O Canada Line

[jawnbc]

A few weeks back I took our new Canada Line Skytrain (subway) service to YVR airport. Here's a wee video I shot. Actual trip was around 26 minutes; this clip is 3:47.

Comments

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

It's so tiny!

[jawnbc]

About 1/3 into the video you'll also notice the tunnel changes shape. The first bit was done via boring (drilling), the rest use cut-and cover (rip open, dig, build, cover). Hence the change from a round to a square tube.

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

That's a cool video -- I admit I have an inexplicable fascination with transit lines, so this is right up my alley.

[rob-nickel.livejournal.com]

I love it so far. King Edward Station is accessible enough that if I time it right I can be downtown in less than 15 minutes, whereas it used to take at least 30 for me to get to Burrard Station via Kingsway / Main St. Station.

Not no more! Nice roomy cars too. Leg room!? What were they thinking?

[paterson-si.livejournal.com]

GREAT! And it's really curvy. I reckoned the cars are small, because stops are also short and then when you "came out" OH! I saw the cars as well. Nice.

Can I take a ride with you sometimes?

[mathan.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting!

[jawnbc]

maudite reigne du size....

[jawnbc]

Up your alley, eh?

[jawnbc]

I think the next push should be for the Evergreen Line. I'm not fussed about a line to UBC though. The tri-cities really needs something besides buses to get folks out of their cars.

[jawnbc]

There are only 2 cars, but they hold up to 300 people between them. At peak it can run every 4 minutes to/from the airport and 4 minutes two/from Brighouse (the line splits at Bridgeport). That means trains every 2 minutes in Vancouver itself.

All automatically driven on clean electric power too.

When you coming?

[jawnbc]

Thanks for reading!

[northbuckschris.livejournal.com]

That was great, I didn't want it to end!!! I imagined some 1930s radio drama chase music to accompany it, and it worked very well! Trouble is, next time you do that journey you'll wish it just takes 3 minutes 48 seconds!

[paterson-si.livejournal.com]

Soon, I hope. :)

[nfotxn.livejournal.com]

No really why is it so small?

[jawnbc]

Large cars that hold up to 300 people actually. But they can run as frequently as every 2 minutes. They are actually huge inside, with enough room for a full size suitcase in front of every seat--even those with other seats directly in front of them.

smaller means easier to load/unload for the greater frequency.

[urbear]

It's a twisty maze of little passages, all the same...

I haven't had the pleasure of a Skytrain ride since 1986, not long after it opened, but I was quite impressed at the time. Automated cars, no barriers, linear induction motors... cool!