https://thedigitallabyrinth.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Superman+Matrix
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Monday, August 31, 2026
Filming wraps for 'Shōgun' with epic fireworks display in Metro Vancouver
https://www.nsnews.com/highlights/shogun-filming-wrap-party-fireworks-metro-vancouver-2026-12725615
At least Port Moody wasn't thwarted by anything lik the VMV and could actually have some late summer fireworks. Vancouver no longer has any NY Eve fireworks and no Canada Day evening fireworks. However, Vancouver was able to have some fireworks on 1 evening in August.
System from Alaska to bring 'fall-type pattern' to Metro Vancouver
Another summer with only a few hot days and some occasional crappy cold fall like weather. Perhaps every year Vancouver will get a slightly shorter summer.
Some people still build swimming pools in Greater Vancouver, but they are lucky if they could ever use it for half of the year. However, if a greenhouse were to be built over their pool, then they certainly could use it for half of the year.
Then again, if they actually built a pool in a fully enclosed heated building, then its an all year round amenity.
In Vancouver, August is always the last full month of summer. Then, most of September becomes more like spring during the day with autumn nights.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/au/melbourne/26216/august-weather/26216?year=2026
Of course in big city Melbourne, August and September aren't pool and beach months.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/au/melbourne/26216/september-weather/26216?year=2026
Labour unions launch campaign calling for future B.C. Ferries vessels to be built in the province
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/build-them-here-bc-ferries-9.7327339 It would make a lot of sense to have shipbuilding be a bigger part of the BC economy.
https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/rob-shaw-its-time-to-put-bc-back-in-the-ferry-building-business-12725450 Unfortunatly, the BCMV is so firmly entrenched.
https://www.bcferries.com/in-the-community/projects/new-major-vessels
VMV and BCMV
What is the Vancouver Mind Virus and the BC Mind Virus?
Sometimes, it can be a provincial backwater approach to things. Other times, its a total Half-A$$ED attempt towards getting something done in backwards BC.
Its taken the City of Vancouver a very long time to surpass half a million residents. Its amazing that Vancouver finally surpassed having 3 quarters of a million people.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/canada/vancouver 751,644
It remains to be seen if Vancouver will ever have more people than Winnipeg. Indeed, Winnipeg, like Edmonton and Calgary don't have something like a Burnaby next to them, or a Surrey & Coquitlam close by. While Vancouver barely makes it into the top 10 biggest cities in Canada, Greater Vancouver is still the 3rd largest urban region in Canada. However, so much of the urban scale and infrastructure is being heled back.
The biggest cities in Canada don't have anything like a VMV to thwart or impeded their scale. Thus, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal & Edmonton all have taller buildings than stunted Vancouver. Edmonton and Montreal, like Seattle and Perth, WA are allowed to have wider bridges. Most major cities around the world have longer trains than what's in provincial Vancouver.
Is there a Canadian Mind Virus (CMV)? Of course not officially. Fortunately, nothing like a CMV ever made it to Australia. Otherwise something absurd like provincial Trade Barriers could have really thwarted things down under.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/interprovincial-trade-barriers-9.7323970
https://www.mnp.ca/en/insights/directory/what-are-the-barriers-to-interprovincial-trade-in-canada
Despite Canada being surrounded by water on 3 sides, there is no blue on the national flag. Fortunately, nothing like a CMV ever got Australia, NZ, the UK, France and even the US to remove blue from their flags.
Of course the flags of England, Switzerland and Japan have no blue in them, but blue is still a very nice color to behold.
Nothing on the scale of the 10 lane Narrows_Bridge_(Perth) is allowed in Vancouver, Victoria or Kelowna. Certainly, nothing like the Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges exists in Halifax. Even Boston and Montreal don't have a 12 lane crossing like the Gateway_Bridges.
Despite Australia having fewer people than Canada, its been able to exist on a larger scale in some ways. Its like there is still a plan to have a big country down under.
Why New York City has a Two-Car Subway Train and provincial Vancouver is stuck with a 2 car airport train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH37SqlW0Ks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Avenue_Shuttle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R68_(New_York_City_Subway_car) 75-foot (22.86 m) length for each car. So roughly, a 2 car joke of a train is almost 46 m, or 150 ft. The absurd Canada_Line-Stations with its 2 car trains are in the 40 m to 50 m range. Thus, only two car & 2.5 car trains are only possible. In contrast, a 9 car Montreal_Metro train can be up to 152.5 m, or 500 ft.
| Train length |
|
|---|
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R68_(New_York_City_Subway_car)#Description So, an 8 car, 600 foot long train is 100 feet longer than a 500 foot, 9 car Montreal train.
