Comments on: News Round Up: HSR, BRT, TVMs and Streetcars http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/ Transit in the Greater Seattle Area Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:25:38 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: EvergreenRailfan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40302 EvergreenRailfan Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:06:03 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40302 If it were not for all the off-wire streetcar ideas being proprietary, I would say D.C. would make a good laboratory for testing all off-wire vehicles. The old system in D.C. used a conduit line with a collector on the Capitol Hill area, even the PCCs DC Transit used had this system. If it were not for all the off-wire streetcar ideas being proprietary, I would say D.C. would make a good laboratory for testing all off-wire vehicles. The old system in D.C. used a conduit line with a collector on the Capitol Hill area, even the PCCs DC Transit used had this system.

]]> By: EvergreenRailfan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40301 EvergreenRailfan Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:04:14 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40301 One of the ideas for bringing back the 50 would have had it using the grade seperated crossing at Atlantic St./Edgar Martinez Way, getting it pretty close to Downtown anyway. I was one of the people who said it was a good idea to bring this route back in the survey. Every other route-realignment survey I suggested the same. One of the ideas for bringing back the 50 would have had it using the grade seperated crossing at Atlantic St./Edgar Martinez Way, getting it pretty close to Downtown anyway. I was one of the people who said it was a good idea to bring this route back in the survey. Every other route-realignment survey I suggested the same.

]]> By: litlnemo http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40258 litlnemo Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:48:28 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40258 Argh. I did too. And they are blaming it on Southeast Seattle people who complained that they would lose service ont he #39 to make way for the #50. Well, this Southeast Seattle person would rather see more crosstown buses. The 39 riders would still have been able to get between downtown and the VA with a transfer at the busway, IIRC, which is not a huge slowdown, but having to go downtown to get to West Seattle from SE Seattle is. Argh. I did too. And they are blaming it on Southeast Seattle people who complained that they would lose service ont he #39 to make way for the #50. Well, this Southeast Seattle person would rather see more crosstown buses. The 39 riders would still have been able to get between downtown and the VA with a transfer at the busway, IIRC, which is not a huge slowdown, but having to go downtown to get to West Seattle from SE Seattle is.

]]> By: alexjonlin http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40254 alexjonlin Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:29:32 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40254 A lot of these corridors are quite dense, and so BRT in the long run won't have enough capacity, and it will probably be switched to streetcars. A lot of these corridors are quite dense, and so BRT in the long run won’t have enough capacity, and it will probably be switched to streetcars.

]]> By: EvergreenRailfan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40236 EvergreenRailfan Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:05:26 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40236 As for DC BRT vs. Streetcars, some routes will work good for streetcars, plus it could be a great lab for future off-wire equipment tests, as there is a prohibition on overhead wires near the Capitol. Both Streetcars and BRT will work great for feeding the big MetroRail system. As for DC BRT vs. Streetcars, some routes will work good for streetcars, plus it could be a great lab for future off-wire equipment tests, as there is a prohibition on overhead wires near the Capitol. Both Streetcars and BRT will work great for feeding the big MetroRail system.

]]> By: EvergreenRailfan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40235 EvergreenRailfan Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:00:47 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40235 Not sure if this is on-topic or not, but here are the latest proposals for the bus route adjustments one LINK starts running, and looks like the restoration of West Seattle-Columbia City service is not on the list, despite being in both planning rounds. I know I voted for it in the consultation. http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/sc/plans/2009/042009-sesea.html#background Not sure if this is on-topic or not, but here are the latest proposals for the bus route adjustments one LINK starts running, and looks like the restoration of West Seattle-Columbia City service is not on the list, despite being in both planning rounds. I know I voted for it in the consultation.

