Don't Click. Don't give them the benefit.

My office looks out over the skywalk on Walnut between Fifth and Fourth Streets.  Yesterday they were putting up a catenary pole pretty close to the skywalk and it hit me.  How is the catenary wire going to handle the skywalk obstruction?  The whole thing is really messing with my brain for some reason every time I look out that window.

Overhead wire goes underneath obstructions all the time.  Not a big deal.  The Skywalk could have an insulative panel installed and the wire may even be secured to it.

Sometimes when streetcars travel in tunnels the overhead wire becomes a rail that is embedded in the tunnel's ceiling and the vehicle's electric pickup travels along that. 

The Skywalks are a difficult section according to the project managers.  The streetcar wire will actually come down a bit more than normal (tighter squeeze) under here. Generally it's about 19 feet above the ground.  Under the Skywalks it shrinks to around 18 feet and change, meaning the pantograph will have to adjust downward, then back up.

3rd street closes in 8 minutes at Walnut.  By Monday morning the Streetcar system will be a continuous set of tracks for nearly 3 miles.  :clap: :yap: :wink2: :drunk:

The Skywalks are a difficult section according to the project managers.  The streetcar wire will actually come down a bit more than normal (tighter squeeze) under here. Generally it's about 19 feet above the ground.  Under the Skywalks it shrinks to around 18 feet and change, meaning the pantograph will have to adjust downward, then back up.

 

All the more reason to get rid of more skywalks!

Made a quick hyperlapse of the route this evening:

 

That was cool.  How long was it in real time?  (Barry Horstman would have been faster.)

At the end of that clip, The streetcar has to turn left across 5 lanes of traffic??? Accidents will happen.

At the end of that clip, The streetcar has to turn left across 5 lanes of traffic??? Accidents will happen.

 

That's why the streetcar gets a special signal phase.  Regular traffic won't get a green light when the streetcar needs to make that turn.  Same at Central Parkway and Walnut. 

At the end of that clip, The streetcar has to turn left across 5 lanes of traffic??? Accidents will happen.

 

There will be accidents, but only when careless drivers run a red light.

That was cool.  How long was it in real time?  (Barry Horstman would have been faster.)

 

That was at 4× speed, but I also edited out a few traffic jams and long traffic lights. I also did not include the part of Main between 2nd and Court where track construction hasn't started yet.

In Travis's video at 3:30 (

), you can see that they recently installed a new mast arm for the traffic signals at the corner of 2nd and Walnut. Is that specific for the streetcar? The new mast arm looks much better than the mess of wires that currently holds the signals and signs.... but the new mast arm doesn't look long enough to direct all lanes of traffic, so I'm worried we're going to end up with the mast arm *and* all those signs on wires.

New mast arms are being installed all along the route, so that the overhead wire does not have to cross under a wire holding traffic lights. Sometimes this results in the traffic lights being in a slightly strange configuration. See 1:23 in the video.

At 2:23 you can also see a new streetcar signal to the left of the two regular traffic signals.  It's wrapped in blue plastic and only has two heads.  I figure it's one of these?  http://oldtrails.com/LightRail/SeattleStreetcar/raillses36.htm

Berta Lambert sigting at 2:29. 

Berta Lambert sigting at 2:29. 

 

Sombrero guy?

Berta Lambert sigting at 2:29. 

 

Sombrero guy?

 

He has a name, dammit!!

It made me really happy when I passed Sombrero Guy and knew that he would be part of my streetcar construction update video.

 

Berta Lambert sigting at 2:29. 

 

Sombrero guy?

 

He has a name, dammit!!

 

"The Cat's meow and the dog's holler, streetvibes for only a dollar" -Berta Lambert

Can somebody clue me in on what's up with the mayors veto of the OTR residential parking permits? I thought that was his own idea as a way to fund operating expenses. Somewhere there's a larger issue or context I'm missing, but I sense somehow the streetcar was connected to that veto pen.

Market Play: Why Developers are Betting on Findlay -- http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2015/05/08/market-play-why-developers-are-betting-on-findlay.html?page=all

 

"We like (property) north of Liberty, but we only like it within the streetcar line. That makes people like us want to develop there,” said Wyant, referring to the Cincinnati streetcar system set to open in 2016."

 

That's from Peg Wyant, Grandin Properties CEO

Can somebody clue me in on what's up with the mayors veto of the OTR residential parking permits? I thought that was his own idea as a way to fund operating expenses. Somewhere there's a larger issue or context I'm missing, but I sense somehow the streetcar was connected to that veto pen.

 

There's more discussion in the Parking Modernization thread. But essentially, he didn't think that $109/year (the rate approved by council) was high enough. He said that the plan was not "fair" to other city residents. His logic is that the spaces should either:

 

- remain free so that residents of other neighborhoods can park for free when they visit OTR

- be auctioned off to the highest bidder and/or sold for an exorbitantly high rate (such as $1500/yr) to OTR residents

 

Anything in between these two extremes is not acceptable to Cranley.

Buried in an Enquirer conversation with the Cincinnati Chamber President:

 

Q: What are your thoughts on the streetcar?

