Quote:
Originally Posted by WarrenC12
The streetcar has a better ROW as it stands today to get direct, quick access to central Granville Island. If properly invested, it could get the same through to Stanley Park.
I don't claim to understand "train bias" but it definitely exists and should be quantified.
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The #50 provides a direct connection to downtown (Seabus, other buses and Skytrain). With a Streetcar, one would still have to transfer onto a Skytrain to head downtown or to get to the Expo Line unless you build towards Science world- and that would get mighty expensive (you have to install crossings/lights).
Simply put, any streetcar system in Vancouver would appeal to tourists and rail enthusiasts and would bleed money between October-April. TRAMS did a fine job running the seasonal service but there was no possible way to justify running the "Historic Railway" since it was financial black hole. They pretty much asked the City to subsidize the service.
This is all moot though. The line has long since been decommissioned, and most of the overhead wires have been removed. Last I heard (from a City official), the plan was to start remediation of the ROW (and I bet will be sold off to developers). In any case, those rails are coming out this summer/fall.