August 27, 200915 yr Author http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/secretary-lahood-announces-189.8-million-for-transit.html Secretary LaHood announces $189.8 million for transit Wednesday, August 26, 2009 Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that 13 grants totaling $189.8 million in Recovery Act funds will go to improve state and local transit systems in the United States while supporting the creation of jobs and providing much needed transportation options for millions. Read more at link above: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 27, 200915 yr 15-year-old idea gets lift from high-speed rail plans Stimulus funds renew push for airport rail station Keith Benman - [email protected], (219) 933-3326 | Posted: Thursday, August 27, 2009 12:00 am Gary airport officials and passenger rail boosters say they will renew their push for an intermodal rail station near Gary/Chicago International Airport now that Indiana has applied for federal stimulus funds for high-speed rail. "It would really give the traveler from Chicago a direct option to access commercial air service out of the Gary airport," Airport Director Chris Curry said on Wednesday. Indiana, Illinois and Michigan all met a Monday deadline for applying for a chunk of $8 billion in federal stimulus money available for high-speed rail projects. The only project money Indiana applied for was $71.4 million to relieve congestion on freight and Amtrak lines north of the airport, which would serve as a key link for a Chicago-to-Detroit high-speed rail line. Read more at: http://nwitimes.com/business/local/article_16f1e30f-ea31-566b-af93-58670e538eec.html
August 27, 200915 yr Author Good, that leaves $6.55 billion for Ohio! :-P Seriously though, and while I'm glad Indiana is submitting "something" for actual construction, what environmental documentation have they completed to even be eligible for federal construction funds?? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 27, 200915 yr real deal hybrid busses get a tryout: 08/27/2009 01:10 PM MTA Rolls Out First Hybrid-Powered Bus By: NY1 News A new turbine-powered bus is rolling through the streets of Manhattan as part of a test run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It's the first of eight hybrid-electric vehicles that the agency is trying out over a 90-day period. Beginning this fall, seven more will take to the city streets. video clip: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/104806/mta-rolls-out-first-hybrid-powered-bus/Default.aspx
August 28, 200915 yr Author BTW, I'm amazed California asked for only $1.1 billion in federal stimulus funds for passenger rail! I suspect they'll ask for more in Track 2 on Oct. 2. But I'm still encouraged by their relatively small amount. Did Wisconsin make a Track 1 request for the Milwaukee-Madison extension of the Hiawatha service? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 28, 200915 yr real deal hybrid busses get a tryout: 08/27/2009 01:10 PM MTA Rolls Out First Hybrid-Powered Bus By: NY1 News A new turbine-powered bus is rolling through the streets of Manhattan as part of a test run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. [ ... ] Unlike other hybrid buses, the model runs on batteries and uses its diesel turbine engine only to charge the batteries. [ ... ] I yearn for the day when media will hire people with a glimmer of technical comprehension to report on technical subjects. A diesel engine, by definition, is a reciprocating piston engine. A turbine is a strictly rotary machine without reciprocating parts. It consists of a vaned wheel or series of wheels that react to a stream of high-pressure water (as in hydropower), combustion gases (as in a jet engine), or superheated steam (as in fossil fuel-fired or nuclear power plants). The buses may use gas turbines that burn diesel fuel, but "diesel turbine" makes about as much sense as referring to electric trains as "chugging," or sticking some oak and brass and an open balcony on a diesel bus and calling it a trolley.
