My favorite Skytrain story was back in the 2000’s when these two backpackers from Calgary jumped on and was so confused and was looking for the driver. I asked them if they needed help Them: “Who’s driving this thing?” Me: “Oh, it’s driverless, the operator is in a building a ways away.” They were shook. “How long has this been around?” Me: “Since 1986” Them: “Oh! No way! That’s so cool!” Me: “Welcome to Vancouver!”
Just loving your Vancouver series after recently discovering your channel. I grew up on Vancouver Island but never spent that much time in Vancouver. We've spent most of the past decade traveling abroad; this is is a great reminder to explore more of our backyard.
- When then BC Transit built the Expo Line in the 1980s, they deepened the Dunsmuir Tunnel by one foot to allow stacking the platforms at Granville and Burrard Stations. - The name SkyTrain was chosen as the winner of a public contest. A VERY quickly rejected idea: Fraser Area Rapid Transit.
@@DownieLive yeah before they switched it to the current format the millennium line went from waterfront to VCC Clark thereby passing g commercial station twice and we still have that record as the line still technically loops on itsself still u switch from.expo at production way to go to VCC clark if u start from.waterfront your thede by passing commercial station twice hence the line is looping in on itself
The experience of riding on expo line and Canada line is quite different, also I love the echo of the acceleration sound from the sky train when the sky train is exiting the underground tunnel of the Columbia station. That always give me goosebump.
My dad died in 1984.But in the fall of 1983 the Main st station gave us a test drive.One of my only memories of him.Nobody ever believes the 1983 story and argue that it was Expo.Thanks
In the busy world we all live in, I rarely get the time to say thank you to the people that have made this last horror of a year bearable, if not down right fun. You are one and near the top of the list. I loved your travel videos and all the train rides before the shutdown, but your exploration of Vancouver has been one of the brightest lights of the year. Each week, you take me away to BC and to a small, little known gem. Someplace not really famous, but fun and charming. I've seen the mosaic of your childhood artwork, friendly lamas, treehouse vacations, train hotel rooms, you family and so, so much more. All of them accompanied by your cheerful, upbeat style. Even in the worst moment, such as the suicide death of your friend, you found The Light and showed it to us. I don't know where I am going now that things may be getting back to normal, but I know I will always want to have your videos along with me. Um, how did you get to drive a SkyTrain car if they are driverless?
Thank you so much. Those are very kind and powerful words. I really appreciate it. As for driving the driverless SkyTrain... you’ll have to watch and see 😉
Another great video. We take the skytrain for granted and complain about it always but it is a pretty awesome system. I used to work in the building that it runs through at the Main street station. You could only hear it on the bottom floor and the floor just above it. But only a little bit.
@@graham1188 there’s more to benefit when the connection happens. Increase of crime rate would be a minor issue from a government perspective and even from majority of non-Langley residents.
One more hidden gem, Prince Charles and Princess Diana rode the SkyTrain from Waterfront to Patterson Station, and rode in Car 014. What's more, the same car has plaques commemorating a visit from the " the prince and princess of Belgium, and the princess of Thailand." I remember seeing the plaque on one of the older Expo line trains once, hope that car 014 is still in use!
I'm from Winnipeg and we don't have anything like the Skytrain so when I went to Vancouver I was blown away. The closest we have to it is a system called Rapid transit where city busses have their own speed ways.
I love taking the skytrain..the ride is always smooth and comfortable. Also, my observation is that vancouver skytrain is one of the fastest evolving public transportation system . Translink brings good upgrades in trains and station very regularly. The views from skytrain on evergreen line are more pretty than expo line. They also put multilingual signs
Mike , what an asset the SkyTrain is for Vancouver. I love the public art in portions of it and the SkyBridge is a work of art on it's own. Vancouver has changed a lot since I was first their in the 60's. When I see the Science Center, I'm certain it is was built for the World's Fair of 1986. In that area called Yaletown with not much in it, the magnificent fair was born. I remember riding the SkyTrain to the Canadian Pavilion called Canada Place with it's unique roof. Later to become the Vancouver Trade & Convention Center. The place where Cruise ships now depart and return. Your videos emphasize the beauty of a city I love. Thanks and keep it up.
Thank you for mentioning Kuala Lumpur, my home city. And one of the rapid transit lines in KL shares the same rolling stock that the Vancouver SkyTrain uses. The Innovia ART 200 and Innovia Metro 300 rolling stocks are also running on the 46.4KM Kelana Jaya transit line.
My hometown transit system! Very proud of my hometown’s metro! Also, back in the day, I did a presentation on the LIM system! It’s an interesting fact, and a skytrain staff once gave me a demonstration of the system, but it is important to note that the trains also have manual brakes, along with the induction brakes. Great video, even though being a Vancouver transit nerd I knew most of these already! Keep up the good work!
We’re very proud of our rapid transit system in Vancouver. It’s not the longest, or fastest, or most impressive but it represents the immense change in our region that’s happened over the last 35 years.
The Skytrain is actually quite impressive for a city the size of Vancouver. Most cities its size only have a small LRT system, not a completely grade separated metro.
