet (31,500 lbs). NFI's 2021 spec sheet lists a 40 ft Xcelsior Electric battery model at 30,500 lbs. Another 2015 test (on an XE40 model built around that time) came out to around 32,770 lbs.

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InfiNorth

InfiNorth

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, 8800GTX said:

You're actually both wrong though :huh:

So I'm about to derail this whole trolley discussion but, uh, trolley buses are in fact heavier than battery-electric buses—not the other way around. Even then, the weight difference is probably not significant enough to seriously affect road wear or acceleration/braking time.

My guess? The fact that trolley buses still need to have large batteries (maybe not the kind that will run hundreds of km, but they are there for off-wire operation on all NF-built trolleys).

See: Seattle XT40 spec sheet (32,878 lbs) and Philadelphia E40LFR spec sheet (31,500 lbs). NFI's 2021 spec sheet lists a 40 ft Xcelsior Electric battery model at 30,500 lbs. Another 2015 test (on an XE40 model built around that time) came out to around 32,770 lbs.

That is... highly unexpected! Thank you for sharing that, always glad to learn something new. I genuinely want to know what on earth is the cause of that. Maybe it's just low-tech batteries that weigh an absolute load instead of the high-tech high-density batteries of the 100% battery-powered models? 

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captaintrolley

captaintrolley

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Express691 said:

The six stations with YVR Self-Serve check-in kiosks have since had them removed (as of 2020). I speculate that there is not much point in bringing them back as mobile check-in seems to be prevalent nowadays.

That's too bad, I used them all the time. Not everyone has a smart phone.

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Dane

Dane

Posted
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5 hours ago, captaintrolley said:

That's too bad, I used them all the time. Not everyone has a smart phone.

Not that I've traveled in a while, for work or any purpose really... But, those check in terminals were my frequent flyer pro-timesaver to avoid lines in the airport! Rest in peace, mild convenience. 

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Orcair

Orcair

Posted
Posted

 

11 hours ago, Express691 said:

The six stations with YVR Self-Serve check-in kiosks have since had them removed (as of 2020). I speculate that there is not much point in bringing them back as mobile check-in seems to be prevalent nowadays.

I agree that they are likely being removed permanently, but there's perhaps a slim chance they are being upgraded with the new kiosks? The old machines were quite old and the new ones at YVR are much slicker (and smaller).

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Michael Marriott

Michael Marriott

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, 8010 said:

Sheet change isn’t on the 12th though, is it? Idk why they don’t implement the stop balancing during sheet changes like what happened with the 2 back in September.

The bus stop balancing for the 2 started on Sept 21, 3 weeks into the sheet.  Given that in the grand of things this is a relatively minor change; the buses will still follow the same paths and schedule but simply stop less,  waiting for the sheet change is unneeded.  After all, bus stop closures and openings and reopenings due to construction happen mid sheet all the time.

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Phillip

Phillip

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, 8010 said:

Sheet change isn’t on the 12th though, is it? Idk why they don’t implement the stop balancing during sheet changes like what happened with the 2 back in September.

Sheet change is April 12th yes

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Dane

Dane

Posted
Posted

I swear that refurb is a rehashed announcement, in fact, didn't it already go to RFP? 

 

Edit - my memory failed me. The previous contract was to define work need, which was done. But the refurb is a natural consequence of that. 

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Orcair

Orcair

Posted
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2 hours ago, Express691 said:

Livestream of the federal funding announcement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFT6KaWf4NU

Out of left field: refurbishment of West Coast Express locomotives

Interesting that Minister McKenna said in English and in French that seven locomotives will be refurbished... did she misspeak or are we getting another one?

 

EDIT: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/west-coast-express-trains-upgrade-funding-translink I see we are, in fact, acquiring a 7th locomotive!

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Dane

Dane

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, InfiNorth said:

But... why?

It'll be presumably used and protect the fleet while rebuilds are happening. Almost asssuredly similar in cost to leasing for a long period, particularly right now with a high availability in the locomotive supply market. That was the plan from late 2019 anyways, which I stumbled earlier today upon Googling from a couple posts up where my memory erred. 

Even with six units from time to time they still needed Via to get them power. If I were WCE/TransLink I would be worried about the sustainability of Via as a back up, and WCE needs hear end power so can't rely on freight units (or need a generator car). 

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Express691

Express691

Posted
Posted

https://www.translink.ca/-/media/translink/documents/about-translink/governance-and-board/board-of-directors/board-minutes-and-reports/2021/2021_03_25_public_board_meeting_agenda.pdf

Mayors council meeting minutes for March 25, 2021:
Editing:

P.3: Hand sanitizers on buses actually saw low usage, will not be implemented.
P.5: Nova LFSe+ units arrive in Q2 2022.
P.19: 7th locomotive to be bought *used* from Progress Rail, will be part of locomotive overhaul recently announced.
P.51: Postponed fare adjustment originally for 2020 will proceed in 2021.

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InfiNorth

InfiNorth

Posted
Posted

Sorry if this has been asked before, but why does SkyTrain service operate exceptionally slowly over some sections of track that seem to be better suited for high-speed operations? The lengths that come to mind are the two Fraser River crossings and the Canada Line around Bridgeport (even far away from the mess of switches into the maintenance centre). 

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Stormscape

Stormscape

Posted
Posted

Normally it's because there's a slow order in place for that section of track pending repairs, or in other instances a permanent slow order due to "excessive" noise (think Science World area). Slow orders also get put in place on the SkyBridge during wind events because while the trains have a very low chance of actually derailing due to high winds, it will certainly FEEL like it's going to derail.

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8010

8010

Posted
Posted

Two questions:

1. Why do inbound Canada Line trains hit the brakes right after the left turn leaving Olympic Village? It’s been like that as far as I can remember.

2. Any noticeable service changes for April aside from the bus stop balancing?

 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fare-increase-2021-proposal
 

Apparently they’re transitioning the Expo Line extension over to the province, yet I don’t recall an announcement stating that the extension to Langley is fully funded.

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