I was recently out of town and noticed that on the buses, people inserted their tickets or money at two areas about one third of the way back from the bus. I thought this was an efficient way to do it because the passengers weren't all crowded around the driver but the driver could still keep an eye on the passengers by looking in the mirror and seeing that they were putting in their fare. Also having two areas to swipe the passes - one on either side of the bus - moved people along inside the bus more quickly.  The driver had a clearer view of the traffic. I wonder if RTA has considered doing this. 

 

Interesting, I haven't seen that before. What city was that in?

This is how they do it on the Portland streetcar, but it sounds like you're talking about buses......

 

It was in Barcelona, Spain and it was buses not steetcars.  The driver could still keep an eye on things. I think having people hover around the driver is inefficient and could be stressful for the driver.

Here's the link to the live stream of VPOTUS's talk in Cleveland about public transit: http://t.co/gzewNz8zcM

 

Nice backdrop of the Red and Green/Blue Line cars

I was recently out of town and noticed that on the buses, people inserted their tickets or money at two areas about one third of the way back from the bus. I thought this was an efficient way to do it because the passengers weren't all crowded around the driver but the driver could still keep an eye on the passengers by looking in the mirror and seeing that they were putting in their fare. Also having two areas to swipe the passes - one on either side of the bus - moved people along inside the bus more quickly.  The driver had a clearer view of the traffic. I wonder if RTA has considered doing this. 

I've seen boarding on both doors for cities where you're required to carry proof of purchase (like the Healthline) but not where they just let you pay fare at the back door.

Waiting for a delayed VP Joe Biden to arrive earlier today at GCRTA's Central Rail Facility at East 55th

 

VP Joe Biden tours 30+ yr old Cleveland rail cars with @GCRTA CEO Joe Calabrese & Mayor Frank Jackson #RebuildAmerica

 

How did he like the 30+ year old rail cars?  The ones on display there look nice and clean and refurbished.  We should have shown him more reality.

 

How did he like the 30+ year old rail cars?  The ones on display there look nice and clean and refurbished.  We should have shown him more reality.

 

Our rail cars are old, but they seem to be in better condition than the healthline buses!

:-D

How did he like the 30+ year old rail cars?  The ones on display there look nice and clean and refurbished.  We should have shown him more reality.

 

I'm sure they were showing him the cars that are being refurbished, as the whole fleet is going to be. 

 

How did he like the 30+ year old rail cars?  The ones on display there look nice and clean and refurbished.  We should have shown him more reality.

 

Our rail cars are old, but they seem to be in better condition than the healthline buses!

 

Exactly my point.  Maybe he should have gone to the Healthline bus garage.

 

:-D

 

 

How did he like the 30+ year old rail cars?  The ones on display there look nice and clean and refurbished.  We should have shown him more reality.

 

The entire fleet is being refurbished. The Blue/Green line cars were done in 2007. The Red Line cars are being done right now.

 

BTW, the cars are still 30+ years old. They need to be replaced in 10 years, and that procurement process has to start VERY soon -- including setting aside money to afford the local match to leverage federal dollars that hopefully will be there. If not, we will no longer have trains to run on our rail system until we rehab some other city's second-hand rail cars for our own use. But if there's no more federal funds, every city is going to want to keep and rehab their own aging rail fleets.

 

BTW, the cars are still 30+ years old. They need to be replaced in 10 years

 

How big of a concern is this? I am completely unfamiliar with any of this, but i'm just wondering how many transit systems are currently using cars older than 40 years/past their life?

 

BTW, the cars are still 30+ years old. They need to be replaced in 10 years

 

How big of a concern is this? I am completely unfamiliar with any of this, but i'm just wondering how many transit systems are currently using cars older than 40 years/past their life?

 

DC's Metro is using cars from 1976 still, in addition to cars from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. But they also have over 1,000 cars in the system and most of their older cars will be replaced with a new series starting this year. They started the process of getting the new cars over six years ago. This is different from RTA in that the entire fleet of rail cars on each line came from the same time period.

 

Baltimore's Metro Subway has cars that are mostly older than the Red Line's (1983), and they were rehabbed about 10 years ago. I believe the state of Maryland recently passed a transportation bill that included appropriations for replacing the subway rolling stock

all the cars are the same age?  why didn't they stagger the fleet so only like a quarter of the cars would become obsolete at a time?

all the cars are the same age?  why didn't they stagger the fleet so only like a quarter of the cars would become obsolete at a time?

