Cong. Ryan is currently pushing for an earmark to begin the environmental impact analysis of the Cleveland-Pittsburgh corridor.  Interesting to note that he has found a Pennsylvania ally in Congress.

Evergrey, Why would you edit anything out of someone's column? If that's what he wrote, then you include it!

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature6-7-22

 

July 21, 2008

 

New Hampshire working to promote Concord-Boston passenger rail

 

Three key figures met in Concord, N.H., and walked away committed to bringing a passenger rail service along the Capital Corridor, according to local newspapers.

 Governor John Lynch, state Department of Transportation Commissioner George Campbell and Sen. Peter Burling, D-Cornish, the chairman of the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority, met July 17 to talk about the authority's efforts to establish rail service from Boston to Concord.



 

More at link above:

actually there are two. the generally silly one i quoted above and the much worse one where he apparently badmouthed cleveland to amtrak officials ("a terrible option" & who knows what else he said?). very, very not cool. otherwise, i think the message came through so i wouldn't bother cutting him out. especially when you consider the 5 of us who read this thread!  :laugh:

 

 

 

He meant that leaving Pittsburgh at midnight to arrive in Cleveland at 2AM is ridiculous.

Evergrey, Why would you edit anything out of someone's column? If that's what he wrote, then you include it!

 

Well, I obviously didn't edit it out, KJP.  I was just concerned that that inflammatory comment would be the only thing people on here would focus on, rather than the real message that there should be much better rail service for the Pittsburgh-Cleveland corridor.

We're all adults here. We can handle it.

With gas prices up, so is ridership for Downeaster

Officials hope to expand capacity and extend the rail to Brunswick after a 28 percent rise in riders.

By DAVID SHARP, The Associated Press

July 22, 2008

 

Rising gas prices played a role in a 28 percent gain in ridership for Amtrak's Downeaster in the latest fiscal year, and operators of the Portland-to-Boston service are looking at options to accommodate future growth, officials said Monday.

 

The ridership gain was the biggest for any Amtrak line in the period ending June 30. Revenue for the month of June set an all-time record of more than $590,000, said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.

 

More at:

 

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=200794&ac=PHnws

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature3-7-24

 

July 23, 2008

Salt Lake City adds streetcar line to transit mix

 

Add Salt Lake City to the growing list of western U.S. cities committing to streetcar lines. The Utah capital's city council voted 5-0 Tuesday to proceed with plans to establish a two-mile streetcar route, dubbed the Sugar House Transit Corridor. The route would provide stops every two blocks along 2300 South, Utah Transit Authority's Central Pointe TRAX light rail station with Granite Block, near Sugar House Park.

 

UTA, Salt Lake City, and South Salt Lake will fund the project, estimated to cost $9.8 million to construct. Included within the project is parallel right-of-way for a pedestrian and bicycle path. UTA projects daily ridership of 2,264, marginally higher than a light rail alternative and significantly higher than a bus rapid transit (BRT) option.

Lots of stuff happening......

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature6-7-25

 

July 25, 2008

LA MTA approves sales tax increase for transit

 

Los Angeles' Metropolitan Transportation Authority board Thursday approved a half-cent sales tax increase that could raise between $30 billion and $40 billion for transit and highway projects. The measure goes to the ballot for voter consideration Nov. 4, pending authorization by the California state legislature.

 

MTA officials believe the measure could raise $30 billion to $40 billion over a 30-year period. Roughly 65% of the revenue would be used to expand the county's bus and rail systems; 35% would be earmarked for highways, streets, bikeways, and sidewalks.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

July 25, 2008

Milwaukie next stop for Portland Tri-Met system

 

After more than a decade of debate, Portland, Ore.'s Tri-Met light rail system will be extended southeast to suburban Milwaukie, following approval given Thursday by the Portland Metro Council, the elected regional government body overseeing Oregon's largest metropolitan area.

 

The $1.4 billion project, targeted to open in 2015, would put more than 22,000 households and almost 89,000 workers within walking distance of a rail station, according to estimates by Portland's Metro Council, which approved the plan Thursday. It also incorporates a new bridge over the Willamette River, connecting the Oregon Health & Science University with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry; each facility plans to expand its campus beside the rail stations.

 

Most Milwaukie-area elected officials also approve of the plan, a reversal from a decade ago when Milwaukie voters rejected efforts to extend light rail to the city, even recalling the mayor and two council members over their rail stance, among other concerns.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

July 25, 2008

Puget Sound to vote on LRT package

 

A 15-year, $17.8 billion plan backed by Sound Transit will be on the ballot in November for Seattle-area voters to consider. The regional plan, debated among Sound Transit's participating counties for several months, would among other items extend light rail north along Interstate 5 to the Lynnwood Transit Center in Snohomish County, and south to South 272nd Street in the Federal Way area of King County, by 2023. An extension to the Overlake Transit Center in Redmond, Wash., is also envisioned.

 

Also planned is an increase in existing Sounder heavy rail train service to Pierce County and the lengthening of existing platforms to accommodate longer trains. A streetcar would link light rail in downtown Seattle to another segment planned under Capitol Hill to the University of Washington.

 

A 0.5% increase in the sales tax would finance much of the plan, though the cost estimate does not include longer-term financing costs such as repayment of 30-year bonds sold to finance the work.

 

Critics of the proposal note that Sound Transit has yet to open its initial light rail line, slated to begin operation in 2009, and should prove its fiscal capabilities first with such operations before trying to expand.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

July 25, 2008

Canada commits $697 million to Toronto subway extension

 

Groundbreaking for Toronto's $2 billion, 5.3-mile Spadina subway extension is expected to occur late this summer, following the federal government's pledge of $697 million for the project, anticipated for nearly two years.

 

"We're closer to the finish line than we were before," federal Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said, noting final approval of the package should occur "relatively quickly."

 

The extension would add six stops, including York University. The Toronto Transit Commission hopes the line will commence revenue operation in 2015.

 

The funding is separate from $9.3 billion pledged by federal sources and Ontario's provincial government for transit improvements sought by the TTC, GO Transit, and other provincial transit agencies.

And you thought Ohio's legislators held a monopoly on idiocy??

______________

 

Train of Thought

 

By Bill Deaver

 

Clueless in the Capitol

 

Years ago my late brother Mike, whose career required a lot of traveling, remarked in frustration that "Traveling East and West in this country is easy — just try going North and South!"

 

What he said was right then and it's right now.

 

Proposition One on the November ballot could go a long way to change that situation in California.

 

The measure would finally begin serious work on bringing to our supposedly high-tech state the sort of high-speed rail passenger service that has become commonplace in the rest of the developed world.

 

My wife and I have enjoyed these clean, fast, and frequent trains in the United Kingdom, Europe, and between Washington, D.C., and Boston.

 

But that measure is in trouble because of a handful of vision-deprived state legislators, including our own state senator, Roy Ashburn.

 

These people, who can always find time to take lobbyist-paid trips to Hawaii, apparently have never ridden modern passenger trains.

 

Ashburn, who has spent his life at the public trough, complains that the High-Speed Rail Authority has "squandered $58 million so far and has nothing to show for it."

 

That is patently untrue. If he and his staff had paid any attention to this issue over the years (as we have) they would know that the authority has been working its butt off to do all the environmental and other studies necessary in this bureaucratic day and age to bring the issue to this point.