August 28, 200915 yr Author You ask way too much! Having worked in the media, I'm amazed the writer of the above article even attempted trying to explain the engine. Besides, I suspect the average reader wouldn't have noticed the problem you pointed out. I, for one, have no idea what you said about engines or what the issue is! Don't bother trying to explain it further to me, either. :) "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 28, 200915 yr Author An environmental group actually thought HSR would cause urban sprawl?? I didn't know the Southwestern Ohio Green Party had a chapter in California.... http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/eis-inadequate-for-california-hsr-judge-rules.html EIS inadequate for California HSR, judge rules Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s environmental impact statement for the Bay Area portion of its proposed 800-mile, $44 billion high speed rail system is inadequate, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled Wednesday. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 28, 200915 yr kc streetcar news T&I advances streetcar proposal August 27th, 2009 | Category: Bus/BRT, Funding The city council's Transportation & Infrastructure committee just advanced an ordinance supporting a regional stimulus funds application that includes $6 million to advance the downtown streetcar project. The original proposal indicated that stimulus funds might pay for the entire capital cost, but in the end MARC built consensus around an all-inclusive (or "watered-down", some would say) application. Read more at link above:
August 28, 200915 yr i was wondering whats up lately and while not as up to date as the blogosphere this is what i found on the pa website regarding the wtc calatrava transportation hub: WTC Transportation Hub Construction Status The World Trade Center Transportation Hub will restore and greatly enhance the level of services that existed prior to September 11, 2001. Comparable in size to Grand Central Station(!), the new hub will serve more than 200,000 daily commuters, along with millions of annual visitors to the World Trade Center and Memorial. The Hub will feature advanced signal systems, state-of-the-art fare collection equipment, and climate-controlled platforms and mezzanines with superior lighting and finishes. read more at: http://www.panynj.gov/wtcprogress/transportation_hub.html
August 28, 200915 yr real deal hybrid busses get a tryout: 08/27/2009 01:10 PM MTA Rolls Out First Hybrid-Powered Bus By: NY1 News A new turbine-powered bus is rolling through the streets of Manhattan as part of a test run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. [ ... ] Unlike other hybrid buses, the model runs on batteries and uses its diesel turbine engine only to charge the batteries. [ ... ] I yearn for the day when media will hire people with a glimmer of technical comprehension to report on technical subjects. A diesel engine, by definition, is a reciprocating piston engine. A turbine is a strictly rotary machine without reciprocating parts. It consists of a vaned wheel or series of wheels that react to a stream of high-pressure water (as in hydropower), combustion gases (as in a jet engine), or superheated steam (as in fossil fuel-fired or nuclear power plants). The buses may use gas turbines that burn diesel fuel, but "diesel turbine" makes about as much sense as referring to electric trains as "chugging," or sticking some oak and brass and an open balcony on a diesel bus and calling it a trolley. rob, the times they are a-changin! :wink: umm, i think? August 27, 2009, 1:08 pm M.T.A. Tests Sleeker Bus With Turbine Engine By Sewell Chan DesignLine busM.T.A. New York City Transit The turbine-powered, low-floor, hybrid electric DesignLine bus will be tested on crosstown bus routes, including the M42. On certain crosstown bus routes — in particular, the M42 — the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is testing a new bus model that its top bus official calls “revolutionary.” The low-floor, hybrid electric DesignLine bus runs on a diesel turbine engine, instead of the diesel piston engine that powers the vast majority of New York City Transit’s 4,600 buses. The turbine produces alternating current, which charges the battery that powers the motor that drives the wheels. Like other hybrid electric models used by the authority, the new DesignLine bus has regenerative braking, meaning that the batteries are recharged each time the driver applies the brake. The buses have a capacity of 35 or 37 seats, depending on the configuration, with standing room for 30. “The bus is revolutionary,” said Joseph J. Smith, senior vice president for the Department of Buses at New York City Transit. “It has no starter, no transmission, no water pump and no engine radiator, which should help us significantly reduce our maintenance costs.” He said the DesignLine was the only bus in the authority’s fleet that met the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2010 emissions standards without the need for exhaust after-treatment. New York City Transit added in a statement: Other features include an efficient and long-lasting interior LED lighting system, a contactless sensor system for air-assist rear exit doors, a flip-out ramp for wheelchairs by the front entrance and disc brakes at all wheels. These buses are anticipated to have significantly reduced maintenance costs, and include a 12-year warranty on the turbine engine and lithium-ion battery pack, which eliminates the need for midlife replacement. They also do not require oil changes. Customers will benefit from the low-noise characteristics of the bus, which is much quieter that a standard diesel bus. For now, though, the DesignLine is only the second phase of an experiment. The bus is one of eight, manufactured by DesignLine International in Charlotte, N.C., that have been ordered for a 90-day evaluation. A similar bus, 35 feet long, was tested in Manhattan and Queens for 30 days in the fall of 2007. The current test involves more buses, built to the authority’s specifications. If the test is successful, the authority plans to order 30 of the buses, with an option to buy 60 more. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/mta-tests-sleeker-bus-with-turbine-engine/ http://www.designlineinternational.com/
August 28, 200915 yr LOL Environmentalists taking arms against high-speed proposal for its environmental ills? Judge's order may delay high-speed rail By David Goll, Sacramento Business Journal, August 24, 2009 A Sacramento County Superior Court judge said Wednesday that portions of an environmental review of high-speed rail service will have to be rewritten, which might lead to delays in the project and loss of billions of dollars in state and federal funds.
