S
spmarshall
Guest
During my brief visit to Vancouver, I got a chance to ride buses, trolley buses, Seabus, Skytrain and the West Coast Express. This will be the first Vancouver photo thread. The next threads will showcase Gastown, Chinatown, the Downtown Eastside and the Broadway strip.
Translink impressed me. They do a great job of coordinating transit, and I found the drivers to be very friendly.The Skytrain, like London's Docklands Light Railway, is ICTS done right - the Skytrains are much smaller than Toronto's subway trains, but they run less than 2 minutes during peak periods, so they manage to meet capacity fairly well. The trains are fully automated, and the system is POP.
I wouldn't bash the TTC, but Translink was the first transit system that impressed me with its reliability, cleanliness, service levels and use of transport technologies all at once.
Vancouver is getting new trolley buses, both 40 foot standard low floors and 60 foot artics. The ones they have now are showing their age, but are very quiet, ride well, and handle the hills better than diesels. Though at some intersections, the frogs and double wiring make for a crowded, and arguably ugly overhead sight.
My VIA train got into Vancouver three and a half hours late. It did give the chance to see a bit of the Fraser Canyon as well as the Lower Mainland by daylight, but reduced the amount of time I had in the city. The train ride itself through Jasper was spectacular.
The rail line passes through New Westminster and the new SkyTrain line.
At New Westminster, there are three bridges that cross: a railway bridge, a highway bridge and to the left (unseen), the Skybridge.
Most of the highrises outside downtown Vancouver are either near the Seabus Terminal in North Vancouver, or near Skytrain stations. Even along major bus routes in the suburbs, there seems to be better transit-orientated development, with low-rise mixed use buildings say in Port Coquitlam along the 97 B-Line bus.
Two Mark-I ICTS trains. Same technology as in Scarborough or Detroit, yet it seems to work right in Vancouver.
My first skyline shot, taken from the Park Car on the train in the railyards to the east. The Science World dome (From Expo '86) is visible.
Pacific Central Station, the VIA/Amtrak terminus, and also the main bus depot. The daily Amtrak train to Seattle and Portland has border pre-clearance as many airports do.
Waterfront Station, the terminus for SeaBus, Skytrain and West Coast Express Trains.
I took the WCE to Coquitlam, only having to pay a top-up fare, as I had a valid pass or transfer for the regular Translink system. Imagine if GO only required a top-up with a valid TTC DayPass, Metropass or transfer.
Did I mention that WCE has a cappuchino car and a quiet (no cellphones or loud conversations) car?
Lougheed Station on the new Skytrain line. The stations are fancy enough, but are mostly open air.
I took a Mark II train through Surrey. The new equipment offers a great rail fan seat. Note the office/commercial development next to the Skytrain.
Over Skybridge, the world's longest transit-only bridge.
On my way to Stanley Park, caught a pic of a dewired trolley bus on Granville.
Vancouver's answer to High Park loop:
Seabus is actually faster than I expected for a ferry service. Canada has two transit systems that use water transport as an important transit mode. The other is Halifax.
Next: Gastown, Chinatown, the Eastside.
Translink impressed me. They do a great job of coordinating transit, and I found the drivers to be very friendly.The Skytrain, like London's Docklands Light Railway, is ICTS done right - the Skytrains are much smaller than Toronto's subway trains, but they run less than 2 minutes during peak periods, so they manage to meet capacity fairly well. The trains are fully automated, and the system is POP.
I wouldn't bash the TTC, but Translink was the first transit system that impressed me with its reliability, cleanliness, service levels and use of transport technologies all at once.
Vancouver is getting new trolley buses, both 40 foot standard low floors and 60 foot artics. The ones they have now are showing their age, but are very quiet, ride well, and handle the hills better than diesels. Though at some intersections, the frogs and double wiring make for a crowded, and arguably ugly overhead sight.
My VIA train got into Vancouver three and a half hours late. It did give the chance to see a bit of the Fraser Canyon as well as the Lower Mainland by daylight, but reduced the amount of time I had in the city. The train ride itself through Jasper was spectacular.
The rail line passes through New Westminster and the new SkyTrain line.
At New Westminster, there are three bridges that cross: a railway bridge, a highway bridge and to the left (unseen), the Skybridge.
Most of the highrises outside downtown Vancouver are either near the Seabus Terminal in North Vancouver, or near Skytrain stations. Even along major bus routes in the suburbs, there seems to be better transit-orientated development, with low-rise mixed use buildings say in Port Coquitlam along the 97 B-Line bus.
Two Mark-I ICTS trains. Same technology as in Scarborough or Detroit, yet it seems to work right in Vancouver.
My first skyline shot, taken from the Park Car on the train in the railyards to the east. The Science World dome (From Expo '86) is visible.
Pacific Central Station, the VIA/Amtrak terminus, and also the main bus depot. The daily Amtrak train to Seattle and Portland has border pre-clearance as many airports do.
Waterfront Station, the terminus for SeaBus, Skytrain and West Coast Express Trains.
I took the WCE to Coquitlam, only having to pay a top-up fare, as I had a valid pass or transfer for the regular Translink system. Imagine if GO only required a top-up with a valid TTC DayPass, Metropass or transfer.
Did I mention that WCE has a cappuchino car and a quiet (no cellphones or loud conversations) car?
Lougheed Station on the new Skytrain line. The stations are fancy enough, but are mostly open air.
I took a Mark II train through Surrey. The new equipment offers a great rail fan seat. Note the office/commercial development next to the Skytrain.
Over Skybridge, the world's longest transit-only bridge.
On my way to Stanley Park, caught a pic of a dewired trolley bus on Granville.
Vancouver's answer to High Park loop:
Seabus is actually faster than I expected for a ferry service. Canada has two transit systems that use water transport as an important transit mode. The other is Halifax.
Next: Gastown, Chinatown, the Eastside.