When will we know about the Duke lawsuit? Why is it taking so long?

John, thanks for that update.  That is very useful information.  I can't believe we'll actually see track being laid as early as September!  Wow!  Even October will be exciting to see! 

I'm on the Brian Thomas Show, 55KRC, tomorrow between 7:00a and 8:00a.

When will we know about the Duke lawsuit? Why is it taking so long?

 

Lawsuits like this can take ages. I've been told by people on the project not to expect a resolution on that until 2015. Honesty, unless we KNOW its going I be in the cities favor, I don't want to risk having a decision in the first court come out before this election anyway. Even though the city would appeal a loss, Cranley would have a field day.

I'm on the Brian Thomas Show, 55KRC, tomorrow between 7:00a and 8:00a.

Oh boy...good luck.  That guy is basically Glenn beck

I'm on the Brian Thomas Show, 55KRC, tomorrow between 7:00a and 8:00a.

 

Oh my goodness, this guy is completely addicted to his automobile.  I think he's incapable of understanding life without one.  More power to you, John.  I would've slapped him across the face and screamed, "Wake up!" if I'd been in the studio with him.

I tuned in this morning as well.  Every time John tried to explain that because rail is permanent is a good thing he would say something about how he can go anywhere in his car.

 

When John said that if I75 wasn't permanent do you think any of those businesses along the highway would be there? Brian completely ignored the question and just talked about how his car can take him anywhere.

 

very frustrating to listen to, but I appreciate the effort John is giving to try and change the misinformation.

...callers said buses/streetcars are a bad idea because you get bed bugs from other passengers. 

...callers said buses/streetcars are a bad idea because you get bed bugs from other passengers.

 

.. thank goodness I got to work and turned the radio off before that segment.  but those callers (assuming they are real and not staged), are the type of people that no matter what will never leave the suburb-bubble and always be stuck in their ways.  driving to a massive parking lot to go to target is their idea of living the good life, hard to change those perceptions.

...callers said buses/streetcars are a bad idea because you get bed bugs from other passengers. 

 

I believe that caller said, "I rode the bus for a month once and at least once a week someone next to me sneezed."

 

HILARIOUS!

I believe that caller said, "I rode the bus for a month once and at least once a week someone next to me sneezed."

HILARIOUS!

Living & commuting alone, getting colds, flu, plague was a worry for me when I started riding the bus. I'd seen my coworkers with kids drop like flies during flu season.

I was happily surprised that I never caught anything.

^It stinks on the front end, but your immune system probably got better with more exposure to others. 

For anyone not on The Facebooks, there is a "Streetcar Social" at Rhinegeist Brewery, 1910 Elm Street today. Paul Grether, manager of rail services for SORTA will be there. Mark Mallory will also be the speaker today.

 

1910 Elm Street

 

5:30pm-8:00ish

Cool. But "The Facebooks"?

You kids today with your rock and roll and Dan Fogelberg.......

Cool. But "The Facebooks"?

 

It's a joke. Like when people say The Interwebs, or The Google.

 

Also, Facebook was "The Facebook" when I first joined.

Was it?  I was one of the first 100,000 or so people to join Facebook, less than a year after it started, and I don't remember that. 

Cool. But "The Facebooks"?

 

It's a joke. Like when people say The Interwebs, or The Google.

 

Also, Facebook was "The Facebook" when I first joined.

 

If Facebook was started in the '70s, it'd be called Spacebook... mannnn... and everybody'd talk about like, space.

OK, sorry I got us off track!!

"Off track"  Har Har!

OK, sorry I got us off track!!

 

Pun not accepted.

Was it?  I was one of the first 100,000 or so people to join Facebook, less than a year after it started, and I don't remember that.

 

On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com. It wasn't until summer 2005 it changed to Facebook.

 

This thread began on September 22, 2006.

 

Service is now set to begin Sept 15, 2016. Almost exactly 10 years later. How time flies.

 

 

 

 

OK, sorry I got us off track!!

 

Pun not accepted.

 

On track is the one that's overused; off track doesn't get enough love. I guess that's a good thing.

Where is the "ON TOPIC" police when you need them?

Just got back from the CFP Streetcar Social. Mayor spoke and the turn out was great. Rhinegeist was a great host despite the heat and lack of AC. Mayor gave an update of the project including some pictures of the assembly of the streetcar from his trips to Spain.

Just saw a priceless tweet, noting that Mayor Mallory joked the new streetcar maintenance facility will be called Center Of Advanced Streetcar Technology, or C O A S T.

Just saw a priceless tweet, noting that Mayor Mallory joked the new streetcar maintenance facility will be called Center Of Advanced Streetcar Technology, or C O A S T.

 

love it

Special track work such as curves and crossings will take longer.

 

This was my point about the curved alignments. Now it's confirmed by John.

Just saw a priceless tweet, noting that Mayor Mallory joked the new streetcar maintenance facility will be called Center Of Advanced Streetcar Technology, or C O A S T.

 

love it

 

Hee hee..

Special track work such as curves and crossings will take longer.

 

This was my point about the curved alignments. Now it's confirmed by John.

 

What was your point exactly? Of course all of the custom pieces of track will need to be manufactured. And that will take longer than straight track, which is already manufactured because it is stock.