 

East Kern and the Antelope Valley, along with the San Joaquin Valley, much of it in Ashburn's district, would be major beneficiaries of a modern high-speed rail system.

 

The line would run through East Kern and the Antelope Valley, providing a fast, all-weather connection to the rest of the state.

 

Second, the never-ending problem of airlines coming and going in places like Bakersfield, Palmdale, and Lancaster would end. In Europe and the UK, high-speed trains are beating airlines on trips of up to 300 miles. That's why airlines are trying to get rid of these money-losing routes.

 

Third, trains are all-weather. Try flying or driving up the San Joaquin Valley in winter! The trains have proven themselves in tough European and UK weather.

 

Fourth, they will be powered by electricity, which can be generated much more efficiently and cleanly than by on-board diesel engines.

 

My brother learned all this by taking the train on his many trips between New York and Washington, forswearing the more expensive airlines and going from city center to city center rather to and from airports located out in the boondocks.

 

Ashburn and his Republican buddies want more freeways and airplanes to haul us around this booming state. But building more freeways costs more than building the rail system, and will leave us just as dependant on expensive foreign oil.

 

As the Fresno Bee notes, depending on more freeways is "Nuts."

 

We agree. It's time for transportation in California — and Republicans in the state legislature — to move into the 21st Century.

 

No wonder these guys can't win elections...

 

#####

 

Bill Deaver

Editor/Publisher

Mojave Desert News

661.824.8417

Passage of light-rail proposal met with awe

Posted to: General Assembly News

 

By Julian Walker

Richard Quinn

The Virginian-Pilot

© July 29, 2008

 

You might call it "the little bill that could."

 

A proposal to study an extension of Norfolk's light rail line to near the Oceanfront somewhat unexpectedly passed the General Assembly during a largely fruitless transportation special session that ended earlier this month.

 

And it gained more steam in recent days when Gov. Timothy M. Kaine signed it into law.

 

"Miracle of miracles," the bill's sponsor, Del. Bob Tata, R-Virginia Beach, said with a laugh. "I'm tickled pink."

 

Within 90 days of taking effect in November, the bill directs state and regional transportation officials to begin a study of the project. Money for that has not been identified, nor have project costs been determined. There is $15 million available from the state to help buy the right of way needed for the line.

 

So while the bill is only a first step in the process of stretching a light rail line into Virginia Beach, it is an important one in a city whose voters and politicians rejected light rail less than a decade ago.

 

Mayor Meyera Oberndorf called Kaine's endorsement a "pleasant surprise." "It looks like he is making a commitment to this region," she said.

 

Councilman John Uhrin, who represents the city's resort area, said a study will go a long way to answering the unknowns about light rail, including the cost, the route and whether rail is the best form of mass transit.

 

"The time is right for the city and the state to take another look at what the pros and cons are of that corridor," Uhrin said.

 

Hampton Roads Transit Vice President James Toscano said the bill helps advance "the needed discussion in Hampton Roads about the value of light rail, and potentially its expansion."

 

The Virginia Beach extension is envisioned as a 10-mile stretch from Newtown Road at the Norfolk border to the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

 

It would connect to The Tide, Norfolk's $232 million rail project that will run 7.4 miles from Eastern Virginia Medical Center to Newtown Road after its planned 2010 opening.

 

Securing federal money for mass transit can be challenging, but tying into The Tide may help the cause, said Robert Matthias, an assistant to Virginia Beach's city manager.

 

"The good news is it's easier to get federal funding for extension of an existing line," he said. "The bad news is it's a lot of money... and the cookie jar is fairly empty."

 

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, [email protected]

 

Richard Quinn, (757) 222-5119, [email protected]

 

http://www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/07/31/news/top_news/doc288c7dda036904f3862574970003fb5a.txt

 

Feds write off South Shore extension

BY KEITH BENMAN

[email protected]

219.933.3326 | Thursday, July 31, 2008 | 54 comment(s)

 

The federal Surface Transportation Board will not help the South Shore commuter rail line secure right of way from Canadian National for a Munster to Valparaiso extension.

 

A draft environmental impact statement issued by the federal agency last week found the West Lake Corridor extension plan is not "a reasonably foreseeable future action."

 

The statement assessed the effects of Canadian National railroad's proposed purchase of the EJ&E Railway. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District officials had hoped to use the federal proceeding as leverage in their negotiations with Canadian National.

 

"It would have been helpful if they had assessed it in the mix," NICTD General Manager Gerald Hanas said Wednesday. "These rail corridors are becoming extremely important and capacity is at a premium."

 

NICTD is conducting a feasibility study of the proposed extension, which would add 51 miles of track for extensions to Valparaiso and Lowell.

 

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., said this week the federal agency's assessment could not be further from the truth.

 

"By failing to acknowledge the potential of the South Shore Line expansion, the STB has shown how out of touch it is with the reality on the ground, and paved the way for CN to continue its callous behavior and further inconvenience the people of Northwest Indiana," Visclosky said.

 

The draft environmental impact statement pointed out NICTD has not committed to building the proposed extension. Also, no funding sources have been identified for further planning or implementation, according to the draft statement.

 

The Surface Transportation Board reached the opposite conclusion on Metra's STAR line, which it labeled a "reasonably foreseeable future action." The STAR Line would encircle Chicago, running on existing EJ&E tracks or rights of way from Hoffman Estates to Joliet.

 

The draft environmental impact statement said Metra envisions the project progressing toward a full federal funding agreement once an alternatives analysis is submitted later this year.

 

There also are plans for a STAR Line East segment that would terminate in Lynwood. That also would use EJ&E tracks or rights of way.

 

Hanas disagreed that the STAR line is further ahead in the competitive process for federal funds, pointing out that NICTD is in the midst of its own alternatives analysis.

 

NICTD continues to negotiate with Canadian National for building South Shore tracks on Canadian National right of way between Munster and Valparaiso, Hanas said. Canadian National previously had rejected sharing tracks with the South Shore.

 

"I think the environmental impact process has forced Canadian National to give us consideration for negotiating right of way," Hanas said.

 

For the STAR line, the draft environmental impact statement concluded that it would be possible for STAR Line and Canadian National trains to share EJ&E tracks with the construction of sidings and improvements.

wow this is inspiring. kansas city united and out supporting even more all new light rail:

 

 

Light rail extension unites council, East Side

By JEFFREY SPIVAK

The Kansas City Star

 

It was a veritable love fest for light rail on the East Side.

 

A collection of Kansas City African-American leaders — almost a who’s who of influential power brokers — showed up at City Hall Thursday and came out in support of an extension to the city’s proposed light rail starter line that would take it to 63rd Street along Bruce Watkins Drive.

 

In addition, African-American council members, who previously had doubts about the starter line, declared their intent to support the new 14-mile route.

 

As a result, Councilman Russ Johnson, who heads the council’s light rail strategy, announced Thursday that all council members and the mayor were now co-sponsoring the legislation to place the starter line on the city’s November election ballot.

 

As light rail transit planner Dick Jarrold put it, “It’s nice to see the council united. That’s a biggie.”

 

Kansas City is proposing a light rail starter line stretching from Interstate 29-Vivion Road in the Northland, through downtown to the Country Club Plaza, then east to Watkins Drive and south along Watkins to 63rd Street. Just in the past week, Johnson worked with East Side interests and council members to add an extra 2 miles along Watkins. That raises the overall estimated cost from $727 million to roughly $815 million.