Love the Vancouver skytrain so much. I recently filmed a SkyTrain timelapse on the expo line. Driverless carriage certainly makes creating videos very easy :) Wish we had more such transit systems across the country.
I continue to find these videos on various trivia about Vancouver quite fascinating. You're very fortunate to grow up in a beautiful city like Vancouver.
My favourite station is Brentwood Towne Centre ... love the architecture - curvy wood ribs ... reminiscent of an upside down canoe or maybe even a skeleton of a giant whale.
Newbie here! I never thought it would be so much fun watching your video and learning just about everything while we travel with you. Your full of energy and speed just like these trains!lol Thanks for sharing the precise and good information about this train ride! 🇵🇭🇺🇸
Fantastic! I'm all about the small pleasures of exploring public transport in other places (no, genuinely - I love public transport)! Thanks for the whistle stop tour of Vancouver's SkyTrain!
I rermember that in 1985, gee you live in a great country, leaders with forsight and statesperson qualities which shows in your infrastructure. Awesome country I can see why you have pride in your country, thats excelent.
I also remember SkyTrain has had no fatal accidents pertaining to derailments and crashes - should be a record of some sort. Make that 2 world records and 1 continental record.
The Sky Train uses Bombardier's Innovia system. It's mostly used as airport transportation, like at JFK airport in New York City, but Vancouver has by far the biggest system, using it for their entire metro system.
1:26 Close, but TransLink was formed in 1999 - BC transit was what you were looking for there. Brings me to say how until 1999 transit was I believe a crown corporation here in BC. You were able to transfer buses around the different cities in the province at a lesser cost. Other provinces/states had a different transit system per city.
I live in the Seattle area but always enjoy exploring Vancouver. Hopefully the border will open soon. You should do an episode on Seattle transit. So many modes. Commuter rail, light rail, streetcar, trolley coach, monorail, ferry (both auto and passenger only). Plus Cascades service from Vancouver and south to Eugene, OR. Really enjoy your videos.
There was a segment from Paul J. Barnes BC Rail video which covered the Skytrain from operations in the late 1990s. As a kid that video was my first experiences of Vancouver and by 2017 at the age of 18 I finally got to Vancouver thanks to the Via Canada 150 special with my first thing done there being taking the Skytrain.
2:07 fun fact: pressure is x2 as strong at 10m every time you go down. You may not feel it, but when you go from outside to inside, you feel it pretty well.
I love watching your videos i live in surrey and take the skytrain a lot of the time so watching these videos just makes me love taking the skytrain and finding out new things each time
Mass transit is what we city: skyliners (or just me) call the spirit of a city. BTW it’s amazing to see another city doing the whole rail-going-through-a- building trick, the one I’m most familiar with is Chongqing, China, also known as Mountain City; there’s a monorail station inside a building across three floors; one side of it is a mountain, and the other side is the Jialing River, a major branch of the famous Yangtze River.
I forgot about that exit too however I thought he was going to mention the sidewalk ramp up to the side platform that was used exclusively for expo 86 for loading trains bound for the Canada pavilion.
I had no idea I'd taken the Skytrain after leaving the airport in the middle of the night. Missed out on seeing it in action in daylight. Blaming the jet lag. Great work as always, Mr. Michael Downie!
Gateway station to Scott Road in Surrey is a beautiful ride, the cars below only see trees, but on the skytrain you get a view of New West and Coquitlam which built on the side of a mountain and really pretty in the morning and afternoon
Recommend making a visit to Montréal once the pandemic is over. We are also getting a 67 km Skytrain-like system (the REM) that complements the existing Montréal Metro. First branch opens in Spring 2022 from South Shore to downtown MTL.
Thanks for posting. Makes me miss the Skytrain we used to come to Vancouver twice a year and we always loved riding the skytrain. Cant wait until Covid is over soe we can come back. Thanks for posting
Great video. The existing tunnels under the downtown core were part of an old rail system called the Interurban, and the underground public restrooms at Victory Square and Carnegie Library are remnants of those stations that didn't get reopened.
This video ended up in my feed back in March and I loved it so much you gained a subscriber. And now several months later, I am rewatching it because I just started a job working on the Broadway Subway Expansion and it is so cool to be a part of this system.
SkyTrain is the center of the heart of the most people coming from various places and is the extra convenience to go to another place without being worried... Even here in Bangkok, Thailand we have SkyTrain and Subway System to visit The Grand Palace...the heart of Bangkok, Thailand is like the heart of Canada...💖
Don't quote me on these but, King Edward Station is also stacked vertically. It's the only one like this in the Canada Line, and it's particularly far from the next and previous stations, they stack around 16th Ave and unstack around the southern curve around QE Park. The reason it goes around the Park it's because they're saving the space to build an eventual new station on Cambie and W33rd so my guess is that this new station would be vertically stacked too... I think that's what I know, I don't know if it's exactly a secret.
I remember working on the Canada Line when it was being built and riding the train completely alone to pick up material from one station to the other. Good times
Hi Mike. I hold a Guinness World Record for being the person who has “The fastest time to travel to all Vancouver skyTrain stations (which) is 2 hours, 49 minutes and 37.69 seconds, and was achieved by Stephen Quinlan (Canada) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 4 May 2018”. As my certificate says. I intend to set the record again when there is new track. If you want to try and break my Guinness World Record, I would be happy to tell you all about it. (I believe records are for beating).
