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Vancouver and London had some of the world‘s first automated metro systems, and their success meant that they evolved to become unrecognizable over the years. But, what makes these networks so unique, and why don’t we see more like them?
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Ever wondered why your city’s transit just doesn’t seem quite up to snuff? RMTransit is here to answer that, and help you open your eyes to all of the different public transportation systems around the world!
Reece (the RM in RMTransit) is an urbanist and public transport critic residing in Toronto, Canada, with the goal of helping the world become more connected through metros, trams, buses, high-speed trains, and all other transport modes.
48 Comments
You should do a transit battle using these two networks!
You failed to mention the secret DLR station on top of the Millennium Dome Building. IYKYK.
Great video! Now I just want you to do a video on HART and its connection to SkyTrain lol
BART is sort of like skytrain since it's regional rail and metro all in 1. The DLR is like MUNI and only serves specific Neighborhoods within San Fransisco.
It should be noted that the DRL are getting new 5-car trains (with full walk-through), replacing the 3 attached 2 car units, though apparently the same length trains. The trains are also getting a new livery, the colours of the DLR roundle (see Geoff Marshall's recent-ish video). – I will forgive this oversight as the point of the video is about the current system and its origins.
Sydney metros is Alstom, which got its first true experience in automatic train control with the SACEM system of RER A in Paris developed with the help of Matra/Siemens. Meanwhile, Matra/Siemens knowledge on automatic train control came from the VAL system which is the true precursor of many automated metros, with the notable standardization of platform screen-doors, which are missing on the Skytrain and the DLR. Now I know that some metros in Russia had platform screen-doors before VAL (and probably elsewhere), and that Morgantown PRT system also had a great deal of automation before VAL, but you must give credit for Matra/Siemens for coming up with an integrated system which is still state-of-art today despite its 40 years of existence. All the VAL systems built so far have incredible ridership especially considering they are based in relatively small cites (at least in Europe) and are all very reliable. That being said I don't want to sound too critical, your video are great and I'm a frequent viewer of your channel as well 🙂
One thing I like about Skytrain is it isn't shy about stretching the distance between stations in some places to reduce those medium-distance travel times. The West Coast Express, while faster from Coquitlam Station to Waterfront, is not that much of an improvement over Skytrain because of the possible wait time for the WCE vs the speed and frequency of Skytrain.
This will be amplified further when the Broadway Extension is complete and Canada Line transfers become direct for many commuters.
And with new walk through trains and upgraded signalling .. the DLR is about to get a huge capacity boost in the next few years…
Here in Malaysia we have a line that uses the same technology and trains like the SkyTrain (Kelana Jaya Line). It's the most used line in the country, but it also have had a lot of issues in recent years
The thing I think is particularly attractive of these systems is offering ultra-low wait times even at off-peak times. That sort of high convenience, low cognitive demand transit is really important for getting people onto transit and building cities based around it.
I also like the way in which ultra-low wait times lend themselves to integration with bus networks. I think many people would be very unlikely to take a trip that was a bus, then a train and then a bus if the wait for the train is potentially 20 minutes. However, if that wait for a train is 3 minutes or less, a very impractical sounding journey becomes much less hassle.
I used to live close to Devon’s Road and near Bromley by bow on the district line, living near the DLR was amazing, being able to get to Greenwich and Canary Wharf back then without using the tube was kinda very cozy.
I was hoping you'd do another video on either the skytrain or DLR. Didn't think you'd do both in one video! This is a treat!
Seems to me, a system like described here is either too much infrastructure for a car-infested city where it's difficult to even get good bus or tram service or made completely redundant in cities that have good bus, metro, tram and/or rail service alreardy.
I lived one year in Vancouver, even though the city is not so transit-oriented especially if you live outside Vancouver (I lived in Burnaby on the division with Coquitlam), there was a Skytrain station where I used to live but, if I had an early morning flight from YVR for example I had to take a cab because the Skytrain only operates after 6-7am on weekends. Now that I live in Edmonton, I can see how much better Vancouver is. Edmonton feels like any north American town, with very limited transit, lots of cars and highways crossing the city. I didn't like Vancouver at the time because took me almost 2 hours to get to the University, but now in Edmonton, I live much closer to my current university but takes me 1 hour to get there because of how bad transit is here.
Maybe the Metro of Lille, France (fun fact: Lille is called Rijsel in Dutch) would also be interesting since their metrosystem is fully automated.
Is the DLR in London, England?
This hurts to see as someone who lives in Seattle. A city so willing to spend big on a public transit project, and instead of a frequent and reliable service like SkyTrain, we got our extremely expensive, less frequent, sometimes street-running light rail.
There are several metro systems around the world that operate like the DLR – that is basically automatic operation, but rely on an operator checking doors and pressing a single button to allow journey toward the next station. Munich's otherwise rather standard U-Bahn being a good example.
Could you do a review of the pacto ( between Philadelphia and Voorhees N.J.) and the light rail between Camden n.N.J. and Trenton N.J.?
