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| West Coast Express | |
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| Locale | Lower Mainland, Canada |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Commuter Rail |
| Began operation | 1995 |
| Number of lines | 1 |
| Number of stations | 8 |
| Operator(s) | TransLink |
West Coast Express (AAR reporting marks 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.
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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 conducts random fare inspections on board trains. They also conduct random patrols of the bus loops adjoining the West Coast Express Stations.
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
Fleet
| Manufacturer | Model | Numbers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier Transportation | Bi-level Coach | 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 has proposed a number of improvements to West Coast Express service [1], 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.
See also
Other interurban and regional rail operators in Canada:
References
External links
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