Comments on: News Roundup

By: Snow Post-Mortem - Seattle Transit Blog

Snow Post-Mortem - Seattle Transit Blog — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:41:59 +0000

[...] streetcar website maintained very out of date information about its current status. I know we already have a very complex streetcar system and it may be [...]

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:33:20 +0000

My browser has been alternating between 24-hour GMT, 24-hour local time, and 12-hour local time formats. Don’t know why. How hard would it be to code it to convert it the desired format? I know it’s pretty easy in PHP and Javascript, assuming your input is in the correct format.

They could make it easier and say “The information below was last updated 1 hour and 33 minutes ago” so I don’t have to do the math to find out how fresh the page is. That would solve the whole time zone and format issue but be a little harder to implement.

I noticed the comment timestamps here show as “2008-12-27 18:02:50″, which is actually my preferred format for dates and time, while the blog post timestamp is the more traditional “December 26, 2008 at 8:05 pm”.

By: Kaleci

Kaleci — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:05:15 +0000

Ummm – the times on that page on my browser has always been Pacific Standard Time with a note that said if your browser shows GMT…

But thanks.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:02:50 +0000

A few days ago I emailed Metro and complained about the way they list the update time on their Adverse weather page. I said I didn’t think many of their riders would be able to easily understand when the page was actually last updated. This is an example of how they used to list it: “The information below was last updated Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:59:48 GMT. Subtract eight hours for Pacific Time Zone time.” They now do it like this: “The information below was last updated 12/27/08 5:59 PM.” Just as I suggested.

Am I hero? I suppose that’s for history to decide.

You’re welcome, citizens of King County.

By: Zach

Zach — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:13:29 +0000

Several news articles about the Opening Day of light rail in Phoenix (20 miles in 4 years, at $1.4bn…flat land does have its advantages).

Here’s one about an enterprising group that has an online web site with real estate data on every parcel within one mile of the rail line.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/12/29/story10.html

By: Brian Bundridge

Brian Bundridge — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:08:13 +0000

The tunnel is made to handle situations where regular buses (non-hybrid) can run in the tunnel. They do their best not to do it though to reduce fumes to people.

The Streetcar was running for the most part all day yesterday. I saw it early morning yesterday and later that afternoon and evening. Metro is just being lazy, best to check NextBus to see what the actual status is of the Streetcar.

Looking at NextBus right now – The Red and Orange vehicles are running on scheduled service.

By: Duncan S

Duncan S — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:41:28 +0000

They were running non-hybrid buses in the tunnel today. The non-hybrids don’t have “hush mode” (not to mention batteries), so they’re running diesel the whole time. The tunnel’s ventilation system isn’t made to handle this.

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:33:24 +0000

Last time I e-mailed someone at SDOT, asking them to go in and change the streetcar website to mention it’s broken (it had been out of service for 3 days), and they were fairly responsive. I just sent an e-mail asking to have that message removed, but it’s a friday night so I’m guessing it’ll be updated on monday.

Sadly, this was the last free ride day.

By: Joshua Kelley

Joshua Kelley — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:36:44 +0000

Try getting off work at 11pm and catching the 194…

By: John Jensen

John Jensen — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:27:22 +0000

I was in the University St station this morning (6 am) and there was a thick haze. Does anyone know if it was a diesel exhaust or what? If so, absolutely disgusting.

The holiday schedule for the 194 forced me to catch a cab. 30 minute frequency to the airport? Riiggghttt. Another airport trip that made me want Link.

By: AJ

AJ — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:06:30 +0000

Been watching it off and on (well, seeing it at random) on the street cams for hours. Metro is a little bit of lazy.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:56:13 +0000

The website was last updated around 8 pm today yet it still says the streetcar is suspended. So if it is running today, what’s going on? This is shameful and unbelievable that even Metro has no idea what’s going on in the field.

The last 311 of the day is back to running a hybrid artic without chains as usual. Good riddance to chains. What’s keeping Metro from restoring full service to the 255 and 257 when other routes have been using the same streets, which are maintained by King County by the way, just fine?

By: AJ

AJ — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:44:17 +0000

Check the flickr group. It’s been running for at least 6 hours.

By: AJ

AJ — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:02:44 +0000

Streetcar has been running– NextBus shows it as running and I’ve seen it on the Valley/Fairview webcam at least 3 times today.

They just don’t have anyone to update the website.

Still no buses in my neighborhood, even though it’s plowed up here.