Two and a half weeks sure go by pretty quickly. The world had their eyes on the west coast of Canada as athletes from all walks of life competed in their respective winter sports. The streets of Vancouver were jam-packed with hundreds of thousands of fans cheering on their countries and taking in the sights and sounds of the various events throughout the city. So much happened in the 17 days the Winter Olympics that it’s almost impossible to go through it all, but here’s a portion of what made the list.
Highs
Joannie Rochette and her courage to overcome a tragic loss and capture the hearts of her home and the world
Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal in overtime between Canada and the United States to take the gold medal
Ryan Miller helping his team beat all odds and prove they are a medal contender
Alexandre Bilodeau for ending the drought and his brother Frédéric for giving him the power to get there
Kim Yu-Na for delivering one hell of a performance
The Canadian women’s hockey team for their unstoppable play
The obnoxiously awesome pants worn by the Norwegian curlers
Lindsey Vonn for being the first American woman to win gold in downhill skiing (and with a bruised shin)
Having the mime electrician give Catriona Le May Doan the chance to light her portion of the Olympic Cauldron
Petra Majdič for continuing on despite painful injuries caused by an unfortunate fall
The awesome opening and closing ceremonies showcasing the real Canada (minus a small glitch)
The 14 gold medals Canada earned — our best ever and a record for the Winter Olympics
The hundreds of volunteers to help out and assist the many out of town guests
And the hundreds of thousands of supporters, visitors and fans who crammed downtown Vancouver and Whistler to deliver the best party this country has ever seen
Lows
The shocking loss of Nodar Kumaritashvili in an accident while training
El Niño for bringing unseasonable warmth and impacting a number of events on Cypress Mountain
The hooligans who had nothing better to do than showcase their idiocy for the world (fortunately for one day only)
The British media with their scathing criticisms on anything and everything
NBC for cutting short broadcasts of events, or skipping them entirely
As a resident of Metro Vancouver, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for making this possible. We hope you enjoyed the games and our city, and would love to see you all back here again soon!
Locals and visitors alike have been upset that the Olympic flame is burning behind a chain link fence down by the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Last night, VANOC adjusted the fence by moving it in closer to the flame and removing a half foot section between the fencing to make it easier to get a better shot. It’s an improvement, but most everyone would like it if the fence was toned down or removed altogether.
Since opening in 1985, SkyTrain has become an integral part of transportation in Metro Vancouver. Linking the communities of Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey together, SkyTrain utilizes close to 69 km of track with 47 stations on two lines: The Expo Line and Millennium Line.
The Expo Line was completed in time for Expo 86 with extensions in 1989, 1990 and 1994, and the Millennium Line was opened in 2002, and then extended in 2006. A third proposed line, the Evergreen Line, which will diverge from the Millennium Line at Lougheed Town Centre and terminate at Douglas College in Coquitlam, is expected to be completed in 2014. Other possible extensions see the Expo Line extended further into Surrey, and the Millennium Line running out west to the University of British Columbia.
View from the front of a Mark II car
SkyTrain is unlike other rapid transit systems, operating driver-less trains and using a unique traction method. The entire system is remotely operated from the control centre in the Edmonds yard out in Burnaby. Automation allows for better headway, especially during peak hours and isn’t subject to the same mistakes humans make.
Trains on the Expo and Millennium Lines are propelled using linear induction motors — which means the cars are essentially being pushed along by magnets. This propulsion method is quite evident from the aluminum clad plates that are mounted between the running rails and allows a top speed of 80 km/h. The linear induction technology allows for less moving parts and a much smoother ride. The trains are fed by two power rails placed vertically along the side of the tracks, with the top rail charged at +300 volts DC, while the bottom rail is charged at -300 volts DC.
The position of the train is tracked through two wires mounted near the aluminum centre plate, while communications between the on-board computers, passenger intercom, and announcements are done via radio through an antenna on the roof of the cars.
As the system is automated, special devices have been implemented to ensure passenger safety. If a person or large object lands on the track, an audible alarm will sound and will stop any oncoming trains until the alarm has been manually reset. On the platform, special panels feature a red telephone with a direct line to the control centre, an emergency train stop button and a fire extinguisher. The panels also outline safety and security procedures to provide a hassle free ride. Security cameras are also present, linked directly to the Control Centre and used to monitor platforms, stairways and escalators.
Inside the train, speaker phones are located near the doors and connected to the control centre. There is also a silent alarm strip mounted on each of the windows should an incident prevent use of the speaker phone. A fire extinguisher is stored underneath the seats, usually behind a panel. The doors are designed to reopen if a person or object is caught between them when closing. In the event the doors cannot be opened automatically, latches located above the doors and on the outside of the car can be used for manual operation.