@@DownieLive I will let you know when I do it. I am thinking it might even be something I do on the first day they open the extension. But I would need to speak to transit very much ahead of time. (Which I intend to do). You would not believe the side of the team I need. 2 timekeepers 2 independent witnesses a photographer and a videographer to meet the requirements set out by Guinness. If you want background, you can visit my website. (Don’t think I can send the link) but it’s a .ca domain and it’s called fastest skytrain.
@@benfleishman2944 Hi Ben, I think you should register and see if you can officially beat my record. I would be happy to provide you with any support you want. If you want to reach out to me, I can go though all the details you need. I believe records are for beating, so I would be happy to walk you though how to get the Guinness World Record for travelling to all the skytrain stations in the fastest time. This is also an open offer to anyone who wants to beat my record. I would love someone to beat it.
Was randomly searching up videos about Vancouver and chanced on this one of yours - great content so it was an easy decision to subscribe!! :) Pre pandemic, I took the skytrain into downtown every weekday for work and I remember disliking it so much because of rush hour crowding and delays... but I didn't realize I actually maybe even miss the commute (despite my complaints) because I've been working from home for so long until your video. Great work promoting our city, keep the videos coming!
I LOVE TransLink Vancouver. Can't get enough of the POV video's of all lines, on RUclips. I would love to ride all lines in a single day. In each season, in each weather condition, early morning, daytime and late at night. Can you tell I am kind of adicted to Vancouver? Anyway, my favorite station is Matrotown, because it's directly connected to Metropolis Mall. And of course New West, since that's the very first station I visited back in '96. Can't wait for the new lines to be filmed for RUclips.
Main is definitely the oldest station but in terms of renovations I believe Joyce and Metrotown are newer as those station upgrade projects completed more recently.
Also fun fact is that in 1993 or 1995 (I can't recall which) SkyTrain received an award for transit system of the year. I don't remember much about it as I was in my teens, but most of the older cars had special stickers on them with the date. I honestly don't know if that award was a North American award or if it was selected out of all transit systems in the world. What sets our transit system apart from many LRT etc., is that except for staff who monitor the trains, most of the trains are automated which is a HUGE cost benefit and allows the rapid pace of the system with most cars arriving within 2-5 minutes of each other compared to other rail systems.
Great video, love the Skytrain network and its quirks! I think there are even more lesser known features of the system based on what you pointed out in the video: 0:42 - At Stadium-Chinatown Station, the passageway and stairs where the lost and found office is was closed because the building that was later built on that block to the north of Beatty Street did not connect to it; to increase passenger access, the station's emergency exit was expanded into the current south entrance on Expo Boulevard. This station also has three tracks and a side platform in addition to the main island platform. During the Expo 86 World's Fair, that platform was the used for a free shuttle train that ran to Waterfront Station to allow attendees of the Expo to travel from the main fair site on the north side of False Creek (which is now Yaletown) to the Canada Pavilion on Burrard Inlet (now Canada Place). Nowadays, its main use is for training and rerouting trains during maintenance although it is sometimes used for the large crowds from events at Rogers Arena or BC Place. 1:13 - Technically, the Dunsmuir tunnel which the Expo Line uses downtown wasn't transferred from CPR to TransLink as they didn't exist a separate entity at that point. When the Skytrain opened it was operated by BC Transit, Translink was created later to oversee public transit in Metro Vancouver, operation of the Skytrain was transferred to it in 1999 (the rest of the province's transit is still handled by BC Transit). Also, the current south tunnel portal at Stadium-Chinatown is not the original, the portal that was used by CPR was a block to the west behind where the Costco is now, it was demolished in 2011 to make room for new developments but there is still a section of disused tunnel. 1:42 - At Metrotown Station there used to be an elevated walkway connecting the station to the Metropolis Mall but it was disconnected and partially demolished when the station was renovated from 2015-2017. A new walkway is funded but there is currently no timeline for construction. 2:01 - While Yaletown-Roundhouse Station has the lowest elevation, it is not the deepest station measured from street level, that would be Granville Station which is 25 metres deep while Yaletown-Roundhouse is 17 metres deep. 2:16 - Main Street-Science World station was also renamed, it was initially just called Main Street. Science World (another legacy of Expo 86) was added to the name in 1990. Also, when the Mark II trains were ordered for the system in preparation for the opening of the Millennium line, the sections of guideway that constituted the former demo track near this station had to be reinforced to accommodate the heavier train cars. 2:51 - The SkyBridge is unfortunately no longer the longest cable supported transit only bridge in the world, that title is now held by the Egongyan Rail Transit Bridge in Chongqing, China, although that bridge does have a pedestrian path. 3:20 - If you want to get really specific, Skytrain is still the longest fully automated, driverless rapid transit system in the world. Singapore MRT and Kuala Lumpur Rapid KL do have a greater length of automated lines but also still have partially human-operated lines. 4:05 - Along with the door buttons, the Mark I cars on the Expo and Millennium Lines used to have carpeted floors, but they ended up being difficult to clean so were removed to improve sanitation. 4:29 - Linear induction motors are used for propulsion on the Expo and Millennium Lines while the Canada Line uses more traditional electric traction motors. The Canada Line also uses cars that are longer and wider than those on the Expo and Millennium lines but the overall length of Canada Line trains is shorter.