 

A: My initial thoughts turn to what makes a city great and how it appeals to the next generation – in this case young professionals. They want transportation options that are affordable and don't always include the need to have a car. Great, forward-looking cities have new, cool and easily-accessible options like streetcars, to get them around their urban environments.

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2015/05/08/chamber-head-wants-city-jump-ranks/70978752/

The resurfacing of 12th Street is complete:

 

 

 

 

Also the area has taken on a new look with the fat white parking lane strips that appeared recently. 

Also the area has taken on a new look with the fat white parking lane strips that appeared recently.

 

I'm curious about those strips. Obviously, there is going to be a learning curve during testing for people to understand that if they park over that line they're going to be towed for impeding the progress of the Streetcar. A couple questions:

 

[*]Has anyone heard what kind of signage is going to be involved for that?

[*]How close is the parking line to the clearance of the actual streetcar? I'm assuming there's a little bit of buffer built in there.

Since the car bodies snug right up to the curb at the stops, it looks like the concrete paving is a pretty good indicator of the width of the cars.  Maybe they overhang 2" or so but not much more than that.  So as long as no vehicles are on top of the white line they should have plenty of clearance

I really hope signage isn't required to make it obvious what that gigantic fat white line is for...There's plenty of room to fit any car inside that line.

I really hope signage isn't required to make it obvious what that gigantic fat white line is for...There's plenty of room to fit any car inside that line.

 

I don't disagree at all. But it's going to happen during testing. It just is. I'm not trying to be a pessimist, but I put the O/U of towed cars during testing at 12.

I think it will happen too, it is happening a lot during the testing of the DC Streetcar. However, it does appear as though the marked dynamic envelope in Cincinnati is much wider than the dynamic envelope in DC.

Have you noticed in Cincy how the streetcar moves about 6 inches over at stops?  DC didn't do that.  It goes straight all the time, but what that means is that when it's in a straight away with parked cars adjacent to it, it is 6 inches closer to the parked cars than ours will be.  6 inches closer is a BIG amount when it comes to blockages.

 

So yes, it's annoying ours jigs over as much as it does because it slightly impacts the ride... but it is so worth it if it means dramatically fewer blockages.

I have a question regarding the location of the wire. It doesn't seem to be perfectly straight, or really anywhere near straight, and I'm curious if it'll all be adjusted once things are fully ready for testing or if it's just a consequence of the way the arms alternate which side they brace from. I know it doesn't need to be perfectly straight to function but from a purely aesthetic point of view it would be nicer looking if when looking down the road they all aligned.

With a pantograph the wire is deliberately made to zig-zag a bit so it doesn't wear the pickup bar constantly in one place. 

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the answer.

Sorry for the potentially stupid question...but are the overhead wires already installed upon most of the tracks? I know some were recently installed on the over the rhine tracks by music hall

 

referring to this pic: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/streetcar/assets/File/IMG_1586.jpg

 

But how many of the overhead wires have already been installed, and how many still need to be installed?

Most of the OTR loop has poles and wires with a handful of areas still awaiting installation. None of the Downtown portion has its lines yet.

I think the 12th & Race intersection may be strung up in the next 2 weeks. The entire OTR loop will hit official completion by July. 

That looks white and gold to me.

Have you noticed in Cincy how the streetcar moves about 6 inches over at stops? 

 

Although I do think that the track shift is contributing to cars hitting the station platforms.  When I drive on the tracks the car has some tendency to drift over toward the platform. 

Yeah I've noticed that as well. I'll be moving straight and the rails definitely can tug quite a bit if you're in the right position. Something people will just have to get used to. Not that I think it justifies running your car into a huge concrete platform that didn't jump out at you, but I understand why it's happening. Hopefully as more people get used to it it'll help. I think the bold white parking lines might actually help that too as it'll deter people from driving too close to the parking lane and therefore the platforms themselves. Though that might just be wishful thinking on my part.

Its funny you mentioned driving on the rails and cars hitting the platforms, Jake. I was just thinking the other day that maybe, it's people like me who actually love driving on the rails that are doing it. I definitely have to force myself off them a decent amount before the platforms come up so I don't risk it.

I talked with the guys painting the building at the NE corner of Race and 12th last week and they said that after the streetcar is operational, OSHA would not allow them to paint a building near the live wire and that they would have to paint in the middle of the night.  Is that true?  They are using lifts, but seems like you could use scaffolding and still stay pretty far from the line.  Of course scaffolding is not usually used just for a paint job.

That sounds like a bunch of nonsense honestly. Buildings are painted by overhead wires all the time.

This wire is obviously different though.  It is a single, high voltage BARE wire.  Last time I painted near Duke lines, they came and installed insulated covers on the wires for a month during the work.  Obviously that could not happen with a streetcar wire.

The wire over the track may be bare, but the feed wires from the poles aren't, and the support arms are all insulated.  Someone painting a 3 story building is closer to the primary distribution lines, which I believe are 12,500 volts, never mind the 120/240 volt secondary distribution that's lower and feeds individual buildings. 

 

So weird to see it. It's real.

 

So weird to see it. It's real.

 

We're really getting something special here. This is absolutely stunning rolling stock. When they hit the streets downtown, it's all anyone is going to be talking about for months.