Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[Norm2]

2 hours ago, Scribe said:

No, not really.

That would be like 2 people on a lake one with a smaller bucket and the other -  a few yards away - with a larger bucket and the guy with the smaller bucket gets a crack in the bucket, but blames the guy with the larger bucket for not being able to get water out of the lake.

If the grid is overloaded (i.e. not enough water in the lake) then that is most definitely not a Lynx problem, that is a utility supply problem (call Duke).

But if the grid was overloaded, then the entire area (whatever is serviced by the nearest grid sub-station) would be affected, not a single transformer at a Hotel.

Either way, that is what we were told happened. maybe the person who advised us was misinformed

[jednc]

On 2/22/2018 at 6:09 PM, norm21499 said:

I went to the Mad Monster Party this weekend at the Hilton University, and light rail testing caused one of the transformers in front of the hotel to explode. The hotel was without power for a while and people were stuck in elevators.

With no reports of any sexual activity... At all... Zero

(In the dark, while the lights were out, at the Monster convention)

Edited February 26, 2018 by jednc
Explaining my very bad joke

[kermit]

On 2/7/2018 at 2:55 PM, staffer said:

Wonder whether there will be a speed-up in full opening of the line, or a 21-day gap between inaugural run and March 16 opening.

 

It happened. Big crowd at UNCC this morning.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/02/26/countdown-is-on-as-officials-cut-ribbon-ahead-of.html

 

[15895]

12 minutes ago, kermit said:

It happened. Big crowd at UNCC this morning.

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2018/02/26/countdown-is-on-as-officials-cut-ribbon-ahead-of.html

 

I did notice the trains today said “To UNCC” which I never noticed before.

So are the trains open or nah?

 

Edit: they are not. I guess it’s just a fairly long inaugural celebration.

Edited February 26, 2018 by AirNostrumMAD

[uptownliving]

On ‎2‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 7:45 PM, kermit said:

Gezzz things are messed up. The streetlights along the rail trail from 7th up past 9th are all blinking on and off in unison every 5 seconds. 

The sadest disco ever.

the crossing gates are no longer blocking traffic but they are flashing their white (to train operator) light.

They were still doing that last night (Sunday). Sounds like whoever the electrical contractor was for this project didn't do a good job.

[southslider]

Still no public schedule of when Blue Line actually runs. Just grab the train whenever.

[tozmervo]

16 minutes ago, southslider said:

Still no public schedule of when Blue Line actually runs. Just grab the train whenever.

It does appear that the new train and revised bus timetables aren't available yet, but according to the route change documents:

Trains will run every 7.5 minutes during the weekday rush hour and every 15 minutes during non-peak. Weekend service will be 20 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes during non-peak

[kermit]

4 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

It does appear that the new train and revised bus timetables aren't available yet, but according to the route change documents:

Trains will run every 7.5 minutes during the weekday rush hour and every 15 minutes during non-peak. Weekend service will be 20 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes during non-peak

ugh. 20 and 30 minute headways. Ugh.

Ugh

[tozmervo]

1 minute ago, kermit said:

ugh. 20 and 30 minute headways. Ugh.

Ugh

Agreed. Isn't Saturday service 15 minutes now? That would be a lousy reduction in service. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

What is considered peak weekend hours? 20 minutes is bad enough. 30 minutes is absurd. 

[southslider]

15 minutes ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

What is considered peak weekend hours? 20 minutes is bad enough. 30 minutes is absurd. 

Most connecting bus routes run every 30 minutes even on weekdays. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

Probably a big reason why more people don’t consider bus transit a real alternative unless it’s a necessity. 

Edited February 26, 2018 by Matthew.Brendan

[SgtCampsalot]

27 minutes ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Probably a big reason why more people don’t consider bus transit a real alternative unless it’s a necessity. 

Weekend bus frequency made me late for a lot of work days, and a lot of dates in my twenties.

[grodney]

Saturdays are 15 min 10am to 5pm. Sundays are 20 min 8:30am to 6:30pm

I can't believe they are reducing Saturday service.  15 is bad enough.  20 is garbage. 30 is unreal. 

[15895]

42 minutes ago, grodney said:

Saturdays are 15 min 10am to 5pm. Sundays are 20 min 8:30am to 6:30pm

I can't believe they are reducing Saturday service.  15 is bad enough.  20 is garbage. 30 is unreal. 

 

If I'm a SouthEnd or NoDa resident... do I hop on Light rail with 30 minute headways to say WholeFoods or do I just drive to WholeFoods... or Trader Joes, Harris Teeter or anywhere else at that point?  Wait around 20 minutes for the train or just drive 5 minutes down the road.

[videtur quam contuor]

When I lived in Dilworth Bland was my station and if the train pulled away as I approached it was sit and wait 15-20 minutes or keep walking and arrive downtown at the same time (maybe a bit sooner).

