Portal:Canada/Selected article/17
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The SkyTrain is a two-line urban mass transit system operating in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It uses Bombardier's Advanced Rapid Transit technology, with fully automated trains running principally on elevated tracks (hence the name). There have been no derailments or collisions in its history.[1] It uses the same linear induction motor-driven trains as the Scarborough RT line in Toronto, the Putra LRT in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Detroit's People Mover, and the JFK AirTrain in New York City.
SkyTrain is operated by British Columbia Rapid Transit Company under contract to TransLink, a regional government transportation agency. It operates on a proof-of-payment fare system and is policed by the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service. Skytrain Attendants (STAs) are present to provide first aid, directions, customer service, inspect fares and they monitor train faults and drive the trains when necessary. TransLink claims to lose about C$6 million in unpaid fares annually, including $3 million from SkyTrain alone.
SkyTrain's 49.5 km (30.8 mi) of track make it the longest automated light rapid transit system in the world. It also uses the longest mass transit-only bridge, the SkyBridge, to cross the Fraser River. There are 33 stations in the system, which carries more than 220,000 people every day on the two lines.[2] The Expo Line was built in time for the Expo 86 World's Fair; the Millennium Line opened in 2002 and further expansions are underway to coincide with the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Construction of the Canada Line began in November 2005. The Evergreen Line, as of 2007, is in its planning stages. The former will be completed in 2009, and the latter in 2011 if funding is approved. The Canada Line will run from downtown Vancouver to Richmond, with a branch to Vancouver International Airport. Evergreen will be a light-rapid-transit line running from Lougheed Town Centre to Coquitlam Town Centre. The system has been the subject of several political, social, and economic controversies.
