West Coast Express

Infobox Public transit
name = West Coast Express


imagesize = 200 px
locale = Lower Mainland, Canada
transit_type = Commuter Rail
began_operation = 1995
system_length =
lines = 1
stations = 8
ridership =
operator = TransLink

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.

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 is also the recent addition of a weekend TrainBus.

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 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.

Map

The map is not drawn to scale.

* 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 [ [http://www.westcoastexpress.com/docs/news/2008fares.pdf 2008 Transit Fares] ] :

Future expansion

TransLink has proposed a number of improvements to West Coast Express service [ [http://www.translink.bc.ca/Plans_Projects/West_Coast_express/ TransLink plans for West Coast Express] ] , two of the key improvements being:
*Introduction of three Saturday and two Sunday TrainBus round trips in 2008; and
*Planning study for a new station in Albion in 2008 (east of Port Haney; expected 2009).

Plans for a new station in North Burnaby have been indefinitely scrapped.

ee also

Other interurban and regional rail operators in Canada:

* Agence métropolitaine de transport
* GO Transit
* Ontario Northland Railway

References

External links

* [http://www.westcoastexpress.com/ West Coast Express official site]
* [http://www.translink.bc.ca/ TransLink's official site]
* [http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?railroad=West%20Coast%20Express Rail pictures]