323 replies to this topic

[Spartan]

monsoon, on Aug 1 2004, 04:52 PM, said:

Atlanta's Marta uses French built trains.

Thats the problem right there!  

[Allan]

Actually one problem we kept having with the D.C. metro was not having enough places to park.  The nearest station to our friend's house (where we stayed) is the Vienna/Fairfax station, and every day we had to drive around for at least 15 minutes looking for a parking place.  It was so bad - there were so many cars just driving around the two parking garages and massive parking lots looking for spaces.  We just kept following people to their cars until we found someone who was leaving.  One day it took us an hour to find a spot!  It would've been faster to drive where we were going, but  there isn't much in the way of parking downtown, since most of the spaces are reserved for government employees.

[yochillout]

They need more stops i think.  This place is just booming in growth.  They arent building anything quick enough around here I think.

[Allan]

Do you know anything about the Purple Line?  I'm sure it's still in planning, but is there any word on construction yet?

[yochillout]

No ive never heard of it before.  Where is it gonna be built?

[yochillout]

is the purple line gonna be coming out to dulles?
that would be smart.  Actually very smart.  Dulles is always mobbed and theres no meytro out to there.  That would ease a little of the traffic around here i would think.

[monsoon]

[yochillout]

Well once they build that line out to dulles things will start to ease up on the roads in that area.

[Urbanrailfan]

Y'all left off another possible Metrorail extension along the Anacostia River.  This will be the first rail extension not to be heavy rail.  This article is from LightRailNow.org.

Washington, DC
LRT Plans a Comeback
Washington, DC can be added to the list of cities planning to bring back light rail transit. In mid-September 2002, Metro, the transit authority, unveiled a $12 billion, 10-year plan calling for what the Washington Post called "a spider's web" of LRT trolleys and rapid bus lines around the region, the first time the agency has embraced an aggressive expansion that didn't rely on the relatively expensive subways – grade-separated rapid transit – that have been its traditional hallmark.
DC officials want to jump-start new transit service in the city with a 7.2-mile LRT line that would begin in the District's poorest neighborhoods in Southeast, cross the Anacostia River, and connect with the burgeoning jobs and residences along the Southwest waterfront. The $310 million Anacostia Starter Line tops the list of five new LRT projects that city officials are pursuing. Officials said the LRT line is a key element in their plans to link the Anacostia neighborhood to the rest of Washington.
[Data sources: Washington Post 2002/09/13, 2002/09/19]

[mcheiss]

Discount airline JetBlue announced today that it will add six daily round-trip flights between Boston's Logan International Airport and Dulles International Airport. The flights are expected to begin on January 17, 2006 and airfares should start at $25 one-way.


JetBlue's move comes after discount rival Independence Air's recent filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Independence operates primarily out of Washington, D.C., and it looks like  JetBlue is competing  for a part of its market share.

[tombarnes]

I really do wish that JetBlue would start flying into Reagan Airport.  Dulles is extremely inconvenient.  Whatever you may have saved on the cheap airfare is obliterated by the expensive taxi fares to and from Dulles.  Still, I like JetBlue and any extended service here would be a good thing.  Now if we could just run USAir out of town.....

[tombarnes]

An article in the Post today mentioned a new program designed to encourage riders to board the trains more efficiently.  Is it just me, or does this seem fruitless?  

   http://www.washingto...5120101955.html

Edited by tombarnes, 02 December 2005 - 12:31 AM.

[StevenRocks]

I wish the Metro extended to Tysons Corner.  That would be ideal.

[skylinefan]

tombarnes, on Dec 2 2005, 01:31 AM, said:

An article in the Post today mentioned a new program designed to encourage riders to board the trains more efficiently.  Is it just me, or does this seem fruitless?  

   http://www.washingto...5120101955.html

It might be a minor improvement but I doubt it will make a major change.  Maybe signs should be posted in the metro to remind riders about proper Metro etiquette.  So many people in DC are self centered and do not give a hoot about anyone else.  That is the real problem.

Edited by skylinefan, 02 December 2005 - 08:20 AM.

[tombarnes]

From the Washington Post...

    http://www.washingto...5121401583.html

I really wanted to see Independence Air flourish.  This latest bit of news seems to confirm my suspicions that the airline might not make it through the winter.  I'd use them more often if they flew out of National Airport.

Edited by tombarnes, 14 December 2005 - 04:03 PM.

[vdogg]

Haven't seen this posted anywhere so please correct me if it has been and I'll delete this. This is a very interesting read indeed. I believe it's more of a dream right now than anything else but i'm happy they're at least looking into the possibility of this.

Balto-Wash maglev

[tombarnes]

I hope something may come of this.  It could really be a great way to travel around the East Coast.  All we need to do is fund it.  With the right attitudes in place, this should be no problem at all.

[TheBostonian]

"If the 40-mile Baltimore-Washington Maglev Demonstration Project is successful, it likely would be extended north to Boston and south to Charlotte, invigorating travel and economy of the Eastern Seaboard and diverting about 20% of air travel to the Maglev mode."

That would be nice.

[urbanvb]

That would be awesome. I was reading somewhere today in order to help alleviate traffic in DC better transportation options needed to be in place between the two cities. This would be a great addition.

[skylinefan]

I wonder though is this realistic with the Federal Government's ever increasing budget deficits.  In order for maglev to become a reality Baltimore, Washington, Baltimore County, Howard County, PG County and Montgomery County not to mention the state of Maryland will have to pay for the lion share of the project.