Trolleybuses in Vancouver
Encyclopedia
The Vancouver trolleybus
system forms part of the public transport
network serving Metro Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia
, Canada
.
In operation since 1948, the system presently comprises 13 routes, and is managed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company
, a subsidiary of TransLink. It uses a fleet of 262 trolleybuses, of which 74 are articulated
vehicles.
(BCER). Two routes opened on that day, 6-Fraser and 15-Cambie, and routes 5-Robson and 8-Davie followed later the same year. All of these first routes had been conversions of streetcar
lines except for the Cambie route. Conversion of several more streetcar and motorbus routes quickly followed, and by 1953, the trolleybus system had 16 routes. Three more trolleybus lines were created in 1955, when the last streetcar line, Hastings, closed and was replaced by the 14-Hastings trolleybus route and two branches, routes 16-Renfrew and 24-Nanaimo. This brought the network to what was, for several years, its maximum extent, with 19 routes.
The service was provided by CCF
-Brill trolleybuses, with 82 of model T44 acquired in 1947 and 1948, and 245 of the larger model T48 (and variants T48A and T48SP) acquired between 1949 and 1954. With the delivery of the last new Brill trolleybus, in January 1954, Vancouver had the largest trolleybus fleet in Canada, 327 units.
The fleet later included 25 1947-built Pullman-Standard
trolleybuses acquired secondhand from Birmingham, Alabama
, which entered service in March 1957. However, drivers considered the Pullmans awkward to operate, and the vehicles were found to be surplus to the company's needs; they were taken out of service in 1960 and scrapped in 1961. In the mid-1970s, the remaining T44-model trolleybuses were retired, and in their place 50 new trolleybuses were acquired from Flyer Industries
. Model E800, these were new vehicles except for their propulsion systems, which used recycled General Electric
equipment from the Brill T44s. The Flyer E800s were delivered in late 1975 and 1976. Their use of recycled 1940s electrical equipment resulted in a shorter lifespan, and they were withdrawn in 1985, but around 25 returned to service for Expo 86
, and the last few were in occasional service until January 1987.
In the early 1980s, the system acquired 244 new Flyer E901A/E902 trolleybuses. These began to enter service in mid-1982, gradually replacing the CCF-Brill vehicles. The last use of a Brill trolleybus in service occurred on 25 March 1984. After withdrawal of the last E800s, in early 1987, Flyer E901A/E902 vehicles made up the whole of the Vancouver trolleybus fleet for almost 20 years.
Several extensions to the system were constructed and opened in 1986, in connection with the opening of the SkyTrain
rapid-transit system. Most were short diversions of routes at their outer ends, to terminate at new SkyTrain stations, including Nanaimo Station
, 29th Avenue Station
and Joyce Station, but the extension of route 19-Kingsway to Metrotown Station
was 3 miles (5 km) long and was the first extension of Vancouver's trolleybus system outside the city of Vancouver, into Burnaby. An extension from Blanca Street to the University of British Columbia
opened in September 1988.
In the latter half of the 2000s, the fleet was renewed again. New Flyer Industries in Winnipeg won the contract for the supply of the new vehicles, with electrical equipment by the German company Vossloh Kiepe
. Vancouver now has a fleet of 262 low-floor trolleybuses, supplied under the New Flyer contract between 2005 and the end of 2009.
The original order for these trolleybuses, placed in late 2003, was for 188 E40LFR units and 40 E60LFR units. The first E40LFR was delivered in July 2005, and the rest of the 40 feet (12.2 m) units were delivered between August 2006 and September 2007.
The first articulated, E60LFR, trolleybus arrived in Vancouver in January 2007. TransLink decided to order an additional 34 articulated units, making the total 74, and delivery of the 73 production-series E60LFR units took place between October 2007 and autumn 2009.
-Brill trolleybuses, 1947 T44 No. 2040 and 1954 T48A Nos. 2414 and 2416, have been preserved by the Transit Museum Society
, as have 1976-built former Flyer E800 No. 2649 (converted into a diesel bus in the 1980s) and 1983 Flyer E902 trolleybus 2805.
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system forms part of the public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
network serving Metro Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In operation since 1948, the system presently comprises 13 routes, and is managed by the Coast Mountain Bus Company
Coast Mountain Bus Company
Coast Mountain Bus Company is the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority known locally as TransLink, the entity responsible for transit...
, a subsidiary of TransLink. It uses a fleet of 262 trolleybuses, of which 74 are articulated
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
vehicles.
