Portland Transit | TriMet/Mass Transit News

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by zilfondel

I highly doubt they would replace the tram gondolas - they were custom designed by a Swiss gondola design firm just for Portland. THey are world-class.

If they did, they would also have to replace the entire stations, tram tower, cables, etc - everything in the system, as it was all engineered to handle a certain amount of weight and to accommodate the size of the gondolas. The parts are custom and are not interchangeable.

It would also be a waste of the $57 million that was spent on the design and architecture of the project to begin with!

Yeah, it would be pretty stupid to replace the gondolas, though I wish they would have designed it to be expanded where it could be run with more than just two gondolas, but I don't know if they figured it would be this popular and receive this much traffic when it was being designed.

[MarkDaMan]

TriMet takes major step toward electronic fare system
Posted in TriMet News
March 26, 2014 Roberta Altstadt

http://news.trimet.org/2014/03/trime...c-fare-system/

Convenient, easy e-fare includes possibility of daily/monthly fare caps

TriMet today awarded a major contract that will bring electronic fare to the Portland metropolitan area in 2017. TriMet has selected Innovations in Transportation, Inc. (INIT) to begin designing the equipment needed for an e-fare system, as well as a smart card for transit use only. Once TriMet’s e-fare system is fully implemented, you will be able to choose from a variety of easy payment options: transit-only smart card, contactless bank card and a smartphone with Near Field Communications.

“While we are dedicated to restoring service, we’re also focused on making the ride better and easier for our riders,” said TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane. “The ability to conveniently and quickly pay your fare by simply tapping your card or device against an electronic reader is just one of the exciting benefits that come with e-fare and will, we think, encourage more people to ride.”

Along with payment options and convenience afforded by e-fare, TriMet is also looking at the possibility of daily and monthly fare caps. “Right now you can purchase an adult monthly pass for $100 and take as many rides as you wish during that time period but it requires that upfront cost that some cannot afford,” said TriMet Director of Revenue Chris Tucker. “With what we are proposing for our e-fare system, you could pre-pay for the month or possibly pay as you go and once you reach a $100 cap, the remainder of rides in that month would be free.” For someone who rides every day, after day 20 the rides would be free.

Teaming up with INIT

TriMet chose INIT through a competitive process to create an account-based fare management system that will support both a transit-only cards and open payments. The $14.3 million base contract covers e-fare equipment and inspection devices, customer web portals and 1.3 million smart cards. TriMet also recently contracted with INIT for a new radio system for our buses. The full implementation of that system is nearing completion.

E-fare system will pay for itself

The full e-fare system will cost up to $30 million to implement, which includes additional contracts such as civil construction for validator placement on rail platforms. It’s expected to increase revenue and reduce costs associated with ticket vending machines and cash collection processing.
An account-based e-fare system

Unlike some other transit agencies that have already implemented e-fare, TriMet’s account-based system can provide payment protection. If a registered card is lost, cancel that card and the value remains in your account. Right now if you lose your ticket or pass, you’re out the money and need to buy a new one.

Managing your account will also be easier. You will be able to reload your transit-only card via phone, web or at retail stores throughout the region or by setting up an auto-load feature that adds money to your account automatically from your bank account. Those who don’t have a bank account will be able to purchase e-fare cards similar to gift cards at grocery stores and other retail outlets. This will improve access for everyone, especially low-income riders.

Schedule for implementing e-fare

TriMet employees will begin internally testing of the e-fare system in fall 2015 with the opening of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail line opens. In 2016, we hope to move to limited customer segment testing and then launch e-fare systemwide in 2017.

Our goal is that this becomes a regional system, allowing seamless transfers between TriMet buses, MAX and WES Commuter Rail trains, C-TRAN buses and the Portland Streetcar.
E-fare is next step to making riding easier

TriMet became the first transit agency in the U.S. to implement a mobile ticketing smartphone app for use on both buses and trains. The free TriMet Tickets mobile app launched in September 2013 and we are nearing 900,000 mobile tickets purchased. Based on the popularity of the mobile tickets, we expect riders will embrace e-fare with the same enthusiasm.
Sign up for e-fare information

Go to trimet.org/e-fare to learn more about our future e-fare system and sign up for updates.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

If the Metro does a tunnel through the West Hills under OHSU I would hope they would run light rail through it. Though I think it would be a great idea to do something like they have in Seattle where both light rail and bus run through their tunnel. Something like that would make it easier to run buses to the SW and could help speed up the bus service and reduce any wait time in traffic.

It seems to be the recent shift in TriMet thinking. The Transit Mall is shared between buses and light rail, and the new TriMet Bridge will be shared by bus, streetcar and light rail.

If TriMet is going to build more tunnels I really hope consider one to connect the Robertson Tunnel and the Banfield MAX. Keep the Red Line on the surface alignment and put the Blue line underground and combine some stations.