The end of the line for the Franklin_Avenue_Shuttle is only a single track platform.
Unfortunately, the YVR and the Richmond end if the Canada_Line stations are also a single track platforms. Even if this was initially decided as a cost saving measure, a double track guideway still should have been built. Then, a proper double track station could eventually be completed. Especially if the line is ever extended to the Delta Ferry terminal.
The YVR-Airport_station was deliberately designed to be narrower and shorter than what a proper big city airport station should be. Its another example of the unofficial BCMV reducing and thwarting the scale of things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearson_Airport_station Almost like REM quality for Toronto, but not for provincial Vancouver. https://www.upexpress.com/en/up-express-stations/pearson-station , https://www.torontopearson.com/en/transportation-and-parking/up-express Wow, Toronto like Perth can run 3 car big city type trains. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pearson_Express#Rolling_stock Vancouver can only hope for a 2.5 car train, someday.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pearson_Express#Route Sometimes, a 2 car joke of a train might be OK to start with, but there should already be enough station clearance for at least 3-5 car trains. Then, as long as its a walk-through train, Selective_Door_Operation (SDO) can make it possible to add an extra car at both ends of a short train. SDO can be an intermediate step before having to extensively lighten each station.
Stubborn, backwards Vancouver will eventually have to seriously consider SDO in order to have longer big city type trains. Unfortunately, as long as its stuck in the BC backwater mentality or under the spell of the BCMV, things won't improve.
https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/projects/2026/05/montreals-airport-rem-station-will-have-signature-iceberg-motif , https://montrealgazette.com/news/rem-has-begun-testing-trains-on-airport-branch Of course the YUL-P.E. Trudeau_station, like the Honolulu Airport station, will be longer and wider than the one at YVR.
Perhaps the short, single track & platform at the YVR-Airport_Station would be impressive if it were in Victoria, Prince George, Kamloops or Kelowna, but its hardly impressive when compared to the SeaTac/Airport_station, Portland_Airport_station, Lelepaua_station in Honolulu, Brisbane_Airport station, Sydney_Airport stations, the future Melbourne_Airport station and Perth_Airport station. The scale of the San_Francisco_International_Airport_station, which can accommodate 10 car trains, is on a whole other scale. All major airports and their train stations in Asia & Europe are so far beyond what Canada has. There is no reason as to why Greater Vancouver and some other cities in BC, can't be upgraded to a Pacific Rim infrastructure level, instead of being stuck in a perpetual BC backwater mindset.
The VMV, under the umbrella of the larger BCMV, is such a horrible impediment and it doesn't even officially exist.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Japan Built The World's Biggest Skyscraper — And Hid A Forest Inside It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q-FsElynm8
The $41 Billion Plan for Tokyo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZADlkbr7Avg
Tokyo Has Built The World's Best Subway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFpG3yf3Rxk
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Getting MASSIVE Upgrades
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQw18DQ4TlY MA$$IVE Upgrades? Compared to what, other provincial backwaters?
SkyTrain Front Window View - Canada Line to YVR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxTEBfxYH0g This is very sad & pathetic that the stations weren't designed to be long enough to accommodate a 5 car train. The stations can only accommodate a 2.5 car joke of a train. The real sad joke is that the line is still only running 2 car trains on what is supposed to be a major urban area on the Pacific Rim.
Unfortunately, even if Vancouver-Surrey & Abbottsford, Victoria & Nanaimo, Prince Rupert & Kitimat were all upgraded to proper big urban areas on par with Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane, or even Seattle & Calgary, BC just isn't as warm as Australia, or even NZ for half of of the year. Edmonton & Calgary, Seattle & Portland are able to have wider bridges & roads, and even longer trains than Vancouver to Richmond & Vancouver to Surrey-Langley.
Fortunately, the Pacific Rim part of Australia hasn't been trapped in a provincial backwater mentality like the Pacific Rim part of Canada. For too long there has been a keep BC small and backwards mindset. AKA, the BC Mind Virus (BCMV).
Running short & frequent trains could be seen as a cost saving measure initially, but unless there is a genuine to have proper long big city type trains, the BCMV still wins out. The fanatical approach to keep most of the bridges in BC so narrow has made it very difficult to have a proper regional express bus network, let alone BRT.