History
Following a formal opening ceremony on 13 August 1948, regular service on Vancouver's first trolleybus routes began on 16 August 1948, operated by the British Columbia Electric RailwayBritish Columbia Electric Railway
The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...
(BCER). Two routes opened on that day, 6-Fraser and 15-Cambie, and routes 5-Robson and 8-Davie followed later the same year. All of these first routes had been conversions of streetcar
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
lines except for the Cambie route. Conversion of several more streetcar and motorbus routes quickly followed, and by 1953, the trolleybus system had 16 routes. Three more trolleybus lines were created in 1955, when the last streetcar line, Hastings, closed and was replaced by the 14-Hastings trolleybus route and two branches, routes 16-Renfrew and 24-Nanaimo. This brought the network to what was, for several years, its maximum extent, with 19 routes.
The service was provided by CCF
Canadian Car and Foundry
Canadian Car and Foundry also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry," or more familiarly as "Can Car," manufactured buses, railroad rolling stock and later aircraft for the Canadian market...
-Brill trolleybuses, with 82 of model T44 acquired in 1947 and 1948, and 245 of the larger model T48 (and variants T48A and T48SP) acquired between 1949 and 1954. With the delivery of the last new Brill trolleybus, in January 1954, Vancouver had the largest trolleybus fleet in Canada, 327 units.
The fleet later included 25 1947-built Pullman-Standard
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
trolleybuses acquired secondhand from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, which entered service in March 1957. However, drivers considered the Pullmans awkward to operate, and the vehicles were found to be surplus to the company's needs; they were taken out of service in 1960 and scrapped in 1961. In the mid-1970s, the remaining T44-model trolleybuses were retired, and in their place 50 new trolleybuses were acquired from Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
. Model E800, these were new vehicles except for their propulsion systems, which used recycled General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
equipment from the Brill T44s. The Flyer E800s were delivered in late 1975 and 1976. Their use of recycled 1940s electrical equipment resulted in a shorter lifespan, and they were withdrawn in 1985, but around 25 returned to service for Expo 86
Expo 86
The 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, or simply Expo '86, was a World's Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Friday, May 2 until Monday, October 13, 1986...
, and the last few were in occasional service until January 1987.
In the early 1980s, the system acquired 244 new Flyer E901A/E902 trolleybuses. These began to enter service in mid-1982, gradually replacing the CCF-Brill vehicles. The last use of a Brill trolleybus in service occurred on 25 March 1984. After withdrawal of the last E800s, in early 1987, Flyer E901A/E902 vehicles made up the whole of the Vancouver trolleybus fleet for almost 20 years.
Several extensions to the system were constructed and opened in 1986, in connection with the opening of the SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
rapid-transit system. Most were short diversions of routes at their outer ends, to terminate at new SkyTrain stations, including Nanaimo Station
Nanaimo Station
The Nanaimo Station of the SkyTrain system is an elevated station located on the Expo Line in East Vancouver.The station is accessible from the east side of Nanaimo Street at Vanness Avenue. It is located on the crest of a hill, providing all riders a wonderful view of Downtown and the west side of...
, 29th Avenue Station
29th Avenue Station
29th Avenue Station is located at an at-grade portion of the Expo Line, a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system.The station is on 29th Avenue at Atlin Street, adjacent to Slocan Park, in the area of Vancouver known as "Renfrew Heights", an older, compact community...
and Joyce Station, but the extension of route 19-Kingsway to Metrotown Station
Metrotown Station
Metrotown Station is an elevated SkyTrain station on the Expo Line in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. It is the second-busiest station in the SkyTrain system. The station is located on the south side of Central Boulevard, east of Willingdon Avenue....
was 3 miles (5 km) long and was the first extension of Vancouver's trolleybus system outside the city of Vancouver, into Burnaby. An extension from Blanca Street to the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
opened in September 1988.
In the latter half of the 2000s, the fleet was renewed again. New Flyer Industries in Winnipeg won the contract for the supply of the new vehicles, with electrical equipment by the German company Vossloh Kiepe
Vossloh Kiepe
Vossloh Kiepe is a German manufacturer of electrical traction equipment for trams, trolleybuses and other transport vehicles, as well as air-conditioning and heating systems, and conveyor device components.-History:...
. Vancouver now has a fleet of 262 low-floor trolleybuses, supplied under the New Flyer contract between 2005 and the end of 2009.