@@DownieLive Before the pandemic, I rode the SkyTrain during my commute almost every day so I got a bit enamored with the system and wanted to know it better. I just really like learning about the history and operations of mass transit systems, the SkyTrain in particular.
I work for transit in metro Vancouver, and ride the Skytrain everyday as part of my job, and you told me things I actually didn't know. :) I think Brentwood station looks the coolest.
I do personaly liek the Science World station too. I used to go to science world a lot when i was a kid, and the skytrain helped me get there as i live far away
I lived in Vancouver for over 12 years but never thought to learn more about the skytrain! This was super interesting! I just watched it with my four-year-old son and we both learned so much. New subscriber here 👋🏼
I love to hear about diffrent transit systems around the globe- the sky train is one of my favourites as we have something similar in england- its called the DLR
The stadium-chinatown stop also has a 3rd loading zone on the south side of the station. Ive only ever seen it open to accommodate sporting event traffic. Apparently you can also see the old tunnel entrance near the costco loading area.
it also driveless train. i was the 1st batch from asean to learn about tech transfer. the second drivelss train system in the world then goes to asean. under it manufacturer bombadier.. wow.. such a memory!
The sound of the skytrain is so specific and nostalgic to me as a Vancouverite.
Fun fact: There's a Skytrain rap song. I can't remember who made it, but you should totally include it on your next Skytrain video.
ruclips.net/video/Rg9-dn_LcDo/видео.html
I have only visited Vancouver once, but I really loved the soft "whoosh" sound!
oh man I was just about to post the same thing. ❤️
I like the sound of other metros or subways or undergrounds
My favorite Skytrain story was back in the 2000’s when these two backpackers from Calgary jumped on and was so confused and was looking for the driver. I asked them if they needed help
Them: “Who’s driving this thing?”
Me: “Oh, it’s driverless, the operator is in a building a ways away.”
They were shook. “How long has this been around?”
Me: “Since 1986”
Them: “Oh! No way! That’s so cool!”
Me: “Welcome to Vancouver!”
Awe! so cute! can you share more memories of Vancouver from the 2000's, someone won't be able to tell in 2024?
Yes!! Finally a Geoff Marshall style video on the SkyTrain!
Vicki looks different in this one. ; )
I Love Geoff Marshall
@@royparker8109 Geoff Marshall, but a cute Canadian guy version.
Just loving your Vancouver series after recently discovering your channel. I grew up on Vancouver Island but never spent that much time in Vancouver. We've spent most of the past decade traveling abroad; this is is a great reminder to explore more of our backyard.
Exactly. The last year has forced me to focus on my home city, and it’s amazing how lucky we are in this part of the world.
@@DownieLive Hello Downie!
Nice!
- When then BC Transit built the Expo Line in the 1980s, they deepened the Dunsmuir Tunnel by one foot to allow stacking the platforms at Granville and Burrard Stations.
- The name SkyTrain was chosen as the winner of a public contest. A VERY quickly rejected idea: Fraser Area Rapid Transit.
😂
i love to take FARTs
F.A.R.T. 😃🤣🤣🤣🤣
yea they figure out that fast
I mean it would mean it wouldn't be limited to just the Fraser Valley area.
I'm all for the public transit hype we're building here! 🙏🏻🙋🏻♂️
😂😂😄👍🏼
*Public Transport.
@@DownieLive you forgot the record it still holds being the only line.that loops into itsself
Really? Oh interesting, I didn’t know that.
@@DownieLive yeah before they switched it to the current format the millennium line went from waterfront to VCC Clark thereby passing g commercial station twice and we still have that record as the line still technically loops on itsself still u switch from.expo at production way to go to VCC clark if u start from.waterfront your thede by passing commercial station twice hence the line is looping in on itself
The experience of riding on expo line and Canada line is quite different, also I love the echo of the acceleration sound from the sky train when the sky train is exiting the underground tunnel of the Columbia station. That always give me goosebump.
My dad died in 1984.But in the fall of 1983 the Main st station gave us a test drive.One of my only memories of him.Nobody ever believes the 1983 story and argue that it was Expo.Thanks
Fun fact. If you take the Millennium Line occasionally a crack head will pole dance for you.
Yup seen her few times
In the busy world we all live in, I rarely get the time to say thank you to the people that have made this last horror of a year bearable, if not down right fun. You are one and near the top of the list. I loved your travel videos and all the train rides before the shutdown, but your exploration of Vancouver has been one of the brightest lights of the year. Each week, you take me away to BC and to a small, little known gem. Someplace not really famous, but fun and charming. I've seen the mosaic of your childhood artwork, friendly lamas, treehouse vacations, train hotel rooms, you family and so, so much more. All of them accompanied by your cheerful, upbeat style. Even in the worst moment, such as the suicide death of your friend, you found The Light and showed it to us. I don't know where I am going now that things may be getting back to normal, but I know I will always want to have your videos along with me.