The 3 main seaport regions of BC, Greater Vancouver, Victoria-Nanaimo-Kitimat should become proper big city ports on the Pacific Rim. BC is 23 times the size of Switzerland, yet it doesn't even have the population of 1 CH. Canada in turn, has less than half of 1% of the worlds population.
Friday, August 28, 2026
Surrey, BC
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=2&status=15
https://skyscraperpage.com/b132164/surrey/centre-block 47 office stories?
As originally proposed, Surrey could have had an office tower that would even be noticeable if it were in Calgary or Seattle.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10275-city-parkway-surrey-centre-block-office-towers
"Originally, the East Tower was to be 47 storeys while the West Tower was to be 19 storeys. City staff say the two towers are now planned to be 45 storeys and 17 storeys, although architectural plans indicate the East Tower will be 42 storeys." https://storeys.com/surrey-centre-block-office-tower
If this reduction does happen, Surrey still might be the first city in BC to have an office tower over 40 floors and Burnaby over 45 office stories. Never mind the first 50 story office tower in BC, its difficult enough just to get office floors above 39 storis in BC.
At the very least, Surrey still might have an office tower that might rival the tallest in Bellevue,_Washington.
Vancouver has heled back the urban scale of BC almost since the beginning. That's because for over a century, practically anything big in BC was in provincial Vancouver. But Vancouver or the VMV, can't stop Surrey, Burnaby and Coquitlam from rivaling some of the things in Vancouver, such as taller buildings.
Burnaby
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=31&status=15
https://skyscraperpage.com/b139592/burnaby/concord-metrotown-eight 47 stories at 187.2 m
Tower 8, a 47-storey, 375,000 SF office tower at 614 ft. height, https://vancouvermarket.ca/2022/07/22/phase-2-of-concord-metrotown-to-include-5-towers-2100-units/
https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Concord-Metrotown-phases.jpg , https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=230813&page=37
For the longest time, Vancouver has prevented BC from having a 40 story office tower, let alone a 50 or a 60 story office tower. Since Burnaby isn't directly affected by the VMV, Burnaby is on track to have the first office tower in BC that's over 45 floors. Indeed, a 47 story office tower at 614 feet would slightly rival the tallest in Bellevue,_Washington.
Vancouver, BC
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=1&status=15
No 40 story office towers on the horizon within the city limits.
https://skyscraperpage.com/b106925/vancouver/the-stack
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-stack/35667 162.3 m / 533 ft Floors 38 https://www.skydb.net/building/134386807/the-stack/
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/harbour-centre/4144 , https://www.skydb.net/building/357382467/harbour-centre/
https://skyscraperpage.com/b63/vancouver/royal-centre
https://www.skydb.net/building/469710364/
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/id/4396 138 m / 453 ft Floors 35
In accordance with an unofficial provincial backwater mentality or VMV agenda, Vancouver was able to hold back the urban scale of BC for most of its history. However, Vancouver wasn't able to prevent Burnaby, Surrey and Coquitlam from constructing taller buildings.
Never mind Calgary and Seattle, strict Vancouver has only permitted 2 buildings to be taller than the 2 tallest in Bellevue,_Washington.
Vancouver Italian restaurant forced to remove pergola on patio
https://globalnews.ca/video/embed/12040083/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2026/08/29/vancouver-restaurant-owner-frustrated-by-red-tape/
Another case of the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) causing so much interference and hindrance.
https://jf-databits.blogspot.com/search?q=Red+Tape+and+BS+in+backwards+BC
Atlanta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ljG1ow2HcE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5hnleKu18k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXTaT0aLvLQ
How The Southeast Is Slowly Turning Into America's Next Mega-City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYlA_e2hjGE
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
More than 1,000 free parking spots will be added to several REM stations
Wow, in backwards BC, its so difficult to have places with 1000 parking spots.
Highway 99 Tunnel Program Update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvaPpt2R69Y
A parallel bridge or tunnel should have been built decades ago.
There should have been 3 + 1 express bus lane each way, but also a temporary HOV lane each way. Then eventually, becoming 4 general lanes each way with the 5th becoming a totally separate BRT line each way.
Unfortunately, no 10 lane tunnel, just like no 10 lane bridge. Thus, whenever the 8 lane tunnel finally opens, there should be serious planning for a parallel BRT and LRT bridge or tunnel.
