Non-Ohio Light Rail / Streetcar News

June 14, 201114 yr

Little engine that saves money

Article by: PAT DOYLE , Star Tribune Updated: June 13, 2011 - 7:19 AM

Its route and lower labor costs help keep expenses for the Hiawatha light rail at about two-thirds that of buses.

Once derided as a "train to nowhere," the Hiawatha light-rail line is more popular than predicted. It carries enough riders over 12 miles that it is cheaper to run than metro buses.

The cost of operating the Hiawatha between Bloomington and downtown Minneapolis is about half that of Metro Transit buses in the Twin Cities, according to comparisons by the federal government. The Hiawatha also is less expensive to operate than most other light-rail lines in the nation.

The Hiawatha is less costly per passenger mile because its short route reaches places very much on the map for Twin Cities residents and visitors.

June 20, 201113 yr

University City Loop trolley moves forward

By Margaret Gillerman • [email protected] > 314-725-6758 | Posted: Sunday, June 12, 2011 1:00 pm

Building by building, block by block, Joe Edwards has extended his vision for a Delmar Loop renaissance ever eastward.

Now he's looking toward Delmar Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue and property he hopes will be used for a vehicle maintenance facility for Loop trolleys.

Edwards has purchased the vacant, century-old Delmar School building, perhaps better known as Roberts Chevrolet and then Milner's Chevrolet. It started life in 1910 as Pope-Hartford Motor Car Co., an early manufacturer of electric and other vehicles that resembled buggies on wheels. For most of the next 100 years, the property at 5875-5893 Delmar was used by transportation businesses.

The potential future trolley barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to the automotive industry and architecture. Edwards, a booster of trolleys, says it's a perfect fit for the return of trolleys to the Loop.

July 10, 201113 yr

Phoenix offers lessons for Purple Line

By Katherine Shaver, Published: July 9

PHOENIX — Residents and light rail train passengers here have a message for the Maryland suburbs: If a Purple Line is ever built, expect the trains to be popular, but first brace for years of construction that can be brutal for motorists and potentially crippling for businesess along the route.

Washington area drivers also would have to learn to share streets with Purple Line trains — the nearly three-year-old Phoenix-area system averaged one collision a week during its first year — and a new “ding ding” sound would fill the air. Light rail trains are quieter than Metrorail — the trains’ low hum is often drowned out by passing traffic — but the frequent bells of trains approaching intersections and stations can be heard a block or two away.

... AND THESE QUOTES .....

....Even the Phoenix system’s biggest boosters say they are surprised by its success. Ridership in 2010 — the line’s second full year of operation — averaged 39,000 on weekdays and exceeded projections by 51 percent, according to Valley Metro, the transit agency.

....“Light rail has made a huge difference in the way of life around here,” Thymes said as he walked to the ASU campus, three blocks from a station. “Before people didn’t leave campus much, or they only left to go home or to [nightlife on] Mill Avenue. Now they explore the city a lot more.”

....Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman ® said he initially objected to taxpayer subsidies for light rail. But he said he changed his mind after seeing the transformation of a dilapidated stretch between downtown Phoenix and Tempe. The city of Tempe had spent “tens of millions of dollars” over three decades trying to attract the kind of investment that the light rail line drew in just a few years, he said.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

July 10, 201113 yr

University City Loop trolley moves forward

By Margaret Gillerman [email protected] > 314-725-6758 | Posted: Sunday, June 12, 2011 1:00 pm

Building by building, block by block, Joe Edwards has extended his vision for a Delmar Loop renaissance ever eastward.

Now he's looking toward Delmar Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue and property he hopes will be used for a vehicle maintenance facility for Loop trolleys.

Edwards has purchased the vacant, century-old Delmar School building, perhaps better known as Roberts Chevrolet and then Milner's Chevrolet. It started life in 1910 as Pope-Hartford Motor Car Co., an early manufacturer of electric and other vehicles that resembled buggies on wheels. For most of the next 100 years, the property at 5875-5893 Delmar was used by transportation businesses.

The potential future trolley barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance to the automotive industry and architecture. Edwards, a booster of trolleys, says it's a perfect fit for the return of trolleys to the Loop.

Read more at: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_0e9d76bc-5d26-5e78-bcc5-25ea2dd4063a.html

I am very familiar with thisarea and the streetcar would be a great addition to the neighborhood. I hope that if built and a success, the line would be extended east tyo downtown. Lots of redevelopment going on along Delmar.