August 28, 200915 yr Author Ahem, see the previous page, specifically this posting: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,6079.msg422388.html#msg422388 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 28, 200915 yr I don't read every page in a given thread, given that this is 68 pages in length, but I did a query for the title of the article which produced nothing. They are from different sources.
August 28, 200915 yr rob, the times they are a-changin! :wink: umm, i think? It goes from bad to worse. Let me explain. The diesel engine is named after its inventor, and the term describes a reciprocating piston engine in which the pistons compress the air in the cylinders so much that it is hot enough to ignite fuel without the use of spark plugs or other ignition devices. Injectors spray a fine mist of fuel directly into the superheated air inside the combustion chambers at the proper time to produce power. A turbine doesn't have pistons or cylinders, essential components of a diesel engine. Further, you cannot charge a battery with alternating current. Try it, and you'll destroy the battery or the charging power source or both. A battery puts out direct current, and accepts only direct current for charging. Alternating current has advantages in modern electronically-controlled propulsion systems, and is increasingly common in electric railway equipment. Perhaps the turbine drives a direct-current generator to charge the batteries, and components of the propulsion control system convert the direct current from the batteries to alternating current to run the drive motors. </ :yap: > I give up.
August 29, 200915 yr Salt Lake joins capital's bid for streetcar cash The Salt Lake Tribune Updated: 08/27/2009 04:32:30 PM MDT South Salt Lake has agreed to pony up $2.5 million if the federal government pitches in $35 million to build the Sugar House streetcar. http://www.sltrib.com/circare/html/sca_template.jsp?query=streetcar&view=entiresitesppublished&Submit=Search&runSearch=true
August 29, 200915 yr rob, the times they are a-changin! :wink: umm, i think? It goes from bad to worse. Let me explain. The diesel engine is named after its inventor, and the term describes a reciprocating piston engine in which the pistons compress the air in the cylinders so much that it is hot enough to ignite fuel without the use of spark plugs or other ignition devices. Injectors spray a fine mist of fuel directly into the superheated air inside the combustion chambers at the proper time to produce power. A turbine doesn't have pistons or cylinders, essential components of a diesel engine. Further, you cannot charge a battery with alternating current. Try it, and you'll destroy the battery or the charging power source or both. A battery puts out direct current, and accepts only direct current for charging. Alternating current has advantages in modern electronically-controlled propulsion systems, and is increasingly common in electric railway equipment. Perhaps the turbine drives a direct-current generator to charge the batteries, and components of the propulsion control system convert the direct current from the batteries to alternating current to run the drive motors. </ :yap: > I give up. lol! sorry rob i apprecite the explanations a lot and i'm trying to understand, but thats harder than my japanese classes! :-o maybe they really mean they are just using diesel fuel? no idea. i dk if you looked at the link, but if you would could you take one last look at the designline specs here and comment? might help clarify, might not -- seems a bit purposely vague and proprietary, but again if you would thanks! ECO Saver IV™ Hybrid Electric Bus POWER STORAGE Lithium Ion batteries. MAIN INVERTERS 2 SemiKron advanced integration modules, 250 kW each. MOTORS 2 Bosch Rexroth Idramat 3-phase AC induction motors, 120 kW each, 250 kW total, equals 335 hp. DRIVE SYSTEM Auxiliary power unit Capstone MicroTurbine in 30 kW standard utilizing low sulfur diesel, CNG, LNG or LPG. Optional 45 kW 4-cylinder diesel GenSet. http://www.designlineinternational.com/files/704452/ECOSAVERIVsheet%20FINAL.pdf
