January 10, 201312 yr Keep it classy COAST COAST @GOCOAST Will next fatal fire be at Lunken or Northside? Let's hope not. Both fire engines browned out AGAIN to subside bloody streetcar boondoggle. COAST LIE #1847326925623864568286563 "OFFICIALS SAY RESPONSE TIME TO FATAL FIRE NOT SLOWED BY BROWNOUTS" http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Officials-Say-Response-To-Fatal-Fire-Not-Slowed/y4dqkpjj_EmulT4I7xLiGg.cspx
January 10, 201312 yr Keep it classy COAST COAST @GOCOAST Will next fatal fire be at Lunken or Northside? Let's hope not. Both fire engines browned out AGAIN to subside bloody streetcar boondoggle. COAST LIE #1847326925623864568286563 "OFFICIALS SAY RESPONSE TIME TO FATAL FIRE NOT SLOWED BY BROWNOUTS" http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Officials-Say-Response-To-Fatal-Fire-Not-Slowed/y4dqkpjj_EmulT4I7xLiGg.cspx Facts? COAST don't need no stinkin' facts!
January 11, 201312 yr Chris Finney: We have passed the point of no return He was a guest of Dan Carroll this past Sunday on WLW. Only link to audio I could find is on the COAST website. Quoting Finney: "They have spent already, they have already spent or committed contractually 42 million dollars. They spent 17 million in cash and they committed another 25 in contracts at this point, so we have, whether we like it or not, passed the point of no return on this foolish project and the city, this mayor and this council are committed to wasting this money." He goes on to say it's still missing 18-40 million for this first phase, and that's before cost over runs which is typical 25% for federal project. And looking out 10-15 years and additional phases, there will be no federal dollars available in his lifetime. Not sure if that's because he thinks Chabot & Winstrup, who he mentioned before this comment, will still be in Washington and ruling things? "It's just fate, as usual, keeping its bargain and screwing us in the fine print..." - John Crichton
January 11, 201312 yr Chris Finney: We have passed the point of no return He was a guest of Dan Carroll this past Sunday on WLW. Only link to audio I could find is on the COAST websiteAnd looking out 10-15 years and additional phases, there will be no federal dollars available in his lifetime. Not sure if that's because he thinks Chabot & Winstrup, who he mentioned before this comment, will still be in Washington and ruling things? Well, Chabot, thru gerrymandering, will likely die in office, probably literally in his office on his gross air mattress..... Beyond that, Finney's optimism is probably the same optimism the Romney campaign had during the last presidential campaign. Now if the GOP maintains the same stance as it does today for the next 10-15 years - well, I doubt it. If they do, they won't be here in 10-15 years.
January 11, 201312 yr Wonky UOers: Whatever happened with the "streetcar ban". It passed the house, but can anyone confirm with a link <b>that it did not become law? </b> I never saw a clear linked response as to what was signed by Obama.
January 11, 201312 yr It was not a 'streetcar ban.' It was a ban on funding via state sources or Federal pass-through dollars administered by the state.
January 11, 201312 yr Finney on 550 this morning at 7am. Said Duke is imposing a "tariff" on the citizens of Cincinnati to pay for the streetcar work.
January 11, 201312 yr Which is how a large chunk of funding is aquirwd and passed through. Still, the question is was it signed into law?
January 11, 201312 yr Finney is an idiot. PUCO will reject this, but either way, their proposal actually says the city chooses if a rider is added or if the city just pays for it themselves.
January 11, 201312 yr Which is how a large chunk of funding is aquirwd and passed through. Still, the question is was it signed into law? Yes, to the best of my knowledge it passed. But no, a large chunk of funding has been passed through via OKI and SORTA, which are eligible for Federal pass-through dollars.
January 11, 201312 yr I don't know that Chabot's ammendment ever made it through the reconciled bill. If it had passed I would think that it would've made for a headline story in the Enquirer.
January 11, 201312 yr I don't know that Chabot's ammendment ever made it through the reconciled bill. If it had passed I would think that it would've made for a headline story in the Enquirer. Even if it did, doesn't really matter. It would have been in force for only the FY2013 fiscal year which ends Sept. 30. I don't believe the city is seeking any new federal funds for this project. And I doubt Chabot would be able to get a second amendment through to cover FY2014 nor would he try. His attempt in 2012 was to pander to his constituents in an election year. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201312 yr ^ City is currently seeking Federal funds to extend streetcar to Uptown. Brad and I were in a meeting with Federal DOT officials yesterday, and City Manager made the pitch.