The Facebook was around in early 2004 but only at a few schools. Back then you had to be in college to join. I joined The Facebook in November, 2004. It came to Ohio State a few months before that. It went to Facebook the summer 2005-ish and then began expanding to high schoolers and moms.

 

Gawd haven't any of you watched The Social Network on repeat?

^ The streetcar has hit the point of no return.

The new definition of COAST is fantastic!!!

If the streetcar opens on April 29 2016, that would be exactly 65 years since the old streetcar system was discontinued in April 29, 1951!

Does anyone know if they plan to build the turnouts for phase two so they don't have to rip up existing track when the time comes? 

Special track work such as curves and crossings will take longer.

 

This was my point about the curved alignments. Now it's confirmed by John.

 

What was your point exactly? Of course all of the custom pieces of track will need to be manufactured. And that will take longer than straight track, which is already manufactured because it is stock.

 

My point was that the proposed alignment is unnecessarily complicated, which causes the construction and operation cost to be higher than necessary. Specifically, the alignment jogs a couple of blocks east and west, resulting in 4 more right-angle turns that would have been required if the alignment was a simple loop up one street and down another. We had a long discussion about it on this thread a few years ago. The reason that I bring this up is that a number of UO members said that the curves wouldn't cause any trouble at all. Now, John has reported that it is, in fact, a cost issue.

 

I get the part about maximizing the development opportunities. Still, I think that there was probably another alignment that would have resulted in a better return. How much extra did the jogs add to the project cost? $5 million? $10 million? I don't know. I do know that a straight alignment is less expensive than a curved one, and also results in a slightly better running speed.

 

I personally visited a modern streetcar in Germany and observed that the wheels squealed around a curve. Supposedly, modern streetcars are quiet, but this one was not. 

^It's not causing trouble though.  A few extra turns means more custom pieces, sure, but this wasn't something that was anything other than obvious from the get go. You use the word issue like this has added some extra unforeseen expense which isn't the case.

>Does anyone know if they plan to build the turnouts for phase two so they don't have to rip up existing track when the time comes?

 

Yes.  And I am not a fan of that, because statistically only about 15% of provisions made for future phases of rail systems get used.  New York and Boston are littered with unused turnout tunnels built in anticipation of expansions that have never been built.  Recently the Washington Metro did take advantage of piers built as part of Orange Line construction in anticipation of a line to Tyson's Corner and Dulles, but this is a very rare example of something sitting unused for 40 years that came into usage exactly as planned.   

Does anyone know if they plan to build the turnouts for phase two so they don't have to rip up existing track when the time comes? 

 

They are incorporating a short spur from Race onto Elder Street going east toward Vine so they don't have to interrupt operation of Phase 1A in order to extend the line in Phase 1B. At least that was the plan the last time I asked about it. If anyone knows that has changed, please chime in.

I was just thinking that it would be nice to have an army of UO's pro/am photographers chronicle the streetcar construction.  Suggestions?

I was just thinking that it would be nice to have an army of UO's pro/am photographers chronicle the streetcar construction.  Suggestions?

 

Yes, please...everyone get as many photos as you can. Every inch of new track is a stake through the heart of COAST. Let's chronicle that.

Does anyone know if they plan to build the turnouts for phase two so they don't have to rip up existing track when the time comes? 

 

They are incorporating a short spur from Race onto Elder Street going east toward Vine so they don't have to interrupt operation of Phase 1A in order to extend the line in Phase 1B. At least that was the plan the last time I asked about it. If anyone knows that has changed, please chime in.

 

I was recently told the same thing.

Schneider alluded to this Business Courier story recently. it's up but hidden

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2013/07/19/learn-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the.html

 

Basically, it says to accept the streetcar & try to make it succeed, that running it down is selfish & petty at this point.

 

Anyway, I was thinking - for Halloween, they could paint the streetcars up with "blood splatters" so we could have a "bloody streetcar".

Some of the bus drivers dress for the holiday.

Fox 19 is running an "expose" of how the streetcar unfairly benefits the properties along the route. In-depth investigation airs tomorrow night at 10pm.

Really?  Come on.  The route for this has been known for years!  I wonder if Fox 19 is running a story on how the Liberty Way interchange "unfairly benefited" the property owners there. 

Really?  Come on.  The route for this has been known for years!  I wonder if Fox 19 is running a story on how the Liberty Way interchange "unfairly benefited" the property owners there. 

Or the $100+ million MLK interchange or the dozens of lines in NYC along their routes.

Didn't they get the memo about investment along the line being one of the intended benefits of the plan?  It wasn't exactly a secret.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't:

 

If there's no investment along the streetcar route: "OH THAT"S TERRIBLE!"

 

If there IS investment along the streetcar route: "OH THAT"S TERRIBLE!"

 

 

Our media is ridiculous. On the positive side, not many watch Fox 19

 

"Itll be too successful" what a joke

 

WCPO is now following the enquirer "bash the city" gameplan, 700wlw is propaganda, fox19 is a joke...it's really tough to get a rational message out when nearly all the major local media outlets have an agenda

Cunningham is going to say how cincinnati is the next Detroit on 700wlw at noon.

 

I will venture to guess chris smitherman will be the guest and he will connect it all to the streetcar....again