An extension of the YVR-Canada Line to the mall and ferry terminal would be of great benefit. However, since BC doesn't have 24hr train service, 24hr BRT can fill in the gaps.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
West Coast Express in SW BC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlFzR5_3RWM
https://www.translink.ca/about-us/about-translink/operating-companies/west-coast-express
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Express
| Daily ridership | 7,200 (weekdays, Q1 2026)[1] |
|---|---|
| Ridership | 1,734,200 (2025)[2] |
https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/west-coast-express
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Express#Operation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Express#Stations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Express#Future_plans
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Express#Supplementary_bus_service
The SeaBus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus
The 1.75-nautical-mile (3.24 km) crossing takes 10 to 12 minutes in each direction with a cruising speed of 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h), with a 3 to 5 minute turnaround and, therefore, operates on a 15-minute turn-around schedule.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus#Service
By now, the SeaBus shouldn't just be every 15 minutes, it should be every 7.5 minutes. 8 trips per hour, each way would be quite an improvement.
Unfortunately, there still seems to be no plan to have a bus tunnel and an LRT tunnel near the LGB.
New RapidBus ride between Park Royal and Metrotown starts early September
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R2_Marine_Dr Finally, a better connection between Park_Royal_Exchange, Lonsdale_Quay, Phibbs_Exchange, Kootenay_Loop and Metrotown_station.
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/r2-marine-willingdon-rapidbus
https://movementyvr.ca/r2-and-brt/
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/metrotown-to-north-shore-rapid-transit.aspx
Unfortunately, 2 bus lanes weren't added to a widened Iron Bridge, or a parallel bus-bridge. A North Boundary Road bus-bridge over the Inlet and a South Boundary Road bus-bridge to Richmond, would dramatically improve bus connections between the North Shore and Richmond.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RapidBus_(TransLink)
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/rapidbus-projects
HOV Lanes vs Bus Lanes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-occupancy_vehicle_lane
https://vtpi.org/tdm/tdm19.htm
A bus lane will always have more potential to move more people than a HOV lane.
https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/lanes/qa-bus-and-hov-lanes
Even if a vehicle is carrying 4-5 people in a HOV lane, a bus carrying 40-50 people is still much more efficient transportation.
https://www.liveabout.com/high-capacity-articulated-or-double-decker-2798841
https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/w9zja7/whenever_im_riding_the_bus_this_question_keeps/
Monday, August 24, 2026
Why Canada's Longest Runway Exists in Calgary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvPyRHaN2FE
Why Does Calgary Have FOUR Runways? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hdc1NbCMhw
The $16 billion Hudson River Tunnel project in NYC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7rngqeU2BE
How America is Building the Impossible $20B Tunnel Under the Hudson River https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZDf2eFfPC4
BRT in backwards BC
Of course Greater Vancouver really needs a big city BRT network, but unless a proper series of bus and bike bridges are built, its all just a Half-A$$ED joke of an attempt.
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/about/projectoverview Of course the new bridge opened without any express bus lanes, especially no BRT corridor. Yet, Skytrain isn't a 24hr system, but a bus can be.
https://www.railforthevalley.com/tag/brt
Stockholm, SV
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm#Public_transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Metro Unfortunatly, provincial Vancouver isn't allowed to have proper long big city type trains like in Stockholm or the Montreal Metro.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Metro#Rolling_stock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SL_C30 , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SL_C20
Reykjavík, Iceland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Reykjavik
The BC part of Canada has more than 10 times the population of Iceland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Region_(Iceland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk#Roads Once an urban area is busy enough, there should be a 3rd or 4th lane each way, so that there can be a bus lane or express bus lane each way. Of course, a proper BRT system requires its own right of way. Thus, its usually separated from the general traffic lanes.
Reykjavík has some overpasses and a bridge that are at least 6 lanes wide.
A key overpass with four lanes each way. This already has enough space for eight lanes.
This already has the space for three lanes each way. Nine lanes with enough space for 10.
In contrast, the Knight+Street+Bridge between Vancouver and Richmond becomes a classic 2 lane each way BC bottleneck-chokepoint. Unless a parallel bus and bike bridge is built, it will remain as an inefficient crossing. A parallel bridge could have 2 express bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes, plus 2 wide bike lanes and 2 footpaths. Two truck lanes would also be good, since Greater Vancouver is supposed to be a major port region.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keflav%C3%ADk_International_Airport
There is enough space for this to be a big airport, someday.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Philadelphia's City Hall Tower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esOvGChSrkk
Unfortunately, the L.A. City Hall isn't quite as tall, even though its a much larger city.
