A Speculative Map of Montreal Metro-REM-EXO

 https://www.reddit.com/r/TransitDiagrams/comments/1w9apwg/oc_montreal_metroremexo_speculative_map/ 

What if Montreal could have a Paris scale of transportation infrastructure? Unfortunately, Greater Montreal hasn't reached the 5 million point yet, let alone 10 million people. Thus, the really big city stuff is still quite a ways off. 

At least Montreal isn't stuck with a 3 lane LGB. So far, Vancouver isn't interested in building an express bus tunnel and an LRT tunnel next to the inadequate LGB. A line from Burrard_station to Park+Royal and the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal would be getting into proper big city transportation infrastructure. Just like a tunnel between Waterfront station and Lonsdale_Quay would be.

At least Le REM wasn't designed to be a 2 car joke of a train like the YVR-Canada+Line is. 

The stations on the first 2 Skytrain lines are barely half the length of a 9 car Metro station. While a REM station can accommodate a 4 car train, the Canada+Line stations can only accommodate a 2.5 car train, but only 2 car joke trains, so far.

Vancouver SkyTrain-Canada Line - Richmond–Brighouse to Waterfront

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdJ9tXAF5s0 

Its very sad that a line which opened in 2009 with only 2 car trains, is still only using 2 car trains in 2026. The logic was to save money on construction, so instead of designing the stations to accommodate at least 5 car trains, there is only enough level clearance for 2.5 car trains, someday. The stations could have been designed with enough level clearance to eventually become doubleted in length. Unfortunately, its like a BC Mind Virus (BCMV) got in the way. The BCMV keeps thwarting so much infrastructure in Canada's most western province. 

For at least the past decade, there should have already been three, 20 m cars forming a 60 m train. Despite the absurd stations having a level clarence of only 50 m, Selective_door_operation could enable 3 car trains, not just some 2.5 car joke of a train. Even if the platforms can't ever be lengthened by 5-10 m, a 3 car train could still mostly have access to a 50 m station. Then with SDO, an extra car at both ends of the middle 3 cars would become a 5 car train.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_door_operation#International_variations 

It just would have been so much better if the stations were at least 60 m from the start. 80 m would have been better, but 100 m stations would almost look like a big city train. Unfortunately, the VMC & BCMV mindset keeps reducing the urban scale of things. 

Some other examples are the LGB and the Iron Bridge. The OSB and the KSB...

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. 

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/latest-news/translinks-hype-and-hoopla-about-brt-is-just-another-wet-squibb 

https://www.railforthevalley.com/tag/brt 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BRT

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://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/routes-and-driving-conditions/hov-lanes 

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://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/NorthArmBridge.jpg 

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. 

Surrey-Langley SkyTrain

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-community-signing-panels-construction-progress 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Surrey-Langley+SkyTrain

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

Mount Pleasant subway station (SkyTrain)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pleasant_station_(SkyTrain) 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pleasant,_Vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-neighbourhood-brooklyn-mount-pleasant

REM operator apologizes for lack of communication during morning disruptions

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/rem-operator-apologizes-for-lack-of-communication-during-service-outages-wednesday-morning-9.7312084  

https://exo.quebec/en

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. 

The Oakridge–41st Avenue Station

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/oakridge-41st-avenue-station-early-closure-construction-august-2026

 https://www.richmond-news.com/highlights/vancouver-canada-line-station-close-early-august-2026-12675151 

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

https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/should-we-convert-the-canada-line-to-light-rail-2 

 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.

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=YVR-Canada+Line

New South Wales H set trains

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_H_set 

Train length	81.55 m (267 ft 6+5⁄8 in)
Car length	20.34 m (66 ft 8+3⁄4 in) (OD) 20,435 mm (67 ft 1⁄2 in) (ON/ONL)

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)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Selective_Door_Operation.jpg/960px-Selective_Door_Operation.jpg 

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.

A look inside Broadway-City Hall Station's future Canada Line-Millennium Line interchange

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-city-hall-station-canada-millennium-lines-skytrain-interchange-construction 

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. 

A Commercial-Broadway rental housing tower might need to be redesigned for an additional SkyTrain station platform and pedestrian bridge

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-commercial-broadway-station-rental-tower-additional-platform-pedestrian-bridge 

It looks like dailyhive.com might be the only local media to effectively inform people about this potential transportation infrastructure blunder. Vancouver has notoriously not properly planned things for future capacity. A proper big city Commercial-Broadway_station is essential, so there should be enough clearance for another platform, when its needed. Thus, any new structure should be designed to allow for extra station space. There is just something inept about infrastructure planning in Vancouver and BC in general.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/YVRBroadwayStn.JPG/1280px-YVRBroadwayStn.JPG Platform 4 and what should be a potential platform 6 just west of it. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Commercial_Broadway_Expo_Line_Platform_5_2025.jpg/1280px-Commercial_Broadway_Expo_Line_Platform_5_2025.jpg Platforms 3 and 5.

https://infomaps.translink.ca/system_maps/skytrain_station_maps/commercial_broadway_station.pdf 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial-Broadway_station#Upgrades 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Line#Phase_I:_Columbia_to_Commercial_Drive_(2002)

Planned 30-storey hotel tower next to Marine Drive SkyTrain station in Vancouver

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/8555-cambie-street-vancouver-hotel-tower-breka-bakery-cafe

Western Canada's tallest tower, gets green light from Vancouver City Council

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/holborn-vancouver-western-canada-tallest-tower-bay-parkade-redevelopment-approved 

There was a time when Vancouver wasn't allowed to have any building taller than the Great_Pyramid_of_Giza, then Ulm_Minster and then the Philadelphia_City_Hall. 