January 11, 201312 yr I don't know that Chabot's ammendment ever made it through the reconciled bill. If it had passed I would think that it would've made for a headline story in the Enquirer. Bingo. The Enquirer would have had it as front page news with Barry Horstman posing in an Enquirer cheerleader outfit. Awesome news about seeking federal funds. C'mon Duke...Even the die hard opponents are admitting it will be built. Let's get moving
January 11, 201312 yr ^ City is currently seeking Federal funds to extend streetcar to Uptown. Brad and I were in a meeting with Federal DOT officials yesterday, and City Manager made the pitch. Good to hear! But expect another hit-job Enquirer article on Monday.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 11, 201312 yr Here is a sampling of U.S. cities building or actively planning modern streetcar lines and the rolling stock selected: Anaheim, Calif. - not chosen Arlington, Va. - not chosen Atlanta, Ga. - Siemens Austin, Texas - not chosen Charlotte, N.C. - extended line (not chosen) Cincinnati, Ohio - C.A.F. Dallas - Oak Cliff - Brookville Equipment "Liberty" Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - not chosen Kansas City, Mo. - not chosen Los Angeles (downtown) - not chosen Minneapolis, Minn. - not chosen Oklahoma City, Okla. - not chosen Portland, Ore. - United Streetcar LLC Providence, R.I. - not chosen San Antonio, Texas - not chosen Santa Ana, Calif. (Garden Grove) - not chosen Seattle, Wash. - 1st Hill line - Inekon (Pacifica Marine) Tempe, Ariz. - not chosen Tucson, Arix. - United Streetcar LLC Washington, D.C. - United Streetcar LLC
January 11, 201312 yr Tucson streetcar opening pushed back from Oct 2013 to Q2 2014 due to delays at United Streetcar..... http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2013/01/streetcar-operation-sees-delays-new-management-team-arrives-in-tucson But maybe the Enquirer Mafia will find a way to blame Mallory for that too. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 12, 201312 yr ^I think he's saying that getting the orders in as early as possible allows for any delays at CAF to not be crucial to the opening date of the streetcar. I believe it was just stated somewhere in here that the cars themselves will arrive well over a year in advance of the opening which means any delays in building them would not cause any further delays in building the streetcar. Now that we are 'past the point of no return' I'm really hoping the media will just give up already. Obviously there will still be stories here and there but hopefully those agains the project will focus their energies elsewhere.
January 13, 201312 yr Well we know who the Enquirer is endorsing this November... Fluff piece on John Cranley "Feisty but faithful" . A couple streetcar digs as usual http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130112/EDIT03/301120123
January 13, 201312 yr United Streetcar is turning into a scam , they seem to take the money and run and deliever slowly.... CAF is trust worthly , another company causing issues is Rotem...but they don't do streetcars.
January 13, 201312 yr United Streetcar is turning into a scam , they seem to take the money and run and deliever slowly.... CAF is trust worthly , another company causing issues is Rotem...but they don't do streetcars. United Streetcar is a good company, a longtime defense contractor. But building a modern streetcar in America -- no person under 80 or so having ever done it -- has been a challenge. United's particular problem is with its propulsion system, basically a system of computers and controls that run these things and make them really safe. No company in America has perfected one yet -- though I think Rockwell is getting pretty close. There have been licensing issues with the industry-standard, Elin of Austria, a company owned by Siemens. That's pretty much the problem, and it must be a hell of a problem because it seems like whenever I've been in Portland over the last few years, they've had Car 15 (the blue and red one that was on Fountain Square a couple of years ago) in the maintenance yard with all the wiring pulled-down out of the ceiling. That's the prototype car, and it's still not in regular service yet. How CAF got around all these issues and can offer a "Buy America" product is unknown to me.
January 13, 201312 yr In the video accompanying the Cranley puff piece he sez he's a big advocate of this: http://hoponcincinnati.com ...which is a reprise of the Winburn plan, which itself was unleashed on the local media twice because they had forgotten he already did it two years earlier. Also, he brings up a trackless trolley in Denver as something we should be copying, conveniently forgetting that Denver has built a large rail system in the past 15 years. When then-mayor now-governor Hickenlooper spoke at the Mercantile Library back in 2007 Cranley wasn't in attendance.