 

On Thursday, the council’s transportation committee unanimously passed out an ordinance to place the project on the November ballot. The full council will take it up next week, with an Aug. 26 deadline to approve something for that election.

 

But the city still doesn’t have all the funding sources identified. It intends to ask city voters for a 3/8th-cent sales tax increase, plus get at least a 50-percent match from the federal government. But Kansas City Area Transportation Authority officials acknowledged the 2 extra miles on Watkins creates a nearly $100 million funding gap. They hope to make up the difference with more federal or state funding, cuts in the light rail budget, or maybe special taxing districts along the route.

 

Despite this funding uncertainty, city African-American leaders used the council’s last official public hearing Thursday to make a show of force in support of the Watkins extension. Among those attending were Freedom Inc. political club’s Craig Bland, the Urban League’s Gwen Grant, the NAACP’s Anita Russell, former council members Carol Coe and Ken Bacchus, plus attorney Clinton Adams Jr. They see light rail providing economic development opportunities on the East Side.

 

“It’s important to have economic stimulus in our city, and bringing (light rail) out to 63rd Street does that,” Bland said.

 

Coe added: “You have assured us equal participation.”

 

Adams ended up providing a little humor while expressing how important light rail’s investment is to the East Side.

 

After some Main Street property owners expressed some reservations about how light rail would fit and operate on that street through midtown, Adams quipped: “For the people on Main Street . . . we certainly would welcome it coming over to the 3rd (council) district instead.”

 

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature4-8-08

 

August 7, 2008

 

North Carolina DOT unveils upgrades for Cary, Durham stations

 

The North Carolina Department of Transportation's Rail Division is planning major facilities upgrades at two of its Triangle that should help the state's Amtrak service accommodate a recent surge in passenger growth, local newspapers report.

 

More at link above:

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature4-8-08

 

August 6, 2008

 

DART celebrates past, builds for the future

 

Gasoline in Dallas hovered under $1.30 a gallon in August 1983 when 101,000 North Texans went to the polls and voted to tax themselves a penny on the dollar to create a modern public transit system, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

 With gasoline prices shooting beyond $4 a gallon in 2008, about 400,000 people each weekday travel on DART's network of buses, trains and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.



 

More at above link:

some cities have outgrown busses

 

Steel Bridge to close for three weeks of MAX rail work

 

 

By KATU Web Staff

Video

 

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland commuters will face a new obstacle for the next three weeks as the expansion of the MAX light rail system into downtown Portland continues construction.

 

The Steel Bridge will close to almost all traffic, including MAX light rail trains, at 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning to allow crews to work on the rails crossing the span.

 

TriMet officials said shuttle buses will take passengers from each side of the river to the other but warn delays of up to 30 minutes should be expected.

 

They also advise commuters to cross the bridge using the lower pedestrian walkway that is part of the city's promenade. That will be the only section of the bridge that will allow river crossings.

 

The closure is part of the planned expansion of MAX into the are formerly known as the bus mall. Once the work on the bridge is complete, TriMet officials said the trackwork for the new expansion will be finished.

 

Officials say track and brickwork is complete in the downtown area and details such as train platforms, overhead cables and other aesthetic details are all that remain.

 

The expansion project is reportedly on schedule and officials are aiming for completion in September of 2009.

 

*****

 

ouch. but uf you wanna play you gotta pay:

 

 

Friday, August 1, 2008

 

Building KC

Size, complexity of light-rail project could bring cost to $727M

 

Kansas City Business Journal - by Phil LaCerte Contributing Writer

 

The light-rail starter line being planned in Kansas City would be among the most massive and complex construction projects ever undertaken here.

 

And at $727 million for the 12-mile route, it also would be among the most expensive.

 

The project will involve bridge construction and improvements, light-rail station construction, construction of the 12-mile dual-track rail line in the center of relatively narrow city streets, design and installation of a power supply, and construction of a $70 million maintenance and office facility.

 

“We’ve been building light-rail systems in this country since the late 1970s, so there are a lot of engineers and designers who have a lot of experience with these kinds of projects,” said John Dobies, associate vice president of HNTB Corp., who is part of a consulting team contracted to complete a light-rail alternatives assessment for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.

 

[NOTE: SEPTA, like Cleveland's RTA, was recently (w/in year) on the financial ropes... think JoeC would increase RTA rail service?... what's that about: '...till the cows come home?']

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20080814_SEPTA_to_offer_more_buses__late-night_trains.html

 

SEPTA to offer more buses, late-night trains

By Paul Nussbaum

Inquirer Staff Writer

 

More frequent buses. Late-night trains. Better weekend service.

 

That's what SEPTA promises in the next few weeks and months as it launches what it calls its most ambitious service expansion ever.

 

More at link above:

[NOTE: not quite sure where to put this one.  This is of interest b/c it's a massive TOD (just not a Cleveland TOD) apt complex at SEPTA's R-6, Conshohocken Rail station, named for the old industrial Philly borough/suburb; many office towers and hotels have clustered around the rail station in recent years, too -- R-6 service through the area was suspended nearly 24-hours as the complex abuts the line.  It was unfinished but, now, mostly destroyed though developer vows to rebuild.  Fortunately/amazingly, no serious injuries for one of Philly-areas largest fires in years.]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_left_story/20080814_for_the_C_Fire_destroys_Conshohocken_apartment_complex.html

 

Fire destroys Conshohocken apartment complex

By Diane Mastrull, Jennifer Lin and Bob Moran

Inquirer Staff Writers

 

Developer J. Brian O'Neill dreamed of bringing people back to the banks of the Schuylkill in Conshohocken. And yesterday, they came by the thousands - to watch in horror as his vision went up in flames.

 

This morning, fire trucks were still on the scene as embers from the buildings smoldered. Firefighters napped on the sidwalks littered with debris and water bottles.

 

Six riverfront buildings that O'Neill developed, including the Riverwalk at Millennium, were ravaged by an eight-alarm blaze: Three were destroyed, three damaged.

 

More than 300 firefighters from all corners of Montgomery County battled the spectacular fire, which raged for about six hours before crews got the upper hand about 10:30 p.m. Even so, firefighters were to remain overnight to douse hot spots.

 

From emergency workers to newly homeless residents, few could grasp how swiftly the flames turned a redevelopment showpiece with a clubhouse and courtyard into a smoldering disaster zone. At least 125 apartment units, housing 375 people, were destroyed.

 

The blaze began in a five-story building under construction at 203 Washington St. called the Stables at Millennium and spread quickly across what one official called a "lumberyard."

 

The description was apt. The building was in the framing stage, which involves putting together the bones of the structure out of kiln-dried two-by-fours, plywood and lumber, materials that can burn very quickly.

 

Montgomery County Sheriff John Durante, who is also a longtime volunteer firefighter, said he had arrived on the scene soon after the fire was reported. "I've never seen a fire this intense burn so fast," he said last night.

 

He figured that the blaze began in the end of the building closest to the river and spread to the front - about 100 yards - in 15 minutes.

 

At the height of the fire, flames encompassed the entire structure and were as tall as the building itself. They radiated so much heat that the roofs of adjacent buildings caught.

 

The cause of the fire - which began about 4:30 p.m. - was unknown.

