Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[KJHburg]

^^^^Thanks @NCMike1990 for finding and posting that. I don't think I would have the patience to take so much video footage.  However it shows the growth happening now and all the future potential we have in this line.  I am sure the Alliance Bernstein people were shown our new line for this might sway them to Charlotte over Nashville where their transit vote has not even happened yet.  As only 3 cities in the southeast have any kind of rail us, Atlanta and Miami.  And the person taking this video sat on the left side the whole way thus missing even more development and of course our high rise core on the right side.  

[nmundo]

Just rode from UNCC to 25th St.  and the train was completely packed, about as bad as rush hour. I'm excited to see what ridership for this weekend was and if it holds up after the newness wears off. One thing to note, most of the people got on at UNCC, JW Clay, and 36th St. I'm sure that'll start to change as the area around the other stations gets developed but if we already have packed trains while most of the stations sit unused they're going to need to start increasing weekend frequencies (or use the longer trains.)

 

Also, I question I've had that I haven't been able to find an answer for, has CATS even hinted at what will occupy the retail spots at the stations, or even when we'll start seeing them start to fill in?

[kermit]

20 minutes ago, nmundo said:

Also, I question I've had that I haven't been able to find an answer for, has CATS even hinted at what will occupy the retail spots at the stations, or even when we'll start seeing them start to fill in?

If you mean the retail slots in the parking decks I am sure they have not been leased yet.

[AuLukey]

A couple observations from riding the entire length of the line Saturday:

1. As many have mentioned, a lot of areas look incomplete or forgotten about. It definitely feels like they rushed to finish to make sure they didn’t have to push out the opening date again.

2. The area between Sugar Creek and Old Concord Road is yeeeash. I actually overheard a few people mention “no way would I ever get off at this (Sugar Creek) stop!” I know a lot of areas on the original line weren’t developed at the time, but this portion of the line looks pretty hopeless.

3. Nobody seems to know how to board public transit. I think CATS really is just lacking proper markings on the platforms. There needs to be lines and arrows so people know where to stand to board and where not to stand as not to be in the way of departing passengers. Plenty of other mass transit lines around the country have clearly marked indicators to make it easier for people to understand.

4. The “do not stand here zone” at the edge of platforms should probably also include those words. Too many people had to be continually ushered away from the edge.

5. Of the three trains that we rode on throughout the day, only one had an updated map.

6. Opening on the same weekend as the NCAA tournament, the parade, and the bar crawl may have made the line look extremely successful; but I got the impression that the overcrowded cars and stations turned a LOT of people off to the idea of ever using the light rail again.

7. People actually think “light” rail means it is solar powered and, therefore, that is why it is called Lynx, not light rail... I overheard a middle aged gentleman explaining this to a group of people. It took every last iota of my patience not to correct him for the betterment of society.

8. People. Are. Asshats. Not all people, but just enough to ruin a good thing for everyone else. My two friends and I are riding back to the beginning of the line, we sit in the seats that face each other; we have two king-sized pillows, a shopping bag, and a purse. We leave enough room for someone else to sit with us if they’d like, someone eventually does. Well, this woman on the other side of the aisle sits in the aisle seat, puts her feet up across to the other seats, and then proceeds to act like she’s asleep every time more people would board the train. A couple said something, she ignored them. This went on for about seven stops before a lady, who had two kids with her, just kept tapping her on the leg until the woman finally moved her legs with an over-the-top eye roll and sigh. Then she puts her purse on the seat next to her; so the kids had to sit on the same seat together with their mom... People blow my mind sometimes.

Sorry, that’s a LOT more than I meant to type!

[HighRiseHillbilly]

2 hours ago, AuLukey said:

A couple observations from riding the entire length of the line Saturday:

1. As many have mentioned, a lot of areas look incomplete or forgotten about. It definitely feels like they rushed to finish to make sure they didn’t have to push out the opening date again.

2. The area between Sugar Creek and Old Concord Road is yeeeash. I actually overheard a few people mention “no way would I ever get off at this (Sugar Creek) stop!” I know a lot of areas on the original line weren’t developed at the time, but this portion of the line looks pretty hopeless.