August 29, 200915 yr OK. That clarifies it, and it's just about exactly as I had speculated. The micro turbine burns diesel fuel and drives a generator that puts out the direct-current equivalent of about 40 horsepower to charge the batteries. The inverters take direct current from the batteries and put out alternating current for the drive system. The inverter capacity is twice the demand of the drive system, providing redundancy and avoiding overheating. (Direct current is like the power from the battery in your car, where one terminal is always positive and the other is always negative. Alternating current is like the power in your house, where the terminals reverse their polarity sixty times per second. That's what causes some things, like fluorescent lights, to buzz.) The final drive motors use alternating current for greater efficiency through more precise electronic control systems. The 335 horsepower total output provides for vigorous performance even when heavily loaded in traffic. Although the generator output is only about 40 horsepower, it's likely more than adequate; a bus cruising at steady speed doesn't require much power, and when decelerating, it uses none. During the low-demand part of the operating cycle the generator builds up a charge that will adequately supply the higher requirements of acceleration. Pretty neat; these things should be able to deliver the knock-standees-on-their-asses acceleration of trolley buses and be nearly as quiet in operation, without requiring the investment in catenary and support structure. That acceleration is a plus when operating with heavy loads and frequent stops in traffic. I'm happy now. :-)
August 31, 200915 yr Author http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/california-hsr-not-imperiled-by-court-ruling-backers-say.html California HSR not imperiled by court ruling, backers say August 31, 2009 Contrary to assertions made by opponents of high speed rail, the 800-mile, $44 billion HSR proposal for California is not imperiled, says Mehdi Morshed, executive director of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. read more at link above: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 200915 yr Author See map at: http://www.metrocouncil.org/transportation/ccorridor/CCimages/ccmap.pdf http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/st.-paul-commits-5.2-million-to-add-light-rail-station.html St. Paul commits $5.2 million to add light rail station August 31, 2009 Original plans for the proposed Central Corridor light rail project had no allowances for stops at Hamline, Western, or Victoria avenues along University Avenue in St. Paul, but the city itself appears willing to fund a stop for at least one of those locations, anticipating the cost to be $5.2 million for the addition. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 200915 yr Author But, wait, there's more.... For an interactive map, see: http://trimet.org/schedules/maps/railsystem.htm http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/max-yellow-line-moves-to-portland-mall.html MAX Yellow Line moves to Portland Mall Friday, August 28, 2009 Beginning August 30, MAX Yellow Line trains in downtown Portland, Ore., will move to the new tracks on 5th and 6th avenues along the Portland Transit Mall. Also on August 30, MAX Green Line trains will begin two weeks of test runs on the Mall and along I-205 before opening for service on Saturday, September 12. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 200915 yr Note the highlighted paragraph. This could have a significant and positive impact on passenger rail efforts in Ohio, as improving the route and expanding service between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh has an impact on our Cleveland-Pittsburgh and (future) Columbus-Pittsburgh corridors. Read full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=21331 Kansas, Pennsylvania seek ARRA funds Count Kansas and Pennsylvania among the many states that applied for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds last week. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) submitted applications for $28.2 million in ARRA dollars to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to advance high-speed rail projects. The proceeds will help fund preliminary engineering work for four projects associated with the Keystone Corridor East between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The work calls for upgrading track, signals and catenary, removing grade crossings and adding a third express track between Atglen and Paoli.
August 31, 200915 yr Author This would be the second feasibility study PennDOT has sought for Harrisburg-Pittsburgh since 2005. PennDOT gave something like $200,000 to Norfolk Southern to conduct a feasibility study of operating several daily round trips on this corridor. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 1, 200915 yr Check out Saco, Maine's "green" train station. Could easily be replicated here in Ohio as a small city / suburban style station.
