Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[MZT]

I tried to outsmart the situation and got burned. I took #19 down Park Rd to Tyvola and then waited FOR AN HOUR for #60 to arrive and ferry me me one mile to the Tyvola parking lot where my car was. Sheesh. I shoulda just walked.

Edited April 19, 2008 by MZT

[Andyc545]

They have the debris cleared now, which was mainly sand and dirt, and are running trains on the northbound rail only. The southbound rail may need some repairs, but that should be the end of the necessary bus hops.

[Nostyle]

I thought CATS did a great job. I got out of work at 5. I knew the situation wouldn't be pretty but I was willing to deal with it. My train was a bit later than usual (showed up around 5:15 instead of 5:10), but no worries. It was a double train but it was already PACKED at 3rd street. The incident caused the "train sensing system" to be deactivated, so the train had to go very slow through South End. We then jumped on a bus for 5 minutes to get us to New Bern. Another double train showed up within a minute of getting there. It was also packed with people heading northbound, so they got off and we got on. We continued our journey and luckily the train could go full speed the rest of the way. The whole thing probably slowed me down by maybe 20 minutes. I can't complain at all. I thought it was handled very well.

[uptownliving]

I was pretty impressed with CATS repsponse to the situation as well. I rode the line Saturday morning on my way to and from Carowinds...and the train does slow down for about 100 ft along the section of damaged track...which even though it is functional you can feel that it is not very even at all. The whole train tilts a little bit and makes creaking noises going across the damaged track. So they will have to get that smoothed back out before they can resume the full speed operation.

[palmetto75]

Heres a funny but not so funny story:

I was heading up to see a friend in the Pink Building Friday night. I usually would just hike it to Achdale station and take the Lynx up, but seeing the damage to the tracks from the Silos I figured it would just be much easier to drive. Upon pulling into the Alingtion I noticed 2 fire trucks blocking the entrance into the garage so I pulled out and went and parked in the old Nikko/PancakeHouse Lot since it was after 5 anyway. I walk out around 11 pm and to my astonishment find that my car has been towed or maybe stolen. Sure enough the Police called last night to tell me they've found my car on the side of the road totalled.

Wow that $2.60 and 20 min of extra time each way seems a pretty small price to pay now.

So should i send the bill from the insurance company to the Silos?

[Batou]

I recently got an e-mail with a survey link about the Blue Line extension. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2bI...DeNFywHwA_3d_3d

[Andyc545]

I recently got an e-mail with a survey link about the Blue Line extension. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=_2bI...DeNFywHwA_3d_3d

I also receieved the link through my inner-campus email at UNCC. The university and CATS are teaming up to gain student, faculty, and public opinions in part to the engineering phase, particularly bring light rail on the campus. Some other information disclosed in the email that all may not receieve (since it's through UNCC), although some may be interested...

Next Tuesday the 29th, there will be a display table set up showcasing the allignment and other stations throughout the whole NE Line extension, as well as a CATs public forum. The session is the same date, from 4pm-6pm. Both the forum and display table sounds like it will be set up in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC), which is the arena on campus.

[AuLukey]

Just finished filling out that survey from the campus email too. I wish they would have included more information and background on the line for students who aren't aware of the changes it has already brought to the area around the existing line and what the implications of having a station on campus would be.

[HopHead]

For those of you heading to the Wachovia Championship this week (I'm going Wed and Sat), you can utilize LYNX to get to the PGA event. Just take the light rail to the SHARON ROAD WEST station and Quail Hollow will have a complimentary shuttle service running to/from the course starting at 5:30 am and running til 9pm.

Edited April 28, 2008 by dbull75

[uptownliving]

^I assume you mean the Sharon Rd West station.

Got some news on the pedestrian lights that have been out along the Blue Line. CATS hired a contracter to asses the problem and they will now proceed to fix the lights in 2 Phases.

Phase 1 (to be complete by the end of May)

- Tremont Trolley Stop to south end of East/West Station platform

- East Blvd to Park Ave

- Bland to Carson

- 7th Street to 9th Street

Phase 2 (more expensive and has to be bid out)

- Park to Bland

- North side of Carson Station to the Morehead Trolley Stop

- MLK to south end of 3rd Street Station

- North side of 3rd Street Station to 4th Street

- 5th to 6th streets

The sooner they can get these lights on the better. I have walked and riden my bike through there when it is dark and while I have not had anything bad happen its just a matter of time until something does with the lights off.

[nyxmike]

I have a quick question about the Northeast extension. Why don't they do it in phases and didn't they originally plan to do that? I remember seeing plans to extend it to 36th Street first and then the University Area later. If the project is too expensive as a whole, would it make more sense to break it up in phases?