January 13, 201312 yr ...which is a reprise of the Winburn plan, which itself was unleashed on the local media twice because they figured their readers had forgotten he already did it two years earlier. FTFY
January 13, 201312 yr Winburn Plan unleashed: Jan 2009: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/01/12/tidbits1.html Winburn Plan reprise: April 2011: http://www.building-cincinnati.com/2011/04/winburn-scrap-streetcar-look-into.html Cranely steals Winburn's idea October 2012: http://hoponcincinnati.com
January 13, 201312 yr Reactions to Chris Finney's revelation that the Streetcar is "past the point of no return" Christopher Smitherman: http://gifsoup.com/view/896728/angry-mel-o.gif Brian Thomas: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m306dx8lsT1rp4i6ho1_r1_400.gif Chris Finney: http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/lardude/thread%20bombs/dancingboxer2nh7.gif Barry Horstman: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web03/2012/8/4/12/anigif_enhanced-buzz-20657-1344098369-0.gif Tom Luken: https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4847155968/h684D1F75/ John Cranley: http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/55/BeatDeadHorse.gif Mark Miller: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lycvh5BeQJ1qco9duo1_500.gif Bill Cunningham: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc7ucxc0Kb1qhhxd4o1_500.gif Mary Kuhl: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mad.gif Scott Sloan: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/throwing-phone2.gif Leslie Ghiz: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/grumpy-cat.gif Charlie Winburn: http://gifsoup.com/view/66250/facepalm-o.gif
January 13, 201312 yr I don't see any reason to think Finney will step aside just because he said that.
January 14, 201312 yr Finney won't stop, because this whole episode isn't about stopping the streetcar for that low life shyster, it's about filing frivolous lawsuits and hoping that cash strapped municipalities will give him quicky settlements to go away. COAST is nothing short of a scam to line Finney's pockets with taxpayer dollars.
January 14, 201312 yr Reactions to Chris Finney's revelation that the Streetcar is "past the point of no return" Christopher Smitherman: http://gifsoup.com/view/896728/angry-mel-o.gif Brian Thomas: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m306dx8lsT1rp4i6ho1_r1_400.gif Chris Finney: http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/lardude/thread%20bombs/dancingboxer2nh7.gif Barry Horstman: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web03/2012/8/4/12/anigif_enhanced-buzz-20657-1344098369-0.gif Tom Luken: https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4847155968/h684D1F75/ John Cranley: http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/55/BeatDeadHorse.gif Mark Miller: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lycvh5BeQJ1qco9duo1_500.gif Bill Cunningham: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc7ucxc0Kb1qhhxd4o1_500.gif Mary Kuhl: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mad.gif Scott Sloan: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/throwing-phone2.gif Leslie Ghiz: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/grumpy-cat.gif Charlie Winburn: http://gifsoup.com/view/66250/facepalm-o.gif Cute, a big waste of space but cute.
January 15, 201312 yr Reactions to Chris Finney's revelation that the Streetcar is "past the point of no return" Christopher Smitherman: http://gifsoup.com/view/896728/angry-mel-o.gif Brian Thomas: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m306dx8lsT1rp4i6ho1_r1_400.gif Chris Finney: http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/lardude/thread%20bombs/dancingboxer2nh7.gif Barry Horstman: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web03/2012/8/4/12/anigif_enhanced-buzz-20657-1344098369-0.gif Tom Luken: https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4847155968/h684D1F75/ John Cranley: http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/55/BeatDeadHorse.gif Mark Miller: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lycvh5BeQJ1qco9duo1_500.gif Bill Cunningham: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc7ucxc0Kb1qhhxd4o1_500.gif Mary Kuhl: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mad.gif Scott Sloan: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/throwing-phone2.gif Leslie Ghiz: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/grumpy-cat.gif Charlie Winburn: http://gifsoup.com/view/66250/facepalm-o.gif Very good! I really like the Mark Miller and Barry Horstman one! Although, that must have taken a while to put together...
January 15, 201312 yr Reactions to Chris Finney's revelation that the Streetcar is "past the point of no return" Christopher Smitherman: http://gifsoup.com/view/896728/angry-mel-o.gif Brian Thomas: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m306dx8lsT1rp4i6ho1_r1_400.gif Chris Finney: http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/lardude/thread%20bombs/dancingboxer2nh7.gif Barry Horstman: http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web03/2012/8/4/12/anigif_enhanced-buzz-20657-1344098369-0.gif Tom Luken: https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/4847155968/h684D1F75/ John Cranley: http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/55/BeatDeadHorse.gif Mark Miller: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lycvh5BeQJ1qco9duo1_500.gif Bill Cunningham: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc7ucxc0Kb1qhhxd4o1_500.gif Mary Kuhl: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mad.gif Scott Sloan: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/throwing-phone2.gif Leslie Ghiz: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/grumpy-cat.gif Charlie Winburn: http://gifsoup.com/view/66250/facepalm-o.gif Cute, a big waste of space but cute. Cute, a big waste of space but cute
January 15, 201312 yr Mary Kuhl: http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mad.gif So you think Mary Kuhl is hot?
