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By Haveacow (registered) | Posted May 06, 2016 at 19:13:06 in reply to Comment 118355
Actually, because of the operating cost of the Vancouver Skytrain technology it is unlikely they will be building any for a long time. The province has little interest right now and Translink doesn't have enough for their local portion of any new capital program.
Unfortunately, contrary to what most Vancouverites and what a lot of other people want to believe, Skytrain technology has very high operating cost especially compared to modern surface LRT. It is mainly due to extra maintenance costs as well as the need to employ hundreds of "Attendants" who's job is to get people out of trains when they stop working or respond to customer alarms for sick or injured passengers. The bigger the system the more attendants you need. The Bombardier Innovia ART (Advanced Rapid Transit) 300 technology also does not age well, and before any more new lines are built 20+ km of existing 30+ years old above grade concrete right of way has to be rehabilitated. The cost of that hasn't even been budgeted yet. Expanding the existing stations and electrical system to expand system capacity yes has been budgeted, but the right of way between the stations has no cost figured out yet.
The high capital cost compared to surface LRT (usually 2 to 3 times as much as comparable LRT systems) which resulted from having to build completely segregated rights of way from scratch and the strange way they construct their above grade viaducts, insures high capital costs now and into the future. Plus no one but Bombardier can supply parts and vehicles and maintenance equipment trapping, them with one supplier forever or until Bombardier gives up the rights to the vehicles (I used to work for Bombardier). These are problems you don't get with conventional LRT technology.
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