[UPNoDa]

CATS really needs to get their act together if we are to be considered a 21st Century city.

We simply have to be able to move people around our city within reasonable frequency expectations and 30 minute headways would be unacceptable in most major metropolitan areas....even on weekends. 

[grodney]

Semi-related, the trains this week seem to be back on the old schedules.....small sample size, but consistent 6:20 and 6:30 departures from 485 yesterday and today, with 3:15 and 3:30 outbounds yesterday (old schedule switches from 15 to 10 minutes at 3:30).  In that 1.5 days that's more consistency than we've seen since they started "testing" the full route.  Odd, though, that they're back to old schedules.  Part of me thinks they bailed on the 7.5 headways and will end up at 10.

 

[kermit]

1 hour ago, grodney said:

Semi-related, the trains this week seem to be back on the old schedules.....small sample size, but consistent 6:20 and 6:30 departures from 485 yesterday and today, with 3:15 and 3:30 outbounds yesterday (old schedule switches from 15 to 10 minutes at 3:30).  In that 1.5 days that's more consistency than we've seen since they started "testing" the full route.  Odd, though, that they're back to old schedules.  Part of me thinks they bailed on the 7.5 headways and will end up at 10.

They stopped running simulated service on the BLE (none since the signal meltdown last week AFAIK), so that would certainly make the South line more reliable.

Balfour Beatty was out in force today handling what appear to be punch list items that appeared during testing on the BLE.

Passes to UNCC staff went on sale today.

 

[Miesian Corners]

22 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

When I lived in Dilworth Bland was my station and if the train pulled away as I approached it was sit and wait 15-20 minutes or keep walking and arrive downtown at the same time (maybe a bit sooner).

I know what you meant, but the lack of a comma between "Dilworth" and "Bland" made me chuckle. 

[videtur quam contuor]

Bland may be the most well named street in Charlotte

[QCxpat]

59 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Bland may be the most well named street in Charlotte

History of W. Bland Street, Charlotte, NC 28203

As Charlotte expanded beyond its 4 wards in the early 20th century, Bland Street in the Wilmore neighborhood was laid out in the early 1910's (contemporaneously with next door Dilworth).  Bland Street is named for a prominent Charlotte family, Dr. Charles Alberto Bland (1872-1947) and his wife, Lucy McAden Bland (1874-1929).  Charles Bland was a mayor of the city from 1911 to 1915.  He had a long association with Charlotte, influencing its growth and development through his civic roles as member of the Board of Health, Board of Aldermen, Mayor, second vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, and businessman.  He affected the growth of suburbs in Charlotte as an official of the Elizabeth Realty Company and had a significant impact upon industrial development in the community through his involvement with the Elba Manufacturing Company. Finally, Dr. Bland influenced commercial development through his association with the People's Bank and Trust Company.  His wife, Lucy McAden Bland, was the youngest daughter of Rufus Yancey McAden, an important politician and businessman from the region, best remembered as the owner of the town and mills of McAdenville in neighboring Gaston County, North Carolina.

Links:

(1)  http://www.cmhpf.org/Properties Foundation Reports/Bland-McAden.html (Charlotte Meck. Historic Landmarks Commission Survey & Research Report, Bland-McAden House, Historical Overview, Sec. B., Mayor Charles A. Bland)

(2)  http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Rezoning/2001/2001-099/2001-099 ProposedHistoricDistritcDesignation.pdf  (Wilmore Neighborhood Proposed Local Historic District Designation, Section 2. History of Wilmore)

 

[NCMike1990]

I knew it had to be named after someone important to the area. That comment made earlier about it being Charlotte's most aptly named street made me LOL.

[videtur quam contuor]

In my opinion the major function for Bland street was the side entrance for trolley cars during the original trolley period.

http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs Alphabetical Order/Surveys&rstreetcarbarn.htm

The photo on the left of the link posted above shows the trolley cars at the entrance/exit of the barn corner of Bland and South Boulevard. Recall that those trolleys used South Boulevard and the freight line was on the rails currently used for light rail. This location allowed for trolleys to be delivered and taken from the barn directly from the rear while normal operations were from the side facing Bland Street. Trolleys could enter from South Boulevard. Maintenance was done in this building also. The Southern Public Utility Company was later named Duke Power and then Duke Energy. Until the 1980's this building was a Duke office and maintenance facility for utility operation. When Duke left the buildin in the 1990's there was some interest in using it as an historic function but it had undergone so many renovations over the years the only original parts were the trusses for the roof and some wall piers. A replacing building later became World of Beer among other purposes.

Edited February 28, 2018 by tarhoosier

[kermit]

^ from the fantastic link posted by tarhoosier