Commercial-Broadway
Main Street-Science World is the original SkyTrain Station on what was just a single station and track demonstrator line above Terminal Avenue, this opened in 1983. The station today has a single island platform for the two-tracked line. When the station opened access was via a simple staircase to the NE corner of Main Street and Terminal Avenue, to TVMs directly on the extreme western end of the platform. This has been now replaced by a modern entrance with a staircase, escalator, and additional platform elevator. The main entrance is from a raised plaza beneath the middle of the platform (with lots of stairs) with a staircase, up escalator and elevator up to the island platform, these have now been replaced and is at ground-level with more direct access with the elevator now within fare control and not leading to the sidewalk. The stop is located just across Thronton Park from the Pacific Central Station, home to VIA Rail Canada's Canadian and Amtrak Cascades. This is also one of the nearest SkyTrain Station to the Rocky Mountaineer down Terminal Avenue (VCC-Clark is almost equidistant but a more complicated walk).
2014 Renovations for Faregates and the Train2Main Shuttle Train: Main Street-Science world in its original configuration couldn't accommodate fare gates. The small mezzanine was too narrow, and the other entrance was just a staircase. Originally SkyTrain said that this station would have open access with passengers with targets for fare payment. Instead station renovations occurred before the implementation of Compass. From March 30, 2014 until December 5, 2014 half of the platform was closed for renovations. To accommodate the construction, normal 4 car Expo and Millennium Line trains bypassed the station with special Train2Main 2 Car Shuttle trains operating between Waterfront and Commercial-Broadway. The renovations include cladding the sides of the aerial guideway in more modern glass walls. A new a large glass fronted enclosed entrance areas has built in the previous open-air plaza beneath the east side of the station to replace the original single staircase, which opened in May 2014 along with an new elevator and escalator . The former main entrance plaza has seen similar renovations and is now at street level with fewer steps and the elevator fully within fare control, not leading directly down to the street. This enclosed area includes a dedicated indoor bike parking area where bike users register for a special area that gives them a card to lock their bike in a more secure setting.
Photos 1-15: 9 October, 2011, 16: 13 April, 2014, 17-39: 16 April, 2014; 40-44: 8 March, 2018