 

Obsolescence is as much about availability of parts, as it is age -- something that staggered buying won't help you with.

ah

all the cars are the same age?  why didn't they stagger the fleet so only like a quarter of the cars would become obsolete at a time?

 

No, the Blue/Green cars are smaller light-rail trains built by Breda in 1980-81. The Red Line cars are larger, heavy-rail trains built by Tokyu in 1984-85. The orders (about 60 cars each) weren't that large.

 

 

Obsolescence is as much about availability of parts, as it is age -- something that staggered buying won't help you with.

 

Very true. GCRTA cannot order new parts for either car's systems. For example notice the destination signs on each line no longer specify the route's endpoint (ie: Waterfront, Warrensville, Green Road, Airport, Windermere, Tower City)? Today, the Red Line cars just say "Red Line" on their destination boards. And the Blue Line cars have blue LED lights and the Green Line cars have green LED lights where their destination signs used to be. The reason? No one makes the same scrolling destinations signs like the ones that were on either the Bredas or the Toykus. And many parts for essential mechanical functions have to be custom-made.

The light rail cars look newer than the heavy rail cars in my opinion

 

DC's Metro is using cars from 1976 still, in addition to cars from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. But they also have over 1,000 cars in the system and most of their older cars will be replaced with a new series starting this year. They started the process of getting the new cars over six years ago. This is different from RTA in that the entire fleet of rail cars on each line came from the same time period.

 

I thought DC Metro finally retired those old '76ers...

The light rail cars look newer than the heavy rail cars in my opinion

 

RTA did a good job cosmetically with the LRT rehabs.

The light rail cars look newer than the heavy rail cars in my opinion

 

That's because they were renovated in 2007. The Red Line cars are just now getting renovated. See my photos from December of the first Red Line car to be renovated....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4504.msg687211#msg687211

^ Ive been in the renovated car. And its nice but there is just something odd about the car in my opinion and I not exactly sure what it is. Maybe its the bright blue they chose or it might just be that the car was empty since I saw the one on display and haven't gotten an updated car while riding yet. I still think the light rail cars look newer than the renovated red line cars though.

 

DC's Metro is using cars from 1976 still, in addition to cars from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. But they also have over 1,000 cars in the system and most of their older cars will be replaced with a new series starting this year. They started the process of getting the new cars over six years ago. This is different from RTA in that the entire fleet of rail cars on each line came from the same time period.

 

I thought DC Metro finally retired those old '76ers...

 

Nope. The NTSB told them to after the 2009 crash happened, but they haven't yet.

The light rail cars look newer than the heavy rail cars in my opinion

 

That's because they were renovated in 2007. The Red Line cars are just now getting renovated. See my photos from December of the first Red Line car to be renovated....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4504.msg687211#msg687211

 

I also think the Red Line cars probably looked old when they were new.  They have that Welcome Back Kotter vibe to them.... ;)

The light rail cars look newer than the heavy rail cars in my opinion

 

That's because they were renovated in 2007. The Red Line cars are just now getting renovated. See my photos from December of the first Red Line car to be renovated....

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4504.msg687211#msg687211

 

I also think the Red Line cars probably looked old when they were new.  They have that Welcome Back Kotter vibe to them.... ;)

 

I've never liked the Red Line Tokyu car interior. I agree with DM4, I was rather disappointed when I saw what the renovated cars look like. It's a big improvement, but it still doesn't have a comfortable feel. Here is what Baltimore's look like:

 

 

This was after their rehab in 2002-05 and I think it is much more functional and visually appealing than RTA's cars.

^^Would much prefer a seating configuration like the Baltimore car shown.    I'm a tall guy and don't fit in the Redline seats.  Does anyone have a pic of the new rehabbed interiors?

^^Would much prefer a seating configuration like the Baltimore car shown.    I'm a tall guy and don't fit in the Redline seats.  Does anyone have a pic of the new rehabbed interiors?

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,4504.msg687211.html#msg687211

 

^^Would much prefer a seating configuration like the Baltimore car shown.    I'm a tall guy and don't fit in the Redline seats.  Does anyone have a pic of the new rehabbed interiors?

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,4504.msg687211.html#msg687211

 

 

Thanks TPH must have missed that.

 

Still schoolbus style with the new seats....no bueno.

FYI, all the June service news is now posted on www.rideRTA.com. This includes East Side rail shutdowns and June 8 service changes.

 

Jerry,

 

Thanks for the info. Just an FYI if hasn't already been reported:

 

At the W.25th/WSM market station: The Red Farecard Reader (tvm-101) has an "out of service" message on its screen. TVM-100 could not read my 5-RIDE card after multiple tries. My card was read without a problem at one of the readers at the Tower City station. 