Hi Reece, you should do a video on Auckland’s rail system and their city rail tunnel project.
Automated, making it feasible to have high frequency and long hours of service, resulting in exceeding all expectations. Why is this a surprise at all?
Why haven't more lines been built automated? Because job creation outweighs providing transit, by a lot. I recall the Calgary bus strike when drivers were incensed that most work was in the morning and evening rush hours (shocking, I know, but it's literally what they said to the press), and the city filled in between, before and after, and on smaller routes, with smaller 15 person buses that cost far less to operate. The drivers of the big buses won of course. Transit riders lost.
I love the SkyTrain!!! But I hate TransLink's buses lmao. I heard from one of my friends that popularity for TransLink drastically sank when they were asked about the Buses but if they could take the SkyTrain it would be heaven
Skytrain did benefit from the Intercity rail system that it's largely built on top of. I'd call that a "legacy network", even if the right of way had much in the way of removed sections and the like.
I'm really excited for them to extend the skytrain to Langley!
The DLR was originally envisioned as a tram
I'd love to see a video on the GO train lakeshore east expansion. I live in Oshawa and find it pretty confusing 😅
You should talk about Rail Infrastructure in the Philippines. It has a pretty lackluster metro for its capital city, Manila, and its neighboring cities that form the National Capital Region. Although before, the Philippines had great railway infrastructure that was crippled in WW2 and was never rebuilt because of american influence. Although the government is doing some things to solve and revive the railways, I believe that it is not enough for a country of 110+ million people.
I'd include Portland in this list as well.
Love these styles of networks.
I think one would do really well in Winnipeg if we could get our act together.
The DLR is great because there’s no fare gates. Great for a student on a budget
Amazing modes of public transport. The sky train and DLR will solve city's traffic congestion. Tnx4sharing 👍
I want the SkyTrain to go to UBC!
Why even automatic trainsystems have still a last train like sth around 2 a.m. and a first train a day? I mean even my medium sized city (Dresden) with human drivers never drops below a frequency of 1 train an hour. (3 am on weekdays) Automatic trains should just run if there is no maintainance scheduled.
How come you took down your video on the London Overground?
Wasn't the Scarborough RT the same technology as the Vancouver Skytrain, I think it was an Ontario company that did it.
Why did SkyTrain go with linear induction motors? None of the video footage shows much of a grade.
Could you do a video on the tehran metro?
Actually, SkyTrain has a double crossing on the Canada Line, the Waterfront Double Crossing is used to change train direction.
SkyTrain is constantly ripping customers off with fare increases though, there was one last year and another 2.3% hike planned this year. While other cities offer days with free fare, SkyTrain never offers that. And some of the stations especially when you get downtown are so filthy with drug addicts always lurking around.
Is a automatic service a good idea? I mean of course it is but wouldn't be better to create employment? I had this debate once with a friend and I really don't knew what the "correct" answer is.
need this for Ellesmere road as well
I'm a longtime Burnaby resident and I recently went on a trip to England. I stayed in Canary Wharf and was struck by how similar the area was to Vancouver. The DLR reminded me of the SkyTrain although it was a lot shakier… First time I got car sick on a train!
3:44 DLR will still have the B07 stock. Isn't that articulated?
I really hope the Ontario is able to make a name for itself and be one of the best light metro systems in the world
I like the skytrain a lot. Clean and efficient system. I wish I could live in Vancouver, unfortunately I'm stuck in USA.
JFK Airtrain – fully automated, rapid transit size and speed but short trains, platform doors, poor headways. Free with your $30 per day parking fee.
I think the reason that the automation of this sort hasn't been used on the wider London underground system will be a much to do with the opposition it would get from the unions as any technical matter. Of course it would have to be adapted to entirely different sorts of trains, and would be a mammoth job. However, some of the underground lines would be very suited to automation, but to do away with drivers and just have "captains" to control doors would have enormous ramifications for what are relatively well paid jobs. The history of rail transport in the UK is that any automation is fought tooth and nail.
The reason why the DLR was developed in the way it did was because it was outside the mainstream Underground system, the staff were employed by a completely different system and it was financed differently. Indeed the London Docklands Development Corporation was set up as a quango (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisation), with a particular remit to regenerate what was a depressed area of London due to the loss of the docks, although it was never exactly a wealthy area. As such, it had the remit to do things completely differently, including the light rail infrastructure, and wasn't limited by established practice. The rail unions also had very little ability to influence this, something that would not have been the case if it had been an extension to the Underground system.
The DLR can't get new rakes/coaches/trains fast enough! Because, in certain sections of the DLR… if you're standing up… you will be flung around like a rag doll! 😂🤕
I don't get the point of using all these unique technologies. Why not just use an off-the-shelf metro system with standard gague tracks, a normal third rail, and 10 foot wide open gangway cars like you find all over the world? The trains can have pretty tight turning radiuses (NYC's trains can handle a 125' turn, for example), and if you don't want much capacity, you just need to run shorter trains. No need to even use the term "light metro" – just use the same technology and rolling stock as a regular metro but simply run shorter trains.