July 15, 201113 yr

Milwaukee streetcar plan on track for passage

Committee endorses project despite several fiscal warningsBy Larry Sandler of the Journal Sentinel

July 14, 2011

Milwaukee Common Council leaders Thursday endorsed building a $64.6 million modern streetcar line downtown, a move that brings the city closer than ever before to resolving a public transit debate that has raged for nearly 20 years.

With Thursday's vote, a majority of aldermen have now declared their support for building the 2.1-mile line pushed by Mayor Tom Barrett, indicating it's likely to win council approval July 26 if all aldermen are present and none switch their votes.

The council's Steering & Rules Committee acted despite warnings by city Comptroller W. Martin "Wally" Morics, who urged aldermen to slow down the process, and despite two utilities' fears that the planned route would add tens of millions of dollars in costs and delay the project.

July 19, 201113 yr

Providence, R.I., next to ponder streetcar’s return

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Officials and planners in Providence, R.I., will seek $50 million in federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding for an urban circulator, with streetcar the leading option at present.

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority Planning Manager Amy Pettine sees the TRIGER funding as "a huge federal funding opportunity, but acknowledges that other federal support “is looking a little dim." RIPTA anticipates that federal funds would cover 50% of the estimated $100 million cost of the project.

August 10, 201113 yr

Study examines extending Woodward light rail from Detroit

to suburbs like Ferndale, Birmingham

BY MATT HELMS

DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

12:51 AM, Aug. 8, 2011|

Detroit's momentum in bringing light rail to

Woodward Avenue may finally do what

years of talks, political promises and

symbolic gestures have failed to do: lead to

real regional cooperation.

Leaders in six southern Oakland County

cities are taking a big step to literally

bridge the 8 Mile divide by extending the

rail service into the suburbs.

"We recognize the opportunity here to

really help move the region forward," said

Berkley City Councilman Steve Baker, a

member of a task force of leaders from

Oakland County cities.

August 16, 201113 yr

Streetcar builders see potential in North American market

By Julie Sneider, Assistant Editor

Energy efficient. Low-floor accessibility. No overhead wires. A sleek, modern style resembling a light-rail train.

In a nutshell, those are some of the modern streetcar design characteristics that transit agency officials in many North American cities are interested in, streetcar builders say.

Although the North American streetcar market currently is relatively small, interest in exploring streetcar systems is growing, and builders are monitoring that interest. According to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Streetcar Subcommittee website, business and community leaders in at least 80 U.S. and Canadian cities are exploring or planning systems.

August 19, 201113 yr

The Tide rolls in

The Virginian-Pilot

Op-Ed By Philip Shucet

The Tide opens its doors to riders tomorrow at 6 a.m. When the first person steps aboard, the build-it saga ends and Norfolk becomes the smallest city in the nation and the first city in Virginia to have light rail.

It took guts and courage for city leaders to invite light rail to Norfolk. A bold vision for a bright future trumped the comfort of the status quo.

August 22, 201113 yr

"The Tide" rolls in Norfolk, Virginia and ridership is well-beyond what was expected....

http://www.wvec.com/home/The-Tide-free-ride-continues-128175868.html

http://www.wtkr.com/videobeta/?watchId=ade71f7b-f02c-46fd-b41c-1289281e7051

August 25, 201113 yr

More than 75,000 rode The Tide on debut weekend

By Debbie Messina

The Virginian-Pilot

NORFOLK

Riders flooded The Tide light-rail trains over the entire three-day opening weekend, with more than 75,000 trips taken – for dining, shopping, work and, mostly, just for the fun of it.

“It was a near-perfect launch, with the crowds exceeding every expectation,” Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim said.

The free preview has been extended through next weekend. Fares of $1.50 will be collected starting Monday, Aug. 29.

“There were people getting off the trains at Newtown Road with shopping bags,” Fraim said. “One of the ways that the success of light rail can be measured is by the increased economic activity.”

Jim Wofford, MacArthur Center general manager, said the mall’s food court and restaurants were swamped

August 25, 201113 yr

I hope it doesn't get damaged by Hurricane Irene! The Navy is moving ships out of Norfolk today.....

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

August 25, 201113 yr

Looks like Salt Lake City stopped their streetcar project

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/cfa9e5fb70ca4db49d0554d4b76449e6/UT--Ogden-Streetcar/

August 25, 201113 yr

^ Ogden UT is a city of 80,000 45 minutes north of Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City has nothing to do with the Ogden Streetcar.

