Light Rail Boom

[M II A II R II K]

Appeals court turns down Chastain light-rail plan

Read More: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/15...-chastain.html

Kansas City does not have to put Clay Chastain’s latest light-rail proposal before voters, the Missouri Court of Appeals confirmed Tuesday.

The appellate court upheld a previous ruling by Jackson County Circuit Judge Sandra Midkiff that said the Kansas City Council did not have to put Chastain’s 2011 petition initiative on a ballot. Midkiff found Chastain had failed to provide sufficient revenue to cover the required city funds for his proposed project. Chastain said Tuesday that he will seek a full appeals court review and will appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court if necessary.

Chastain had gathered enough petition signatures in 2011 for a city ballot. He sought a 3/8-cent sales tax increase for 25 years to “help pay” the costs of a 22-mile light-rail line, a 19-mile commuter-rail line and an 81/2-mile streetcar line. But the City Council said Chastain’s plan was unworkable, and it refused to seek voter approval.

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[M II A II R II K]

Light Rail Efficiency Project

Website: http://www.vta.org/lightrail/

PDF Plan Details: http://www.vta.org/lightrail/pdf/dow...ss_meeting.pdf

The plan consists of spending up to $25 million building two passing tracks so that express light-rail trains can pass local trains in downtown San Jose. I know what you’re thinking: this has to be a work of genius. I mean, who would ever think of one transit vehicle passing another? Except, of course, buses, which do it all the time and which don’t need millions of dollars of new infrastructure to make it possible.

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[ltsmotorsport]

Originally Posted by fflint

$135 million federal grant keeps Sacramento region's rail expansion rolling

By Tony Bizjak
tbizjak@sacbee.com
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

One hundred and fifty years ago, Sacramento launched the transcontinental railroad. Today, city leaders are seeking to become rail pioneers once again.

They're tapping the transit-friendly Obama administration for hundreds of millions of dollars to help them build what they say will be a seamless, 21st-century regional rail network, on which passengers will move easily from streetcars to light-rail trains to Amtrak and – someday – to high-speed rail.
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A bridge over Cosumnes River Boulevard at Bruceville Road is under construction as part of a project to extend light rail to Cosumnes River College. Area officials ambitiously envision an integrated system including light rail, streetcars and high-speed trains serving the region

The latest step in this quest is bringing Regional Transit's Blue Line to Cosumnes River College. The federal government's New Starts transit fund is footing half the bill for extending the line 4.3 miles south of its current terminus at Meadowview Road.

The project includes two bridges – one over Morrison and Union House creeks, and one over Cosumnes River Boulevard – as well as a multi-story campus parking structure.

Work has already begun on the two bridges in anticipation of the federal funds. Major project work will begin this spring, RT officials said.
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Sacramento Rep. Doris Matsui and local transportation officials attempted to double down on that success Monday, pulling LaHood and Rogoff into a meeting to sell them on the idea of funding up to half of a modern streetcar system in Sacramento and West Sacramento, projected to cost upward of $130 million, and another planned for Rancho Cordova's growing office, business and housing areas.
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Matsui said she wants to see the region expand light rail and streetcars, connected to Amtrak, buses and eventually high-speed rail, to create a robust integrated regional transit system, with a railyard transit center as hub.

"We are proving after decades of work that Sacramento is serious about building a fully integrated transit network that will ultimately provide seamless connection through downtown, West Sacramento, south Sacramento, Folsom, the airport and every neighborhood in between," Matsui said.
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Great map of the future extensions. The line to airport through Natomas can't come soon enough.

[natiboy]

City & Duke Energy Reach Streetcar Agreement
Duke Energy To Begin Moving Its Utilities

Today, Mayor Mark Mallory and City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. announced that the City of Cincinnati and Duke Energy have reached an agreement on the Streetcar project. Under the agreement, Duke Energy will begin moving its utilities now, while a court determines responsibility for the relocation costs later.

The City and Duke have also agreed to an operations plan for how Duke and the City will work in partnership once the Streetcar is operational.

Source: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cityofc...car-agreement/


Also, they are accelerating the construction schedule to try to get the streetcar operational before the 2015 All-Star Game.

[Wizened Variations]

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K

Light Rail Efficiency Project

Website: http://www.vta.org/lightrail/

PDF Plan Details: http://www.vta.org/lightrail/pdf/dow...ss_meeting.pdf

To my knowledge these would be first passing tracks built on a new passenger rail line in the US since before WWII!

In metropolitan Tokyo there are probably close to 500 stations with passing tracks...

All the light rails built since in the US since WWII (BART too) do not have passing tracks at stations. All those property developers want close in action, but ridership never develops because travel is so darn slow. Then all concerned self righteously think the problem is a bad sales pitch....

"Verrry eenteresting...but stupid."

[waltlantz]

So I'm looking at the streetcar plans for NOVA.

It got me thinking about a general question.

Is there a certain route length that exceeds the streetcar's practicality?

[BrennanW]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

So I'm looking at the streetcar plans for NOVA.

It got me thinking about a general question.

Is there a certain route length that exceeds the streetcar's practicality?

No. I think longer streetcar lines are more practical. They are a great short-to medium range intracity transit mode.

Toronto has a healthy mix of shorter and some very long streetcar lines. Most historical lines ran on dedicated right of way outside the city center.

[mhays]

A lot of short trips can happen on long lines.

[Innsertnamehere]

There are problems with Toronto's longer streetcar lines, especially the 501. The line runs 25km (15 miles) and extreme levels of bunching is common. It is not uncommon to see 4 streetcars go by right behind each other, than have to wait 20 minutes for the next one. This is largely because only 2.6km of the line runs in a ROW. Short turns are common due to this, meaning that it is not guaranteed that you will be able to take one streetcar from one end to the other of the line.