September 1, 200915 yr Author Do doo that choo-choo that you do so well. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 1, 200915 yr Author http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/austin-texas-eyes-expansion-of-passenger-rail.html Austin, Texas, eyes expansion of passenger rail Monday, August 31, 2009 The future of downtown rail - for right or wrong, better or worse, for whatever it turns out to be - is now firmly in the City of Austin's hands, writes Ben Wear in the Austin Statesman. Capital Metro, carrier of the passenger rail flag around here for more than 20 years, will still open its MetroRail commuter line (sometime soon). And conceivably the agency could be hired to operate a rail line built by the city. But Capital Metro, nearly out of money and tarnished by its halting MetroRail performance so far, won't be the prime mover. Full story at link above: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 1, 200915 yr Author http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/fort-lauderdale-eyes-stimulus-money-for-lrt.html Fort Lauderdale eyes stimulus money for LRT Sept. 1, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, Fla., officials, racing to comply with a September 15 deadline set by the U.S. Department of Transportation, are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a motion to seek federal stimulus funding for the city’s $124.3 million, 2.7-mile light rail project. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 1, 200915 yr Author More more more, how do you like it.... http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/northstar-commuter-rail-line-to-debut-nov.-16.html Northstar Commuter Rail service to debut Nov. 16 Sept. 1, 2009 The Northstar Commuter Rail line will begin revenue service Monday, Nov. 16, with five inbound trips each weekday linking Big Lake, Minn., with downtown Minneapolis, and five outbound trips from downtown Minneapolis each evening. Interim stops include Fridley, Coon Rapids, Anoka, and Elk River. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 2, 200915 yr commuter rail. banned in ohio since 1977. :| *** a new entrance at penn 08/31/2009 09:00 PM Penn Station Opens Entrance For NJ Transit By: NY1 News A new entrance is now open at Pennsylvania Station to ease foot traffic for commuters. The New Jersey Transit entrance at 31st Street and 7th Avenue in Midtown features escalators, an elevator, and stairs. Riders previously shared the Amtrak entrance. "It allows people coming into the city from New Jersey for work or to go to play better access, as well as people from New York going to the Giants or Jets games or work or other events to get to New Jersey easier," said Executive Director Richard Sarles of NJ Transit. "I'm delighted not to have to walk through Penn Station to get out of NJ Transit," said a commuter. "It definitely saves me at least a few minutes," said another. The new entrance cost more than $19 million and took two years to build. video: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/105016/penn-station-opens-entrance-for-nj-transit/Default.aspx
September 11, 200915 yr Author Great to hear this! This is a freight railroad taking a very pro-passenger rail view (not to mention NS's support for electrifying its routes for passenger trains): http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/ns-shared-freight-passenger-route-costs-virginia-less.html NS: Shared freight/passenger route costs Virginia less September 11, 2009 Norfolk Southern Corp., reflecting the growing interest by Class I railroads to cooperate with passenger rail interests to the benefit of both parties, says it would cost just $75 million to upgrade right-of-way between Virginia cities Petersburg and Norfolk. Read more at link above: "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 17, 200915 yr Denver Nearly Doubles Public Transit Ridership--Despite Light Rail Expansion Delays By Warren Karlenzig on October 12, 2009 4:28 PM The boldest move by a US city to remake its transportation system occurred five years ago, when Denver metro area voters in 31 communities committed $4.7 billion in sales tax funding for its FasTracks initiative. It turns out not one of the 119 miles of promised light rail have been built yet because of material and land acquisition cost increases, a poor economy and other complications. Through city-wide strategies for making public transit, walkability and bikeability the modes for addressing freeway and city arterial congestion, however, Denver has so-far succeeded despite the snafus. http://www.commoncurrent.com/notes/2009/10/denver-nearly-doubles-public-t.html