The 14 lane George Washington bridge vs...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH6Q8yWjYpM There are wider sections of freeways in the US, but the double deck GWB has the most lanes.
Wow, in backwards Vancouver, or almost anywhere in backwater BC, just having 2 lanes each way is tough enough. A consistent 3rd lane each way could be for busses and a 4th lane for HOVs. Given that Greater Vancouver is supposed to be a major port region, several of the bridges should also have a truck lane each way. However, there is only one bridge in backwards BC that has 5 lanes each way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#New_bridge Unfortunatly, it wasn't designed to have a lower deck. Such a lower deck could have had 2 freight train tracks, 2 commuter train tracks and even a provision for 2 BRT lanes.
Essentially, in any proper big urban area, the bridges should not only provide at least 3 general lanes each way, but a bus and HOV lane each way. That's 5 lanes each way, plus on some crossings that are closer to port activity, there should even be a 6th lane each way. That's the case with the Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges. Unfortunately, unlike Queensland, BC has been very reluctant towards bridge duplication or twinning.
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/bus-hov-lanes-different-2918490
https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1d3fixq/hov_and_bus_lanes_how_to_deter_abuse/
While Australia has Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane as its major Pacific Rim gateways, Canada just has provincial Vancouver, Victoria and Prince Rupert as port gateway cities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Design
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Gateway_Bridge_aerial4.JPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Duplication A 12 lane crossing.
The Port_of_Brisbane and the Brisbane_Airport are excellent port facilities in Queensland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Brisbane#Facilities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Airport#Rail Far away from the inept transportation planning in Greater Vancouver, Brisbane was able to do things correctly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_line,_Brisbane Unfortunatly, backwards BC just can't seem to properly plan big city type infrastructure.
The YVR-Canada_Line is a total embarrassment!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Stations Not 150 m, not 100 m, only a 50 m level clarence was allowed for the stations. Even the first 2 Skytrain lines only have 80 m stations, when they should have almost been twice as long.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Technology Aparently, the inept planning was due to cost saving measures. Thus, instead of designing the stations to be long enough to accommodate 5 car trains, they were only designed to ultimately have 2.5 car trains. Since 2009, the Canada_Line still only has 2 car joke trains.
The Tilikum_Crossing in Portland vs the North_Arm_Bridge between Vancouver and Richmond. The Tilikum_Crossing accommodates 2 bike lanes, 2 footpaths, 2 MAX-LRT tracks, 2 articulated_bus lanes and even streetcars can cross on it. Such a fine bridge just hasn't been allowed in BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Arm_Bridge#Details This bridge should have been wide enough to eventually accommodate 2 bike lanes, 2 footpaths and especially, 2 BRT lanes, the the Skytrain doesn't run on a 24hr schedule.
Given that most of the bridges in BC are so narrow, there needs to be proper bus, bike & HOV bridges built.
Transportation infrastructure doesn't have to be such a sad joke in backwards BC.
How Europe Is Building the World’s Longest Immersed Tunnel Between Denmark and Germany
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY83HGWDeAQ
The $10 Billion Tunnel That Rewrites Europe's Map | Fehmarnbelt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvjY0ihchYs
City of Vancouver outlines three preliminary Kitsilano Outdoor Pool renewal concepts
Hopefully, the VMV won't try to reduce its size like it did with the Aquatic Centre.
Friday, August 21, 2026
Surrey BC's new $2.8 Billion Hospital
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYbIWupZjjY
Even though Surrey might not be directly affected and thwarted by the VMV, the BC Mind Virus (BCMV) can still hold things back.
Vancouver PNE vs...
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-pne-fair-weekend-playland-aug-2026
At the same time that the madness of Vancouver was making the PNE smaller, the CNE was allowed to grow in size. If anything like a Vancouver Mind Virus had an influence in Toronto, the city would have become a backwards mess.
In 1981 Canada's Wonderland had just opened. But the CNE is also on. Which one do you decide to go to - the shiny new theme park or a Torontonian classic? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItiWGErRyZM
Toronto would go onto becoming as big as Chicago. However, the GTA still isn't quite as big as the overall Chicagoland Area. Vancouver is still stuck in its provincial backwater trap mentality.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Broadway Subway SkyTrain Construction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAevWIf3LLw
Vancouver Skytrain: Commercial Drive to Lincoln Station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PO0v_JdD1A
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Hullo Ferries surpasses 1.5 million passengers on third anniversary
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hullo-ferries-nanaimo-vancouver-third-anniversary
Now, if only provincial, backwater Vancouver could ever have a proper big city size commuter ferry system like what Sydney and SF Bay_Area have...
