Looking at Portland on google streetview, they have nearly identical cross arms, but for some reason I never really noticed them when I was there. I'm assuming once they dull and the trees grow in more around them they will blend in more.

 

It does make it easier to find the system though.

 

In Portland, I always base finding the system on the tracks, not the wire. Don't think I've really ever habitually looked up while there. But yeah, Portland has the luxury of decades-older trees pretty much everywhere downtown. The amount of greenery in the core tends to hide a lot.

 

He's talking about finding the system from several blocks away, where you can't see the tracks, but can spot the wire without looking up.  If you have to look up to see the wire, you're basically already right next to the line.

Looking at Portland on google streetview, they have nearly identical cross arms, but for some reason I never really noticed them when I was there. I'm assuming once they dull and the trees grow in more around them they will blend in more.

 

It does make it easier to find the system though.

 

In Portland, I always base finding the system on the tracks, not the wire. Don't think I've really ever habitually looked up while there. But yeah, Portland has the luxury of decades-older trees pretty much everywhere downtown. The amount of greenery in the core tends to hide a lot.

 

He's talking about finding the system from several blocks away, where you can't see the tracks, but can spot the wire without looking up.  If you have to look up to see the wire, you're basically already right next to the line.

 

Ah, yeah that's a good point. I guess that really didn't bother me either though since I just use apps to find the lines.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/07/12/brent-spence-bridge-five-things/30025343/

 

So this guy wants to stop streetcar funding to finance the BSB.

^He was stating what Massie wants to do, and saying that we need new leaders to push new ideas because this one sucks. So Rep. Massie says that the federal govt should stop spending money on streetcars and trails and redirect it to bridges. I don't think that's what Williams (the author) was suggesting.

^ Good luck to Massie convincing a bunch of big-city mayors that Congress should redirect transit funding to build more sprawl infrastructure.

I know that construction has slowed due to the All Star Game, but I was shocked by how short this week's block-by-block construction update was:

 

MAIN STREET:

 

5th to 6th:  excavation & preparation for track installation, rail delivery  (1 week remaining)

 

 

WALNUT STREET:

 

4th to 5th:  fire hydrant modifications (1 week remaining)

9th to Central Parkway:  masonry work at TPSS #2 (3 weeks remaining)

 

 

RACE STREET:

 

At Henry:  rail grouting and filler installation (1 week remaining)

 

We really are nearing the end of construction. Can't wait until they start building the Main Street stops in the CBD.

They are closing Main between 5th and 6th for a week which is the last stretch besides the curve track at 2nd and Main. By the time that last curve is completed the first streetcar will be in testing mode on the OTR loop!

7 days with no streetcar news...perhaps a new record!

 

Pro-streetcar editorial from WCPO.com:

http://www.wcpo.com/news/opinion/editorial/editorial-love-it-or-hate-it-the-streetcar-is-here-to-stay-so-lets-make-it-successful-

Today was the "last rail delivery"* as crews are finishing up the last section of track on Main Street this week.

 

*Except that the curve from 2nd to Main won't be installed until October.

More OCS wire installations this week!

Bull. You can tell the mayor was lying because his lips were moving when he said this quote.

 

The mayor says he is doing that. He's pushed for a realistic operating plan and for dedicating parking revenue to streetcar operations. "I want the streetcar to succeed," he told WCPO.com

.

When is the actual streetcar testing due to begin for the OTR loop?

Wasn't it at one point supposed to be up and running by the All-Star Game?  :-\

^the streetcar will be operational September 2016. There has not been a single slip in the schedule since the the drama of December 2013. I think the construction schedule proposal came in longer than expected when they accepted the construction contract way back in Mallory's term, but I can't remember if anyone originally thought it would be ready by July 2015. Keep in mind the relationship between schedule and cost, a shorter and tighter schedule would mean higher costs to execute.

 

^^we get the first streetcar in September 2015 and testing may begin in the following weeks thereafter.

^the streetcar will be operational September 2016. There has not been a single slip in the schedule since the the drama of December 2013. I think the construction schedule proposal came in longer than expected when they accepted the construction contract way back in Mallory's term, but I can't remember if anyone originally thought it would be ready by July 2015. Keep in mind the relationship between schedule and cost, a shorter and tighter schedule would mean higher costs to execute.

 

Roxanne Qualls made it her "goal," but it was never a goal rooted in any real numbers.

I thought the promise had been made to MLB when the city wanted to land the All-Star game.  After that came the political delays.

I don't think that was the case. This is the first I've heard of it.

