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Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line


dubone

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13 minutes ago, jtmonk said:

Thank you so much for all the pictures you take and don't ever apologize for taking too many, the more the merrier!!  If we ever do a forum meetup and we're both there, plan on me buying your beers for all the hard work you do for us!

we better be careful, we are all going to buy KJH enough beers to kill a horse, 

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8 hours ago, southslider said:

The gates are not yet functional, so there's staff visually checking tickets for now. And right now, less than a day pass will even be accepted by staff 3-6pm. And of course, completely free outside of those hours.

Still think it's a huge mistake to charge for parking when commuters can fill a deck before students would generally arrive.  And very dumb to not accept round-trip tickets once gates are working, since those are most common for events.

I think the issue is students who would just park there in September and leave the car for days or weeks until they might need it for some activity not on the BLE, or to go home on the weekend or break.

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On ‎3‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 10:50 PM, nakers2 said:

 They seem to break at odd times though, surely there is something computerized telling them at least to slow down or speed up, because if I had complete control of the speed, I would go as fast as I could between each station. Then perhaps wait at the station until my time point is reached. 

Yeah, still noticing this today.  Slows down very suddenly crossing 277 from the north side.

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The light rail has two automatic control systems, ATP and HCWS. These are warning systems for poor switch control, derail possibility, potential collision, broken rails and other rail line problems (ATP), and grade crossing safety (HCWS). These may take time to adjust for new routes. Trains full of passengers weigh far more than empty test trains so that could be an issue on a new line and also under-experienced drivers. Safer is always better. Plus time point issue mentioned above. I anticipate smoother operation eventually.

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31 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

the last part of my inaugural journey. I "forgot" to get off at Old Concord ended up at UNC Charlotte then came back for my car.  There is so much potential in the university area so much underused land that over time will be developed.  Plus the most transit accessible Showmars and Waffle House in the southeast!  Only 2 in my train car arriving at UNCC but more students got on there.  The last set of my ride today.   First photos going north to UNCC then the wait only about 7 minutes  to head back south towards uptown.   The tunnel and elevated bridges are great.  

The university area has many hotels close to the stations which outside of uptown there is no such cluster of hotels.  This should help those hotels with visitors to uptown not pay uptown hotel prices and parking fees but just ride uptown for events, conventions or on business. 

  Those 2 brick one story buildings on N Tryon in the University Exec Park will be demo'ed real soon for new 5 story apartment building with ground floor retail.  (right after Hampton Inn photo one of the many UC area transit accessible hotels)   Notice the Fashion Warehouse store on N Tryon near Tom Hunter station.  

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Those are on campus. Two other pictures showed campus but the train wasn’t literally on campus 

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
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I know it will be quite some time before it will be of any concern, but what are the odds that some of the many at grade crossings on the BLE (primarily those close in) will be replaced with overpasses as the area becomes more and more dense? I think the inner-north side could see a more rapid change than south end did and all those cars waiting for a train to cross every 7.5-10 minutes could result in a ton of annoyed drivers.

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Even the Daily Tar Heel wrote an article about the extension to UNCC.

http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2018/03/charlotte-light-rail-0322

^^ I won't say never but it will be a LONG time before at grade crossings are redone.   Just no money for it in the foreseeable future.  The LYNX does bridge over most major intersections which is great mainly left turning lanes affected. 

 

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University City is definitely going to get some promising project in the future. Will be the new “it” area in the city. Would love to even see some 10-15 story buildings! Hope developers use this area to its fullest however and create walkable streetscapes but it might be too late for that.

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21 minutes ago, Cadi40 said:

University City is definitely going to get some promising project in the future. Will be the new “it” area in the city. Would love to even see some 10-15 story buildings! Hope developers use this area to its fullest however and create walkable streetscapes but it might be too late for that.

I don't think there is a done of developable area near the stations.  Some above UNCC station itself, but I would presume the university has plans for that.

14 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

I was talking to a friend who owns a business that faces the 25th street station. After years of quiet operations his day is now full of "Next train to..." Please stand back...", Bong Bong Bong, "This station is under video surveillance..." and so on, forever and ever. 

Time to sell to someone who wants to build an apartment building?

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Okay now THAT really doesn’t make sense. Why would the machines only collect between 3 & 6? I know back when I was a wee lad at Charlotte I was usually getting out of my MonWed(Fri) lectures at 1 or 2 and my TuesThurs lectures at about 6. How many students end their school days between 3 and 6 these days? If anything, I feel like only collecting between those times would only discourage commuters getting to the station around 530, not students trying to skip parking fees.

Am I wrong? Do most classes end during these times now?

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^^^ No actually they have a live person sitting there collecting the money.  In terms of the class hours I agree many students could glide in the morning and be out of the parking deck by 3.  I don't understand this whole process and better yet why these machines are not operating at all. 

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