August 25, 201113 yr

^ Ogden UT is a city of 80,000 45 minutes north of Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City has nothing to do with the Ogden Streetcar.

Oh ok. Thanks for the clarification.

I of all people should know better than to take a COAST tweet as fact

August 25, 201113 yr

KJP.... the Hamton Roads Transit Authority has actually developed a pretty sophisticated system of responses to "what if" situations and flooding from severe storms is among them. If any part of the system is under water that is deemed to high for the light rail vehicles to operate safely, the LRV's will stop at that point and passengers will be bused between station stops. Downtown Norlfok also has a pretty sophisticated system of flood control gates that can block floodwaters and at least limit flooding of that portion of the light rail system that runs in the downtown streets.

August 25, 201113 yr

Cool!

About 20 years ago I was taking the Shaker Rapid home from school in downtown Cleveland during a heavy rainstorm. We pulled into the East 93rd/Woodhill station, in the low area beneath the East 93rd underpass, which was covered with about two feet of water. Until then, I've never been on a train before that produced a wake. It was awesome....

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

August 25, 201113 yr

^ Ogden UT is a city of 80,000 45 minutes north of Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City has nothing to do with the Ogden Streetcar.

Oh ok. Thanks for the clarification.

I of all people should know better than to take a COAST tweet as fact

Understood, now if you were the REAL Cincinnati Enquirer, you certainly would take a COAST tweet as fact.

August 25, 201113 yr

And this won't leave Ogden without any passenger rail service. It has half-hourly passenger trains (during peak travel hours, with hourly service off-peak) on the 44-mile route to Salt Lake City. It will be extended another 44 miles, this time to the south to Provo....

http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-Home-FrontRunner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FrontRunner

Oh, and check out how fast their trains go (the horns are a bit ear-splitting though) :-D .........

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

August 26, 201113 yr

Actually, the Ogden streetcar project is moving forward again with the exit in a few months of the current mayor. It had been planned since about the time I moved out here (late 90's) to link the Frontrunner station (in KJP's post) with Weber State U and the neighboring hospital center. The mayor has been sabotaging it for years in favor of an urban gondola for his developer friends.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

November 29, 201113 yr

Holy Hell!!!!!! Ugh. How do we get those!?

November 30, 201113 yr

You have to go through holy hell first, which Houston has done in fighting anti-rail zealots and the federal NEPA project development process. Sometimes I wonder which one is worse.....

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

December 14, 201113 yr

Bad news for Detroit...but I can't say I am surprised:

Feds, lawmakers talk about next steps after light-rail line canceled in favor of cheaper bus plan

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is meeting today with Michigan’s congressional delegation, a member of U.S. Rep. Gary Peters’ staff confirmed today.

The meeting was expected to concern a change in course from a planned Woodward Avenue light-rail transit system to rapid-transit buses.

Tuesday night, Crain’s reported that Detroit’s dire financial situation had forced cancellation of the $528 million plan to build a light-rail line along Woodward from downtown to the city limit at Eight Mile Road, ending four years and millions of dollars in planning work in favor of a cheaper plan for dedicated bus lanes.

Today, Detroit officials denied that the city’s worsening financial condition played a role in the decision. The city is expected to run out of cash in April, and the state has begun a review of the city’s finances — the first step on the road to a state takeover.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20111213/FREE/111219964

December 15, 201113 yr

Wow, That really, really sucks.

December 15, 201113 yr

What's wrong with people in this country? They think they will have cheap gas forever. I rather be prepared than sorry.

April 15, 201213 yr

A streetcar they desired

These days, major U.S. cities are jumping on the streetcar bandwagon, building systems through downtown areas as a means to provide urban transportation and, perhaps just as important, stimulate economic development.

Source: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

Count Atlanta among the latest cities to join in.

In early February, the city of Atlanta kicked off construction on a 2.6-mile streetcar line that will serve as an east-west circulator connecting what’s known as the Old Fourth Ward — a Martin Luther King Jr. historic zone — with Centennial Park.

Atlanta’s streetcar plans date back to the 1990s, when several proposals were submitted to the city council. In the early 2000s, Atlanta business leaders reignited the talk after visiting Portland, Ore., and other cities that had recently opened streetcar lines. A mayor-appointed task force then developed a proposed route, which included a long segment connecting Buckhead on Atlanta’s upper side to the south side, as well as a shorter east-west route.

