| West Coast Express | |
|---|---|
  The West Coast Express at Waterfront Station. |
|
| Info | |
| Locale | Lower Mainland, Canada |
| Transit type | Commuter Rail |
| Number of lines | 1 |
| Number of stations | 8 |
| Daily ridership | 10,500[1] |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | November 1, 1995 |
| Operator(s) | TransLink |
| Reporting marks | BCVX |
| Technical | |
| System length | 69 km [2] |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 81⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
West Coast Express (reporting mark BCVX) is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and other public transportation services.
Contents |
Operation
The West Coast Express operates from Monday to Friday only excluding holidays, with five trains per day running from Mission to Vancouver in the morning peak hours and returning to Mission in the evening peak. A one-way trip the length of the line takes 73 minutes, which is faster and more reliable than driving to Downtown Vancouver. In addition, there are two buses (called the "TrainBus") operates from Mission to Vancouver in the morning (after all trains) and three in the evening returning to Mission in the evening (again, after all trains), stopping at all West Coast Express stations. There are also three Trainbus departures in each direction on Saturdays and two on Sundays.[3] The commuter railway is operated by TransLink, the transportation authority of the Metro Vancouver region, and a member of Canadian Urban Transit Association. See TransLink Fare for pricing of WCE's fare. The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service, as well as Transit Security Officers conduct random fare inspections on board trains. Persons caught without valid fare could be removed from the train, and fined $173.
Equipment
Each train consists of a General Motors F59PHI diesel-electric locomotive and between four and nine Bombardier BiLevel passenger carriages. The total fleet of passenger coaches is 37. Each passenger carriage has a seating capacity of 144 people. Like many commuter railways, West Coast Express uses push-pull operation; instead of moving the locomotive to the other end of the train, it is simply controlled remotely from a second cab in the last passenger carriage, allowing the train to run 'backwards'; this occurs during mornings, as during afternoons the locomotive is at the front of train. Passenger amenities include washrooms, a cappuccino bar, power outlets, wheelchair accessibility, and space for bicycles.
The carriages and locomotives are maintained by VIA Rail, and the train tracks belong to the Canadian Pacific Railway who is also the operator of the service.
Map
- Purple represents the West Coast Express route and stops
- Dark blue represents the Expo Line
- Yellow represents the Millennium Line
- Light blue represents the SeaBus
West Coast Express fare
From Waterfront Station, effective January 1, 2008[4]:
| Destination | Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam | Pitt Meadows, Maple Meadows, Port Haney | Mission City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult fare (one way) | $6.75 | $8.25 | $11.25 |
| Adult fare (return) | $12.50 | $15.50 | $21.00 |
| Adult fare (Weekly) | $52.25 | $63.50 | $87.75 |
| Adult fare (Monthly) | $161.00 | $195.50 | $269.00 |
West Coast Express fares can also be used as a three-zone fare on other TransLink services. The ticket expires three hours from the time of purchase.
Fleet
| Manufacturer | Model | Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Transportation | Bi-level Coach VI | 37 |  |
| General Motors | F59PHI locomotives | 5 | |
| Motive Power, Inc. | MP36PH-3C | 1 | Arrived Dec 2006 |
Denotes wheelchair access
List of stations
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Future expansion
Translink's 2009 Capital Plan includes $28 million for 7 more Coaches, upgrades to the Waterfront and Mission stations, as well as platform extensions to handle longer trains[5]. TransLink has also proposed a number of other improvements to West Coast Express service [6], three of the key improvements being:
- Upgrades to the Port Haney passenger drop-off (in planning process)
- Maple Meadows Park and Ride expansion (in planning process)
- New station location in the Albion area (implementation in 2011-2012)
Plans for a new station in northern Burnaby have been indefinitely scrapped.
See also
Other interurban and regional rail operators in Canada:
References
- ^ West Coast Express: Facts and Figures 2008 Retrieved 8 December 2009
- ^ West Coast Express: Stations and Parking Information Retrieved 9 December 2009
- ^ West Coast Express: TrainBus Schedule Retrieved 9 October 2009
- ^ 2008 Transit Fares
- ^ TransLink’s 2009 Budget and Capital Plan to maintain transportation expansion
- ^ 2009 10-Year Plan
External links
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