Wasn't it at one point supposed to be up and running by the All-Star Game?  :-\

 

The streetcar was originally supposed to open in 2012. That was before Issue 9, Issue 48, and the "Crancellation". Between those three setbacks, the opening date got pushed back to September 2016. So, just think, if it wasn't for the nonsense from the COASTies, the streetcar would have already been running for the past three years.

 

When the All Star Game was announced, Todd Portune threw out, "We could have the Eastern Corridor rail up and running by the All Star Game!" Just goes to how clueless he is when it comes to what it actually takes to get a rail system up and running.

It's all coming back to me now.

 

http://www.wlwt.com/news/local-news/cincinnati/Mayor-announces-deal-with-Duke-Energy-for-streetcar-utility-work/18369218

 

Apparently my brain made up the "the mayor promised MLB" part.

 

Mallory said he hopes to have the streetcar running by the 2015 All-Star Game at Great American Ballpark, but said it is not guaranteed.

 

 

Updated Streetcar pics are up... and it looks AWESOME!

 

 

So cool to see it outside. Hard to believe that's going to be on the rails in Cincinnati in a month and a half (if only just for testing...)

Those look so much nicer than even the Siemen's LRVs here in Norfolk. The giant doors in the middle and the full low-floor cars are nice.

^ When these guys show up starting next month, the opponents won't know what to say. Remember the images of old-timey streetcars they put out there for years?

^ When these guys show up starting next month, the opponents won't know what to say. Remember the images of old-timey streetcars they put out there for years?

 

The image was also posted on the Cincinnati Reddit page and the reaction there was as you described. Even people who aren't opponents to the streetcar were expecting an old-timey trolly. There's going to be some surprised and confused faces the first time one of these circles around town.

^ When these guys show up starting next month, the opponents won't know what to say. Remember the images of old-timey streetcars they put out there for years?

 

Looking at reddit I was shocked how many people thought this was going to be an old style streetcar...

^ The other is the scale of the vehicles. They're longer than even the Siemens S-70's. They are going to make a massive statement.

Via All Aboard Ohio's account, I tweeted Travis' photo (above) and USDOT retweeted it. A follower wants the streetcar extended to King's Island...

Hey we can't fault people who don't follow this for not knowing the distinctions between trolleys, cable cars, streetcars, light rail masquerading as a streetcar, light rail, heavy rail, etc.

 

Extending rail to Mason would be a great move and that's the most important part of that person's tweet.

Hey we can't fault people who don't follow this for not knowing the distinctions between trolleys, cable cars, streetcars, light rail masquerading as a streetcar, light rail, heavy rail, etc.

 

Extending rail to Mason would be a great move and that's the most important part of that person's tweet.

 

Don't forget trolleybuses.

Ah yes. Explaining the difference between a trolley, a trolleybus, and a bus garners blank faces that just don't care.

Can one of cars be equipped with a bar and flat screens?

^ When these guys show up starting next month, the opponents won't know what to say. Remember the images of old-timey streetcars they put out there for years?

 

The image was also posted on the Cincinnati Reddit page and the reaction there was as you described. Even people who aren't opponents to the streetcar were expecting an old-timey trolly. There's going to be some surprised and confused faces the first time one of these circles around town.

 

It's amazing that we're 8 years into this and the media managed to so massively misinform the public. 

 

 

If you really want to discombobulate someone...

Streetcar vehicles won’t be delivered on time

 

The city of Cincinnati is expected to announce Tuesday that streetcar vehicles won’t be delivered on time next month, according to sources familiar with the project.

 

[...]

 

The streetcars were expected to run on the test track in Over-the-Rhine for nearly a year before they began revenue service in September 2016. The delay is a minor one and should not affect the streetcar’s opening date, according to sources.

I'll be in Cincinnati during late September/early October, and I have to say... glad I won't see the tests.  It would just make me jealous that I can't take them back to my hotel on the river.  Just sayin'.

 

 

Streetcar vehicles won’t be delivered on time

 

The city of Cincinnati is expected to announce Tuesday that streetcar vehicles won’t be delivered on time next month, according to sources familiar with the project.

 

[...]

 

The streetcars were expected to run on the test track in Over-the-Rhine for nearly a year before they began revenue service in September 2016. The delay is a minor one and should not affect the streetcar’s opening date, according to sources.

 

Dang. Well it's a good thing they built in so much time for testing.

^ The other is the scale of the vehicles. They're longer than even the Siemens S-70's. They are going to make a massive statement.