Services
The 13 routes comprising the present Vancouver trolleybus system are:- 3 Downtown - MainMain Street (Vancouver)Main Street is a major north-south thoroughfare bisecting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It runs from Waterfront Road by Burrard Inlet in the north, to Kent Avenue alongside the north arm of the Fraser River in the south.-Route:...
/ Marine Drive StationMarine Drive StationMarine Drive Station is a SkyTrain station on the Canada Line in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Location:The station is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Southwest Marine Drive and Cambie Street. It serves the residential areas of Marpole and the Vancouver South Slope... - 4 UBCUBC LoopUBC Loop is a major public transit exchange point in the University Endowment Lands adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It mostly serves students, staff and faculty members of the University of British Columbia. The loop is part of the TransLink system and currently contains two...
- Powell / Downtown (after 8 pm only) - 5 Downtown - RobsonRobson StreetRobson Street is a major southeast-northwest thoroughfare in downtown and West End of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its core commercial blocks from Burrard Street to Jervis are also known as Robsonstrasse. Its name honours John Robson, a major figure in British Columbia's entry into the...
- 6 Downtown - DavieDavie VillageDavie Village is a neighbourhood in the West End of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the home of the city's gay subculture, and, as such, is often considered a gay village or "gaybourhood". It is centred on Davie Street and roughly includes the area between Burrard and Jervis streets...
- 7 DunbarDunbar StreetDunbar Street is the name of a major north-south thoroughfare bisecting Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It runs from 16th Avenue in the north, to 51st Avenue by the Point Grey Golf and Country Club in the south.-Route:...
- Nanaimo StationNanaimo StationThe Nanaimo Station of the SkyTrain system is an elevated station located on the Expo Line in East Vancouver.The station is accessible from the east side of Nanaimo Street at Vanness Avenue. It is located on the crest of a hill, providing all riders a wonderful view of Downtown and the west side of... - 8 Downtown - Fraser
- 9 UBC Alma / Granville - Commercial–Broadway Station Boundary
- 10 Granville - Downtown
- 14 UBC - Hastings / Downtown
- 16 Arbutus - 29th Avenue Station29th Avenue Station29th Avenue Station is located at an at-grade portion of the Expo Line, a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system.The station is on 29th Avenue at Atlin Street, adjacent to Slocan Park, in the area of Vancouver known as "Renfrew Heights", an older, compact community...
- 17 Downtown - OakOak Street (Vancouver)Oak Street is a major north-south street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The street runs from a three way intersection with 6th Avenue in the north to the Oak Street Bridge in the south, leading towards Richmond...
- 19 Stanley ParkStanley ParkStanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
- Metrotown StationMetrotown StationMetrotown Station is an elevated SkyTrain station on the Expo Line in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. It is the second-busiest station in the SkyTrain system. The station is located on the south side of Central Boulevard, east of Willingdon Avenue.... - 20 Downtown - Victoria
Current fleet
Vancouver's current fleet of trolleybuses is made up of the following types:- New Flyer E40LFR low-floor trolleybuses - 188 units
- New Flyer E60LFR low-floor articulatedArticulated busAn articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
trolleybuses - 74 units
The original order for these trolleybuses, placed in late 2003, was for 188 E40LFR units and 40 E60LFR units. The first E40LFR was delivered in July 2005, and the rest of the 40 feet (12.2 m) units were delivered between August 2006 and September 2007.
The first articulated, E60LFR, trolleybus arrived in Vancouver in January 2007. TransLink decided to order an additional 34 articulated units, making the total 74, and delivery of the 73 production-series E60LFR units took place between October 2007 and autumn 2009.
Preservation
Three of Vancouver's CCFCanadian Car and Foundry
Canadian Car and Foundry also variously known as "Canadian Car & Foundry," or more familiarly as "Can Car," manufactured buses, railroad rolling stock and later aircraft for the Canadian market...
-Brill trolleybuses, 1947 T44 No. 2040 and 1954 T48A Nos. 2414 and 2416, have been preserved by the Transit Museum Society
Transit Museum Society
The Transit Museum Society is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of old and decommissioned transit vehicles in Vancouver and the adjoining areas. Based out of Coast Mountain Bus Company's Surrey Transit Centre , TRAMS has a fleet of twelve operational vehicles, and at least six vehicles...
, as have 1976-built former Flyer E800 No. 2649 (converted into a diesel bus in the 1980s) and 1983 Flyer E902 trolleybus 2805.