Um, how did you get to drive a SkyTrain car if they are driverless?
Thank you so much. Those are very kind and powerful words. I really appreciate it.
As for driving the driverless SkyTrain... you’ll have to watch and see 😉
Another great video. We take the skytrain for granted and complain about it always but it is a pretty awesome system. I used to work in the building that it runs through at the Main street station. You could only hear it on the bottom floor and the floor just above it. But only a little bit.
We need that connection line from surrey to Langley
So we can triple the crime rate in langley?
@@graham1188 It's already in Chilliwack
go blame something else..
@@deanl0 whoever said anything about chilliwack
Yes!!!
@@graham1188 there’s more to benefit when the connection happens. Increase of crime rate would be a minor issue from a government perspective and even from majority of non-Langley residents.
One more hidden gem, Prince Charles and Princess Diana rode the SkyTrain from Waterfront to Patterson Station, and rode in Car 014. What's more, the same car has plaques commemorating a visit from the " the prince and princess of Belgium, and the princess of Thailand."
I remember seeing the plaque on one of the older Expo line trains once, hope that car 014 is still in use!
I pooped on aisle 15 seat 4
@@buzzbronx696 what
@@buzzbronx696 Hasn't everyone?
@@buzzbronx696 😂
I'm from Winnipeg and we don't have anything like the Skytrain so when I went to Vancouver I was blown away.
The closest we have to it is a system called Rapid transit where city busses have their own speed ways.
Same here
I love taking the skytrain..the ride is always smooth and comfortable. Also, my observation is that vancouver skytrain is one of the fastest evolving public transportation system . Translink brings good upgrades in trains and station very regularly. The views from skytrain on evergreen line are more pretty than expo line. They also put multilingual signs
Mike , what an asset the SkyTrain is for Vancouver. I love the public art in portions of it and the SkyBridge is a work of art on it's own.
Vancouver has changed a lot since I was first their in the 60's. When I see the Science Center, I'm certain it is was built for the World's Fair of 1986. In that area called Yaletown with not much in it, the magnificent fair was born. I remember riding the SkyTrain to the Canadian Pavilion called Canada Place with it's unique roof. Later to become the Vancouver Trade & Convention Center. The place where Cruise ships now depart and return. Your videos emphasize the beauty of a city I love. Thanks and keep it up.
You are definitely very creative, always finding something new for your channel. Great video Mike. Thanks again Cheers
They need more art in the stations just like Montreal's Metro.
Thank you for mentioning Kuala Lumpur, my home city.
And one of the rapid transit lines in KL shares the same rolling stock that the Vancouver SkyTrain uses.
The Innovia ART 200 and Innovia Metro 300 rolling stocks are also running on the 46.4KM Kelana Jaya transit line.
My hometown transit system! Very proud of my hometown’s metro! Also, back in the day, I did a presentation on the LIM system! It’s an interesting fact, and a skytrain staff once gave me a demonstration of the system, but it is important to note that the trains also have manual brakes, along with the induction brakes. Great video, even though being a Vancouver transit nerd I knew most of these already! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for sharing!
I live in Vancouver, why do I feel nostalgic looking and hearing the skytrain again
Quarantine has got you?
Fun fact-filled video... absolutely love light rail and subway systems!
We’re very proud of our rapid transit system in Vancouver. It’s not the longest, or fastest, or most impressive but it represents the immense change in our region that’s happened over the last 35 years.
Exactly.
The Skytrain is actually quite impressive for a city the size of Vancouver. Most cities its size only have a small LRT system, not a completely grade separated metro.
It's lagging way behind actual change though and is underbuilt
Quite a bit faster average speed than Montreal or Toronto's subway... and that's what really counts. hehehe
Wow! I just realized, it’ been almost exactly one year since I took the skytrain and public transit!
Finally a good video that focuses on Vancouver Skytrain, I've been waiting on this for a while
Love the Vancouver skytrain so much. I recently filmed a SkyTrain timelapse on the expo line. Driverless carriage certainly makes creating videos very easy :) Wish we had more such transit systems across the country.
Never in my life did I think I would be so fascinated by a SkyTrain video! Or maybe the host is just that great. I'll say both. Amazing vid Mike!
😄😄 you’re too kind, Will.
It must be that the SkyTrain is just a surprisingly interesting topic 🤷🏼♂️😉
Thank you for bringing a smile to our faces with your incredible energy and good vibes, Mike. Keep the videos coming!!
Always!
Wow! I love your videos, Mike. There is soooo much colour and character to your whole presentation! Love from India. ❤️
I continue to find these videos on various trivia about Vancouver quite fascinating. You're very fortunate to grow up in a beautiful city like Vancouver.
My favourite station is Brentwood Towne Centre ... love the architecture - curvy wood ribs ... reminiscent of an upside down canoe or maybe even a skeleton of a giant whale.
Newbie here! I never thought it would be so much fun watching your video and learning just about everything while we travel with you. Your full of energy and speed just like these trains!lol Thanks for sharing the precise and good information about this train ride! 🇵🇭🇺🇸
Fantastic! I'm all about the small pleasures of exploring public transport in other places (no, genuinely - I love public transport)! Thanks for the whistle stop tour of Vancouver's SkyTrain!