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/sc/plans/2009/042009-sesea.html#background

]]> By: Tim http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40227 Tim Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:38:44 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40227 To answer the inevitable--no the TVMs don't do anything (yet). I was in the tunnel on Wednesday and the ones I passed had dark screens. I didn't stop to play with them as I was late already (took an extra 20 minutes getting down Eastlake and into the tunnel). To answer the inevitable–no the TVMs don’t do anything (yet). I was in the tunnel on Wednesday and the ones I passed had dark screens. I didn’t stop to play with them as I was late already (took an extra 20 minutes getting down Eastlake and into the tunnel).

]]> By: RK http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40223 RK Fri, 17 Apr 2009 19:16:45 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40223 Will this ensure that the Pt. Defiance bypass will be built on schedule, or is that still being held up by the City of Tacoma? Will this ensure that the Pt. Defiance bypass will be built on schedule, or is that still being held up by the City of Tacoma?

]]> By: serial catowner http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40207 serial catowner Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:00:17 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40207 Well, excuse me for asking, but how does this relate to recent news that the DOT shut down the office coordinating DOT-Amtrak-BNSF improvements to the Cascade Corridor? I'm having a hard time squaring this particular circle. Well, excuse me for asking, but how does this relate to recent news that the DOT shut down the office coordinating DOT-Amtrak-BNSF improvements to the Cascade Corridor?

I’m having a hard time squaring this particular circle.

]]> By: Colin Chaddock http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40183 Colin Chaddock Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:21:05 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40183 very true. This was just the first planning effort by Amtrak. Now that they might have a budget for further planning, i expect the new line to make much more sense & avoid duplication (similar to the way CA HSR's plan changed from what they show). very true. This was just the first planning effort by Amtrak. Now that they might have a budget for further planning, i expect the new line to make much more sense & avoid duplication (similar to the way CA HSR’s plan changed from what they show).

]]> By: Andrew Smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40171 Andrew Smith Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:18:56 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40171 I agree with everything you said, but the actually track may not reflect the picture shown. I agree with everything you said, but the actually track may not reflect the picture shown.

]]> By: Paul http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40169 Paul Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:09:22 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40169 Joint letter from the governors of Washington and Oregon to the Obama administration regarding high speed rail funds: http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1205&newsType=1 http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/04/16_railfunding.htm Joint letter from the governors of Washington and Oregon to the Obama administration regarding high speed rail funds:
http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1205&newsType=1
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2009/04/16_railfunding.htm

]]> By: pat http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40154 pat Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:30:48 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40154 [deleted, off-topic] [deleted, off-topic]

]]> By: Colin Chaddock http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40152 Colin Chaddock Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:15:53 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40152 You're right about the alignment of some of the lines (There are parallel lines going across Michigan and Ohio, one ending at Toledo and one ending 60 miles north in Detroit. Wouldn't it make sense for both of those lines to follow the same track for most of the run? Maybe even scrap the Chicago-Detroit line completely in favor of a Chicago-Toledo-Detroit line. The Chicago-Detroit line is 282 miles. You only travel an extra 17 miles by going through Toledo, meaning the Chicago-Toledo-Detroit line is almost half as much track (and therefore half as expensive) while only taking 15-20 minutes longer or less. But, it's a great first step. I'm hopeful they can get the SEA-PDX trip under 2 to 2 1/2 hours. You’re right about the alignment of some of the lines (There are parallel lines going across Michigan and Ohio, one ending at Toledo and one ending 60 miles north in Detroit. Wouldn’t it make sense for both of those lines to follow the same track for most of the run? Maybe even scrap the Chicago-Detroit line completely in favor of a Chicago-Toledo-Detroit line. The Chicago-Detroit line is 282 miles. You only travel an extra 17 miles by going through Toledo, meaning the Chicago-Toledo-Detroit line is almost half as much track (and therefore half as expensive) while only taking 15-20 minutes longer or less.

But, it’s a great first step. I’m hopeful they can get the SEA-PDX trip under 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

]]> By: eeepc http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/04/17/news-round-up-hsr-brt-and-streetcars/#comment-40147 eeepc Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:52:50 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=4409#comment-40147 Great news about HSR! Great news about HSR!

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