Skytrain, Bombradier

Welcome to the Skytrain photo gallery. Under the management of BC Transit, construction for the Skytrain system started in 1982. The Skytrain is an elevated Automated Light Rail Transit (ALRT). The principle of ooperating the trains above ground is similar to a monorail but is much more heavy duty. The entire system is elavated with the exception of Downtown Vancouver which is underground. The Skytrain cars get their electric power from a pair of rails along the side of the trackway. On January 3rd, 1986 the expo line was opened. This was just in time for the World Expo that would take place in Vancouver in the summer of 1986. On August 31st, 2002 the whole Millennium Line was opened revenue service. Earlier that year a small portion of the line was opened.

The trains are controled by computers and controled at a central track/train monitoring control room. Therfore no motormen are needed on the actual trains. The cars themselves are made by Bombardier in Canada. These cars use linear induction motors (LIM's) with two underneath the floor of each car. 114 Mark I cars were built for the system in 1984 and 1985. In 1991, 16 more were built and in 1995 another 20 were built. This totals 150 Mark I cars which are always coupled in pairs. These pairs can be coupled to other pairs (often they are coupled to other pairs). As the Millennium line opening neared, more trains were needed, once again Bombradier Canada provided the cars. These new cars were the Mark II, in 2000 1 unit (201-202 was built) in 2001 and 2002 more of these new Mark II cars were delivered totaling 60 (30 units). The mark II cars are longer and jointed by an articulated style joint in the middle. So 2 car numbers are one unit (ex. 201-202 and 239-240 are 2 units). The Mark I cars have a very unique sound when it accelerates. The Mark II cars have a more pleasent interior with cloth seats unlike the Mark I cars which had harder seats and an interior which was is not as mordern looking as the Mark II's. Some Mark I's have been repainted into the new CMBC paint scheme and all Mark II's are in the CMBC paint scheme.


All photos in this section are taken by me (Kevin Lo) Please do not re-use any of these photos without my permission. Thank You
Click on the fleet number to see the picture

Thumbnail Model Fleet Number Year Description Photo Date (M/D/Y)
Mark I 003 1984 003 on the tail end of a consist departing Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 011 1984 011 departing Waterfront Station on the Expo Line. 9/01/2002
Mark I 018 1984 018 on layover at Commercial Drive Station (Millennium Line). This platform is brand new, you can tell by looking at the floor! 9/01/2002
Mark I 021 1984 021 seen leading a consist out of Nanamio Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 021 Side 1984 021 seen on the tail end of a consist leaving Nanamio Station headed for downtown Vancouver. 7/22/2004
Mark I 023 1984 023 with 3 other cars in a consist. 4/15/2009
Mark I 028 1984 A full sized ad for Grand and Toy is seen on 028 on layover at Commercial Drive Station. 9/01/2002
Mark I 038 1984 038 seen leading a consist out of Main Street Science World Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 050 1984 050 pulls into Lougheed station heading westbound on the Millennium line which opened days before this photo was taken. A very crowded platform for a Sunday. 9/01/2002
Mark I 053 1984 053 seen arriving at Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 056 1984 056 is seen on the tail end of a consist departing New Westminister Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 061 1985 061 seen arriving at Nanaimo Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 064 1985 064 seen leaving Main Street/Science World Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 068 1985 068 leading a consist. 4/15/2009
Mark I 071 1985 071 at the end of a consist seen at Nanaimo Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 071-2 1985 071 leading a consist into Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 075 1985 075 at Waterfront Station shortly before departing. 9/01/2002
Mark I 077 1985 077 on the tail end of a consist leaving Joyce Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 081 1985 081 at the end of a consist seen at Nanaimo Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 082 1985 082 at the tail end of a consist. -/-/2008
Mark I 086 1985 086 leading a consist. -/-/2008
Mark I 094 1985 094 leads a consist arriving at New Westminster Station 7/22/2004
Mark I 094-2 1985 094 leading a consist. 4/16/2009
Mark I 102 1984 102 leading a consist. 4/15/2009
Mark I 106 1985 106 at the tail end of a consist at New Westminster Station 7/22/2004
Mark I 117 1985 117 leads a consist into New Westminster Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 128 1991 128 on the tail end of a consist departing Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 132 1991 132 leading a consist. 4/16/2009
Mark I 132-2 1991 132 at the tail end of a consist. 4/16/2009
Mark I 133 1991 133 seen at Nanaimo Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 136 1991 136 een leading a consist into Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 156 1995 156 seen leaving 29th Avenue Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I Unknown 19?? A 4 car consist rolls out of a station on the 2nd day of revenue service on the new Millennium Line heading twoards Commercial Drvie Station. 9/01/2002
Mark II 201 2000 201 arrives at New Westminister Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 203 2001 203 as the tail end car. 4/16/2009
Mark II 208 2002 208 departs Joyce Station on the tail end of a consist. 7/22/2004
Mark II 209 2002 210 departs New Westminister Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 210 2002 210 arrives at Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 213 2001 213 enters Broadway Station which is a transfer point between the Expo line and the Millennium Line (Commercial Drive). 9/01/2002
Mark II 218 2001 218 on the tail end seen leaving Surrey Central Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 219 2001 219 on the tail end seen leaving Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 221 2001 221 seen leaving Nanaimo Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 221-2 2001 221 seen arriving at Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 224 2001 224 seen at 29th Avenue Station heading inbound for downtown Vancouver. 7/22/2004
Mark I 231 2001 231 on the tail end of a consist leaving Metrotown Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 232 2001 232 as the tail end car. 4/16/2009
Mark II 239 2002 239 seen here about to leave Lougheed Town Centre as the sun sets outside. 9/01/2002
Mark II 240 2002 240 seen here loading passangers at Commercial Drive Station. The walkway above is the connection between Commercial Drive (Millennium Line) and Broadway Station (Expo Line). 9/01/2002
Mark I 246 2002 246 as a lead car. 4/16/2009
Mark II 248 2002 248 on layover at Waterfront Station on the Millennium Line to Commercial Drive Station. Although the name Skytrain implies above ground, stations in downtown Vancouver such as Waterfront are underground stations. 9/01/2002
Mark II 250 2002 250 seen leaving New Westminister Station. 7/22/2004
Mark II 255 2002 255 seen arriving at New Westminister Station. 7/22/2004
Mark I 257 2002 257 as the tail car. 4/16/2009
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