The business community originally proposed funding the streetcar using a mix of local and private funds, but when the Obama Administration launched federal funding programs that streetcar projects could be eligible for, Atlanta officials decided to apply — and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) got involved.

Because it has experience applying for federal transit funding and numerous industry contacts, the agency was able to help the city with its application, says MARTA’s Manager of Streetcar Development Paul Grether. In 2009, the city — in partnership with MARTA, the Downtown Improvement District and Midtown Improvement District — submitted an application for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery I (TIGER I) application for the entire streetcar project. The requested amount? Three hundred million dollars — the most an applicant could seek.

“That request was politely declined, but it helped get us organized and helped kick off the NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] process, and it set us up for when TIGER II came up,” says Grether. “That time around, we just focused on the east-west circulator and asked for a much smaller amount, and we had some local funding to put on the table, and we were successful — we got the largest TIGER II grant in the country.”

The $47 million grant, combined with $15.6 million from the city and $6 million from the Downtown Improvement District, will fund the streetcar’s $69 million starter line. The city is contributing another $9.4 million to purchase new streetcars; the project originally called for purchasing used vehicles and rehabilitating them.

“We decided that this is a first stake in the ground in the Atlanta region for streetcar and light rail, so we wanted it to be a modern project,” says Grether. “Since vehicles are really the centerpiece of any streetcar project, we decided to get new ones.”

The city piggy-backed on an order the Utah Transit Authority had placed with Siemens for S70 light-rail vehicles; Atlanta is buying four of the vehicles and Siemens is modifying them to operate on a streetcar platform, says Grether.

Other streetcar-related work — such as converting Lucky Street from one-way to two-way, widening sidewalks, adding bike lanes, upgrading traffic signals and adding station amenities — brings the total project cost to $92.6 million.

April 15, 201213 yr

Well that's good for them. Personally I would have opted for a dedicated bus circulator for that relatively small route and save the TIGER II grant for a route that went further from downtown to an area of concentrated development that the MARTA trains don't currently serve.

April 16, 201213 yr

Well that's good for them. Personally I would have opted for a dedicated bus circulator for that relatively small route and save the TIGER II grant for a route that went further from downtown to an area of concentrated development that the MARTA trains don't currently serve.

the concept of an Urban Circulator, using Rail is far more efficient to operate. and is far more effective at spurring development around those line than any Bus trolley. buses can move but streetcars are a permanent part of the urban landscape.

the FTA is offering a 25 million dollar grant for urban circulators like the Atlanta's and Cincinnati's streetcar.

April 16, 201213 yr

http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/04/13/tucson-breaks-ground-on-streetcar-investment-already-following/

Streetcars are back, and Tucson, Arizona is leading the way.

This southwestern city broke ground this week on the Sun Link Streetcar, the first new streetcar system built with federal funding in more than 60 years.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was on hand for the ground breaking of the Tucson Streetcar this week. Photo: The Fast Lane

The $200 million, 3.9-mile project will connect downtown Tucson with the University of Arizona and the university’s medical center. The project received $60 million in federal funding through a TIGER grant. The remaining funding was provided by a portion of a voter-approved half-cent sales tax.

That investment appears to be paying off already. The project has already led to $400 million worth of spending commitments along the corridor, according to a report from US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who was in Tucson for a groundbreaking ceremony earlier this week.

April 16, 201213 yr

Apparently the Community Streetcar Coalition is unaware of the Cincinnati Streetcar. Strange.

April 16, 201213 yr

^why was Cincinnati not considered the first?

April 16, 201213 yr

^why was Cincinnati not considered the first?

cincy recieved a Urban circulator grant of 25 million, tucson recieved a Tiger grant. that may be the difference.

April 17, 201213 yr

Cincinnati received funds from both programs:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/projects/streetcar/docs/news_grant.cfm

http://www.wlwt.com/money/24182448/detail.html

April 18, 201213 yr

Cincinnati received funds from both programs:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/projects/streetcar/docs/news_grant.cfm

http://www.wlwt.com/money/24182448/detail.html

then I don't know what they are talking about.

April 18, 201213 yr

Cincinnati received funds from both programs:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/noncms/projects/streetcar/docs/news_grant.cfm

http://www.wlwt.com/money/24182448/detail.html

then I don't know what they are talking about.

I don't think *they* know what they are talking about.