 

As fire crews fought to control the blaze, O'Neill handed out water and ice to shifts of firefighters from as far away as Lansdale. "This is more than a shocking afternoon to me," said O'Neill, who looked disheveled in his long-sleeve work shirt and black pants.

 

"It's a beautiful place," he said of the Schuylkill waterfront. When he started developing properties there 20 years ago, he said, "it was a bunch of closed factories."

 

O'Neill vowed to rebuild on the destroyed site at the Stables. The project was only 20 percent completed. He placed the loss at $50 million to $80 million.

 

The two other apartment buildings that were destroyed were part of O'Neill's Riverwalk at Millennium, which he built and sold a few years ago to an investor group, including JPMorgan Chase & Co.

 

"Jobs like this just beat everyone up," said Leo Costello, an assistant fire chief in Conshohocken who was catching his breath late last night. He had been on the scene since about 5.

 

Riverfront fires are among the most challenging because of the difficulty in routing enough water into the area, fire officials said.

 

Embers and flames jumped from the Stables to adjacent apartment buildings in the Riverwalk complex, said Tom Sullivan, Montgomery County public safety director. The attics of those buildings caught fire, which "enabled the fire to get around the fire walls," he said.

 

O'Neill built the Riverwalk complex to bring people back to live along the Schuylkill. He envisioned the blighted banks of the river becoming a showpiece, with housing, ampitheaters, a courtyard and fountains.

 

Some of the young residents who bought into that vision stood in disbelief as everything they owned was left for ashes.

 

"My whole life is in there. I have nothing left," said T.J. Dougherty, 25, who lived in a fourth-floor apartment of one of the destroyed buildings.

 

One firefighter who suffered from smoke inhalation and a young woman who collapsed were taken to Chestnut Hill Hospital.

 

Because the buildings border the river and railroad track, "access is challenged," Sullivan said. "They're working through it, and have been cutting down fencing."

 

Sullivan said the borough had a limited water supply, which it was trying to overcome with supplies from other fire companies and lots of hose. "They're making very good progress," he said.

 

He noted that the fire was in what used to be an industrial area with limited firefighting infrastructure.

 

The fire, happening at rush hour, brought the borough to a standstill. Nearby office workers, too, were stranded and not able to drive home or take SEPTA's Regional Rail line.

 

People who live near the Riverwalk complex poured into the Pepperoncini Restaurant & Bar at 72 Poplar St., a tenth of a mile from the fire.

 

Many were too distraught to talk, said bartender Michael McKenna, who saw the fire grow into a menacing mountain of flames. "I got a couple of residents here, people who were evacuated," McKenna said. "They're in shock. I believe, honestly, I think they're all going to go up" he said of the buildings.

 

Ten fire companies responded.

 

All service on the R6 Norristown Regional Rail line was suspended shortly after 5 p.m. and was likely to remain suspended all night, as the Conshohocken station is only about a block from the fire, SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said.

 

In the early evening, a six-foot-wide bike trail along the river, linking downtown Philadelphia to Valley Forge, turned into a spectator area, giving bikers, neighbors and onlookers a front-row view of the fire.

 

Paul DiBona, owner of the Pepperoncini Restaurant, said a woman he knows who lives at the Riverwalk was "sitting on our front step, crying. She won't take water. It's horrible."

 

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, who could see the smoke from his home in Roxborough, said this type of riverfront fire was particularly difficult to tackle.

 

In Philadelphia, water mains dead-end at the river, and hydrants at waterfront locations tend to have lower water pressure, he said.

 

"It's a very challenging firefighting moment," Ayers said. "They're up against the size of the fire . . . and getting water resources together to get in front of the fire." The Philadelphia Fire Department was not called to the scene.

 

Joel Altman, 28, grabbed his cello and synthesizer from his apartment in Building 3000 - not far from the fire, but so far spared - and strapped them to his back.

 

He said he and other musicians had hoped to put on a concert for all his displaced neighbors once the firefighters left.

 

He pointed out that O'Neill had always hoped the public spaces would be used for concerts - but under better circumstances.

 

Noting all the TV vans, firefighters, police, spectators and shell-shocked residents, he said, "This is the symphony right here."

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact staff writer Diane Mastrull

at 610-313-8095 or [email protected].

 

Contributing to this article were Inquirer staff writers Dan Hardy, Karen Langley, Paul Nussbaum and Michael Vitez.

 

 

 

Since Portland is often seen as a model T-O-D city, this article in USA Today seemed right for this thread.

 

Portland is a hub for the car-free and carefree

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — When guests at Portland's studiously hip Ace Hotel want to break away from their bedside turntables (yes, LPs) for urban exploring, they can borrow a Dutch-designed cruiser and a cycling map laced with hints: Do steer clear of train tracks and yield to pedestrians; don't blow through red lights or ride while using a cellphone.

 

Find this article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-08-14-freewheeling-portland-oregon_N.htm 

 

 

Portland City Guide:http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/cityguides/portland/overview.htm

California Sees Rail Ridership Records

 

Whatever records on ridership and revenue that existed before July 2008 can

be considered "smashed" by the July statistics.  Major growth happened all

across California, and the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquins both grew at a

startling 32+% in riders, and the San Joaquins broke 100,000 for the first

time ever in a single month.  The Pacific Surfliners carried more

passengers than Amtrak's premier Northeast Corridor "Acela Express" for the

third consecutive month.

 

The Capitol Corridor was rated by the riders across the country as Amtrak's

#1 route for customer satisfaction for the 6th consecutive month, and

Capitol Corridor returned to the best on-time performance of all but 2

intercity corridors offering multiple frequency services.

 

Capitol Corridor (July 2008):

 

161,731 passengers  +32.6%  vs. 2007

another all-time record, and still the third busiest route in the country,by a wide margin.

Passengers for 10 months YTD: 1,390,474  (10 months YTD: +15.5%)

(total riders for the latest 12 months: 1,637,130, +15.5% above prior 12

months)

 

$2,236,661 revenue  +34.3% vs. 2007  (10 months YTD: +21.3%)

 

The farebox recovery revenue-to-cost ratio for July is 64.9% (an all time

high), and

the year-to-date revenue-to-cost ratio is 55%.

 

On-time performance for July: 86.7% (a complete recovery from June's

trackwork performance)

The year-to-date on-time performance delivered to the customers after 10

months is 84.8%, an enviable record.  Only the Keystone Corridor and the

Hiawatha Corridor have better on-time stats.  The premier Acela Express

service on the Northeast Corridor is 83.5% on-time for the same 10 month

period, while Northeast Regional service is at 75.7%.

 

We had expected a bit of rebound after completion of the June track work,

and return to our usually reliable service, but these numbers are

overwhelming.  Not since we went from 6 trains each way to 9 trains each

way (back in 2000-01) have we seen a percentage growth like we have seen in

July.  It appears we may have also won some permanent  'converts' from

Davis as a result of Yolo County's 'promotional program' during the I-5

construction in Sacramento (now completed). Union Pacific continues to

deliver for us.  UPRR performance in July was 95%, and UPRR performance

year to date is between 94% and 95%, again the best of any Amtrak-operated

intercity passenger rail service in the country, whether Amtrak dispatched

or freight railroad dispatched.