Broadway–City Hall station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway-City_Hall_station Has a 5 car train potential.
https://thecanadaline.com/station-guides/broadway-city-hall 2.5 car train potential, but still only just 2 coaches per train.
https://thecanadaline.com/station-history/broadway-city-hall
REM operator apologizes for lack of communication during morning disruptions
At least the REM started out on a grander scale than the Skytrain. With SDO, a 4 car train could easily become 6. Then, as long as there is enough level station clearance, longer platforms should be possible.
Someday, SDO could even allow a 9 car Montreal Metro train to have 11 car trains like in NYC on the 7.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_(New_York_City_Subway_service)#Fleet 11 car trains.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Monday, August 17, 2026
Car drives into McArthurGlen luxury store in Richmond
Buildings in BC can be designed in such a way that makes it very difficult to crash into a structure.
The Oakridge–41st Avenue Station
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/oakridge-41st-avenue-station-early-closure-construction-august-2026
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oakridge-41st+Avenue
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-line-skytrain For a line of B$ to have opened in 2009 and is still only using 2 car joke trains is a pretty sad example of inept transportation infrastructure planning.
Even using the argument that it was necessary to have a watered down or scaled back the YVR-Canada+Line to save money, this line of B$ still could have been designed to eventually become a proper big city like train. As long as the 50 m stations were designed with a future level clearance of 130 m to 153 m, the underground stations could have been as long as the Montreal Metro stations, or at least as long as the underground Edmonton LRT stations.
The YVR-Canada Line since 2009
The Canada_Line opened with 2 car trains and is still running just 2 car trains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ouk0VifwM&t=817s
https://thecanadaline.com/station-history No reasonable attempt was made to make sure that the stations could eventually accommodate at least 5 car trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Stations The inadequate 50 m stations can only accommodate a 2.5 car train, not a 5 car train.
https://globalnews.ca/news/5778392/canada-line-10-year-anniversary/
https://buzzer.translink.ca/2024/08/skytrains-canada-line-marks-15th-anniversary/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Technology
https://www.atkinsrealis.com/en/projects/the-canada-line
https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/01/31/Canada-Line-New-Stop-Years-Making/
https://www.bb-gi.com/investment/canada-line/
Airport to Downtown Vancouver Transit Guide (Don't Take a Taxi!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNYrJhUgu0
This $9 Train Saves You $40 at Vancouver Airport (YVR to Canada Place) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxUpww86dow
Fortunately, the REM trains in Montreal can accommodate 4 car trains, as does the Skyline_(Honolulu).
The big mistake for all 3 of the Skytrain lines was not having all of the stations to be capable of accommodating 6-8 car trains. Plus, allowing for a future level station clearance of 153 m-160 m. That would have allowed Greater Vancouver to start of with short REM & Skyline type trains, with the capability to eventually have trains as long as those on the Montreal_Metro.
Proper big city transportation infrastructure is so difficult to plan and build in backwards BC.
Sunday, August 16, 2026
The Copenhagen's metro vs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzamwVH3CXU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Metro , https://m.dk/en/
The Copenhagen_Metro is open for service 24 hours a day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_(Copenhagen_Metro)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Airport#Metro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lufthavnen_station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Copenhagen_Metro_stations
https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/planning/the-metro-gdk962923
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitachi_Rail_Italy_Driverless_Metro
"The trains are 39 m (127 ft 11+3⁄8 in) long, 2.65 m (8 ft 8+3⁄8 in) wide, and weigh 52 t (51 long tons; 57 short tons). Each train consists of three articulated cars with a total of six automated, 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) wide doors, holding up to 96 seated and 204 standing passengers (300 in total)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Metro#Trains
With Selective_door_operation technology, a 3 car train could become a 5 car train without having to lengthen the stations. People would simply access & leave the train in the middle 3 cars, but not the end cars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_door_operation#International_variations
New South Wales H set trains
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_H_set
| Train length | 81.55 m (267 ft 65⁄8 in) |
|---|---|
| Car length |
|
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_H_set#Design
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Coast_Line
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Trains
Example of selective door operation. The doors in the first 2 carriages are not opened, because the platform is too short for an 8-carriage OSCAR train. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_door_operation (SDO)
This platform can accommodate 6 out of an 8 car heavy-rail train.