January 15, 201312 yr Author Returned from a visit from Tampa. My thoughts on their streetcar system. Vehicles. They have faux heritage cars that can hold maybe 40, have a single boarding door. Tickets are purchased offboard at ticket machines. Some of the cars are wrapped and look terrible. Ticket machines. Really easy to use, sturdy looking. Single Tracking. The biggest problem with the system is that it's single tracked virtually everywhere except for the stops. Stations. The stations are nice and offer near level/level boarding, but the double tracking around the stops means that the stops are set off with tracks on either side, so they are separated from the sidewalk. Frequency. 20 minute head times. Not ideal at all. Very un-ideal Route. The system is a tourism route and does a great job connecting tourist points. It hits their convention center, riverwalk, NotL type development, Ybor City. It doesn't however penetrate into downtown or hit any major residential areas. Development. It appears there was a good deal of development along the line. Two large, NotL style developments that opened one and three years after the streetcar. Overall it is a system that is very different from what Cincinnati is proposing. It's a tourist system that doesn't connect major residential or employment centers.
January 15, 201312 yr Author Pictures Ticket machine Wrapped Car Station. Difficult to see but the second track seperates it from the sidewalk. Sponsorship Map! Fares, not all stations have ticket machines Stop to pass It's coming right for us
January 15, 201312 yr If you're going for the heritage look, you shouldn't wrap the cars...that looks awful.
January 15, 201312 yr $5 for an all day pass on the heritage streetcar? I was in Buffalo over the weekend, and their entire public transit system is $5 for an all day pass. I spent $15 for three days of unlimited bus and rail (they have a single rail line). Cincinnati better have something similar soon. Buffalo's $5/day $25/week pass is huge for tourists. Cincinnati's 10-ride card is pretty embarrasing. Hopefully there will be an unlimited metro/streetcar day/weekend pass by the time the line is running.
January 15, 201312 yr Pictures Ticket machine Wrapped Car Station. Difficult to see but the second track seperates it from the sidewalk. Sponsorship Map! Fares, not all stations have ticket machines Stop to pass It's coming right for us I live in Clearwater. Too bad we didn't connect. BTW, did you get to Tampa Union Station? Concerning the Streetcar: It's OK, as far as it goes and that's the problem. It does get into the downtown area at Franklin St., but should loop the entire CBD, stop at Tampa Union station and back to Ybor City. Idf that happened, it could become the basis for a streetcar network into nearby neighborhoods.
January 16, 201312 yr $5 for an all day pass on the heritage streetcar? I was in Buffalo over the weekend, and their entire public transit system is $5 for an all day pass. I spent $15 for three days of unlimited bus and rail (they have a single rail line). Cincinnati better have something similar soon. Buffalo's $5/day $25/week pass is huge for tourists. Cincinnati's 10-ride card is pretty embarrasing. Hopefully there will be an unlimited metro/streetcar day/weekend pass by the time the line is running. So...I've asked a few people with Metro what the holdup is on the day passes and go*SMART cards. They've all told me that they have to wait for the new fare vending machine system to arrive. All I know is that they're putting a fare vending machine at Government Square. This begs the question...are they putting fare boxes in the Uptown Transit District as well? Maybe that project delayed the fare machine order. Also, might they be planning on putting fare machines at select streetcar stops? All streetcar stops? I'm CERTAIN these questions will be answered and we'll have day passes by the time the system is running. There are still a lot of unanswered questions...but I know they're actively working on it.
January 16, 201312 yr Funding is the hold up. THe only machine that will be ready first will be at Gov Square. Machines for the streetcar will obviously be funded within the streetcar budget, but Metro is constrained by the amount of funding available. But they are working on the machine now.
January 17, 201312 yr Author The home for the blind on Elm has been demolished leaving a huge developable site along the streetcar line. There are at least 4 crews actively working on utility relo for the streetcar right now.
January 17, 201312 yr The home for the blind on Elm has been demolished leaving a huge developable site along the streetcar line. There are at least 4 crews actively working on utility relo for the streetcar right now. Interestingly, that building had very few windows...
January 17, 201312 yr The home for the blind on Elm has been demolished leaving a huge developable site along the streetcar line. There are at least 4 crews actively working on utility relo for the streetcar right now. Interestingly, that building had very few windows... o.O lmao...
January 17, 201312 yr Interestingly, that building had very few windows... Was that the really ugly windowless building that was done in the 1970s?
January 18, 201312 yr Interestingly, that building had very few windows... Was that the really ugly windowless building that was done in the 1970s? Yes it was pretty nasty 70's crap. Here is some background on it, 3CDC is the owner: http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2010/05/03/story7.html?page=all
January 18, 201312 yr The home for the blind on Elm has been demolished leaving a huge developable site along the streetcar line. There are at least 4 crews actively working on utility relo for the streetcar right now. Interestingly, that building had very few windows... On the other hand, the Cincinnati Association for the Blind has a parking lot & a huge sign.
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