__________________________________________________

 

 

Pacific Surfliners (July 2008):

 

301,374 passengers  +12.3% vs. 2007, still the second busiest route in the

nation, by a wide margin

Passengers for 10 months YTD: 2,369,792  (10 months YTD: +7.3%)

As noted above, this is more monthly passengers than the Acela Express on

the Northeast Corridor, for the 3rd consecutive month

 

$6,002,911 revenue  +18.1% vs. 2007 (10 months YTD:  +9.1%)

 

On-time performance for July: 69.9%

YTD on-time:  76.6%

__________________________________________________

 

San Joaquins (July 2008):

 

100,564  passengers  +32.1% vs. 2007, now fifth busiest in the nation

(overtaking New York State's Empire Corridor Service)

Passengers for 10 months YTD: 777,514  (10 months YTD: +17.2%)

 

$3,444,847  revenue  +47.5%  vs. 2007  (10 months YTD: +18.3%)

 

On-time performance for July:  80.4%

YTD on-time: 84.0%

__________________________________________________________

 

Total California Intercity Corridor Ridership for July 2008:  563,669

 

Total Northeast Corridor 'Spine' ridership for July 2008:    922,150

For July 2008, California Corridors are 61.2% of Northeast Corridor 'Spine'

Boston-Washington ridership

 

Total Northeast Corridor ridership for July 2008

with branches to Springfield, MA; Albany, NY and Harrisburg, PA:  1,152,835

For July 2008, California Corridors are 49% of the total Northeast Corridor

ridership

 

Gene

 

Eugene K. Skoropowski

Managing Director

Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority

#@&% auto-focused zoning !!  :whip:

 

Updated 08/17/2008 03:20 PM

 

Transit Advocates Want To Stem Residential Cars

 

 

Transportation advocates want to change a policy requiring developers to include off-street parking with new residential buildings.

 

The group Transportation Alternatives released a study Sunday saying there will be 170,000 new cars on city streets by 2030. The study also finds new residents are up to 50 percent more likely to own cars because of current zoning laws.

 

At a City Hall press conference, the group said that additional residential cars will undermine the city's efforts to cut congestion, by adding 431,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year by 2030.

 

"New York City's status as a pedestrian and transit-oriented metropolis is severely threatened by zoning requirements that mandate lavish amounts of off-street vehicular parking, even in neighborhoods that still have good access to transit," said Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives.

 

As of Sunday afternoon, the mayor's office had not yet commented on the report.

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/Default.aspx

 

 

***

 

preparing for future rail  :clap:

 

 

 

08/14/2008 10:46 PM

 

Port Authority To Build New Goethals Bridge By 2015

 

The Port Authority hopes to eliminate traffic delays on the new Goethals Bridge.

 

The agency said Thursday that the current span, which connects Staten Island with Elizabeth, N.J., is in such need of repair that the best solution would be to build a new structure instead of repairing the outdated one.

 

The plans for the new bridge include six 12-feet-wide lanes and a sidewalk-bikeway.

 

There would also be an option for a future mass transit lane in the middle.

 

Port Authority officials say the new structure will likely be south of the existing one.

 

The agency wants to complete the bridge by 2015, and has earmarked $1 billion for the project.

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/84728/port-authority-to-build-new-goethals-bridge-by-2015/Default.aspx

 

***

 

good that locally they are on top of it  :clap:

 

 

Updated 08/14/2008 10:43 AM

 

On 5th Anniversary Of Blackout, OEM Says It Is More Prepared

 

Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of the largest power outage in United States history, which crippled the city and the entire northeast for more than a day.

 

The blackout of 2003 left countless New Yorkers trapped in subways. It also knocked out traffic signals and cell phone towers, making driving and getting in touch with family a nightmare.

 

Others made light of the situation, holding impromptu barbecues to get rid of food before it spoiled.

 

Five years later, emergency officials say the city is better equipped to deal with such a crisis.

 

"The Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the city's electrical system 24 hours a day, year round," said OEM Deputy Commissioner Henry Jackson. "We deploy something called a Power Outage Response Team, so that when there is a report, we send folks out into the communities to define the extent, the geographic extent of the outage, identify critical facilities that may be impacted and to work with at risk populations."

 

Since 2003, the city has installed hundreds of backup generators at critical facilities and backup batteries in traffic lights at major intersections that will keep them running for up to four hours during a blackout.

 

http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/84696/on-5th-anniversary-of-blackout--oem-says-it-is-more-prepared/Default.aspx

interesting history. while cleveland streetcars went to toronto, detroit's went to mexico city:

 

 

Detroit had light rail until the 1950s

 

By Bill Shea

 

Detroit is the largest American city without some form of commuter rail service, but it wasn't always that way.

 

Detroit's streetcar service ended April 8, 1956, according to H. Bernard Craig, an amateur transit historian who's documented the city's bus and streetcar history online.

 

In 1953, Leo Nowicki, general manager of the Detroit Department of Street Railways, the predecessor of today's department of transportation, began an effort to completely convert the city from light rail to bus service, according to Craig.

 

One of Nowicki's central arguments was that it was dangerous for passengers to board and get off buses in the middle of the street, where many of the streetcar stops were located. Buses offered curbside service.

 

In the early 1950s, General Motors Corp.'s introduction of the first modern large city bus, and a strike by Detroit streetcar employees combined with a post-World War II ridership decline to doom the light rail service.

 

Also, tracks needed costly repairs while the city could buy buses for significantly less. Nowicki's campaign also noted that the bus lines were more flexible, less prone to delays, affected traffic less and could better serve the city for civil defense emergencies, according to Craig.

 

“Streetcars were losing to automobiles anyway. The only reason why we kept ours as long as we did was World War II,” Craig said.

 

The war interrupted the city's initial switch to buses, begun in the 1930s, because the government required more train usage to save fuel. Construction of new freeways also reduced traffic on busy downtown thoroughfares such as Woodward Avenue, he said.

 

Detroit ended up buying a new fleet of modern streetcars in the 1940s, but ended up selling them at a loss in less than a decade to Mexico City, Craig said.

 

“The city for various reasons was looking for reasons to get rid of them,” he said. Speculation includes pressure to buy diesel buses, he added.

 

“There's different views on why the city wanted to get rid of them,” he said. “You talk to diehard rail fans, they'll tell you it was General Motors.”

 

The streetcars themselves were in service in Mexico City until many of them were destroyed in a 1985 earthquake, Craig said.

 

Craig has worked for DDOT for more than 30 years and today is a transportation terminal supervisor. His uncle drove a Detroit streetcar, and he began his own career driving a city bus.

 

Craig's detailed Detroit transit history can be found at detroittransithistory.info.

 

 

***

 

good read!

 

 

San Jose leaders try to reverse urban sprawl

 

James Temple, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Sunday, August 17, 2008

 

Strip malls and low-rise office parks dominate the landscape of northern San Jose, but a long-term redevelopment plan could make over large swaths of the area along decidedly more urban lines.

 

Over the next three decades, the city wants to add more than 30,000 new homes and 80,000 jobs within walking distance of a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light-rail line on North First Street.

 

Planners, architects and environmentalists applauded the approach during a tour Saturday of recent developments exemplifying the model in the area. They argued that compact and transit-oriented building is among the most effective means of reducing driving, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and creating better functioning cities.

 

Many Bay Area cities are pursuing similar models, and these advocates say many more should do as the region struggles to absorb what the Association of Bay Area Governments predicts will be 1.6 million new residents over the next 25 years.