This means that an extra car or 2 can be added to a shorter train, even if the station isn't long enough.
Thus, before lengthening the stations on the first 2 Skytrain lines, a 5 car train could become a 7 car train. Perhaps even a 9 car train, like with the Montreal Metro trains. Eventually, the stations on the first 2 Skytrain lines could be lengthened for 7 car trains and whenever possible, 9 car trains.
Unfortunately, the 50 m level station clearance for the YVR-Canada Line trains wasn't designed for 5 car, 100 m trains, just a 2.5 car joke of a train. However, with some platform modifications and some very slight station lengthening, three 20 m cars might be possible, instead of a 2.5 car joke of a train.
Then, once a 3 car, 60 m train is adapted to a 50-55 m platform, SDO can enable an extra car at each end to become a 5 car train. Perhaps ultimately, there could even be an extra 2 cars at each end of the middle 3 car train, to become a 7 car train.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Friday, August 14, 2026
Thursday, August 13, 2026
The Plan to Extend Downtown Toronto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmwnSPQRf1M
Get big and tall like Chicago.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Chemtrade and North Vancouver
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chemtrade+Electrochem+Inc.
By now, there should have been a North Boundary Road bus & bike bridge. Such a bus & bike bridge could be built in a way that isn't too disruptive to Orcas+Snow+Removal and Chemtrade+Electrochem+Inc., or any other businesses.
There should have also been a Willingdon Avenue bus & bike bride over the inlet by now. Instead, a 3 lane each way Iron Bridge is supposed to handle not only the TCH traffic, but regional traffic & truck traffic in what is supposed to be a major port region.
The Iron Bridge is so narrow, because there wasn't any serious consideration to have 2 emergency lanes, 2 wide shoulders and especially no bus or HOV lanes. Of course there should have been a parallel LRT bridge built there several decades ago, as well.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
A look inside Broadway-City Hall Station's future Canada Line-Millennium Line interchange
It really would have been nice if the YVR-Canada Line was able to run 5 car trains by now. Unfortunately, due to inept transportation planning in the BC part of Canada, the stations were only designed to accommodate 2.5 car trains.
A 2.5 car train fits right in with a 3 lane Lion Bridge that was never augmented with parallel BRT and LRT train tunnels.
Backwards Vancouver and backwater BC, are some of the best places in the world to see inept multigenerational transportation infrastructure.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Saturday, August 8, 2026
More bus lanes for Greater Victoria, BC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ2cYBoQXAw
https://transitapp.com/en/region/victoria-bc/bc-transit-victoria/blink-rapidbus-95
https://www.bctransit.com/blink Not simply a B-Link, its a Blink.
Several 4 lane roads and bridges in Greater Vancouver need a similar upgrade. Otherwise, just give up and only strive to have a Half-A$$ED express bus system.
Actual BRT requires its own fully separated lanes, bridges and tunnels. Unfortunately, that type of bus service in BC is still very much in the Half-A$$ED phase.
Friday, August 7, 2026
3 Ways to the JFK Airport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG1aRLZwihA
Of course Vancouver opted to have the shortest airport train possible. The 2 car YVR-Canada+Line.
Thursday, August 6, 2026
Boston's Green Line D Branch has a lot in common with San Diego's Trolley, the first modern light rail system in the United States.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCBg2sFPtis It's also 22 years older. So...does that make it the true first modern light rail in America?
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
The office stumps of Vancouver, BC
No office tower in Vancouver has eve been permitted to have a 40th floor.
https://skyscraperpage.com/b106925/vancouver/the-stack
https://skyscraperpage.com/b63/vancouver/royal-centre
https://skyscraperpage.com/b5828/vancouver/b5
https://skyscraperpage.com/b66/vancouver/park-place
https://skyscraperpage.com/b64/vancouver/four-bentall-centre
https://skyscraperpage.com/b65/vancouver/the-scotia-tower
https://skyscraperpage.com/b98113/vancouver/the-exchange
https://skyscraperpage.com/b67/vancouver/toronto-dominion-tower-at-pacific-centre
https://skyscraperpage.com/b41476/vancouver/b6
https://skyscraperpage.com/b100729/vancouver/vancouver-centre-2
https://skyscraperpage.com/b7191/vancouver/200-granville-square
https://skyscraperpage.com/b68/vancouver/three-bentall-centre
https://skyscraperpage.com/b6162/vancouver/320-granville
https://skyscraperpage.com/b60/vancouver/harbour-centre The office floors don't even get above 28. https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/vancouver/harbour-centre/4144 If the Harbour_Centre office floors had continued right up to the base of the flag-pole, it would be equivalent to 40 stories. However, the revolving_restaurant is more equivalent to 35 floors. With the height to the tip of the antenna as being 177.1 m (581 ft), the flag could be considered to be at the equivalent of 48th floors. But there are no floors in the flag-pole.
