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All Aboard West Coast Express
Vancouver commuter service launched over CPRS lines
COMMUTER PREMIER: At the opening day ceremonies, B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt, left,
was presented with a commemorative spike by CPRS Locomotive Engineer Monty Smith.
Steve Morris C&PA Vancouver
AFTER 18 months of planning and construction, commuter rail service in Vancouver became
a reality 1 Nov 1995, as the first of five trains left the station in Mission, B.C., for the 65-km (40-mile) commuter trip east to downtown Vancouver.
"For the last 18 months, our engineering and operations staff have worked in close co-operation with the transportation team at West Coast Express to
get the system up and running," Ed Dodge, executive vice-president, CP Rail System, said at the launch of the new service. West Coast Express is the
company established to manage the commuter rail service.
Each train is made up of five double-deck commuter cars with seating for 148. The trains are "push-pull" with General Motors diesel locomotives
providing the power.
British Columbia Premier Mike Harcourt, Employment and Industry Minister Glen Clark, and Dodge rode one of the five commuter trains and were on hand at the
downtown Waterfront Station to inaugurate the commuter rail service.
It's estimated the commuter rail service will eliminate 3,000 automobiles a day from the road system and that within the next 18 months, more than 11,000
commuters a day will use the service.
As well, studies show the commuter service will eliminate up to 400,000 kg (882,000 lbs) of car exhaust from the air each year in the Vancouver area.
"Across North America, governments and transportation planners are struggling to find solutions to deal with increasing populations and the pressures
they place on highway systems," Dodge said.
"One of the more logical, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective means of getting people out of their cars and on to public transportation is
commuter rail."
The Vancouver commuter service is the most modern of its kind in North America. The new, airconditioned coaches, built by Bombardier, feature spacious
seating, tables, and electrical outlets for computers and cellular phones. In addition, the cars and stations are wheelchair accessible and signs are in
braille for the vision impaired.
Initially, the service will have one complete train set of the new commuter cars with the other four being added as they arrive. In the interim, Bombardier
is providing coaches previously used in metro Toronto's GO Transit commuter service.
All trains should be operating with the new coaches by late February.
CPRS also provides commuter rail services in Montreal, Toronto, and Chicago.
FIVE BY
FIVE: Five trains of five coaches each make the daily run from mission to Vancouver and return.
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