April 19, 201213 yr

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/blogs/doug-bowen/streetcars-belong-even-on-the-street.html?channel=

Streetcars belong. Even on the street
Written by Douglas John Bowen

Much like any group, passenger rail advocates split into subsections or specialties of interest or belief, such as high speed rail, Amtrak, regional/commuter, rapid transit, LRT—and streetcars.

Add to that the human element of being interested primarily in one's home turf first (you can get yours later, thank you very much), and the disparate viewpoints multiply.

Still, I was slightly taken aback this week during an ongoing e-debate over the proposed MTA New York City Transit No. 7 line into New Jersey—New Yorkers largely despise the idea; New Jerseyans like it; who's paying?—when the conversation veered into streetcars and their worth, and, apparently, their place: Not on the street.

One advocate, someone I know and trust on many matters, flatly insisted that all passenger rail needs to be grade-separated, all the time, no matter what (including no matter what the cost? He didn't say). "Careful on streetcars, Doug," he admonished. "The logical extension of what you're suggesting is that NYC would be a thriving metropolis it is if the 'subways' were all at grade level."

I'm not aware of that logical extension at all, let alone my advocacy of it. As noted earlier, I ride the subways, mostly in New York—a lot. New York couldn't function as it does without the subways, no doubt. But it wouldn't hurt some of the streets of New York, or anywhere else, if some streetcars were added to the mix. (Or, as another advocate asserted, returned to that mix; they did exist once.)

April 27, 201213 yr

This has been a great week for rail transit here in Los Angeles. In the past few days, Metro has:

1) Approved final environmental documents for the initial phase of the Westside Subway Extension

2) Approved final environmental documents for the downtown Regional Connector subway project, and

3) Hosted a design charrette that envisions LA's historic Union Station as a modern hub for high-speed rail, local transit, and mixed-use development.

And tomorrow, the first phase of the long-awaited Expo light rail line to the Westside begins revenue service:

Expo Line's opening launches rail service push to Westside

Almost 60 years after the Pacific Electric Railway stopped running trains to Santa Monica, the resurrection of passenger rail service to the Westside will begin with the grand opening of the $930-million Expo light rail line.

Saturday's start of service marks the first step in an effort to bring rail service back to one of the region's most traffic-clogged areas, something transportation experts have long said is crucial to developing a workable rail network for Los Angeles County.

Here's a cool time-lapse video of the new Expo Line route.

I plan on checking out the line over the weekend, and I'll be sure to post photos here on UO.

April 28, 201213 yr

^Los Angeles is addicted to rail. I never thought I'd live to see it.

April 28, 201213 yr

Here's a cool time-lapse video of the new Expo Line route.

I plan on checking out the line over the weekend, and I'll be sure to post photos here on UO.

Thanks, and I like that video of the Expo Line. I thought that line had more density along it. You don't start to see much density until about half-way through it, as it heads toward downtown. Santa Monica has a lot of density and I can't wait until the Expo Line gets there.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

April 28, 201213 yr

Aha...that's why the Expo line is using the same high platform rolling stock as the older light rail lines. I didn't know that there was this extravagent plan to connect them.

April 28, 201213 yr

^ The Expo Line will share rolling stock and maintenance facilities with the Blue Line for the time being. When the Regional Connector project is complete, it is anticipated that the Gold Line from Pasadena will be through-routed onto the Expo Line all the way to Santa Monica, and the former southern branch of the Gold Line to East LA will become part of the Blue Line. I think that's also why the Expo Line hasn't yet been given a color name consistent with the other lines, as it will ultimately be part of the Gold Line.

April 28, 201213 yr

Thanks, and I like that video of the Expo Line. I thought that line had more density along it. You don't start to see much density until about half-way through it, as it heads toward downtown. Santa Monica has a lot of density and I can't wait until the Expo Line gets there.

The overall route is relatively low-density, but there are a few high-density clusters along it. These include the USC campus, downtown Culver City (and the nearby Sony Pictures studios), and downtown Santa Monica.

April 29, 201213 yr

IIRC the Downtown Regional Connector was origially planned when the Red & Blue Lines were designed, but dropped for budgetary reasons but, later, revived given the need and popularity of the rail service.

April 29, 201213 yr

IIRC the Downtown Regional Connector was origially planned when the Red & Blue Lines were designed, but dropped for budgetary reasons but, later, revived given the need and popularity of the rail service.

I'm surprised the connector doesn't share a station with the existing Civic Center station. I realize there are connections at Metro Center and Union Station. But I have philosophical concern that when transit lines cross, they should permit transfers between them to compete with the flexibility of the car.

"In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck

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