First watched the channel when you were on a narrow boat in England, now I’m in Vancouver and still enjoying the channel
Living in Vancouver and learning as i have never visited. Kudos MIKE!
I rermember that in 1985, gee you live in a great country, leaders with forsight and statesperson qualities which shows in your infrastructure. Awesome country I can see why you have pride in your country, thats excelent.
I also remember SkyTrain has had no fatal accidents pertaining to derailments and crashes - should be a record of some sort. Make that 2 world records and 1 continental record.
No fatal accidents? Yes! At gateway!
@@maryjanetheresa604 crashes/derailments arent in the same category as trains hitting people but okay
Advanced signals
@@maryjanetheresa604 WHAT? HOW????
@@maryjanetheresa604 or person on track that's a fatal accident at Gateway tho
The Sky Train uses Bombardier's Innovia system. It's mostly used as airport transportation, like at JFK airport in New York City, but Vancouver has by far the biggest system, using it for their entire metro system.
Nice to see you back!
It’s nice to be back.
You just HAVE to love the sound of the MK1 cars accelerating!
1:26 Close, but TransLink was formed in 1999 - BC transit was what you were looking for there.
Brings me to say how until 1999 transit was I believe a crown corporation here in BC. You were able to transfer buses around the different cities in the province at a lesser cost. Other provinces/states had a different transit system per city.
I live in the Seattle area but always enjoy exploring Vancouver. Hopefully the border will open soon. You should do an episode on Seattle transit. So many modes. Commuter rail, light rail, streetcar, trolley coach, monorail, ferry (both auto and passenger only). Plus Cascades service from Vancouver and south to Eugene, OR. Really enjoy your videos.
That's a great idea! Thanks David!
There was a segment from Paul J. Barnes BC Rail video which covered the Skytrain from operations in the late 1990s. As a kid that video was my first experiences of Vancouver and by 2017 at the age of 18 I finally got to Vancouver thanks to the Via Canada 150 special with my first thing done there being taking the Skytrain.
2:07 fun fact: pressure is x2 as strong at 10m every time you go down. You may not feel it, but when you go from outside to inside, you feel it pretty well.
I love watching your videos i live in surrey and take the skytrain a lot of the time so watching these videos just makes me love taking the skytrain and finding out new things each time
Mass transit is what we city: skyliners (or just me) call the spirit of a city. BTW it’s amazing to see another city doing the whole rail-going-through-a- building trick, the one I’m most familiar with is Chongqing, China, also known as Mountain City; there’s a monorail station inside a building across three floors; one side of it is a mountain, and the other side is the Jialing River, a major branch of the famous Yangtze River.
I never knew about the 4th side in the Stadium - chinatown station, good to know! Thank you for telling us and I live in Vancouver :)
I forgot about that exit too however I thought he was going to mention the sidewalk ramp up to the side platform that was used exclusively for expo 86 for loading trains bound for the Canada pavilion.
I didn't know that either....pretty cool
I was going to, then kind of thought that wasn’t really a secret... 🤷🏼♂️
@@DownieLive good point.
I had no idea I'd taken the Skytrain after leaving the airport in the middle of the night. Missed out on seeing it in action in daylight. Blaming the jet lag. Great work as always, Mr. Michael Downie!
Gateway station to Scott Road in Surrey is a beautiful ride, the cars below only see trees, but on the skytrain you get a view of New West and Coquitlam which built on the side of a mountain and really pretty in the morning and afternoon
Recommend making a visit to Montréal once the pandemic is over. We are also getting a 67 km Skytrain-like system (the REM) that complements the existing Montréal Metro. First branch opens in Spring 2022 from South Shore to downtown MTL.
Thanks for posting. Makes me miss the Skytrain we used to come to Vancouver twice a year and we always loved riding the skytrain. Cant wait until Covid is over soe we can come back. Thanks for posting
I moved to vancity about 2 years ago and didn’t really know anything about the city before i came here. Thanks for sharing the city’s history
Great video. The existing tunnels under the downtown core were part of an old rail system called the Interurban, and the underground public restrooms at Victory Square and Carnegie Library are remnants of those stations that didn't get reopened.
Thanks for the info!
I've lived here my whole life, but your videos really give me a new perspective on how cool Vancouver really is! Cheers from the North Shore, bud!
Amazing!
Thanks Ryan!
Great video as always Downie! Really diggin' all these Van vids! 👊 - Trevor
Sweet! Thanks Trevor!
I personally love columbia station - floats in the air on a small bridge leading to skybridge and then you behold amazing views.
Always look forward to watching your adventures Mike.Skytrain is so cool and thanks for showing as around.
This video ended up in my feed back in March and I loved it so much you gained a subscriber. And now several months later, I am rewatching it because I just started a job working on the Broadway Subway Expansion and it is so cool to be a part of this system.
Awesome!
Many of the carbon collector shoes that are used to collect the current from the 'third rail', to power the motors, are made in Swansea in Wales.