In reality, I wouldn't suggest a Streetcar line to be longer than 15km. You start to run into serious reliability issues after that.. Having a ROW changes this, you can probably squeak 25-30km with those. giving a Line with a ROW and signal priority allows you to extend it essentially forever.

[Jasonhouse]

Originally Posted by Wizened Variations

To my knowledge these would be first passing tracks built on a new passenger rail line in the US since before WWII!

In metropolitan Tokyo there are probably close to 500 stations with passing tracks...

All the light rails built since in the US since WWII (BART too) do not have passing tracks at stations. All those property developers want close in action, but ridership never develops because travel is so darn slow. Then all concerned self righteously think the problem is a bad sales pitch....

"Verrry eenteresting...but stupid."

I've been trying to pound this into people's heads here in Tampa, where the transit struggle is at the stage where it ain't ending until there is finally some semblance of usable transit. We can get it right, if only the bumpkin planners we have down here can have some sense talked into them.

[whiteford]

City of calgary studies the potential usefulness of PRT. both for the enhancement of the cities LRT system and as stand alone possibilities. here is a link with maps and much more. personally i think the systems are wonderful expressions of forward thinking engineers. i would support such a system if it were to be fully utilized and not just a gimmick.
http://www.cities21.org/cms/index.ph...calgary-sketch

[electricron]

Originally Posted by whiteford

City of calgary studies the potential usefulness of PRT. both for the enhancement of the cities LRT system and as stand alone possibilities. here is a link with maps and much more. personally i think the systems are wonderful expressions of forward thinking engineers. i would support such a system if it were to be fully utilized and not just a gimmick.
http://www.cities21.org/cms/index.ph...calgary-sketch

No doubt PRT should enhance LRT and HRT systems as one mode in a multimodal system. But most of those advocating PRT systems want to replace, or build instead, LRT and HRT systems. I don't think PRT are always better.

[llamaorama]

...

[llamaorama]

What kind of PRT?

The problem with PRT was that it involved complicated rail guideway. Look at the thing at WVU, that is serious infrastructure. It was expensive not just because of all the viaduct structures, but there is also a heating system under the bridges because otherwise they would freeze and the vehicle would slip.

I think we have the technology now to build something using simple driverless cars running on a conventional paved roadway. Heathrow Airport has something like this. Basically, take the stuff that makes the Google car drive itself, put it into some kind of electric micro-bus with a sliding door that can carry 6 to 8 standing passengers, and let it drive on a glorified sidewalk. Boom, you have PRT.

Also I think self-driving cars will only help transit as an intermodal solution.

Right now, people don't use intercity trains because you are dropped off at the station and have to find another mode of transportation to get you to your final destination. Even if its a high speed train, the trip ends up taking longer than it would if you drove the whole way because of the last-mile problem.

A robot car could pick you up the instant the train stops, perhaps on the other side of the platform. And if the train's return schedule wasnt to your liking you could ride in a car on the way home.

[fflint]

PRT has absolutely no place in a thread about the ongoing Light Rail boom. Start a different thread for that completely seperate subject.

[TedBell]

Originally Posted by fflint

PRT has absolutely no place in a thread about the ongoing Light Rail boom. Start a different thread for that completely seperate subject.

Light rail, heavy rail or PRT... this tech is incredible and I hope it gains traction.

You're right however, start a new thread for a different topic.

[Chef]

The Twin Cities Metropolitan Council has approved light rail for the Bottineau Corridor. It will go from downtown Minneapolis through the northern suburbs. It will be the region's fourth line.

http://www.metrocouncil.org/News-Eve...-transitw.aspx

[Chef]

An update on the Minneapolis - St Paul central corridor (Green Line)

• Video Link

[Justin10000]

Originally Posted by whiteford

City of calgary studies the potential usefulness of PRT. both for the enhancement of the cities LRT system and as stand alone possibilities. here is a link with maps and much more. personally i think the systems are wonderful expressions of forward thinking engineers. i would support such a system if it were to be fully utilized and not just a gimmick.
http://www.cities21.org/cms/index.ph...calgary-sketch

I know it's 3 months late, but this Cities21 is NOT a part of the City of Calgary. Calgary isn't doing any PRT study.

[M II A II R II K]

Peduto envisions rapid transit system in Pittsburgh

Read More: http://www.pittnews.com/news/article...9bb30f31a.html

Pittsburgh’s Democratic mayoral candidate is proposing a massive public transit project, one that he says will benefit Oakland and the city’s student population.

Bill Peduto said his ideal model for an expansion of Pittsburgh’s light rail, commonly referred to as the “T,” would connect most of the city through lines that ran north, east, south and west, which would cost several billion dollars. But his proposal has drawn criticism from his Republican opponent, former state constable Josh Wander, who believes the city cannot afford the project and favors expanding transportation through private enterprises.

Any actual decisions regarding public transportation must be determined by County Executive Richard Fitzgerald, who is proposing a similar plan for light rail expansion highlighting the development of a bus rapid transit in Oakland, rather than the light rail proposed by Peduto.

Peduto, the city’s District 8 councilman, said if he is elected to office, he plans to establish a light rail line that connects with the existing system Downtown. As part of the expansion, Peduto is envisioning a light rail line that would go through the North Side neighborhoods to Cranberry Township, which is about 20 miles north of Downtown. Another new light rail line would travel through the West End neighborhoods to the Pittsburgh International Airport, which is about 20 miles west of Downtown. He would also build a rail line that would run along the East Busway to Monroeville, which is about 15 miles east of Downtown along that route.

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