Had the flag-pole or antenna not been built, the Harbor Centre would have been slightly shorter than the original height of the tallest Giza_pyramid.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza "Initially standing at 146.6 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the world's tallest human-made structure for more than 3,700 years." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza#Pyramidion_and_missing_tip
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=117075754&page=1
Only 2 buildings in restrictive Vancouver have been allowed to be taller than the Cairo_Tower and the Space_Needle. Only 1 building in Vancouver has been allowed to be taller than the Calgary_Tower.
Vancouver is about implementing short buildings, short trains and narrow bridges. Since the multigenerational power structure can't build a wall around the city to keep people out, the next best thing is to symbolically take a small scale approach to things. Thus, its very difficult for proper BIG city stuff to get built in backwards Vancouver.
BC is 23 times larger than Switzerland, yet it doesn't even have the population of one CH.
Despite Canada being the 2nd largest nation in overall area, it has less than half of 1% of the worlds population. Thus, Canada is but a spec of the worlds population.
Some massive transportation projects in Metro Vancouver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emSr9NLwfT4
Unfortunately, the Broadway+Subway will only open with the potential of 5 car trains, not 10.
Unfortunately, the YVR-Canada+Line wasn't even designed to have 5 car trains, only a potential of 2.5 car trains, someday.
Of course the Massey+Tunnel+replacement wasn't designed to have an LRT and a BRT section. Thus, in addition to the basic 3 lanes each way, there will only be an express bus lane.
A separate BRT section would be beneficial since BC doesn't want to run 24hr trains. Thus, when the LRT is shutdown for maintenance, a 24hr BRT line could still be running. Unfortunately, part of the BC Mind Virus is backwards thinking and inept infrastructure planning. Of course there is still no official plan to have LRT from YVR to the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal anytime soon.
Toronto's Skyline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es-8mBA99JY
Hidden design at TD Centre, Toronto's Mid-Century Modern masterpiece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZyrtdigyyw
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Historic photos show Stanley Park more than 100 years ago
https://www.vmcdn.ca/f/files/via/images/historic-images/vancouverarchives/stanley-park-100-years-1920s-entrance.jpg;w=960;h=640;bgcolor=000000 A nice wide public walkway. Unfortunately, due to a lack of a proper big city vision, no 4-6 lane wide right of way was ever established through the park.
https://stanleyparkvan.com/stanley-park-van-road-stanley-park-causeway.html
The 3 lane wide option was never followed-up with a lower 3 lane tunnel. So, instead of 3 lanes each way, everything is funneled into just 3 lanes.
https://council.vancouver.ca/000203/pe3.htm Thus, no need to have a bridge designed to be strong enough to have at least two 3 lane decks.
In Vancouver and backwards BC in general, its very difficult to build infrastructure for long-range future capacity.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Stanley_Park_Labeled_Aerial_Map.png
After several generations, Stanley_Park has remained as a provincial gateway to backwater Vancouver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Park#21st_century
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99#Vancouver
While no one was able to stop the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal from being built, too many people still don't want Greater_Vancouver to have a proper big city train and highway link between West_Vancouver and Downtown_Vancouver.
Fortunately, the BCMV never made it to Sydney, NSW and SF, CA. Thus, their CBD or downtown has good rail and highway links.
However, it was almost like part of the Vancouver MV made it to Auckland, NZ.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Harbour_Bridge#Clip-ons_(1967%E2%80%931969)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Harbour_Bridge#Alternate_proposal A parallel bus, bike and train bridge should have been built decades ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Harbour_Crossing,_Auckland#2023_Waitemat%C4%81_Harbour_Connections_proposals
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waitemata-harbour-connections
https://infrastructurepipeline.org/project/additional-waitemata-harbour-crossing
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/05/27/build-this-brilliant-bridge
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