With properly designed underground stations a Blue Line Subway could combine stops like Civic Park (or whatever it's called this week, where the Timbers play) with the MAC station. Pioneer Place and Pioneer Courthouse Square is another. Skidmore and Old Town/Chinatown. Rose Quarter/Convention Center. NE 7th and NE 11th.

Plus with upgrades of other Blue Line stations they could be more than two cars long, allowing a single operator to carry more passengers.

I was at the Nines today at about 5:30 pm, and the existing cross traffic between the Blue/Red and Yellow/Green lines at SW 6th and Morrison seemed to hold up a lot of trains. Once the Orange Line is added in I'm not sure at peak hours that many trains can really cross paths without backing things up.

It also would open up more frequent service for trains that need to use the Steel Bridge which is already a bottleneck. I'm sure it won't be cheap, but making the Blue Line a true rapid transit part of the network seems like a natural evolution.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by davehogan

It seems to be the recent shift in TriMet thinking. The Transit Mall is shared between buses and light rail, and the new TriMet Bridge will be shared by bus, streetcar and light rail.

If TriMet is going to build more tunnels I really hope consider one to connect the Robertson Tunnel and the Banfield MAX. Keep the Red Line on the surface alignment and put the Blue line underground and combine some stations.

With properly designed underground stations a Blue Line Subway could combine stops like Civic Park (or whatever it's called this week, where the Timbers play) with the MAC station. Pioneer Place and Pioneer Courthouse Square is another. Skidmore and Old Town/Chinatown. Rose Quarter/Convention Center. NE 7th and NE 11th.

Plus with upgrades of other Blue Line stations they could be more than two cars long, allowing a single operator to carry more passengers.

I was at the Nines today at about 5:30 pm, and the existing cross traffic between the Blue/Red and Yellow/Green lines at SW 6th and Morrison seemed to hold up a lot of trains. Once the Orange Line is added in I'm not sure at peak hours that many trains can really cross paths without backing things up.

It also would open up more frequent service for trains that need to use the Steel Bridge which is already a bottleneck. I'm sure it won't be cheap, but making the Blue Line a true rapid transit part of the network seems like a natural evolution.

I imagine we will see a Blue Line tunnel through downtown in the future that would allow Metro to eventually expand Blue Line stations.

Though I don't think it will happen until we one day a tunnel to SW and additional other parts of the city, I do hope that it happens in my lifetime.

The Steel Bridge and Pioneer Sq are two key points that will need to be addressed sooner or later.

Personally I would love to see Portland have a mini subway system, which would give them another outlet to run even more lines through downtown.

[dubu]

theres a pedestrian bridge but the west side of the river isnt very pedestrian friendly, you could have a tunnel from the bridge to ohsu and have a exit where you can catch the bus/train going up the hill.

[bvpcvm]

There was a thing on CityLab today about MARTA (Atlanta) acting as a developer and converting park and ride lots into high-density TODs. I think that's similar to what the HKG MRT does to amazing effect. TriMet has tons of surface parking along various MAX lines that could really be put to better use. Has anyone heard anything about something like this happening in Portland?

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by bvpcvm

There was a thing on CityLab today about MARTA (Atlanta) acting as a developer and converting park and ride lots into high-density TODs. I think that's similar to what the HKG MRT does to amazing effect. TriMet has tons of surface parking along various MAX lines that could really be put to better use. Has anyone heard anything about something like this happening in Portland?

I asked someone at TriMet that a few years ago and the answer I got was basically for now they're just land banks that serve a purpose of getting people to TriMet.

From Denver Regional Congress of Governments: Link. Page 31 mentions examples from here. Also an interesting "outsider" look at the MAX.

And something I think TriMet sent them: Link. Pretty interesting also.

[maccoinnich]

TriMet forges ahead with eFares, awards Portland startup GlobeSherpa $2.6 million to develop technology

TriMet's $30 million eFare future of tap cards and cloud tickets will be powered by Portland high-tech startup GlobeSherpa, the nascent company behind the transit agency's wildly popular Tickets smartphone app.

Despite some concerns expressed last week by TriMet's Board of Directors about the long-term viability of GlobeSherpa, the agency has selected the startup to develop the next generation of mobile technology for riders, hoping to retire century-old paper tickets and passes for good.

"GlobeSherpa is here to stay," said Nat Parker, the company's chief executive officer. "Quite frankly we're killing it. We're looking at a seven-figure revenue in just the first year."

...continues at the Oregonian.

[maccoinnich]

Hopefully this means that they're retiring that awful map introduced a few years ago.

New Trimet Rail Map

by Curtis Ailes on August 25, 2014



I was out walking downtown this weekend when I noticed that Trimet has updated the rail system map to include the pending Orange Line route. I snapped a photo with my camera and while the news is nothing worth getting excited over, it does provide some changes to the existing map that make different regions a bit more clear.

