Why SkyTrain expansion in Surrey does not require a new OMC
- Reality Check
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- July 5, 2012
Planning future SkyTrain extensions in Surrey often raises questions about how additional service will be supported behind the scenes. One of the most common assumptions is that any new segment of track must come with a brand‑new Operations & Maintenance Centre (OMC).
However, a closer look at the system’s long‑term infrastructure planning shows that the network already has substantial built‑in capacity that continues to scale with new investments.
As it turns out, a number of details were revealed in a 2007 TransLink report on SkyTrain OMC expansion[1]. This document gave the following capacities, showing that the network already has substantial built‑in capacity that continues to scale with new investments:
SkyTrain Vehicle Storage Capacity (excluding Canada Line) | ||||
| Facility name | Mk I capacity | Mk II/III capacity | Amount of MK I trains | Amount of Mk II/III trains |
| Burnaby yard – base (1986) | 114 | 114 | ||
| Burnaby yard – expansion (2001) | 60 | 60 | ||
| Mainline SkyTrain guideway | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| Burnaby OMC – “Phase II” expansion | 66 | 14 | ||
| Coquitlam (Evergreen) satellite yard | Unknown | 56[2] | ||
| Additional SkyTrain guideway (Evergreen Line & other) | Unknown | |||
SkyTrain Maintenance Capacity[3] (excluding Canada Line) | ||||
| Facility name | Mk I capacity | Mk II/III capacity | Amount of MK I trains | Amount of Mk II/III trains |
| Burnaby centre – base (1986) | 150 | 150 | ||
| Burnaby centre – expansion (2001) | 60 | 60 | ||
| Burnaby OMC – “Phase I” expansion | 72 | 48 | ||
| Coquitlam (Evergreen) OMC | At least 32 required? | 56[2] | ||
Capacity for future expansion is already built-in
The 2007 approval document is a useful reference point because it captures the state of SkyTrain’s storage and maintenance facilities at a moment when major upgrades were underway. By the time the 2010 SkyTrain fleet arrived, the Burnaby OMC expansions were complete, and the Evergreen Line’s satellite yard and OMC in Coquitlam were already being planned to further increase capacity.
Even without counting future guideway storage or additional yard expansions, the system already supports well over 300 vehicles, providing a strong foundation for future extensions.
Maintenance capacity is even more flexible than storage capacity because vehicles are serviced as needed rather than all at once. When all expansions are accounted for, the system can comfortably maintain at least 52 additional Mark II/III cars beyond the fleet size envisioned in the late 2000s. This number increases further when considering:
- Additional on‑guideway storage (including along the Evergreen Line)
- Future yard expansions in Coquitlam
- The modular nature of SkyTrain maintenance operations
Implications for Surrey SkyTrain expansion
Taken together, these capacity figures show that a new OMC is not an immediate prerequisite for extending SkyTrain service into Surrey. The existing and upcoming facilities provide sufficient storage and maintenance capacity to support several kilometres of new track—whether those kilometres are built in Surrey, Vancouver, or elsewhere in the region.
If SkyTrain expansion in Surrey eventually benefits from a small satellite yard for operational efficiency or ridership growth, it would be modest in scale and cost—likely no more than $50 million, far below the cost of a full OMC.
SkyTrain’s infrastructure planning has long anticipated future growth. With expansions in Burnaby and Coquitlam already in place, the system has the capacity it needs to support Surrey’s SkyTrain extension without requiring a new OMC.
Footnotes
- Finance Audit – Specific Project Approval. Subject: SkyTrain OMC Expansion – Phase 2. October 19, 2007 — TransLink[↩]
- These vehicles have not been procured but intent has been expressed to order them. The current confirmation is: 28 cars, with an option for 28 more.[↩][↩]
- Note that it is unclear whether any defined “capacity” value can be used to measure capacity for SkyTrain maintenance facilities, as vehicles may only be maintained as needed—thus each facility may not need to be able to hold all vehicles at one time.[↩]
Pictured in header: A Mark II SkyTrain
Reality Check
Reality Check is the online blog run by the founder of SkyTrain for Surrey, a BC-based community organization that has advocated for the expansion of the Vancouer SkyTrain system, including our successful advocacy for the under-construction Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension.
Media Contact: Daryl Dela Cruz – Founder, SkyTrain for Surrey ・ Phone: +1 604 329 3529, [email protected]