October 17, 200915 yr Author We need to reactivate the "What other states are doing with rail, transit" thread. Unfortunately this weekend is out for me to work on it. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 23, 200915 yr South Shore temporarily busing passengers between South Bend and Michigan City: http://www.nictd.com/TempPDF/TemporaryBusingSBendtoMichiganCity.pdf The South Shore plans to temporarily bus ALL passengers between South Bend and Michigan City (including Hudson Lake) from October 19 through October 30, and on Monday, November 2. Cardinal Bus will meet scheduled trains operating between South Bend, Hudson Lake and Michigan City (not busing Trains 422, 424 and 716). There is no additional fare for this substitute bus service. In South Bend, passengers will board the bus north of the train platform. All passengers riding westbound trains originating in South Bend may experience delays of 10-15 minutes reaching their final destination. The South Shore is replacing bridges over County Roads 200E and 300E, and Galena River in eastern LaPorte County; filling and removing a bridge over the former Pere Marquette railroad near State Road 39. These projects require the temporary closure of the railroad between South Bend and Michigan City. NICTD regrets any inconvenience caused by busing. Service suspended between Gary Metro Center and South Bend October 31 - November 2 Trains will not run between Gary Metro Center and South Bend October 31 - November 2, to allow contractors uninterrupted access to the line for catenary replacement. Most of that portion of the line is single-tracked, and must be shut down completely to provide that access. Substitute bus service will not be provided. October 31 = November 2 is the last of five planned weekend outages for catenary replacement in 2009. Plans call for six weekend outages between Gary and South Bend in 2010, and between South Bend and Dune Park there will be ten weekend outages in 2011. The old variable-tension catenary system is being replaced with state-of-the-art constant-tension catenary that uses counterweights and movable supports to allow for expansion and contraction of the overhead wire structures due to temperature changes. Personal observation re: ride quality I hope that track work doesn't wait until all the catenary work is done. I rode round trip between Michigan City and Chicago earlier this week, and the ride was as rough as I remember ever experiencing it on the South Shore.
October 25, 200915 yr Author Cleaned backwards from page 63 to 27, so far.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 28, 200915 yr Washington, DC to build streetcar network (yeah, "network" -- not "line"). I would love to see some vision like this in Cincinnati. pretty maps: http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/frames.asp?doc=/ddot/lib/ddot/masstransit/streetcar/maps/map_futurealignments.pdf nice write-up by the Greater Greater Washington blog: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=3862 DDOT unveils vision for eight streetcar lines DC could one day have eight streetcar lines, spanning all eight wards from Takoma to St. Elizabeth's, Woodley Park to Benning Road, under a long-term vision unveiled last night. edit: also: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=3890 What we already know: * DDOT is planning 37 miles of service, in 8 lines. * 7-10 years to construct the system. * Three phases of planning and construction. * Estimated cost: $1.5 billion (compared to $5.1 billion for the Silver line). * They're looking at something like the hybrid solution for the overhead wire issue
October 28, 200915 yr ^ Nice. With a network of streetcar lines combined with heavy-rail Metro service, Washington's mass transit system will become almost exactly what I'm proposing for Cincinnati in my thesis project.
October 28, 200915 yr It must be nice to have tax dollars at the ready all the time to do these things.
October 28, 200915 yr Money isn't the problem. The problem is that we spend it all invading third-world countries when we should be renewing our own infrastructure.
October 29, 200915 yr Project Update 10/29/2009 L.A. MTA to open Gold Line extension next month On Nov. 15, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) plans to open the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line eastside extension from downtown’s Union Station to east L.A., bringing the more than five-year project to a close. more at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=21845
October 29, 200915 yr I was referring to the fact that cities like DC always have plenty of funds to do whatever they want to do in the district while other cities beg for the scraps to build their infrastructure.
October 29, 200915 yr I was referring to the fact that cities like DC always have plenty of funds to do whatever they want to do in the district while other cities beg for the scraps to build their infrastructure. Do you have proof to back up that statement?
October 29, 200915 yr I was referring to the fact that cities like DC always have plenty of funds to do whatever they want to do in the district while other cities beg for the scraps to build their infrastructure. Not sure what you mean by "cities like DC", but when I moved from Atlanta to DC in the late 70's, I was amazed how few federal dollars when to DC Metro compared to Atlanta's MARTA.