Included on the map is also the closed loop of the Portland Streetcar Central Loop. Both routes are shown as “future service” and while the CL line future service is not in doubt, the new map answers no questions about future Orange & Yellow line service. Where will the Orange Line end on the north end of the route? Will the Yellow Line extend further south as some of the new platforms indicate?

...continues at Portland Transport.

[Derek]

I don't see why the Orange Line wouldn't run all the way to Union Station and complete the downtown loop. If I lived in SE, I wouldn't want to transfer at PSU to get to Pioneer Square and beyond. Yes, I know it's not a long walk, but in the winter people would probably prefer to stay on the train if possible. Increased train frequency downtown can't be a bad thing, right?

[maccoinnich]

The post at Portland Transport goes into more detail on this, but it's actually quite misleading, at least as far as indicating how TriMet intend on operating the Orange line. There's no physical way to turn a train around at PSU that originated from the south. At a minimum, Orange line trains will need to go to Union Station.

[philopdx]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Hopefully this means that they're retiring that awful map introduced a few years ago.



...continues at Portland Transport.

You mean that one with the diagonal routes? That sends you from Goose Hollow down to South Waterfront then up to the Lloyd District? :-D

[Derek]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

The post at Portland Transport goes into more detail on this, but it's actually quite misleading, at least as far as indicating how TriMet intend on operating the Orange line. There's no physical way to turn a train around at PSU that originated from the south. At a minimum, Orange line trains will need to go to Union Station.

Heh...good point.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by philopdx

You mean that one with the diagonal routes? That sends you from Goose Hollow down to South Waterfront then up to the Lloyd District? :-D

This is the one I hated. I love a good Harry Beck / Massimo Vignelli map as much the next guy, but this one was ridiculous. It gave the impression that Hillsboro is somewhere south of Beaverton, Gresham to the north of Lents, and that Expo Center is to the west of Hillsboro. Meanwhile WES, which could certainly use the transfer passengers, isn't shown at all. Nor is the Portland Streetcar.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by Derek

Heh...good point.

From the design it looks like Orange Line trains will run to Union Station and Yellow Line will continue south to the SE Clinton St Station.

Also the bus lane from 9th to 11th was completed. I walked it last weekend, even though I'm not sure it's open yet. I figured it wasn't clearly marked as closed, so why not?

[cailes]

Someone from Trimet responded in the comments of the story that the Orange Line would indeed turn around at Union Station. If you look at Trimet's website, they have the generic rail map, and the Orange Line is shown going to Union Station.

Still doesn't tell us anything about how far the Yellow Line is going though the further south the better IMO

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by cailes

Someone from Trimet responded in the comments of the story that the Orange Line would indeed turn around at Union Station. If you look at Trimet's website, they have the generic rail map, and the Orange Line is shown going to Union Station.

Still doesn't tell us anything about how far the Yellow Line is going though the further south the better IMO

The Steel Bridge is at capacity. No more trains. What they can do is have some Yellows turn Orange, but they can't move enough extra trains across the bridge to merge the Yellow and the Orange yet.

I think the upgrades that were part of the CRC would have improved that as well, but for now they can't fit any more trains on the Steel Bridge.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by davehogan

The Steel Bridge is at capacity. No more trains. What they can do is have some Yellows turn Orange, but they can't move enough extra trains across the bridge to merge the Yellow and the Orange yet.

I think the upgrades that were part of the CRC would have improved that as well, but for now they can't fit any more trains on the Steel Bridge.

It's not so much the bridge itself that limits capacity (except for the ultra-slow speed that the trains have to sustain to cross it), it's the crossings and switches at both ends of the bridge where the lines cross. When one train has to wait for a train from the opposite direction to cross an intersection before it can proceed, theoretically capacity is limited to roughly 30 trains each direction per hour at a maximum. In practice though, it would be more like 20+ trains per hour for all lines (R, B, Y & G). So even if you double tracked the Steel Bridge in both directions, you still have the same crossings and swithes at both ends. That doesn't really solve the capacity issue.

[maccoinnich]

If they could somehow rebuild each end with flying junctions, would that significantly increase capacity? I can't imagine how expensive that would be though.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

If they could somehow rebuild each end with flying junctions, would that significantly increase capacity? I can't imagine how expensive that would be though.

Yes, that would definitely increase capacity, but the cost would be very high and given the new Tilikum Crossing cost $134 million, it wouldn't be that much more money to just build a new MAX crossing for the north end of downtown.

Then, of course, you still have the capacity-killing short blocks downtown (trains can only be two cars long) and the hundred or so streetlights that slow trains to a crawl. Until all of those issues are resolved (i.e. going underground), we're doomed to have a no-growth MAX system, regardless of how many new lines get built.