 

"There's so much opportunity to accommodate new growth in areas like this and put together all the pieces that make a complete community," said Michele Beasley, representative of the San Francisco planning group Greenbelt Alliance, which organized the tour for more than 50 people on the light-rail line. "We really see in the development of the First Street corridor how other (counties) and cities around the region could do in-fill development."

 

San Jose, the region's largest city, has a special responsibility for meeting the Bay Area's expanding population needs because past development patterns have left it with much underutilized land, City Councilman Sam Liccardo said.

 

"There are no cities in this region with the capacity for growth like San Jose," he said. "We need to think carefully now about how we plan for it, knowing that the suburban sprawl model is an environmental and fiscal dead end."

 

John Frith, representing the California Building Industry Association, has said in past interviews that there needs to be a balance between environmental aims and providing affordable housing. Infill alone cannot keep up with population growth, and there remains strong demand for affordable, single-family homes in suburban areas, he said.

 

San Jose largely developed along sprawling lines during the post-war period as a bedroom community subsequently supplemented with mostly one- and two-story office buildings. As a result, the city has long grappled with a housing and jobs imbalance, and with swelling traffic concerns, as residents drive in and out of the city for work, said Dennis Korabiak, program manager with the San Jose Redevelopment Agency.

 

The North San Jose Area Development Policy, established in 2005, attempts to address these challenges by loosening density and other restrictions on residential and commercial construction in the district, while requiring both to move forward together. The core area is about 600 acres, twice the size of San Francisco's Mission Bay redevelopment area.

 

The plan allows for nearly 27 million square feet of office, research and development, and retail space, within close proximity of 32,000 new housing units. Ideally, this will allow people to live, shop and play near where they work, making transit or walking preferable to driving, Korabiak said.

 

"When you have that type of density, you make it a lot more friendly for walking," he said. "The decision was, let's not build out anymore, let's build up."

 

San Jose ranked second with a score of 69 on the Greenbelt Alliance's latest Bay Area Smart Growth Scorecard. The list evaluated cities according to their current building policies (as opposed to existing developments and infrastructure) in areas like project density, urban growth boundaries and affordable housing. Petaluma and Napa bracketed the city at the top of the list, with scores of 70 and 65, respectively. The bottom three were Atherton, Belvedere and Hillsborough, respectively, earning a 3 and two zeros.

 

San Francisco ranked 19th with a score of 49.

 

The city has the region's highest concentration of office and residential towers along transportation lines. But many of the battles over long-term planning policies have centered on the conflict between meeting new housing needs in the city and preserving existing homes, neighborhood character and industrial businesses. Many slow-growth advocates argue that the flurry of residential and office construction that began with the dot-com boom has forced out longtime residents and small companies, and that policies to prevent it in the future are critical.

 

The draft plan for the Western SoMa district, an effort largely led by neighborhood groups, starts with the position that: "Proposed new land use development shall primarily serve the needs of existing residents and businesses. Citywide and regional needs are subordinate to existing local needs."

 

Taking an opposing view, Gabriel Metcalf, executive director of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, said the plan doesn't allow for appropriate height and density increases in the district, especially along areas of signification public transportation infrastructure like the Fourth Street corridor.

 

"The city is constantly tempted to turn its back on the region and only pay attention to protecting who's here now," he said. "The overriding environmental imperative of our age is to stop sprawl. We do that by concentrating growth inside already urbanized areas."

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/17/BA5H12CK4R.DTL

 

News from The 'Burgh.

 

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08232/905306-52.stm

 

Transit ridership rose 6% during July

 

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

By Dan Majors, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

If you're a transit rider who feels as though the bus or light-rail vehicle you travel in has been more popular lately, you're not alone.

 

The pinch at the gas pump, though easing somewhat lately, appears to have nudged more commuters into public transportation, said Port Authority spokesman David Whipkey.

 

More at link above:

^Hope you didn't take offense to my comments about the T in Pitt today. Maybe I just had a bad experience the day I went--it was just hard to believe, since downtown has so many ppl walking around. I still love the hell out of Pittsburgh!

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature2-8-19

 

August 18, 2008

Bombardier signs dual power locomotive contracts with NJT, AMT

 

Bombardier Transportation Monday said it has signed contracts with both New Jersey Transit and Montreal's Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) to produce dual power locomotives, providing diesel and a.c. propulsion.

 

Read more at link above:

Speaking of Pittsburgh (and Sacramento, too!).....

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature2-8-19

 

August 18, 2008

Work begins on second LRT tunnel in Pittsburgh

 

Work begins this week on the second of two tunnels extending Pittburgh's light rail transit system from downtown underneath the Allegheny River to the city's North Shore. The machine completed the first tunnel on July 10, after six months of work, and has been repositioned for the return trip under the river.

 

The Port Authority of Allegheny County expect the second tunnel to take less time than the first one. The second 21-foot-diameter tunnel is expected to be finished before the end of the year. The 1.2-mile, $435 million extension is expected to open for revenue service in 2011.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

August 18, 2008

Sacramento RTD selects contractor for South Corridor

 

Houston-based Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. has been chosen by the Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) as prime consultant for extending a 4.3-mile light rail extension on the South Corridor, in southeastern Sacramento. The work involves extending double-track from the existing Meadow View station to Cosumnes River College, with four new stations, to link the southeastern neighborhoods of the California capital to downtown.

 

LAN will be responsible for overall management of the project, rail horizontal and vertical geometry plans, project controls, track and station grading and drainage, and agency coordination.

 

The project has an estimated construction cost of $226 million. Construction is expected to start in the last quarter of 2009, with revenue service anticipated to begin in 2011.

Union Station may become Denver's gateway again -- if it stays on track

By Joel Warner

published: August 14, 2008

 

Passengers disembark from the rumbling trains by the hundreds, by the thousands. They've arrived at this station from Aurora and Littleton, from Golden and Boulder, even from over the Continental Divide and across the Great Plains. As the trains empty and creep away from the platforms, others pull in, disgorging more passengers.

 

More at:

 

http://www.westword.com/2008-08-14/news/union-station-may-become-denver-s-gateway-again-if-it-stays-on-track/

 

Slideshow of Union Station and what it could look like:

http://www.westword.com/slideshow/view/116678

Yeah, I know it's another country. But it's just across the lake......

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature6-8-20

 

August 19, 2008

Citizens in two Ontario cities choose LRT over BRT

 

Public hearings held this summer in Kitchener and Waterloo, Ontario, show a decided citizen preference for light rail transit (LRT) vs. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Residents of the two municipalities, in general, said LRT would attract higher ridership, be more aesthetically appealing, travel more quickly and quietly, be more environmentally friendly, and spur transit-oriented development.

 

BRT supporters did log their opinions at the hearings, however, arguing that bus service was cheaper and more flexible, and that LRT's ability to spur economic development was largely mythical.

 

Estimates for BRT are initially pegged at $112 million, and $306 million for LRT. But Regional Transportation Commissioner Thomas Schmidt said the public in general sees light rail "as something that people are going to use more than bus rapid transit."

 

Regional officials are to review public input and vote on a transit option in 2009, after a final proposal is crafted detailing c osts, route, ridership estimates and preferred mode. Kitchener and Waterloo, both southwest of Toronto, have eyed ongoing transit plans in Toronto and have considered piggybacking onto any pending LRT order made by the provincial capital as a cost-effective option.

