Friends of the Olympic Line / Vancouver Civic Railway

05/25/2026

https://www.ted.com/talks/mar_hershenson_the_secret_to_successfully_pitching_an_idea?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

We have a few years worth of practice at this.

The biggest gap to bridge is that between the ordinary citizen or business owner, and all the top-down oriented levels of government. Some of those in positions of authority and influence get it, but most see grass-roots ideas as a liability, unfamiliar, and maybe even a threat.

Tourism is a huge economic driver, which makes the institutional point of view baffling. VCR would not only support and enable tourism, but would have the potential to connect retail businesses with a wider public.

The public generally understands this, just as they almost always agree with the old adage: "Build it for the tourists, and the locals will hate it. Build it for the locals, and not only will the tourists love it, they will pay for it, too!"

Have a great idea but not sure how to sell it? Investor and teacher Mar Hershenson has you covered. Whether it's sharing a new product with a client or vying for a promotion, these three steps will help you tell an irresistible story and get the "yes" you're looking for.

05/06/2026

So--how would the Vancouver Civic Railway concept different than any other similar idea put forward?

1. Organization.
The proposal calls for a governance that would be accountable to TransLink and to the City of Vancouver, but run by a board made up of people from the administration of these two bodies, and from the public. It is intended to be a for-public-benefit corporation which is to be self-supporting as quickly as possible. This can be accomplished through grants, corporate investments, and fares, for example.

2. Operating philosophy.
It is not enough to simply define a transit authority as being only and exclusively dealing with transit. In today's world, it is necessary to think comprehensively. There are built environments, and natural / naturalized environments to take care of. The service must operate seamlessly with regard to the optimal interaction with all of these.

In addition, environmental considerations on the broader scale need to be assessed. Most people assume modern, new rolling stock, but is that always the best answer?

Existing rolling stock may not seem as glamorous, but it has already incurred most of the carbon footprint it ever will.
Improving this is a win, because tried-and-true existing technologies can be used, extending their operating life-span, which could promote innovations and improvements rather than starting from scratch. There is no need to re-invent the wheel.

This in turn leads to operational savings, which allow for accumulation of practical experience in order to inform a quality decision when it comes time to acquire the next generation of rolling stock. The advantages and disadvantages of different vehicles will be known in this specific application.

3. Partnerships and cooperation
As a for-public-benefit corporation, Vancouver Civic Railway would work with businesses and institutions along its route and farther abroad. Getting working people to their place of employment and transporting shoppers and tourists along South False Creek would be a priority. Other passenger-carrying services could be part of an overall network, promoting tour buses, water taxis and ferries, for example--rather than being in competition.

The VCR route to Granville Island would lend itself to on-board performances, live advertisements for performances and other events in the area, as well as providing small mobile venues for solo artists or small musical ensembles.

There are many more possibilities for changing the way we think of transit.
Accessible, comfortable, reliable, appropriately scaled, environmentally and cost effective. What's not to like?

Everyone on board!

Below: A new-build Gomaco replica Birney Safety Car.

[photo courtesy Gomaco Trolley Company]

04/22/2026

Vancouver could have a local streetcar service that is accessible, comfortable, practical, economical, environmentally sustainable, and even historical.

Estimated cost for a two year demonstration line would be less than $6 million, including rolling stock.

A completed line that would have a practical function beyond tourism would cost about $35 million to complete.

It's all very attainable, but the the politics of the city effectively stop solid grass-roots initiatives. Few people in power can even understand the concept of a for-public-benefit corporation that could be in a break-even position well within a decade.

The streetcar in the video? It's a Milan Peter Witt car, very similar to the model that Vancouver had, also built in 1928-29.

These cars have proven to be so well engineered that several proposed replacements have been rejected. The public loves them, and they provide reliable service every day of the week--97 years later!

These cars are available, fully reconditioned, for less than $1 million a piece, with an estimated life expectancy exceeding any bus in the current transit fleet.

