Streetcars Return to Vancouver

Vancouver, B.C. will launch its first new streetcar in 65 years next month. TheTransitFan got a sneak preview.

1 minute read

December 17, 2009, 10:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


The streetcar is the latest model from manufacturer Bombadier.

"...this is the first 100% low-floor streetcar to operate in the Americas. Neither Toronto nor Portland has one. 'We have people coming from all over North and South America coming to see them, because these are the first European 100% low-floor streetcar ever in North America, and so there's a huge wave of interest in seeing what might be the next wave', says Hall. 'This is where Europe has gone. There have been 100% low-floor streetcars before, but you had to have a special bogie design with a motor on each wheel and a stub axel on each wheel, so it was quite expensive looking at life cycle cost and issues of noise and vibration.'"

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 in re:place Magazine

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