[AuLukey]

Sorry to post such a long quote, but this is an email I got from the campus CATS service about the line:

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) wants to hear from you! Drop by CATS

[Andyc545]

I have a quick question about the Northeast extension. Why don't they do it in phases and didn't they originally plan to do that? I remember seeing plans to extend it to 36th Street first and then the University Area later. If the project is too expensive as a whole, would it make more sense to break it up in phases?

It would likely loose any chance of federal funding. Also, it isn't a time constraint anymore since the process has moved on into the engineering stages, so if they continued with one stage, and held a stage for later, construction prices and materials will go up for the second phase of the NE Line extension. This would make the project even more expensive. After all, this is one of the reasons why the NE Line extension was chosen next, because its high cost would only go up.

[monsoon]

^Correct about federal funding but for the wrong reason.

Federal funding is doled out based on total cost of the project. That cost is used to determine cost effectiveness based on anticipated ridership. The only way the NE LRT even comes close to the federal limits is if UNCC ridership is included. That means they have to build the entire line at once or it costs too much/rider to qualify.

.....After all, this is one of the reasons why the NE Line extension was chosen next, because its high cost would only go up.

No. The stated reason is that it is the only one that CATS has planned that can possibly qualify for federal funding assistance. There was also politics at play.

[Andyc545]

^Correct about federal funding but for the wrong reason.

Federal funding is doled out based on total cost of the project. That cost is used to determine cost effectiveness based on anticipated ridership. The only way the NE LRT even comes close to the federal limits is if UNCC ridership is included. That means they have to build the entire line at once or it costs too much/rider to qualify.No. The stated reason is that it is the only one that CATS has planned that can possibly qualify for federal funding assistance. There was also politics at play.

That's what my first comment meant, the second comment was meant to be seperate. Sorry for the miscommunication.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Wow, the federal government has reversed itself and is now set to fund the extension of Metro out to Tyson's Corner and Dulles Airport.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews

Edited April 30, 2008 by DCMetroRaleigh

[jednc]

Wow, the federal government has reversed itself and is now set to fund the extension of Metro out to Tyson's Corner and Dulles Airport.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews

I can't say I'm super surprised about that. It's good news though.

[tozmervo]

Weren't ridership figures supposed to be released monthly? I haven't seen anything about March's numbers yet - for any of CATS let alone LYNX.

[uptownliving]

For March the Avg Weekday Ridership oof LYNX was 14,807, Saturday was 13,061 and Sunday was 5,271.

For the total CATS system Avg Weekday Ridership was 80,102, Saturday was 43,929 and Sunday was 23,420.

You can get more details on page 25 of this PDF

[RiverwoodCLT]

As the price of gas goes up, I think CATS may see 3 millon riders soon. It is nice to see other cities coming to Charlotte to see how the Lynx is doing since it has open. I think they will get an eye full of all the new development along the line.

[Andyc545]

I noticed when reading one of the University City area plan presentations that there are plans to relocate UC Library branch on WT Harris onto Tryon between the Charlotte Research Campus at UNCC and CMC-University, right off of the University City Light Rail station. This is in part to some other road improvements that connects UNCC and Hospital. I was very happy when seeing a library located on the light rail so I thought it was worth posting.

[Neo]

I noticed when reading one of the University City area plan presentations that there are plans to relocate UC Library branch on WT Harris onto Tryon between the Charlotte Research Campus at UNCC and CMC-University, right off of the University City Light Rail station. This is in part to some other road improvements that connects UNCC and Hospital. I was very happy when seeing a library located on the light rail so I thought it was worth posting.

Not to veer off-topic, but I wonder if this is to replace the existing library branch next to CMC-University?

[uptownliving]

On Monday's City Council agenda is an item to purchase 4 more LRT vehicles for the Blue Line.

The good thing is that CATS will be getting these LRT's at the 2005 prices ($1M cheaper per car than 2008 prices). The bad thing is that it will take about 2 years before these new LRT's will be delivered to CATS.

When the 4 new cars arrive LYNX will have a rolling stock of 20 vehicles.

[Neo]

When the 4 new cars arrive LYNX will have a rolling stock of 20 vehicles.

How many vehicles are needed so that all sets could have two cars instead of alternating them like they are doing now?

[Andyc545]

Will there be any need for upgrades for added storage space at the LYNX facility with the addition of the 4 trains? I'd be curious the capacity this can endure. Also, will this be the same storage facility that the NE Line will utilize? Questions just crossed my mind from Neo's question.