Comments on: Small Things I Want From Link:

By: Talulah

Talulah — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:37:55 +0000

Many people don’t realize that they need to keep EVERYTHING away from the yellow stripe. They will stand with their feet against the stripe, not realizing that their purse or backpack or beer gut are several inches ahead or behind them, putting them too close to the train. The yellow stripes are wide enough, if you are paying attention.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:35:11 +0000

Another problem I experienced yesterday was huge lines at the ticket machines in the Tukwila Park and Ride. I think they need at least 4 machines in that terminal with all the commuter and airport traffic going through there. I mean, if there are huge lines already in the first week, how’s it going to be when ridership really picks up?

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:30:59 +0000

Thanks. I didn’t know about the maintenance and my statement on 24 hour trains was I’m based on my experience from living in Dusseldorf, Germany for three years and enjoying the late night transit. Here’s an option, have a train that leaves hourly: one at 1:30am and one that leaves at 2:30am. I know a lot of bartenders, servers, dishwashers, cooks, and folks that like to go out downtown would really appreciate that. I live in Boulevard Park and I know the 1:30am bus is always packed on the weekends. Maybe just do it on the weekends? I work as a server downtown and talking to my fellow co-workers, this is a pretty big concern with everyone in the night-time service industry.

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:05:23 +0000

24-hour systems require four-track right-of-ways with current inspection practices.

The track has to be closed down nightly for inspection and maintenance, for 1-2 hours — this is standard practice in urban rail systems for some reason. (Perhaps it’s overkill; mainline tracks are inspected less often.) If you have four tracks, you can close down *half* of it for 1-2 hours.

12:30 is awfully early; most systems shut between 2 and 4 AM or so. But I suppose the demand is really low by 12:30 (in NYC, the demand is still going strong, of course) and running empty trains is expensive.

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:01:44 +0000

People are going to drink water whether or not it’s allowed, and the ADA means that water *has* to be allowed for some people (it’s often medically necessary).

So, yeah, allow water.

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:57:04 +0000

Isn’t road/pedestrian bridge work supposed to eliminate most of the grade crossings in SODO eventually (i.e. before East Link opens)?

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:46:53 +0000

Nonsense. I’ve ridden on horrible “shimmying” trains — it was still better for my motion sickness than the best buses on brand-new smooth roads. :-(

By: John Jensen

John Jensen — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:56:06 +0000

I agree with much of your point, but …it should run 24 hours personally just like almost every other train system in the world isn’t really true. That is in fact very rare.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:44:19 +0000

Why does the train stop running at 12:30am? This is a big disappointment for those of us in the service industry downtown who work late hours. It would also greatly reduce the amount of drunk drivers on the road if there was some kindof “last call” train at say 2:30am. I think it should run 24 hours personally just like almost every other train system in the world. Seattle, you’re a big city now, start acting like one!

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:34:26 +0000

There are very few instances in which doing that would save dozens of people.

By: alexjonlin

alexjonlin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:33:49 +0000

“Big Brother” can’t always be watching, so it’s always good to add another layer of protection.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:02:51 +0000

Oh man, that just hurts. Maybe they do intend to bustitute the line until the W2 cars rot to pieces.

By: Chris Stefan

Chris Stefan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:58:28 +0000

Well Washington State Ferries and Kitsap Transit aren’t part of the Puget Pass/Transit Network either but they take ORCA cards. You have to have an e-purse or an agency pass to ride those systems. No transfers or Puget Pass accepted.

The Monorail could be added with e-purse only payment.

I’d love to see Intercity Transit get on ORCA too. They already accept Pierce and Sound Transit transfers as well as Puget Pass (though I don’t think they are actually part of Puget Pass).

By: marcus

marcus — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:52:13 +0000

I hope they change their minds and either build a moving side walk or an outdoor elevated people mover that will connect directly to the link airport station. I test walk it the other day(70% of it) with lugage and trust me its very stressful. First you gotta go down stairs to baggage claim then back upstairs and walk all the way to the north end of the airport(depending on the airliner). However, after that you have to go through the parking garage and then walk over the new pedestrian bridge and finally after 10-15mins of walking you arrived. I guarantee you this will not go over very well with the public when this line opens if nothing changes.

By: Zelbinian

Zelbinian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:46:26 +0000

They could probably install some vending machines in the stations that won’t get a lot of traffic for awhile.

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:09:07 +0000

Sorry, let me try again. If someone in ON the stripe I will ring the bell and honk the horn.

By: Zelbinian

Zelbinian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:46:54 +0000

Heh, the under promise and (thereby) over deliver strategy, eh?

By: Zelbinian

Zelbinian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:39:56 +0000

Hey, hey, now, no copying the T ;)

By: Talulah

Talulah — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:27:37 +0000

The drivers are on camera and being recorded 24/7. You don’t need to be watching them because Big Brother is.

By: Jon Morgan

Jon Morgan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:05:46 +0000

Metro drivers have consistently struck me as totally oblivious to Link. Which is consistent with my overall impressions of Metro’s approach toward it and ST.