Another world record:
World's shortest trains used during rush hours on the Millenium/Evergreen lines
Funny cause it's TRUE
yeah its true
SkyTrain is the center of the heart of the most people coming from various places and is the extra convenience to go to another place without being worried... Even here in Bangkok, Thailand we have SkyTrain and Subway System to visit The Grand Palace...the heart of Bangkok, Thailand is like the heart of Canada...💖
Don't quote me on these but,
King Edward Station is also stacked vertically. It's the only one like this in the Canada Line, and it's particularly far from the next and previous stations, they stack around 16th Ave and unstack around the southern curve around QE Park. The reason it goes around the Park it's because they're saving the space to build an eventual new station on Cambie and W33rd so my guess is that this new station would be vertically stacked too... I think that's what I know, I don't know if it's exactly a secret.
I'm going to be in Vancouver soon, and all this information will be really helpful for navigation around the city on transit!
I remember working on the Canada Line when it was being built and riding the train completely alone to pick up material from one station to the other.
Good times
3:20
I love that sound
Glad you are well and doing ok....thanks!
When you have a chance, you should visit fort Langley.
Omg yes, love Fort Langley so cute and somewhat dainty/whimsical. Like you’re going back in time but also with some modern touches 😍
Once again a very interesting and very informative video. Thank for posting great content on such a regular basis--makes my week.
I travel 3 times a week from gateway to Granville ! but knowing these facts add on to more experience. Thanks
Way to go Mike👍All the superlative descriptions on how you present your video vlogs goes with it. You rock👏👍🙏😷Watching here from Mississauga. On.
Wow, thank you!
Hi Mike. I hold a Guinness World Record for being the person who has “The fastest time to travel to all Vancouver skyTrain stations (which) is 2 hours, 49 minutes and 37.69 seconds, and was achieved by Stephen Quinlan (Canada) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on 4 May 2018”. As my certificate says. I intend to set the record again when there is new track. If you want to try and break my Guinness World Record, I would be happy to tell you all about it. (I believe records are for beating).
Interesting. I think I’d like to film you attempt to set the new record.
@@DownieLive I will let you know when I do it. I am thinking it might even be something I do on the first day they open the extension. But I would need to speak to transit very much ahead of time. (Which I intend to do). You would not believe the side of the team I need. 2 timekeepers 2 independent witnesses a photographer and a videographer to meet the requirements set out by Guinness. If you want background, you can visit my website. (Don’t think I can send the link) but it’s a .ca domain and it’s called fastest skytrain.
@@daveydudely9954 😂
I beat you recently! 2 hours and 38 minutes. I didn’t know there was a guiness record though, so your title is safe for now 😅
@@benfleishman2944 Hi Ben, I think you should register and see if you can officially beat my record. I would be happy to provide you with any support you want. If you want to reach out to me, I can go though all the details you need. I believe records are for beating, so I would be happy to walk you though how to get the Guinness World Record for travelling to all the skytrain stations in the fastest time. This is also an open offer to anyone who wants to beat my record. I would love someone to beat it.
Was randomly searching up videos about Vancouver and chanced on this one of yours - great content so it was an easy decision to subscribe!! :)
Pre pandemic, I took the skytrain into downtown every weekday for work and I remember disliking it so much because of rush hour crowding and delays... but I didn't realize I actually maybe even miss the commute (despite my complaints) because I've been working from home for so long until your video.
Great work promoting our city, keep the videos coming!
Awesome, thank you!
Another great video choo chooing along. Thanks Mike!
You are welcome!
The hair is looking good Mike. Recommended your channel to my friend who is in Vancouver for 6 months work. She is enjoying it.
Great video Mike! Haven't been on Skytrain for a few years but it's a great way to go downtown and not worry about parking.
I totally agree!
I LOVE TransLink Vancouver. Can't get enough of the POV video's of all lines, on RUclips. I would love to ride all lines in a single day. In each season, in each weather condition, early morning, daytime and late at night. Can you tell I am kind of adicted to Vancouver? Anyway, my favorite station is Matrotown, because it's directly connected to Metropolis Mall. And of course New West, since that's the very first station I visited back in '96. Can't wait for the new lines to be filmed for RUclips.
Main is definitely the oldest station but in terms of renovations I believe Joyce and Metrotown are newer as those station upgrade projects completed more recently.
Also fun fact is that in 1993 or 1995 (I can't recall which) SkyTrain received an award for transit system of the year. I don't remember much about it as I was in my teens, but most of the older cars had special stickers on them with the date. I honestly don't know if that award was a North American award or if it was selected out of all transit systems in the world.
What sets our transit system apart from many LRT etc., is that except for staff who monitor the trains, most of the trains are automated which is a HUGE cost benefit and allows the rapid pace of the system with most cars arriving within 2-5 minutes of each other compared to other rail systems.
Great video, love the Skytrain network and its quirks! I think there are even more lesser known features of the system based on what you pointed out in the video:
0:42 - At Stadium-Chinatown Station, the passageway and stairs where the lost and found office is was closed because the building that was later built on that block to the north of Beatty Street did not connect to it; to increase passenger access, the station's emergency exit was expanded into the current south entrance on Expo Boulevard. This station also has three tracks and a side platform in addition to the main island platform. During the Expo 86 World's Fair, that platform was the used for a free shuttle train that ran to Waterfront Station to allow attendees of the Expo to travel from the main fair site on the north side of False Creek (which is now Yaletown) to the Canada Pavilion on Burrard Inlet (now Canada Place). Nowadays, its main use is for training and rerouting trains during maintenance although it is sometimes used for the large crowds from events at Rogers Arena or BC Place.