03/27/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16g6ac11H6/

On board Tampa's TECO streetcar. These folks have it figured out.

So...why can't we do something like this in Vancouver? 🤔

03/09/2026

It would be impossible to overstate the contribution of the Conductorettes in saving Vancouver's transit system during the Second World War.

These women were an important part of labour history, earning equal pay for equal work, as well as seniority and benefits. Many of these women went on to become bus drivers after the streetcar era ended.

The Conductorettes joined a growing number of women in the wartime workforce, along with shipyard workers who built ships for the peace effort, and postal workers, among others.

Those jobs represented a real social breakthrough, and many of the women who worked in those times continued to do so.

Here's to you, Mrs. Nielson.

03/05/2026

Re-post from January 2024.

One of the builders we have had a conversation with is Gomaco Trolley Company, who built the big yellow replica Birney Safety Car in the photo for Tampa Florida.

Following a design more than a century old, these cars were built new by Gomaco and continue to delight locals and tourists alike. They are beautifully finished inside and out and cost less than half the price of a modern low-floor articulated vehicle.

As the photo points out, if raised platforms are used, it is possible to have a 100% level floor streetcar which is simpler, more efficient, and far less expensive than modern light rail vehicles on the market today.

Transit Tuesday! DYK, all 11 TECO Line Streetcar stations feature ramps and level boarding for those with mobility devices? Our streetcars also feature custom supports to secure wheelchair users while onboard.

📸: Visit Tampa Bay

03/05/2026

Given the number of people who have followed recently, here is a review of a post from last year.

One question we get frequently is "why has the Vancouver Civic Railway proposal emphasized replica, conventional rolling stock?"

There are several reasons, the most fundamental being the optimal operational mode. Yes, you could have street level stops like a bus, but that comes with safety and access issues.

The safest mode of operation is using platforms. So, technically, the VCR could be described as LRT rather than a streetcar.

Given the exclusive use of platforms, there is no particular limitation as to how high they need to be, providing wheelchair access is not impeded. A few inches of height overcomes the need for a low-floor, articulated vehicle.

Low-floors are great, but in order to be efficient, they need to be fairly large vehicles, because, like a bus, they must have wheel wells which limit the space available to passengers needing walkers or wheelchairs. While many low-floor vehicles are advertised as 100% low-floor, this is a bit misleading, as it really translates to as low as 60% of the floor space actually being available.

The best application for low-floor vehicles is where people are stepping on at or near ground level.

By contrast, a 100% level floor vehicle can have 100% of its available floor space accessible. This means the vehicle can be more compact, much simpler mechanically, and quite a bit lighter as well. The real surprise is cost. A modern replica vehicle come with a price tag of about $3 Million Cdn., whereas an articulated low-floor vehicle starts at about double that cost.

The argument can be made that the mass-produced low-floor vehicle would be more efficient, but that isn't necessarily so either, as it would be heavier. A 45-50 foot long conventional replica could easily carry the same number of passengers as a low-floor 50% longer.

Simplicity is also a great selling point. Maintenance costs go down when everything that requires attention is easily accessible without specialized equipment.

Simplicity also makes add-on technologies possible, which generates opportunities for innovation and research.

The long term vision in this case is the assumption that overhead wires will become unnecessary. Which technology will prove superior for this application is unclear at present: fuel cells and battery retrofits are the most likely candidates right now.

In addition to cost is public perception. Nearly 100% of transit authorities choose a modern aesthetic. The trouble with that is public perception. There is little or no emotional buy-in. Contrast that with the way the people of Tampa feel about their streetcars. There is a real sense of ownership, of community.

It's odd that we tend to have the notion that modern is the only acceptable aesthetic: it is as if we have the belief that we must have austerity, even if it costs more. Why not simply build it beautifully in the first place? It costs no more--in fact, it costs less.

Of course, to all this, it is important to underscore a fundamental concept that should be applied to all public projects. Never build something that is irrevocable. That is, don't build in such a way as to preclude the natural development of a service from one thing into another.