I just reported it, thanks. Please do not use this forum to report time-sensitive items, as we do not check it daily. E-mail is better. [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE: If you use, or live near, the Lee-Van Aken Station on the Blue Line, you'll want to drop by Shaker Heights City Hall from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3. Work will start soon to re-build that station. Officials will explain new traffic patterns and answer your questions. See you there.

Finally had the chance to ride the new HRT car, and I must say it was pretty underwhelming. I expected to be impressed just as much as when I step onto the LRT trains. Every time I step on to those I'm impressed each time, these not so much, it looks rushed for some reason. I feel like so much more could have been done to them.

 

anyone else notice that the grass at the Cudell West Blvd Red line stop hasn't been cut all season?  It's knee high now....

Just wanted to say, the free RTA rides for the Rib Off were awesome. Seemed like there were a lot of riders when I went around 1. It was a beautiful day for a train ride, some ribs, and even a visit to the aquarium.

 

 

 

 

Sounds like the grass at Settlers Landing station in east Flats, u nacceptable.

And,not RTA, but that triangle park at Ontario/Carnegie/Lorain created last year near L-C bridge with granite curbs, etc.,is now just an overgrown weed garden. again, unacceptable

 

 

 

 

 

Just wanted to say, the free RTA rides for the Rib Off were awesome. Seemed like there were a lot of riders when I went around 1. It was a beautiful day for a train ride, some ribs, and even a visit to the aquarium.

 

Yes RTA's service was well used and generally on time.  However, the (literal) horsesh!t visible in the photo at the station/on the tracks, tended to tamp down our appetite for the delicious ribs.  It was there 1p Memorial Day when arrived.  Worse, it was not only still there when we left 2 hours later, the odorous pile was there the next day!... Yuck!  A little maintenance RTA… maybe?

 

 

 

Just wanted to say, the free RTA rides for the Rib Off were awesome. Seemed like there were a lot of riders when I went around 1. It was a beautiful day for a train ride, some ribs, and even a visit to the aquarium.

 

Yes RTA's service was well used and generally on time.  However, the (literal) horsesh!t visible in the photo at the station/on the tracks, tended to tamp down our appetite for the delicious ribs.  It was there 1p Memorial Day when arrived.  Worse, it was not only still there when we left 2 hours later, the odorous pile was there the next day!... Yuck!  A little maintenance RTA… maybe?

 

Yeah, CPD had mounted units out for Dazzle the district too. There was horse crap in front of my apartment for days afterwards. I feel like the police should clean up after their own horses.

Don't they have bags that catch the stuff?

Awhile back, KJP posted a picture of some of the mounted police on Public Square that featured a large modell pile.  I guess I used to be downtown enough that even years later, I still don't consider it unusual.  :shrug:

 

I think some of the carriage horses in NYC use bags.

anyone else notice that the grass at the Cudell West Blvd Red line stop hasn't been cut all season?  It's knee high now....

 

Same with W117th/Madison.  I think the RTA landscaping crew is taking some time off....

I have said it before, and I will say it again. Merely posting a complaint here is NOT the same as reporting it to RTA. If you want something to change, make sure we know it. JetDog is out of the town, and I have been busy getting ready for the service change, so no one is reading this every day. Now that I know about some of these issues, I will report them. Perhaps we could run DNA samples on the horse droppings...

If you use, or live near, the Lee-Van Aken Station on the Blue Line, you'll want to drop by Shaker Heights City Hall from 6-7 p.m. tonight. Officials will explain new traffic patterns and answer your questions. A June 25 ceremony is planned.

http://www.riderta.com/news/june-3-lee-van-aken-station-meeting-set-shaker-heights

 

June 4, from 4-7 p.m. at ideastream, NOACA is holding a community forum on transportation and environmental planning. Joe Calabrese is on the panel. They would like you pre-register, but if you are not, you can still attend.

 

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/noaca-strategic-plan-forum-tickets-11626010711

ODOT wants to hear from you -- what kind of transit system do you want?

 

www.ohiotransitsurvey.com

I encourage everyone NOT to fill out ODOT's "transit survey". It looks like an attempt to "educate" us that we "can't afford" transit, and/or to gather "data" showing that the public wants things we "can't afford". Where is the button saying I vote to increase transit funding?

June Riders Digest is now available on-line.

 

http://www.riderta.com//publications/ridersdigest/2014/june