Metro Vancouver's vast transit system transports commuters across the region daily, but when the rush of travellers dwindles down with the evening, where do these conveyors go?
And, on the off chance that you hop on board an out of service vehicle with a sign reading "Do Not Board," where will you go and what will happen?
According to a TransLink spokesperson, the possibility of being stuck on a transit vehicle overnight is very slim.
"Whenever any vehicle goes out of service, it is checked by staff to ensure no one is onboard," writes Dan Mountain in an email to V.I.A. "Bus operators check each vehicle before the bus is taken out of service, West Coast Express staff check each locomotive, and SkyTrain attendants go through each train to ensure it’s empty before leaving its final station."
However, if someone does happen to remain on board, there are still ways to escape from inside the vehicle.
"If someone was onboard an out of service vehicle, all of our vehicles have emergency exits. Additionally, bus doors can be opened from the inside and every SkyTrain car has an emergency strip and intercom system to request an attendant to their location."
TransLink attendants are available around the clock, adds Mountain.
But where does Metro Vancouver's transit go to sleep?
Where do TransLink vehicles park at night?
According to TransLink's blog, the SkyTrains, buses, SeaBuses and West Coast Express (WCE) trains dwell in their own retreats.
SkyTrain
Most of the SkyTrains refuge at Edmonds SkyTrain station in TransLink's Maintenance and Storage Facility. Yet, 15 trains sleep on the tracks along the Millennium Line and near King George Station.
Crews work overnight cleaning the SkyTrains starting at 7:30 p.m. and finishing by 4 a.m., changing light bulbs, replacing seat covers, cleaning the cart, and doing other maintenance work.
Some SkyTrains may even splash through an automated train wash; like a car wash, but for SkyTrains.
Buses
TransLink buses also get a nighttime scrub, cruising through a washing station at one of the seven bus transit centres located in Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, and Port Coquitlam.
Crews polish up and refuel the bus fleet from approximately 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. daily.
West Coast Express
Unlike other transit vehicles which remain in proximity of Vancouver, the WCE trains retire all the way in Mission where crews brush up a full yard of trains just in time for 5 a.m. the next day.
SeaBus
One lucky SeaBus gets a head-start on bedtime shortly after the evening rush hour is over, departing at 8 p.m. to a couple of docks next to the Lonsdale Quay terminal for maintenance and cleaning. The rest of the fleet docks later in the evening and crews will sometimes complete an overnight engine change along with other maintenance.