The Harbour_Centre had to be less than a 3rd of the CN_Tower. 

The stations on the first 2 SkyTrain lines are barely 2 thirds of the length of a Montreal_Metro station.

The Canada_Line only has 50 m stations compared to the 152.5 m Montreal_Metro stations. 

For too long, anything that is symbolic of a proper big city was watered down or scaled back in provincial Vancouver. Indeed, Vancouver was supposed to perpetually be a half-sized city, or even a third of what a proper size city should be. The mostly narrow bridges still have no parallel express bus bridge, or BRT bridge built next to them. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/holborn-bay-parkade-vancouver-supertall-tower-nav-canada-federal-aviation

If the project actually gets built as envisioned it will be taller than First_Canadian_Place in Toronto, Columbia_Center in Seattle, and a little taller than the Sydney_Tower and the U.S._Bank_Tower_(Los_Angeles). It still won't quite be as tall as Australia_108 in Melbourne or especially the Salesforce_Tower in SF.

Vancouver SkyTrain Front Window View - King George Station to Vancouver Waterfront

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLOYm6u8ecc 

This really should be a line from Langley to West Vancouver, someday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VPFqSyi1Z4&t=50s Line 3 or line C or C Line? Perhaps the YVR-Canada Line. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHuus0AHPRw  

This ultimately should be a line from Delta to YVR and to West Vancouver.

 History of the SkyTrain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP4RUBp1Ucw

Greater Vancouver's SkyTrain Network Evolution https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXF44HciCe8  

Why the SkyTrain and DLR are So Unique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrMISsHZ85s

SkyBridge between NW and Surrey, BC

Unfortunately, due to inept regional transportation planning, the SkyBridge (1990) wasn't built with any extra width for bus lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. Everything was just expected to be crammed onto the inadequate, 4 lane Pattullo_Bridge, which only had 1 narrow sidewalk. Back in the day, there was no concept of allowing additional future space for 2 wide truck lanes, 2 car lanes and 2 bus lanes on the Pattullo_Bridge_in_1937.

It was as if someone really didn't want to ever have any bus lanes on the Patullo Bridge and the SkyTrain Bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyBridge_(TransLink)#Details 

Then, it was as if someone still didn't want to have any bus lanes on the Stalewasem_Bridge as well. Since the train isnt running 24hrs, a BRT crossing is important.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalewasen_Bridge This new bridge should have opened with at least 3 lanes each way, plus a bus lane each way. However, an 8 lane bridge with 2 wide emergency lanes and 2 wide shoulders would look too much like big city infrastructure. Big city scale infrastructure is difficult to establish in backwards BC. 

New replacement George Massey Tunnel to cost $8.5 billion and opening in September 2031

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/george-massey-tunnel-new-replacement-cost-timeline-update 

Of course with all the extra delays costs, there still won't be an LRT tube and no HOV lanes. While the new tunnel will be 4 lanes each way, there should have been an extra section for 2 LRT tracks and 2 rapid bus lanes. BC has a problem providing 24hr rapid rail transportation, so 24hr BRT is essential. 

A 10 lane version of an Alex_Fraser_Bridge with a provision for LRT, could have been completed a few years ago. However, just because some people didn't want a bridge crossing that part of the river, the plan was scrapped. The result is more cost and delay in what should have been completed a few decades ago. 

If ever a proper LRT and rapid bus crossing can be built parallel to the new tunnel, then that 8 lane tunnel could still have 3 general lanes each way, plus the 4th being an HOV lane. A parallel LRT and rapid bus needs to be built between Richmond and Delta so that there can be an efficient connection between YVR and the 2 ferry terminals.

Something like a Tilikum_Crossing between Richmond and Delta should have already been built decades ago, but there just isn't proper transportation planning in backwards BC.

Either an extension of an improved YVR-Canada Line, or an LRT like the C Train or MAX_Train. Since such a train won't be running 24 hours a day, there would need to be a Rapid bus_crossing as well. Such redundancy is important, especially if there is an occasional problem with the train. A Streetcar_Crossing would also be nice, because the Skytrain, LRT and BRT can't go everywhere. Where as express and local buses and streetcars can fill in the gaps. 

Of course more bicycle and footpaths can be a great improvement.  

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Richmond-Delta+Tunnel

How much will Vancouver change by 2036?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJtotvMq2ls 

The Lion+Bridge will likely still not have an express bus and LRT tunnel near it. The+Iron+Bridge still might not have a proper BRT and LRT bridge next to it. The OSB and the KSB will likely not have a bus and bike bridge built beside them. There will still likely be no new Fraser Street Bridge for bikes and buses. No Boundary Road bridges to provide a direct link between the North Shore and Richmond for buses, trucks and bikes.

While the first 2 Skytrain lines will have 5 car trains, the stunted YVR-Canada Line will only have 2.5 car trains. Vancouver still might not permit any office tower to have a 40th floor, but might allow some residential towers to be on a Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Toronto scale. 

However, BIG city thinking and planning in Vancouver has always been so difficult. Boston, SF and the City of Paris are ridiculously small cities like Vancouver with all 3 having a land area of less than 50 sq. mi. or 129.5 sq. km. Yet, Boston, SF and especially the City of Paris, have all been able to fit so much more into the same general space. That's because they aren't bound by anything like the inept and extreme Vancouver type restrictions.