405 replies to this topic

[orulz]

ajfunder, on 14 May 2012 - 07:15 PM, said:

This may have been asked but the little loop on the streetcar alignment where it turns onto Central Avenue, is that to serve an institution or to avoid an at grade crossing with the CSX on Central. If it is because of the railroad crossing, are streetcars not allowed to cross an active freight line at grade level, is it a request by CSX, or is it a safety descion made by the city?

Doubtless it's a requirement imposed by CSX. Railroads pretty much get to control any changes made to their crossings.

I believe there is only one place in the US, somewhere in Philadelphia, where a streetcar line crosses a mainline railroad at-grade. Diamonds, the metal pieces that join the rails from the four directions, have to be custom-manufactured. They also wear  quickly and need to be replaced often (far more often than rails) and are therefore expensive to maintain.

[kermit]

Sounds like the public vote on bonds for the streetcar extension will likely occur this November.

Ugh, I don't know that I can take another ugly transit fight, I still haven't recovered from the transit tax repeal refferendum in 2007. At least have a positive example of rail transit to hold up to voters this time.

http://www.bizjourna...-05-18&page=all

Edited by kermit, 18 May 2012 - 02:49 PM.

[ajfunder]

These photoshopped pictures with the streetcar are very cool. I can't wait until 2015 when the first segment opens and if this 2.5 mile extension passes this streetcar will become heavily used for travel uptown. What are the chances the streetcar extension passes? Charlotte is about to enter a huge era in transportation expansion and I hope the streetcar extension can join the list along with the Blue Line extension, Red Line (I'm still hopeful), NC railroad improvements, Gateway Station, the new intermodal facility, airport expansion, I-485 completion, Monroe Bypass, and the Garden Parkway as well as adding capacity to highways around the city.
The Buisness Journal had another very good article on the streetcar but I think you have to be a subscriber to read the whole story.
http://www.bizjourna...ing-smooth.html

[ajfunder]

Heres a great PDF of the presentation at the public meeting last night, it includes renderings.
http://charmeck.org/... no 2 FINAL.pdf

[ah59396]

^ That looks fantastic.  I'm very excited about this.

[dubone]

It frustrates the heck out of me that CATS disses on the streetcar so much.  It's fair enough that it is not able to be funded by the transit tax, as that is just a reality of the recession and the de-leveraging hangover.  But surely they can at least freaking update that part of their website with the latest information.