1:13 - Technically, the Dunsmuir tunnel which the Expo Line uses downtown wasn't transferred from CPR to TransLink as they didn't exist a separate entity at that point. When the Skytrain opened it was operated by BC Transit, Translink was created later to oversee public transit in Metro Vancouver, operation of the Skytrain was transferred to it in 1999 (the rest of the province's transit is still handled by BC Transit). Also, the current south tunnel portal at Stadium-Chinatown is not the original, the portal that was used by CPR was a block to the west behind where the Costco is now, it was demolished in 2011 to make room for new developments but there is still a section of disused tunnel.
1:42 - At Metrotown Station there used to be an elevated walkway connecting the station to the Metropolis Mall but it was disconnected and partially demolished when the station was renovated from 2015-2017. A new walkway is funded but there is currently no timeline for construction.
2:01 - While Yaletown-Roundhouse Station has the lowest elevation, it is not the deepest station measured from street level, that would be Granville Station which is 25 metres deep while Yaletown-Roundhouse is 17 metres deep.
2:16 - Main Street-Science World station was also renamed, it was initially just called Main Street. Science World (another legacy of Expo 86) was added to the name in 1990. Also, when the Mark II trains were ordered for the system in preparation for the opening of the Millennium line, the sections of guideway that constituted the former demo track near this station had to be reinforced to accommodate the heavier train cars.
2:51 - The SkyBridge is unfortunately no longer the longest cable supported transit only bridge in the world, that title is now held by the Egongyan Rail Transit Bridge in Chongqing, China, although that bridge does have a pedestrian path.
3:20 - If you want to get really specific, Skytrain is still the longest fully automated, driverless rapid transit system in the world. Singapore MRT and Kuala Lumpur Rapid KL do have a greater length of automated lines but also still have partially human-operated lines.
4:05 - Along with the door buttons, the Mark I cars on the Expo and Millennium Lines used to have carpeted floors, but they ended up being difficult to clean so were removed to improve sanitation.
4:29 - Linear induction motors are used for propulsion on the Expo and Millennium Lines while the Canada Line uses more traditional electric traction motors. The Canada Line also uses cars that are longer and wider than those on the Expo and Millennium lines but the overall length of Canada Line trains is shorter.
How do you know all of this?
@@DownieLive Before the pandemic, I rode the SkyTrain during my commute almost every day so I got a bit enamored with the system and wanted to know it better. I just really like learning about the history and operations of mass transit systems, the SkyTrain in particular.
Very cool! I love your videos about the trains! They're great!
I love finding out about places on a more in-depth kind of local look...thanks for sharing from Catherine in New Zealand
Wow! What a great video!!! Extra points for the on point pace.
Thank you!!!!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
1:46 Legend has it, the number of stairs is equivalent to a 15 storey building.
I loved this! I missed you last week but I hope you had a fabulous time celebrating your birthday!🥳🥳🥳
I did! Thank you, Holly!
I actually gasped out loud when I saw there was a new video! It made my day!
Canada Line is the weird line in the mix, it has a conventional drive mechanism instead of the induction technology. Still driverless. Cool video.
Very true. The Canada Line is technically considered Heavy Rail.
Great job at finding interesting things to show us while you're unable to travel!!! Thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed!
I live in Vancouver
Finally some good vids from here
Keep making them.
I work for transit in metro Vancouver, and ride the Skytrain everyday as part of my job, and you told me things I actually didn't know. :) I think Brentwood station looks the coolest.
👍🏼👍🏼
I do personaly liek the Science World station too. I used to go to science world a lot when i was a kid, and the skytrain helped me get there as i live far away
Thank you for the video. Haven’t taken the sky train for years, really miss it.
I lived in Vancouver for over 12 years but never thought to learn more about the skytrain! This was super interesting! I just watched it with my four-year-old son and we both learned so much. New subscriber here 👋🏼
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love to hear about diffrent transit systems around the globe- the sky train is one of my favourites as we have something similar in england- its called the DLR
Wow. Loved this Mike. So many thing I didn’t know and I live in the area.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Mike for make inferences these videos especially in these in hard times in covid
The stadium-chinatown stop also has a 3rd loading zone on the south side of the station. Ive only ever seen it open to accommodate sporting event traffic. Apparently you can also see the old tunnel entrance near the costco loading area.
it also driveless train. i was the 1st batch from asean to learn about tech transfer. the second drivelss train system in the world then goes to asean. under it manufacturer bombadier.. wow.. such a memory!
Great informative video! Always like whatever you choose for a subject because it is interesting! Thank you!
I love the sky bridge . I live up town and I go for the ride . I enjoy it .
I'm such a fan of these videos. It takes a lot of creativity and work to create these interesting content.
I appreciate that! So glad you understand all the work that goes into making these.