Friends of the Olympic Line / Vancouver Civic Railway

We have so far covered a lot of the DIRT news, but for balance, it's time to introduce Dirt's understudy, DJ. The cuteness is overwhelming.

It has been awhile since we have heard from the illustious Shop Superintendent at Eli, Nevada. Well, he has been so busy that he has taken on an assistant to get all the work done. Dirt and DJ are sitting contentedly curled up in well-earned rest as all three--count 'em!--Nevada Northern steam locomotives leave the shed together, en route for the coling tower. Mot likely, Dirt's great, great, great, great, grandparents were there to watch the last time that happened.

Toronto did something revolutionary in the 1970's when most other North American cities were putting the final nail in their streetcar systems. Led by civic activists, Institute of Child Studies professor Andrew Biemiller and public transit expert Steve Munro, the city bucked the trend and invested heavily in the Toronto streetcar network. While a streetcar renaissance has occurred widely, recently, Toronto's shared right-of-way system is unique. ... Interestingly, unlike Toronto, Vancouver is frequently referred to as a "streetcar city" which evolved primarily in lockstep with the emergence of electric surface rail in the late 19th and early 20th century. There is what we consider a "glaring absence" which we understand in good part responsible for the faded lustre in our once vital and livable west cost city.

Understanding how and why streetcar lines developed helps to show how development and density have been negatively impacted by the arbitrary nature of the introduction of automobiles. Unlike Vancovuer, Toronto didn't start out as a streetcar city, but adapted and grew as one. If you study the 1945 map, perhaps you can detect the origins of the streetcar system in many separate lines, all with a purpose to serve their communities. The development of a system over time created... options for most communities, and allowed the TTC to retire redundant trackage. As population density increases again, demand for streetcars increases because it is the most cost-effective and comfortable mode of transit--which has actually attracted ridership at the expense of personal vehicles. Vancouverites are not yet aware of this need, because it has never been seriously considered as an answer to congestion and air quality, and of course comparative cost in an affluent city has not been an issue either. Part of our purpose is to demonstrate on a small scale what worked in the past and will definitely work in the future: the solution to a problem that most urban residents cannot name, and one that dollar for dollar will bring a refreshing "green" and accessible change for thousands of Vancouver residents.

If the track was completed, perhaps a W-Class tram will be part of the fleet in Vancouver. Although the logistics of getting a fully rebuilt streetcar from Australia to Canada would seem daunting, this is something we have checked out, and it would indeed be cost effective. While the W-Class is already an excellent and robust vehicle capable of decades of service, a number of systems have them as hospitality cars, which fits perfectly with our plans, too.

It's safe to say that a majority of people see a streetcar service as an "either / or" proposition--either historic or modern. That doesn't need to be the case in a well-planned system, and this is what we are proposing.

Another great cause that we hope our readers will share widely. Money is short these days, and awkward to send over borders, but as our readers tell us, lots of you have connections. Please see what you can do to get the word out and help these nice folks. Thank you!

How does the Vancouver Civic Railway concept compare with existing streetcar lines? Here is a brief look at streetcars in New Orleans. The green car is the real deal, a well-cared-for historic tram still in operation. The red cars are all new cars built to the original design. Some of the design compromises are rather awkward, such as the weirdly split deck roof. The sliding side doors are a bit disruptive, but a simple, practical solution to the problem of full accessibi...lity that might have to be considered. Use of PCC trucks is not very aesthetic, but does help enable modern performance characteristics. Getting the right balance takes some discernment. It calls for a collaboration of technicians, maintenance experts, and folks with a keen artistic eye and a knowledge of history and best practice. That's a tall order, but we can do it!

One idea we have discussed a few times is the potential for a local currency based on the value of one fare on the Vancouver Civic Railway. Participating businesses and organizations could benefit in a whole lot of ways, connecting to one another and to customers and clients with a currency that can be exchanged among them--one that would help fund operations and keep the cost of a ticket stable.

Memphis operates a mixture of vintage and new-builds. It looks good, and probably works reasonably well, but it would be labour intensive to maintain. Still, they seem to have made some good choices. The European 4-wheelers are reputed to be solid little cars, the legendary Australian W Class likewise reliable, and the Gomaco replica Birney cars have also proven themselves. Trolley poles are simpler and require lighter overhead, but pantographs mean less work for operators. The choice of strobe lights is not a good one as they can cause migraines and even seizures in some people.

We like to promote pages that have content that might be of interest to our readers, and here is one of them. Don't forget to give them a "like."

Ten years ago this provocative article was published in The Tyee. Since that time it seems storm clouds or even a streetcar Dark Age magnified by Covid has obscured our vision in Vancouver . Could there be an opportunity now for change?

All the Dirt, all the time. Right here on this page.

Despite the thorough destruction of city streetcar fleets across Canada, in a number of cities, examples of these important technological and social artifacts were preserved for posterity. Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton Nelson and North Vancouver are all examples. What about Vancouver, arguably one of the largest and most interesting fleets in North America? Sadly, only one--car #53.... Toronto's transit history is well represented through its entire history, particularly in the collection housed at the Halton County Radial Railway Museum. Rather than bemoaning our loss, the Vancouver Civic Railway offers an opportunity to build brand new copies of the locally-built city streetcars that were at one time icons of our city. These will be robust, practical, accessible, and inexpensive, in addition to being "green" and efficient. We can bring this important aspect of the social and practical experience of Vancouver back to life.