3. Nobody seems to know how to board public transit. I think CATS really is just lacking proper markings on the platforms. There needs to be lines and arrows so people know where to stand to board and where not to stand as not to be in the way of departing passengers. Plenty of other mass transit lines around the country have clearly marked indicators to make it easier for people to understand.

4. The “do not stand here zone” at the edge of platforms should probably also include those words. Too many people had to be continually ushered away from the edge.

5. Of the three trains that we rode on throughout the day, only one had an updated map.

6. Opening on the same weekend as the NCAA tournament, the parade, and the bar crawl may have made the line look extremely successful; but I got the impression that the overcrowded cars and stations turned a LOT of people off to the idea of ever using the light rail again.

7. People actually think “light” rail means it is solar powered and, therefore, that is why it is called Lynx, not light rail... I overheard a middle aged gentleman explaining this to a group of people. It took every last iota of my patience not to correct him for the betterment of society.

8. People. Are. Asshats. Not all people, but just enough to ruin a good thing for everyone else. My two friends and I are riding back to the beginning of the line, we sit in the seats that face each other; we have two king-sized pillows, a shopping bag, and a purse. We leave enough room for someone else to sit with us if they’d like, someone eventually does. Well, this woman on the other side of the aisle sits in the aisle seat, puts her feet up across to the other seats, and then proceeds to act like she’s asleep every time more people would board the train. A couple said something, she ignored them. This went on for about seven stops before a lady, who had two kids with her, just kept tapping her on the leg until the woman finally moved her legs with an over-the-top eye roll and sigh. Then she puts her purse on the seat next to her; so the kids had to sit on the same seat together with their mom... People blow my mind sometimes.

Sorry, that’s a LOT more than I meant to type!

I had a great time at the Sugar Creek Station today. The CLT Art League could probably use better signage, but nothing scary there except a bunch of broke artists. 

...and the people in your #6..... Who gives up that easily? Especially without considering the extenuating circumstances of the weekend? I only heard people mention being excited to have this new option. 

 

I do wish more people would invest in headphones, though. That is my only complaint. And maybe not so much with the yarfing, either.

[nakers2]

2 hours ago, HighRiseHillbilly said:

I had a great time at the Sugar Creek Station today. The CLT Art League could probably use better signage, but nothing scary there except a bunch of broke artists. 

...and the people in your #6..... Who gives up that easily? Especially without considering the extenuating circumstances of the weekend? I only heard people mention being excited to have this new option. 

 

I do wish more people would invest in headphones, though. That is my only complaint. And maybe not so much with the yarfing, either.

 It is quite entertaining/annoying  to hear out of town people’s comments on the line. A lot of people I chatted with were entirely ignorant to the fact the line opened just on Friday though, which tells me that CATS has done a good job with signage and advertising. Though the outdated maps on some of the trains were cringeworthy. 

I didn’t really have any issues with passengers though, most people were very nice and cordial. I’ve ridden the past three days just for my own interest, and the only “issues” I saw we’re late Saturday night when one guy at the CTC was arrested for stealing one of the yellow dividers on the platform, and sticking to the “traffic control” theme, another group of college students brought aboard a stolen construction cone, complete with caution tape at the 36th Street station, as far as I can tell they got away with it and it now has a home along with a “morningwood drive” Street sign, and a mile marker 420 post. 

 Joking aside though, despite having graduated just last year, I really hope that college kids don’t turn this into more or less a “party train“  and it can both be a dignified way to get to and from uptown, as well as a responsible way to get home after a few drinks on weekends.  I have been quite drunk on numerous occasions, yet have never felt it necessary to steal anything off the platform.

[Matthew.Brendan]

[Windsurfer]

4 hours ago, nakers2 said:

 

 Joking aside though, despite having graduated just last year, I really hope that college kids don’t turn this into more or less a “party train“  and it can both be a dignified way to get to and from uptown, as well as a responsible way to get home after a few drinks on weekends.  I have been quite drunk on numerous occasions, yet have never felt it necessary to steal anything off the platform.