A Mark I train leaves New Westminster station
When SkyTrain first began operation, Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC) manufactured the boxy-styled Mark I cars which feature two doors and three large windows per side with top mounted hopper windows, and a single door on the ends (for emergency or operator use). The interiors have 36 seats, with those in the middle of the car facing the aisle, for a total capacity of 80 passengers. The 12 m long cars are permanently coupled together in married pairs.
In 1991, UTDC manufactured additional cars for the extension of the Expo Line to Scott Road and again to King George in 1994. These cars are a variant of the Mark I, which are aptly named Mark Ia, and saw the removal of the end doors and increased space by the side doors. There are 150 Mark I cars in operation.
A Mark II train at Lougheed Town Centre
With the Millennium Line under construction, Bombardier, which acquired UTDC, was contracted to manufacture new cars. The Mark II cars were built in a facility in Burnaby near the Edmonds yard. The Mark II cars are 17 m in length, feature aerodynamic ends with a large window, three doors and four large windows per side, air conditioning, and are permanently coupled together in 34 m pairs. The spacious interiors provide more room for standing passengers and have 41 seats arranged in a theatre-style. The Mark II design also allowed an articulated joint between the two cars to increase passenger capacity and as a result of this, Mark II cars are permanently coupled together in pairs.
Bombardier was tasked again 2006 to provide 34 new Mark II cars, labelled as Mark II 1300/1400, in anticipation of increased ridership and the upcoming Olympic Winter Games. The same aerodynamic theme would be used again, but would have upgraded amenities – LED destination signs on the ends, LED station maps, security cameras and door indicator lights. There are 94 Mark II cars in operation.
Most Mark I trains are run as 4 car consists, but can be run as short as 2 or as long as 6 cars, which is the maximum limitation due to station design. The Mark II trains are run as two car consists, but can be run up to 4 car consists, again due to station size limitations. Longer car configurations are only seen during busier times, including rush hours, or during special events.
BC Transit Logo
Over the years, the SkyTrain cars have gone through a few livery changes. During Expo 86, the trains sported red and blue stripes with the letters BC in blue and a stylized provincial flag. The majority of the cars were labelled with communities from across the province, such as “Spirit of Kelowna” or “Spirit of Nakusp.” When TransLink took over BC Transit’s operations in the Metro Vancouver region in 1998, a number of the Mark I cars were stripped of their decals and given a bland white appearance with the blue and yellow scheme familiar to TransLink. A few cars still retain the red and blue stripes, but have the TransLink logo instead of the BC Transit emblem.
When the Mark II cars were delivered, the cars appeared completely white with the exception of the blue and yellow bands and word “SkyTrain” in blue near the front. However, the newer Mark II 1300/1400 series car came with an updated colour scheme: charcoal and blue separated by a thin stripe of yellow. The design is similar to those on the original Mark II cars except that the blue band is grey due to the background colour. The SkyTrain logo appears in white near the ends of the cars.
One of the system’s most notable features are the automated announcements and door chimes. Karen Kelm originally voiced the station announcements with the famous “The next station is…” and then the name of the approaching station phrase. When the Millennium Line was completed in 2002, Laureen Regan took over as the voice of SkyTrain and now advertises the next stop and line the trains travel.
Also unique to the system, a three toned chime plays when the doors are about to close, which differs from the standard vocal warning used elsewhere. With the introduction of the Mark II 1300/1400 cars, an amber light in the doorway blinks when the chimes play providing a visual alert.
SkyTrain doesn’t utilize turnstiles at stations, but operates on a proof of purchase system. Passengers purchase fares from ticket vending machines or cards/passes from authorized vendors and retain them for the duration of the trip. Random checks are performed by SkyTrain Attendants or officers of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service and can occur at any time; at entrances to the platform level, on the platforms and on board trains.
A plan to install turnstiles at all stations has been proposed by TransLink and is currently in the design phase.
SkyTrain outside of General Motors Place
The name SkyTrain comes from the fact, the majority of the system is elevated. The elevated structure is a viaduct constructed of prefabricated concrete sections and is designed so that pedestrians or traffic don’t have to encounter the trains or electrified rails. Some portions, including downtown Vancouver and between New Westminster and Columbia stations run underground, while sections between Nanaimo and Joyce, Edmonds and 22nd Street run at grade.
Under Vancouver, the SkyTrain runs in an old Canadian Pacific Railway tunnel, which was built in 1932, to connect the company’s yards on Burrard Inlet with the yards and shops on False Creek. The eastern portal is south of the Stadium station and is obscured by the recent construction of new high rises. The western portal is just north of the Burrard station, below the Vancouver Convention Centre. The tunnel’s width prevented both tracks from being run side-by-side, so the bottom was dug out, which allowed the westbound track stacked above the eastbound track.
The SkyTrain system is operated by the British Columbia Rapid Transit Company, a subsidiary of TransLink.
