Links & Tidbits – August 19, 2013
August 19, 2013
Links & Tidbits – August 19, 2013
August 19, 2013
Links and tidbits is our semi-regular roundup of interesting tidbits and links about transportation from the last week or so. If you have links to contribute, put them in the comments, or email us!
- Can you imagine being on the Canada Line, when suddenly a lightning bolt strikes your train? That’s exactly what happened in Tokyo during a thunderstorm!
- We posted about this story during I Love Transit week here, but it’s too sweet of story not to share again! Nina and Jarred first met on a bus.. then got married on a bus two weeks ago! CBC News shares a heartwarming news article, with a video of the newlyweds describing how they first met. Congratulations to Nina and Jarred!
- A visitor from Utah rather enjoyed our Wayfinding maps at a Canada Line station and appreciated that it shows how far you can walk in time, not distance. Glad it was helpful, Jim! Thanks for sharing it on your blog.
- Buzzer reader Jacob De Camillis shared these two cool YouTube videos with us: titled “Steam Expo” from Expo 86’s “Steam Parade”. The video, which comes in 2 parts, Part 1 and Part 2, show some great footage of steam engines running alongside SkyTrain cars. Thanks Jacob!
Part 1:
Part 2:
- Researchers at Korea’s Advances Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a first of its kind technology in charging electric vehicles. They’ve developed a stretch of road with specialized electric cables designed to power batteries on a moving passenger bus!
- Here’s an interesting story about a fellow named Darius McCollum, who can knows the complicated New York City transit system inside and out, yet unfortunately became an transit imposter.
- YouTuber Welwyn22 shares this lovely video of one the brand new 2012 XDE60 Xcelsior buses on the route 49 from UBC to Metrotown.
- Imagine if we could travel from place to place in a flying hovercraft. Yahoo shares a list of 6 Futuristic Transit Ideas, as proposed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The New Yorker also hones in on the fascinating Hyperloop.
- Did you hear? Nintendo has fallen on hard times and are now forcing one of their beloved characters to take public transit. Here’s a cute Caption Contest, featuring Luigi on public transit in Chicago.
- Here is a video of a few clever ads from the Belgian Bus Company De Lijn promoting public transit. Cute penguins!
- Fellow Buzzer reader Michael also shared some videos about transit that he’s put together. Here is one titled Go the Distance, and another one called Bless the Broken Road. He has also uploaded many cool transit videos onto his YouTube channel, under the username ETBMichael. Thanks for sharing, Michael!
@ All
The biggest news item is that the September service changes have been posted.
http://www.translink.ca/en/Schedules-and-Maps/Transit-Service-Changes.aspx
A lot of the issues that we have discussed have been brought to fruition.
@ Translink
Thanks for the #96 B-Line. I don’t know if I will ever need it, but I always appreciate it being there.
I don’t know that it’s the biggest news Eugene – more like the biggest *good* news.
The lack of info on the Compass Card is staggering. Yesterday I was telling a bunch of my neighbours that we don’t have to pay separately for bus and skytrain – it’s only people who pay in cash on the bus (and get an old style ticket) who have to pay again for the skytrain, and that Compass Card works across the whole system.
TransLink really needs to go into damage control on this. Pointing out the 96 B-Line (which I’m happy about too) might help to convince people to put down their torches and pitchforks.
@ Sheba
Thanks for sharing. I didn’t realize that people still believe that they have to pay for the “extra zone”. I thought that it was all cash fare riders now.
Eugene, I don’t know if they’re cash riders – I just know they’re not the only people I’ve ended up explaining the basics of Compass to. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and it’s leading to a lot of confused and/or angry people.
I’ve also met people who still think the fare gates are all Translink’s doing and don’t realize that it was the gov who really wanted them in place. At least the gates will end up showing where people are taking transit (like Surrey, despite what Vancouver riders think) so you should eventually end up with better service (hopefully it’ll happen before the flying cars of the future).
Gee I haven’t seen this posted around here…
http://www.news1130.com/2013/08/27/artwork-at-main-st-stn-will-be-good-for-community-translink/
Hi Sheba,
When considering what to post on the blog, I usually wait until there’s something to show and tell readers. The art at Main Street hasn’t been installed or even finished yet. As always, we’re happy to try our best to answer questions on public art and most anything else on the blog!
The vast majority of the complaints are ‘why is TransLink spending money on public art *before* spending it on more functional items’. Almost the entire Expo Line needs work (a roof to cover the entire platform, the mesh panels to be replaced with glass, better lighting) and instead of spending money on that it’s being spent on art for a couple of stations?!?
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/08/27/another-450k-prepared-for-expo-line-art
I’m all for spending a bit extra to make the upgraded stations more stylish, but this is ridiculous. Invest in public art *after* doing the necessary upgrades to all the stations.
Hi Sheba: The art in question is part of the upgrades that are already happening at Main Street. Money is being spent on upgrading the whole station. When you look at adding public art, it’s more cost effective to add it when other renovations are happening than to add it in later. Check out my past post – http://buzzer.translink.ca/2013/01/phase-1of-the-main-street-science-world-station-upgrades/ and the link to the Expo Line Upgrade Strategy for more info.
I looked and the only reference is “enhanced customer amenities and commissioned art work” on the Main Street-Science World Station Upgrades page – and not in the Expo Line Upgrade Strategy. That document is all about “line capacity”, “station circulation capacity” and purchasing more trains. There’s not one mention of art in it.
How about for every Expo Line station that gets a major upgrade and/or public art added to it, TransLink has to do basic upgrades to another one of the Expo Line stations. Let’s be honest – half of the stations aren’t going to get much more than a basic upgrade and TransLink isn’t going to do any work on them in the next decade as they’re too fixated on doing all the big expensive work first.
The Expo Line Upgrade Strategy also says that Nanaimo, 29th Avenue, Royal Oak, Edmonds, 22nd Street and Columbia are in need of up escalators. Stadium-Chinatown, 29th Avenue and Joyce-Collingwood need platform extensions. Shouldn’t that work be a little higher priority than artwork?