October 29, 200915 yr I was referring to the fact that cities like DC always have plenty of funds to do whatever they want to do in the district while other cities beg for the scraps to build their infrastructure. Not sure what you mean by "cities like DC", but when I moved from Atlanta to DC in the late 70's, I was amazed how few federal dollars when to DC Metro compared to Atlanta's MARTA. Well that was olympic money and we know now how that played out.
November 2, 200915 yr Author I was referring to the fact that cities like DC always have plenty of funds to do whatever they want to do in the district while other cities beg for the scraps to build their infrastructure. You mean like having the money to upgrade their rail fleets with more structurally substantial rolling stock (ie: Metro's newer trains) so that they survive collisions when their outdated signal system (that has been proposed for replacement but for lack of funds) fails to stop trains when engineers ignore signals? Not sure what you mean by "cities like DC", but when I moved from Atlanta to DC in the late 70's, I was amazed how few federal dollars when to DC Metro compared to Atlanta's MARTA. If I remember correctly, better than half of the cost of building the D.C. Metro rail system was funded by the feds. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 2, 200915 yr ^My understanding is that Metro was built under the authority of a distinct Act of Congress, which leads me to believe that at least the first 89.5 miles of it was fully funded by the feds. Washington did not have an elected city government until 1973, so it wouldn't be surprising if it was fully funded by the federal government at the time. Here's the relevant text from Wikipedia: "Metro construction required billions of federal dollars, originally provided by Congress under the authority of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-143). This act was amended on January 3, 1980 by Public Law 96-184, "The National Capital Transportation Amendment of 1979" (also known as the Stark-Harris Act), which authorized additional funding of $1.7 billion to permit the completion of 89.5 miles (144.0 km) of the system as provided under the terms of a full funding grant agreement executed with WMATA in July 1986. On November 15, 1990, Public Law 101-551, "The National Capital Transportation Amendments of 1990", authorized an additional $1.3 billion in federal funds for construction of the remaining 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of the 103-mile (166 km) system, completed via the execution of full funding grant agreements."
November 3, 200915 yr Author You may find of interest my pictures of Buffalo's Central Terminal, plus some other rail scenes in Buffalo. The photos were shot on Halloween 2009. See them at: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,21124.msg438082.html#msg438082 Here's a couple of teaser photos..... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 4, 200915 yr Voters in Maine strongly passed (65%) a statewide transportation bond issue that includes...according to a Portland newspaper: Rail investments: $4 million, with a private match of $3 million. Some money would go to a statewide study required for future federal passenger and freight rail funding, and to a program to encourage public-private partnerships. The rest would be used for matching grants to business for freight rail infrastructure upgrades, and for upgrades to state-owned rail lines. More at: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=293956&ac=PHnws
November 5, 200915 yr Author BART seeks public comment on extension to Livermore Wednesday, November 04, 2009 On November 5, BART will release its Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for an extension between the Dublin/Pleasanton Station and the City of Livermore, Calif. The goal of extending BART to Livermore is to increase mobility to, from and through the Tri-Valley region. As added benefits, a new station in Livermore would reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions; improve community livability and reduce congestion on the I-580 corridor. The DPEIR evaluates alignment options, environmental impacts and mitigation measures for extending BART to Livermore. BART is seeking public comment on the Livermore extension and its proposed alignments. The alignment alternatives under consideration are: READ MORE AT: http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/bart-seeks-public-comment-on-extension-to-livermore.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 5, 200915 yr "Pokey" Award for Slowest Bus Presented, Plus Prizes for Other Lines This morning the NYC Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives held their big awards show for the worst exemplars of poor bus service. The "top" prize is called the Pokey award; it's a golden snail on a pedestal, and it went to the poor sad crosstown M42, which had the slowest bus speed at 3.7 miles per hour, as clocked at 12 noon on a weekday. According to the award presenters, the M42 would lose a race with a five-year-old riding a motorized tricycle with a speed of 5 mph (as advertised by X-Treme Scooters). But the M42 wasn't the only bus to crawl away with a prize! I love the photo in the article. This is the type of transit activism Cincinnati needs: robust public advocacy combined with creative street theater.
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