At the risk of sounding like a ticket nazi,  we spend billions of dollars on this project and skimp on ticket checkers, who would, undoubtedly, curb a lot of bad behavior. This was my comment last month after my wife and I were treated to a tongue lashing by someone obviously on meth.  More ticket checkers don't have to necessarily fine people, or be super aggressive, but just having more authority on these trains would go a long way. What does it cost per checker... an extra 40k/ year?  Compare that to billions of dollars we spend on the rail.  

Edited March 19, 2018 by Windsurfer

[DMann]

I dunno!  Seems to me there are 40 or so cars that run 18 hours a day or so, meaning we would need 720 man hours of checker time.  Multiply that by 365 is 282.800 man hours a year.  Assuming these checkers make $25 per hour with benefits, that seems to come out to $6,570,000 per year.  I know the numbers I am using are being pulled out of the air, but my point is that it would take more than $40k to provide checker service.

[15895]

I’ll have to say after many hundreds of times of using light rail, I’ve never been unlucky enough to experience a single bad ride. From 6am to 1am. From game days,  Christmas, 4th of july, 2012 DNC to Carson station, etc I’m young, im a white Latino, I stand out in the CTC crowd, I’d ride in a full suit and I’ve only had pleasant experiences. Some people are truly unlucky to have had a meth head experience. But Hopefully lightening doesn’t strike twice and you’ll become comfortable riding again. I’d be nervous and more vigilant also after an experience like that.

 

And I have to imagine that the abuse of fares may somewhat be negligible. I say that because I would imagine most people who would abuse it would be lower income transferring to a bus route which there’s really no dodging that. Even homeless people pay their fare daily to ride from spirit square to the homeless shelter on #11. 

Edited March 19, 2018 by AirNostrumMAD

[Windsurfer]

4 minutes ago, DMann said:

I dunno!  Seems to me there are 40 or so cars that run 18 hours a day or so, meaning we would need 720 man hours of checker time.  Multiply that by 365 is 282.800 man hours a year.  Assuming these checkers make $25 per hour with benefits, that seems to come out to $6,570,000 per year.  I know the numbers I am using are being pulled out of the air, but my point is that it would take more than $40k to provide checker service.

I merely said "more". I didn't say every single car.  And, if a checker would earn $25 / hour then I'm in the wrong business.  Even at the full amount you calculated (6.5 million/ year)  compared to the billions spent on it, then, relatively speaking it isn't much more. 

And, as far as anecdotal experiences, the example of the college pranksters, while not untypical of drunken college students (I have my own stories), is an example where just having somebody walking through the train would've probably ended that. While my wife, daughter and I were being cussed out,  there was another family with young kids watching behind us. They were absolutely terrified. Do you think this one story will end with me?  I'm pretty sure it's become mythic among that family's stories of light rail and will travel.

 

 

[DMann]

Enough said!

 

[15895]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2018 by AirNostrumMAD

[Hunted]

I watched the entire video that @NCMike1990 posted. Yeah, I was bored. Almost nothing between Noda and UNCC even looks remotely urban. I'm sure the light rail will spur some development, though. Southend went through quite the transition in the last decade+ with light rail being the catalyst. I have no doubt the northern corridor that the blue line now runs along will benefit development wise, but my gawd does it have a long way to go. Watching the vid, if I didn't know any better, I wouldn't even have thought it was in a city of over 800,000 people.

It'll get there, but it'll take time... a long time.

[uptownliving]

I actually got off the train at the Sugar Creek stop last evening and walked over the pedestrian bridge (great skyline views up there) to Davidson Street. With Sugar Creek and that section of Davidson still closed to traffic it has a very desolate feel. I walked alone with no one in sight for a good 5 minutes after getting off the train. I know this will change dramatically once Sugar Creek and Davidson reopen. Walking Davidson St with the warehouses there I could see this developing similar to how New Bern stop has developed, with a mix of breweries, residential, and commercial space. In fact that has already begun with Divine Barrel, Crown Station, Bold Missy, Deejai, etc. So while Sugar Creek stop today is not popular, just like New Bern when it first opened, I believe in just a couple years this will be a popular spot with new development and refurbished warehouses.

BTW if you like Thai food and watching trains on bridges I highly recommend the outdoor patio at Deejay in the evening. Has a great view of the Lynx bridge all lit with trains zooming by.