The fundamental concept of service for the VCR is not mass, rapid transit, for example. It is appropriately scaled, low cost, high quality, reliable, accessible, comfortable service. That concept is revolutionary in some respects, because it is people-oriented. But who knows? While we're reasonably sure that is the optimal stance, it could change: maybe it will in time develop into mass, rapid transit.

The bottom line is that all concepts and design has to be as comprehensive as possible, and that takes time and and a lot of thinking. The good thing about not having a budget is that there is the opportunity to think through the issues and have answers before money is spent.

Photo: Gomaco 2-truck replica Birney Safety car. [courtesy Gomaco Trolley Company]

02/25/2026

We'd just like to acknowledge the uptick in people following this page. Thank you!

We're still in holding pattern, as this is a civic election year. Current politics are frankly hostile to grass-roots proposals, but as they say, "underwear and politicians should be changed regularly--for the same reasons."

You can find more detail if you scroll down through the posts, but in a nut-shell, here's the proposal.

Phase 0:
Activate the part of the tramway that exists.
Purchase or lease rolling stock sufficient for a two-stop demonstration shuttle between Granville Island and Cambie St. (Athlete's Village Canada Line Station), probably 3 vehicles.
Operate free demonstration line for the required 2 years.

Overall cost=less than $6 million at current prices.

Phase 1:
Complete track and infrastructure along entire right of way to Quebec St. Extend to new St. Paul's Hospital campus, or perhaps up Gore St. to the east side of Chinatown.

Start acquiring permanent fleet. Depending on track configuration, four or more vehicles could operate simultaneously when completed, making service headway at 15 minutes or less, equal to most bus services in the city. Fares would be collected.

Cost= roughly $35 million for the additional 1.5 km of track, infrastructure and rolling stock.

Break-even point would be inside of 10 years at current costs. Revenue in excess of operating costs would be directed to the City of Vancouver.

If that can be accomplished, other phases could include extensions to the west of Granville Island.

02/19/2026

Bendigo Tramways has a simple but effective idea here that would translate to Vancouver very well. Some might see it as promotion of alcohol consumption, but that's not really the point.

Creating a safe, friendly performance venue can change the way people think of transit. Such a service can't happen all the time, but it would be a peasant weekend experience that could encourage people to enjoy the ride as opposed to getting there on mass, rapid transit.

Vancouver civic railway is about providing accessible, reliable, comfortable service. Appropriately scaled, cost-effective, ecologically and financially responsible. What's not to like?

12/30/2025

What is really important here?

In some form or another, this has been a recurring question over the years. One of the fundamentals is the environment in which we propose to build and operate.

Rail corridors are unique and of grossly under-rated importance in urban environments. They are often overlooked because planners are not trained to see how they can be beneficial.

Not only can rail corridors provide heat moderation, but they can also help maintain soil hydration over a large area. This mitigates flooding, and allows the substrate to do what it does best --for free!-- return filtered rainwater to the sea.

This is important, since paved surfaces are increasing at as much as an 1% per year in the Vancouver area. At present, 54% of land is covered in some manner.

Rail corridors can connect fractured ecosystems that can no longer function fully.
Loss of habitat has resulted in a 22% loss of insects between 2000 and 2022, with a loss of possibly 60% of native bees in the same period of time, and 26% loss of birds.

Connecting fractured urban ecosystems could halt or even reverse some of these losses.

If we are to think comprehensively, it is important to consider how human activities, climate change, and loss of habitat can be addressed in anything we plan to do.

Preserving and enhancing rail corridors is one consideration that should be part of the planning process. The corridor between Moberly and Granville Island should be off-limits to construction, and should be set aside for re-wilding.

Whether or not a streetcar line ever gets built, the principle of re-wilding and re-connecting the urban ecosystems we currently overlook represents a commitment to the future, and to sustainability in the present.

Let's raise the bar for how we build--and in this case, how we build a streetcar line. Everyone on board!