Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[Matthew.Brendan]

 

We need some of these awesome carts with the pump handle laid in certain select abandoned sidings. That greenway in Wesley Heights is prime. 

Edited August 12, 2021 by Matthew.Brendan

[kermit]

Drove from Church st to French st this morning. LOTS of sidewalk work happening the whole way. Station glass was in at all but one station and the stations looked ready for opening. Stations do not have benches or fare machines. I don’t think either is coming, I think fare machines are in the vehicle,  the lack of benches is fine if vehicles come every five minutes, but not if its every 15….

EDIT: based on Toz's photo I think I may have tuned out some benches.

Edited August 18, 2021 by kermit

[tozmervo]

(taken this morning - has bench)

[TheRealClayton]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

(taken this morning - has bench)

well that is just painful to see.

[RANYC]

8 minutes ago, TheRealClayton said:

well that is just painful to see.

 

…what happens to comfortable streetcar station benches 

[TheRealClayton]

19 minutes ago, RANYC said:

 

…what happens to comfortable streetcar station benches 

I was referencing the ghosted image of historic density that is no longer present. 

[RANYC]

32 minutes ago, TheRealClayton said:

I was referencing the ghosted image of historic density that is no longer present. 

ah, my apologies.

Sad to think that's the only way we believe we can recapture that sort of eclectic streetscape.

[tozmervo]

32 minutes ago, TheRealClayton said:

I was referencing the ghosted image of historic density that is no longer present. 

As long as it wasn't commentary on my sweet-ass 2013 Prius. 

[navigator319]

These will be the first to go next mass demonstrations. So they will be broke and shattered more then they are intact and CATS I guarantee you has no maintenance plan.

Vote no on any transit plan current incarnation CATS is a part of!

[RANYC]

18 hours ago, navigator319 said:

These will be the first to go next mass demonstrations. So they will be broke and shattered more then they are intact and CATS I guarantee you has no maintenance plan.

Vote no on any transit plan current incarnation CATS is a part of!

I'd like to learn.  What should a different incarnation of CATS look like?  One might argue that nearly all mass transit systems have issues in this country because they're systemically under-funded, and because most US land use patterns are incredibly wasteful and difficult to service with mass transit.  Are you a regular CATS user?  

[QClifer]

Maybe it is at all stops on the streetcar but I drove by the stop at Wesley heights way/bojangles and the map showing where al the stops were was on the glass wall of the overhang.   Wouldn’t be shocked if it was in a million pieces before the first rider ever gets on at that stop.  Just poor planning/design.  Glass anything anywhere on that streetcar line will be broken over time 

[kermit]

On 8/19/2021 at 12:48 PM, QClifer said:

Maybe it is at all stops on the streetcar but I drove by the stop at Wesley heights way/bojangles and the map showing where al the stops were was on the glass wall of the overhang.   Wouldn’t be shocked if it was in a million pieces before the first rider ever gets on at that stop.  Just poor planning/design.  Glass anything anywhere on that streetcar line will be broken over time 

CATS had some problems with broken station glass panels on the BLE, but they seemed to have gotten them straightened out after switching to a different spec for the panels.

Don't forget, banks use similar glass around ATMs all the time, its really not unreasonable as long as the appropriate material is installed. Other than glass panels, there are not many ways to provide riders protection from windblown rain while keeping streetcar platforms visible and safe feeling when they are so narrow.

Edited August 21, 2021 by kermit

[kermit]

[CATS' window to get this thing rolling closes in 10 days....]

Edited August 20, 2021 by kermit

[tozmervo]

For the first time in a while, seeing the streetcar rolling all morning today.

[nakers2]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

For the first time in a while, seeing the streetcar rolling all morning today.

So is there any news? I have a friend coming to town next weekend, would love to ride it with them.

[Hushpuppy321]

 

On 8/23/2021 at 3:01 PM, nakers2 said:

So is there any news? I have a friend coming to town next weekend, would love to ride it with them.

Because of the Federal funding deadline (8/31/21) CATS probably will open the Streetcar for Ridership a day or two beforehand.  My guess would be the Sunday prior.  (8/29/31).

[tozmervo]

It seems they are running full schedule testing yesterday and today. 

[CLT2014]

Hit the F-150! Crosswalk BLOCKER!

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, CLT2014 said:

Hit the F-150! Crosswalk BLOCKER!

At least during the break-in period, they're almost certainly going to need patrols between Church and College to keep people from idling/sitting on the tracks. Outside of that stretch the train is on interior lanes, but for those two blocks it's on exterior lanes. It blasts it's horn at all the people that stop to "run in" or whatever along that stretch. (It's happening a lot.)

[JRCLT]

 
Because of the Federal funding deadline (8/31/21) CATS probably will open the Streetcar for Ridership a day or two beforehand.  My guess would be the Sunday prior.  (8/29/31).

Just a day off. Amazing.

[KJHburg]

Yep Joe Bruno says so.....

 

 

Joe Bruno

 

@JoeBrunoWSOC9

·

24m

 

NEW: Charlotte's streetcar will open Monday and will be fare free until January

@wsoctv

[Yeahdoug]

I wish they’d show a little more restraint with the bell chime. Only need one chime per action. Leaving/arriving at station, entering intersection, etc. They are just ringing it every 5 seconds no matter what. In other cities they just do a single bell chime.  It’s all I hear late at night and early morning outside my window.  End rant lol 

I can’t wait to ride it though. 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Yeahdoug

[tozmervo]

The official city announcment: CityLYNX Gold Line Streetcar to Open for Passenger Service on Aug. 30 (charlottenc.gov)

[JacksonH]

On 4/30/2021 at 6:05 PM, JacksonH said:

When they say August they mean August 31.

I made this prediction back in April, but it looks like CATS is determined to prove me wrong.

[tozmervo]

Word on the street is that the city had to hire separate contractors to finish up a lot of work because the general contractor wasn't getting the job done, and they were going to miss the federal deadline. On top of the city apparently having to get the contractor's bonding company involved a while back, I suspect there's a lot of really ugly behind-the-scenes going on.