This sure sounds like a press release that needed to be rewritten. But after you translate it, it sounds like this is the hopeful first step to some signficant improvements to the Albany - Buffalo/Niagara Falls line that could provide some needed capacity for train expansions in Ohio, including Ohio Hub and Amtrak Chicago-New York City trains...

 

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature4-8-20

 

August 19, 2008

 

NYSDOT to develop Empire Corridor West Railroad Plan

 

This fall, the New York state Department of Transportation is set to launch a comprehensive analysis of train operations and railroad infrastructure needs for the western portion of the Empire Corridor that connect the Capitol District with Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, including important connections with the Hudson Line Corridor to New York City and many other rail lines in New York State. NYSDOT has designated SYSTRA Engineering of New York City to assist it in developing the Railroad Transportation Plan.

 

More at link above:

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature7-8-22

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

August 21, 2008

 

Sacramento transit delays rail extension, noting cost increase

 

Harried south Sacramento County commuters who each day deal with congested freeways must now wait longer for a promised rail rescue, according to the Sacramento Bee. The opening date for a light-rail connection between south Sacramento and the northern reaches of Elk Grove has been pushed back a year to 2012. And the price tag has jumped 23 percent to $270 million, officials said.

 

More at link above:

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature7-8-22

 

August 21, 2008

 

 

GO Transit to open new station, add new, improved service

 

On September 2, GO Transit will open its newest GO Train station on the Stouffville line. Lincolnville GO Station, located at Bethesda Sideroad and 10th Line is north of the Stouffville GO Station. Some train arrival and departure times along this line will be adjusted for the new service. Union Station bus service will start serving the Lincolnville GO Station bus loop on Saturday, August 30. Budgeted at C$5.5 million, the station's catchment will include much of the municipality of Uxbridge.

 

Weekday Uxbridge bus trips that currently connect with trains at

Stouffville GO Station (southbound), and Mount Joy GO Station (northbound) will instead connect with trains at the new Lincolnville GO Station. It will be even easier to get on the GO with all of the new and improved services set to begin during or just following the Labor Day weekend, August 30 to September 2.

 

GO carries more than 50 million passengers a year in an extensive network of train and bus service that spans more than 8,000 square kilometers (5,360 square miles).

Damn, it's hard enough just getting the state to pay $6 million for rail passenger planning, let alone get a a community to pay the whole tab. But Portland continues to amaze....

 

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature5-8-25

 

August 22, 2008

Portland commits local funds to streetcar loop

 

Portland, Ore.'s City Council has approved $6.3 million for design and engineering of a 3.3-mile, $147 million project to extend streetcar service, dubbed the Eastsde Streetcar Loop, across the Broadway Bridge to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The council approved the measure despite -- or because of -- delays in the design process attributable to uncertain federal funding.

 

Portland's Office of Transportation justified the action by noting that each month of delay costs the city $500,000 due to construction contingency requirements that rise continually with inflation. But the city still expects a federal commitment in the future. "This is a risk well worth taking," said City Commissioner Dan Saltzman.

 

In June, an analysis by the Federal Transit Administration stated that the Loop's cost effectiveness failed to meet FTA funding requirements. Oregon congressional delegates are attempting to bypass the FTA process, and the project has been earmarked for $50 million in both the Bush Administration's proposed fiscal year 2009 budget and by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

 

"The feds just really haven't been supporting work around the country so there’s a pretty significant slowdown," said Mark Dorn, senior project manager with URS Corp., the engineering firm overseeing the project. "We’re hoping a new administration will pump money into transit."

 

"Congressional delegates have stepped up and I have strong conviction this will be funded," said Michael Powell, a board member of Portland Streetcar Inc. Portland "will break the dam the FTA has put up to block streetcar projects," Powell added.

Clearly, they have built the political will to get things done.  That they have such a strong will is made even more amazing given the above stated comments about the lack of federal dollars for streetcars through the FTA.

No doubt. It all goes back to our own elected officials (aka "the purse-string holders").

Track to the future: Commuter rail redux

Sunday, August 24, 2008

By Brian O'Neill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

The Pennsylvania Railroad was once the largest publicly traded corporation in the world, paying out dividends more than 100 years in a row, having a larger budget than the U.S. government, employing 250,000 people at its peak and owning 10,000 miles of rail line.

 

 

more at:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08237/906382-155.stm

http://www.masstransitmag.com/publication/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=6823

 

St. Louis Metro Says Service Cuts Will be 'Shocking' Without Tax Hike

By Ken Leiser

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 

MISSOURI - The Metro public transportation system has warned that service would be slashed on the Missouri side of the region without a new source of money.

 

Now the transit agency is offering a worst-case scenario: No MetroLink trains after 8 p.m. Bus service in effect nonexistent outside Interstate 270. Twenty-eight of 60 current bus routes disappearing.

 

"This is going to be shocking," Metro President Robert Baer said Friday. "We pray that doesn't happen."

 

Metro is preparing for the outcome of a Nov. 4 vote in St. Louis County on a half-cent increase in the transit sales tax. If the tax passes, the service cuts would be unnecessary.

 

Most of the proposed service cuts would probably take effect between April and June 2009. The remainder - including elimination of night bus and light-rail service - would be done about a year later, said Todd Plesko, Metro's chief of planning and system development. The transit agency's governing board has the final say on cuts.

 

Metro also is considering fare increases to help stem future shortfalls, which are expected to reach $45 million of its $226 million operating budget for the year beginning July 1, 2009.

 

Metro is grappling with higher fuel prices, the cost of operating the eight-mile MetroLink extension from Forest Park to Shrewsbury, and the loss of some transportation sales tax proceeds from St. Louis County.

 

Under Metro's worst-case scenario, as many as 28 of 60 bus routes might be eliminated and bus lines would generally end at I-270. Other bus routes would be consolidated. MetroLink trains would run less often. For instance, rush-hour trains would run every 15 minutes instead of every 10. Extra special-event trains would be eliminated.

 

Beginning Sept. 3, Metro will hold a series of public meetings throughout the St. Louis region. The first meeting will begin at noon Sept. 3 at the Eric P. Neuman Center at Washington University Medical Center, 320 South Euclid Avenue.

 

Baer said Metro's message is not a scare tactic.

 

"We want people to be informed," he said. "So they know what's on the table. What the consequences are."

 

The county ballot issue would if passed generate $80 million a year for transit operations and light-rail expansion.

 

Metro says that if it does get new funding, it would invest toward:

 

- An immediate increase in the number of buses serving its express routes and most heavily traveled bus lines. Some buses are considered overcrowded.

 

- Creating a high-speed bus service linking population centers with major employers within three years.

 

- Converting express routes into "bus rapid transit" lines that cover greater distances with stations, dedicated lanes and limited stops. The initial lines could take three to five years to complete.

 

- Building additional MetroLink lines. One corridor identified by regional leaders stretches initially from the Forest Park-to-Shrewsbury line to the West Port area. It would take up to 10 years to plan, design and build a new line.

Texas county OKs $191 million for DLRT line

railwayage.com

 

The Denton County, Tex., Regional Transportation Council has approved $191 million to fully fund the county Transportation Authority's 21-mile diesel light rail transit (DLRT) route. The funding would allow final design and construction to commence early next year. The line would include five stations and link Denton with Carrollton, Tex., with transfer connectings to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail system.,

 

Last year, Denton County Transportation Authority submitted a request for funding to the RTC as part of the Regional Toll Revenue Funding Initiative. A portion of that request was awarded in January to allow DCTA to proceed with procurement of rail vehicles.