Edited March 19, 2018 by uptownliving

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

I’ll have to say after many hundreds of times of using light rail, I’ve never been unlucky enough to experience a single bad ride. From 6am to 1am. From game days,  Christmas, 4th of july, 2012 DNC to Carson station, etc I’m young, im a white Latino, I stand out in the CTC crowd, I’d ride in a full suit and I’ve only had pleasant experiences. Some people are truly unlucky to have had a meth head experience. But Hopefully lightening doesn’t strike twice and you’ll become comfortable riding again. I’d be nervous and more vigilant also after an experience like that.

 

And I have to imagine that the abuse of fares may somewhat be negligible. I say that because I would imagine most people who would abuse it would be lower income transferring to a bus route which there’s really no dodging that. Even homeless people pay their fare daily to ride from spirit square to the homeless shelter on #11. 

I remember reading a Charlotte Agenda "Cash Confidential" or whatever its called article, where a couple that made a bonkers amount of money, and the at least the female in the relationship would regularly fair skip.

[AP3]

Just now, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

I remember reading a Charlotte Agenda "Cash Confidential" or whatever its called article, where a couple that made a bonkers amount of money, and the at least the female in the relationship would regularly fair skip.

The couple that made $850K??

[Guest]

1 minute ago, AP3 said:

The couple that made $850K??

and were like mid 20s and owned like 10 investment properties. Talk about a humbling experience, I thought my wife and I were doing pretty well. 

[grodney]

The schedule page still wants you to choose "inbound" or "outbound".  Uhhhhhhhhhhh.

http://charlottenc.gov/cats/rail/routes/Pages/default.aspx

 

 

[Hunted]

News piece from the Observer this morning.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/editorials/article205596739.html

[deleted]

I had a maddening experience with the Blue Line on Saturday.  Using the App, I bought 3 round trip tickets for me and two family members (so far so good).  A minute before the train arrived, it stopped working.  I got this screen:

It's worth noting that the tickets were already in my "wallet" and the internet wasn't needed.  Also worth noting that internet was indeed working and I was also connected to WiFi.  Nothing would reset the App (I rebooted the phone multiple times also).  I would have bought tickets but the ticket machine was broken and only accepting cash (no credit cards).  All this on the grand opening day.  I was so extraordinarily aggravated that I didn't ride.  We literally just went home and I was pissed for hours.  The App starting working when I pulled into my driveway.  Inexcusable.

[Desert Power]

2 hours ago, grodney said:

The schedule page still wants you to choose "inbound" or "outbound".  Uhhhhhhhhhhh.

http://charlottenc.gov/cats/rail/routes/Pages/default.aspx

 

 

Yeah.  I took an "Outbound" train from 36th to 3rd this morning

[grodney]

Just rode from 3rd St to 36th to buy beer (Citraquench'l and others!) at Heist.  Pefectly on-time both ways.  I arrived 36th at 11:21 and was back in time for the 11:42.  Life is beautiful.

By the way, I forgot to check.....is there pedestrian access from 36th St Station toward Tryon (what with all the construction and whatnot?).  And from a safety perspective (both ped and neighborhood), is it advisable to walk from there to NoDa Brewing, or no?

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, grodney said:

Just rode from 3rd St to 36th to buy beer (Citraquench'l and others!) at Heist.  Pefectly on-time both ways.  I arrived 36th at 11:21 and was back in time for the 11:42.  Life is beautiful.

By the way, I forgot to check.....is there pedestrian access from 36th St Station toward Tryon (what with all the construction and whatnot?).  And from a safety perspective (both ped and neighborhood), is it advisable to walk from there to NoDa Brewing, or no?

Based on conversations I had with someone who lives on the other side of the tracks (theres actually some nice houses back there, who knew), and he doesn't have access to the light rail.

[kermit]

5 minutes ago, grodney said:

 And from a safety perspective (both ped and neighborhood), is it advisable to walk from there to NoDa Brewing, or no?

Can't speak to the existence of access at the moment but the walk from 36th station to NoDa looks pretty hinky but my experience has been that its fine (I might not want to do it alone after dark however). Having said that, given the current situation I would go from 25th over the Mathesion bridge, you get a good view plus its a bit less desolate while 36th is closed.