Comments on: News Roundup: 8 days

By: Erik G.

Erik G. — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:21:05 +0000

Just FYI, the Sounder cars that are running in greater Los Angeles (leased by Metrolink) have their overhead racks removed.

However the Caltrain Baby Bullet cars that were supposed to be delivered to Seattle but ended up in San Francisco, have the ST ‘Wave” on their overhead racks. Something to look for on your next travels to the Bay Area…

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:47:58 +0000

Thanks, Oran. I’ve noticed the high ceilings in various videos and that’s what got me wondering about luggage racks and potential space usage.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:05:51 +0000

“People from the suburbs reading this, take great care when venturing into the Rainier Valley. This is an area I am very familiar with. It’s a dangerous place.”

If you were that familiar with it you wouldn’t be spreading this FUD about it.

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:03:47 +0000

I bet he thought the “Beacon Journal” newspaper was from Beacon Hill, not Akron. ;)

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:01:10 +0000

Seriously, it wouldn’t need to be expensive. Simple arrows would do the trick.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:32:32 +0000

The article didn’t state that the human wolfpack was stealing any iPods, jewelry, etc. Just think, when East Link opens, all 50 of these rampaging youths will be able to ride directly from the Valley to Overlake – that is, if East Link goes as far east as the Ohio Valley.

I’m very interested in the safety tips – does anyone have tips for how to stay safe if I live in this high-crime area? Where should I leave my laptop and cell phone? How can I prevent being beaten on my own lawn by urban wildife accessing my home via Link?

By: John

John — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:30:31 +0000

ST couldn’t find any money to help do basic wayfinding?

It’s really, really not that expensive to do well. Feet First has done some great projects over in West Seattle, in Delridge and along the trail system, for very little money.

By: Martin H. Duke

Martin H. Duke — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:29:53 +0000

The 8 will run every 15 minutes, midday, when the 194 goes away in February. Weekends may take a bit longer.

By: Thel

Thel — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:22:59 +0000

I literally just laughed out loud. Oh, Sam, thank you for the laugh. It’s been a tough week, and I needed the comic relief.

People from the suburbs! Hear ye, hear ye! This young helpless white female has been riding buses in the Rainier Valley for almost three years now early in the morning and late at night, and walking up to half a mile from the bus stop to my house. I’m always alone. Sometimes I listen to an iPod. Sometimes I talk (quietly) on my cell phone. Let’s see…I carry a purse and sometimes a camera bag.

So far my worst experience was this one time when a schizophrenic old white lady yelled at me. It was truly harrowing. People from the suburbs, beware! Bewaaaaaaare! *waggles fingers spookily*

By: Matt L

Matt L — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:54:56 +0000

Dude, the article you link to was about an incident in Ohio. Thinking that has any relevance to the Rainier Valley just shows your racism. “Those black people are all the same, they’re all out to get us.”

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:47:38 +0000

There are no luggage racks on Link. You probably can use the bike rack space or folding seat area for luggage if their target users are not using it. The ceiling in the Link car is really high.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:44:32 +0000

There are no signs along the route. The city might be responsible for installing such signs as they have throughout the downtown area.

The poles do have colored artwork that reminds riders that they are approaching a station. It’s a nice touch but they should have done basic wayfinding first.

By: Oran Viriyincy

Oran Viriyincy — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:37:08 +0000

I live in the suburbs and venture down to the Valley often with my iPod, a MacBook, and a Canon G9 camera. Oops, did I just say that? You should thank me for braving that area to bring you the photos and videos so you don’t have to.

Oh wait, I’m Southeast Asian, that changes everything.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:37:00 +0000

I think telling people to not to worry is dangerous. It’s giving people a false sense of security. Gangs and human wolf packs are real. Just ask this white family of three, who, while they were celebrating the 4th in their yard, were swarmed by 50 black youths, then savagely beaten for no reason, other than the fact they were white. Some in the wolf pack said “It’s a black world now,” while beating them.

http://www.ohio.com/news/50172282.html

People from the suburbs reading this, take great care when venturing into the Rainier Valley. This is an area I am very familiar with. It’s a dangerous place.

Never take the Link alone. Never take it at night. Do not talk on a cell phone, especially an iPhone, and do not listen to an iPod. Do not carry a laptop bag, or briefcase, or luggage. Do not wear jewelry or expensive watches.

These are just some of my tips to help you to stay safe if you venture into this high crime area.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:28:18 +0000

Walter, why?

By: litlnemo

litlnemo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:05:05 +0000

Is there any signage to tell people what the shortest direction is to the next station? It would be nice if the poles along the tracks had arrows or something like that. Not everyone is going to know which station is the closest.

By: Zed

Zed — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:30:56 +0000

It was a joke. I couldn’t think of anything else to say in response to his off-topic fear mongering.

By: Walter Lau

Walter Lau — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:10:43 +0000

I hope someday we will see Route 8 running every 15 minutes during middays and weekends.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:10:35 +0000

Kinda off-topic, but does anyone know if there any luggage racks on Link? I found an old PI piece quoting someone at ST who said they were considering have them installed on one of the two cars on each train, but I can’t find anything beyond that. Thanks.

By: Colin

Colin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:29:11 +0000

I understand where you’re coming from.

One issue with the 18 number is I believe Mr. N has claimed that the EIS said the Link would probably have a car vs. train accident once every 2 weeks. That’s going to exceed your number if it comes true. If we put all our chips on the table with the 18 accidents/year number, to paraphrase Grand Moff Tarkin, we’re taking a awful risk that our argument will be proven wrong.

Another issue is the bus tunnel. That’s technically a grade-separated bus lane, but i’m guessing that the accident numbers they came up with (43/million miles) include miles they travelled in the bus tunnel (and any other bus-only segment, like the busway next to the SODO station). So, if the busses are including the portions where they’re grade separated, why can’t the Link? Yes, the percentages are significantly different between link & buses, but the argument stands.

One compromise would be to use passenger capacity-miles at grade (rather than service miles). This would also heavily favor the Link, as the Link train has capacity of several busses. The math gets easier if you use bus equivalency service miles at grade, so each Link mile at grade is equivalent to say, 5 bus miles at grade. If you insist that the buses will be running closer to capacity than the Link, that’s fine. Maybe we only say a Link service mile is worth 3 bus service miles.

At 3 bus service miles per Link service mile, the accident rate would have to be 54 per year to equal what it would have been from buses, even on that short stretch of at-grade light rail.

If we extrapolate that number to include all 27.5 miles of the light rail, and the Link has accidents at only 26 per year (to match certain predictions), the Link has decreased transit vs. public accidents by 126 accidents per year.