 

"This project reflects DCTA's commitment to developing a balanced transportation network in Denton County and is an integral component of the region’s proposed 395-mile rail network," said Scott Neeley, DCTA executive vice president of rail development.

 

Revenue service is targeted to begin in December 2010.

 

www.railwayage.com

August 23, 2008

 

MTA can get train on track

 

It sounds incredibly appealing: Board a high-speed bullet train somewhere in Nashville and, zoom! Two hours later, you're in Atlanta.

 

Or you could slash that time in half, and take the kids to the Chattanooga aquarium, compliments of a train propelled by magnets and capable of going 310 miles per hour. That's the image painted by a $1 million feasibility study, which proposes to start by building the Nashville-to-Chattanooga route first, then add Atlanta later, using federal and private funding.

 

More at:

 

http://www.tennessean.com:80/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080823/COLUMNIST0101/808230351/1008/OPINION01

http://www.rtands.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature1-8-27

 

August 26, 2008

Plan aims to reduce Windsor's web of rail lines by two-thirds

 

In Windsor, Ont., the city's railway issues committee has completed a study on a proposed C$313-million project that would eliminate two-thirds of the railroad tracks in Windsor, local newspapers report.

 

More at link aboce

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature5-8-27

 

August 26, 2008

Fare hikes, not cutbacks, chosen by Sacramento

 

Faced with the choice of charging riders more or scaling back transit service, a choice confronting numerous U.S. transit agencies throughout the summer, Sacramento Regional Transit officials have decided to raise bus and light rail fares, possibly by October but more likely in January, instead of implementing service cutbacks.

 

The decision is being driven in part by the likely cuts in transit aid to be included in the upcoming state budget. RT officials said the shortfall to Sacramento could range from $3 million to $11 million.

"It looks like we are doing target practice in the dark with the state budget," one RT board member said.

 

But RT officials said they have been swayed by pleas from riders concerned about potential cutbacks to bus routes and frequencies, described by some as already skeletal. Another proposal to charge at least $1 to park at light rail stations has been rejected for now.

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature5-8-27

 

August 26, 2008

California governor will sign high speed rail bill

 

In a letter sent late Monday to California state legislators, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would sign a bill advancing a $9.9 billion high speed rail bond issue up for voter approval in November.

 

More at link above:

Rail advocates urge closer look at train travel

By Larry Copeland, USA TODAY

 

For decades, many American advocates of high-speed train travel have looked longingly at nations such as Japan, France and Germany, dreaming of a day when travelers in the USA would zip from city to city faster than they could drive and nearly as fast as they could fly.

 

Those dreams were always dashed by financial realities and political impediments.

 

Find this article at:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/2008-08-26-fast-trains_N.htm 

 

knock, knock ne ohio....anybody home?

 

 

 

Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 2:30 PM EDT

 

Transit board adopts bold regional plan for trains, buses

 

Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Dave Williams Staff Writer

 

 

A board of metro Atlanta political and transportation leaders Thursday adopted an ambitious plan for a network of bus and passenger rail lines that would criss-cross the region by 2030.

 

The Transit Planning Board, made up mostly of county commission chairmen and heads of the region’s transit agencies, voted unanimously to adopt “Concept 3” as a vision of what a coordinated regional transit system should look like in the coming decades.

 

At full build-out, Concept 3 calls for more than 500 miles of rail, including 322 miles for commuter trains and 116 miles of light rail. Another 849 miles of highway would be traveled by various bus systems. The projected capital costs of the full network would be $26.8 billion, with annual operating expenses of $1.1 billion.

 

Some of the major projects would be up and running in five to seven years under a fast-track strategy the plan contemplates. The price tag for that part of the work would be $10.9 billion in capital costs and $538.3 million a year for operations.

 

“We need to turn dirt,” Cheryl King, the board’s director, said shortly after Thursday’s vote. “People need to see some progress being made if we’re going to ask for this kind of investment.”

 

Concept 3 is contingent upon voter approval of a one-cent regional sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements. A telephone survey conducted for the board last March showed 58 percent support for the tax if it is tied to a specific list of projects.

 

Legislation that could have led to a regional referendum on transportation funding passed the Georgia House this year but failed by three votes in the Senate.

 

Concept 3 now goes to the Atlanta Regional Commission, the metro area’s planning agency. The ARC board is expected to decide in December whether to incorporate the document into its regional transportation planning efforts.

 

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml#Feature6-9-02

 

August 29, 2008

Station stop issue may delay Austin rail startup

 

Austin, Tex.'s Capital Metro's passenger rail service, scheduled to debut late this year, may be delayed until March 2009, due to two of the line's nine station stops which won't be ready this year.

 

CapMetro's board of directors may hold a meeting in lae September to detemine whether the opening of the 32-mile diesel light railway will be postponed.

 

Stations at Howard Lane and Kramer Lane are behind schedule. The Howard Lane stop's construction has just begun, following a breakdown in negotiations with a landowner of the preferred station site, and objections by nearby residents to a second site nearby. The Kramer Lane station location also was moved, and its construction has yet to start.

 

"What I've always said was, let's open the service when its ready to go," said board member Brewster McCracken, also an Austin City Council

member

 

Capital Metro also still seeks final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration to begin service, mostly because of the FRA's expressed concerns over safety and its insistence on regulatory authority; FRA asserts that Austin's operation is "commuter rail" and not a "light railway," and has balked at a waiver sought by Cap Metro.

More Canadians want to use public transit, but agencies can't accommodate demand surge, poll says

Progressive Railroading.com

 

Rising gas prices are attracting more Canadians to public transit, according to a recently released survey conducted by the Strategic Council for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA). But most transit agencies already are operating at or beyond capacity.

 

More at:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=17834

Tempe sets festive tone for light rail's arrival

 

Tempe, Ariz., is marketing the anticipated opening of Valley Metro light rail operations Dec. 27 with five days of special events, Dec. 27-31, which it says "highlights the city's beliefs in innovation, fun and environmental responsibility." Events include the actual opening of the LRT system Dec. 27, five days of festivals and displays. It culminates Dec. 31 with the Insight Bowl football game and the Insight Fiesta Bowl Block Party, which the city cites is "one of the 10 best New Year's Eve celebrations in the nation, according to USA Today."

 

More at:

 

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking_news.shtml

going for it in the twin cities:

 

 

Central corridor applies for federal funding

by Dan Olson, Minnesota Public Radio

September 3, 2008

 

 

The decades-old plan to build a light rail system on University Ave. reaches a milestone this week. Construction of the proposed rail service from St. Paul to Minneapolis could be Minnesota's largest public works project ever, however half the money needs to come from the federal government. Wednesday, the Metropolitan Council is expected to approve an application for the money.

 

More at:

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/09/02/centralcorridorfunding/

I hope you don't mind, but I edited your message to include the photo caption. Otherwise no one would know why the guy with the really obnoxious shirt is standing behind so many dead trees.

 

BTW, with a name like Mark Furhman, he must have "planted" the trees. nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!

oh yeah, even curtis sliwa is giving him looks over that shirt!  :laugh:

 

thx i forgot to add that caption part.

^Awesome avatar, by the way.

 

Go Twin Cities!