TransLink gives tour of SkyTrain computer room
Posted August 5, 2014 3:40 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – We’re learning more about SkyTrain’s inner workings after last month’s system problems.
The SkyTrain’s computer room is full of 1994-era servers complete with floppy disks used for booting the system.
But BC Rapid Transit Company vice-president of maintenance Sun Fang says an upgrade won’t be necessary for five to 10 years.
“We definitely are looking at the the third generation [system] when the time comes,” Fang says. “Right now, the failure rate does not give me the business justifications in order to propose [upgrading to] a third generation at the moment.”
The company says upgrading the system would cost up to $50-million.
“You have to take a look at the reliability of the system vs. the age of the system,” says CEO Fred Cummings. “For us, the reliability of the system is high.”
SkyTrain had two system shutdowns on July 17 and July 21. Only the first shutdown related to the 20-year-old system.