As the Winter Olympics draw closer, a number of streets in and around downtown Vancouver will be closed off or limited to authorized vehicles. The closures are expected to cause commuter headaches for those who live or work in the downtown core. Many streets will have parking restrictions in effect, so the best bet would be to take public transit. TransLink will have extra buses, run longer trains on the Expo and Millennium Lines and have increased frequency on the Canada Line and West Coast Express. More information on travel options and restrictions are available on the TravelSmart 2010 web site.
Closed Streets – No traffic or pedestrian access
Waterfront Road – Between the Vancouver Convention Centre and Crab Park
January 27th to March 1st, 2010
Dunsmuir Viaduct – Between Beatty Street and Gore Avenue
February 5th to March 2nd, 2010
Georgia Viaduct – Between Beatty Street and Gore Avenue
February 5th to March 2nd, 2010
Expo Boulevard – Between Smithe Street and Quebec Street
January 29th to March 2nd, 2010
Pacific Boulevard – Between Cambie Street and Quebec Street
January 29th to March 2nd, 2010
Renfrew Street – Between East Hastings Street and McGill Street
January 24th to March 1st, 2010
West 1st Avenue – Between Cambie Street and Quebec Street
November 1st, 2009 to March 31st, 2010
Olympic Lanes – Limited to public transit and authorized vehicles
February 4th to March 1st, 2010
Burrard Street – Between Burrard Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Seymour Street – Between Granville Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Howe Street – Between Granville Street Bridge and Cordova Street
Pender Street – Between Beatty Street and Howe Street
Cambie Street – Between Cambie Street Bridge and West 59th Avenue
Broadway – Between Arbutus Street and Commercial Drive
Georgia Street – Between Richards Street and Stanley Park Causeway
Hastings Street – Between Richards Street and Boundary Road
Pedestrian Streets – No traffic from 12:00 pm PST to 12:00 am PST
February 12th to 28th, 2010
Granville Street – Between Davie Street and Cordova Street
Robson Street – Between Beatty Street and Jervis Street
Hamilton Street – Between Drake Street and Georgia Street
Beatty Street – Between Smithe Street and Dunsmuir Street
Starting next year, TransLink will be installing faregates at all SkyTrain, Canada Line, West Coast Express and SeaBus stations. At the same time, smart card technology, with reloadable cards, will be set up making it easier to take transit.
The smart cards will be the same size as a credit card and include a microchip that will contain the card’s total value. These cards can be loaded in person, over the phone or using the web. Similar technology exists in Seattle using the ORCA card or the Chicago Card/Chicago Card Plus in Chicago.
The project is expected to take request for proposals in early 2010, with work starting later in the year. TransLink expects the system to be fully functional in 2013. The Province of British Columbia, Government of Canada and TransLink will be funding the upgrades and installations, which has been given a budget of $171 million.
Currently, TransLink uses an honour system, where passengers purchase a fare and board without having to go through turnstiles. Fare checks are performed randomly on SkyTrain and the Canada Line by TransLink staff or transit police officers.
Environment Canada is predicting the first snow to start falling as early as Friday. The forecast calls for the white stuff on Saturday, Sunday and Monday before milder temperatures turn some of it to rain.
Earlier this year, the Vancouver area experienced a heavier than usual dump of snow which made side streets impassible and left many vehicles stranded for days.
The City of Vancouver will plow all streets, including the smaller side streets, in addition to the main roads. Residents are also being asked to keep sidewalks in front of their homes clear — there’s a $2,000 fine for building/apartment complex owners if the sidewalk isn’t cleared by 10:00 am.
Vancouver-area residents are expected to be hit with additional taxes starting January 1st, 2010. Commuters will be paying extra for parking as well as filling up at the pump as TransLink tries to raise $150 million towards its operating budget.
The parking tax will remain until the new HST comes into effect on July 1st, 2010. After that, the tax will be merged into the HST and then given back to TransLink. The gas tax will add three cents to the current price at the pump.
If you’re in Vancouver, head on down to Stanley Park for the 12th annual Bright Nights in Stanley Park. Firefighters from Metro Vancouver and throughout British Columbia have setup almost two million Christmas lights around the famous train and Children’s Farmyard to bring out the Christmas spirit. There’s live music, face painting, and snacks to keep you warm.
Entry to the event is free, but tickets are required to ride the train and enter the farmyard. Visit the official web site for pricing and further information. Donations are welcome and proceeds go to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.
If you can’t make it, check out our gallery from the event. There are over fifty colourful photographs of the lights and displays.
Bright Nights in Stanley Park is open from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm PST and runs until January 2nd, 2010.
TransLink will be replacing some of the rails on the track just west of the New Westminster station this month. This work will only be done during the weekends of the 7th to 8th, 14th to 15th and 21st to 22nd with one track out of service at a time.
Expo Line trains will be running on single platforms from the 22nd Street station to the New Westminster Station. Millennium Line trains will run from VCC-Clark to Columbia during this period. TransLink advises passengers to plan for delays during the work.
Rail replacement starts on Friday night and will continue until the following Monday morning.
More information is available on TransLink’s web site.