 

I googled the siemens 2-70 and those seem to be really long streetcars.

 

I'm looking at the pictures and the cincinnati streetcar don't seem not nearly as long. Does anyone know what the official length of the streetcar will be?

^ The other is the scale of the vehicles. They're longer than even the Siemens S-70's. They are going to make a massive statement.

 

I googled the siemens 2-70 and those seem to be really long streetcars.

 

I'm looking at the pictures and the cincinnati streetcar don't seem not nearly as long. Does anyone know what the official length of the streetcar will be?

 

I thought ours were 77.4ft and a quick google search shows the S-70s in Salt Lake and San Diego as 81ft. I could be mistaken though. John, do you have other numbers?

The San Diego Siemens vehicles are pure light rail. They do use Siemens streetcars on SLC's Sugar House Line. I'm sure that during the selection process I heard ours were longer than the Siemens streetcars.

It's amazing the differences between the Biz Courier and The Enquirer. Courier makes it sound like no big deal and The Enquirer makes it sound like the whole project will fail. Obviously I know who to believe but it pisses me off how crappy the Enquirer reporting is.

I just read it. Perfect example of an echo chamber. Enquirer spins the story to suit its readers, and they respond exactly as the Enquirer could hope for in the comments section.

 

You can hear classic Cincinnati in their voices: that hint of southern twang, dripping with disdain and sarcasm as they emit a "boondoggle" or "trolley", then a double-chuckle and nervous look to see who else might have thought what they just said was witty.

I think I'm most excited for the response to seeing the trains in person people will have. "Trolley" and "toy choo choo" will seem so far from accurate that those people are going to end up sounding like a**hats when they spew those words after "boondoggle" online.

I'm happy some people, maybe even a lot of people, have low expectations for the streetcar. Always good to be underestimated.

It is going to be very nice.

 

I don't live in OTR anymore and haven't since last December (went to get my own apartment and couldn't afford OTR), but it seems everytime I am down there, probably a few times a month, that there just seems to be more and more activity every time, and that includes downtown as well.  I can only imagine what it will be like in 2 years after the streetcar is running for a year and construction activity is really pushing forward even more.  I imagine some nice sized condos and apartment projects going on some of the vacant lots between downtown and OTR on the rail line moving forward in the near future to take advantage of the car free lifestyle the basin should afford once the system is fully operational.  Exciting times.

 

Chris Seelbach

What we learned today about the Cincinnati Streetcar:

 

1) Construction of the Cincinnati Streetcar is 90% complete and ahead of schedule.

 

2) The Cincinnati Streetcar is within budget. Even if every "worst case scenario" happens between now and September 2016, there will still be $1,000,000 left in the contingency fund.

 

3) Cincinnati Streetcar vehicles are being assembled. Cars 1 and 2 are completed and undergoing testing. Cars 3 and 4 are in the process of being assembled. Car 5 is being shipped to US for assembly.

 

4) There will be an 8-12 week extension of the first Cincinnati Streetcar delivery date due to issues identified during testing and inspections that require modification.

 

5) The Cincinnati Streetcar team does not believe the delay in vehicle delivery will cause ANY delay to the opening of the Cincinnati Streetcar in September 2016.

 

6) The Cincinnati Streetcar team will go forward focused on getting the units delivered as soon as possible and collecting any and all appropriate fines from CAF, the manufacturer of the cars for the delay in delivery.

 

(From Facebook)

I would ask if there is a clause in the contract that basically gives us money back if they fail to deliver vehicles on time, but I would be worried they could then attack us for breaching our contract with the December 2013 pause. So I don't know if that is a path worth following.

Yes, they have to pay $1000/day for every day that the first streetcar is late. Apparently this amount increases for the subsequent streetcars. Seelbach asked whether the city would enforce this penalty and I don't think a decision was reached yesterday.

I would ask if there is a clause in the contract that basically gives us money back if they fail to deliver vehicles on time, but I would be worried they could then attack us for breaching our contract with the December 2013 pause. So I don't know if that is a path worth following.

 

$1,000 per day for each day the 1st vehicle is past it's due date. $500 per day for each subsequent vehicle arriving after scheduled. It didn't sound like the city would be going after CAF under those terms, but if the city were to realize any losses because of the delay (for instance, the consultant having to work longer hours) then they would try to recoup that from CAF.

So if all 5 streetcars are late an average of 2 months, that could mean $300,000 returned. But again, they could use the city delay as a reason, so I don't think the city should pursue it unless it affects the scheduled opening and/or other large costs and we aren't responsible for the delay.