Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[grodney]

45 minutes ago, Durhamite said:

Excuse me if the data is already out there, but what metric and/or data are you basing this on in comparison to other or similar systems?  Not anecdotes  but real data like on-time rates, etc.  Seems pointless and reckless to malign and spew negative info without data points.   I enjoy this forum but a lot of folks zoom-in on photos to beotch about a wrong colored bolt on a 20 story building under construction ( a bit carried away at times).

A few pages back I published data that shows a large percentage of trips are not on schedule, and essentially 100% of trips lose time to the published schedule between origin and destination.  I don't need to compare to any other systems to conclude that it is a poorly run system.  Even if it's better than all others, that only means they are even more poorly run.

[Durhamite]

29 minutes ago, grodney said:

A few pages back I published data that shows a large percentage of trips are not on schedule, and essentially 100% of trips lose time to the published schedule between origin and destination.  I don't need to compare to any other systems to conclude that it is a poorly run system.  Even if it's better than all others, that only means they are even more poorly run.

I saw that and some were within  minutes off schedule,  little to NO overall value to conclude anything.  That last sentence sums it up for me, shut 'em all down then.   This forum is becoming a cult of urbanplanet No(KNOW)-Nothing  "experts"....# DO BETTER.  There a few positions opening in DC where that factless perspective means a lot to a certain person. Don't believe the data, believe me.

Edited September 11, 2019 by Durhamite

[Madison Parkitect]

1 hour ago, Durhamite said:

I saw that and some were within  minutes off schedule,  little to NO overall value to conclude anything.  That last sentence sums it up for me, shut 'em all down then.   This forum is becoming a cult of urbanplanet No(KNOW)-Nothing  "experts"....# DO BETTER.  There a few positions opening in DC where that factless perspective means a lot to a certain person. Don't believe the data, believe me.

But on a single-line system like we have where all intersections are separated it's kind of absurd to have almost every single trip across the whole system be off schedule, even if it is only minutes. Trains are breaking down daily, that's undeniable, and data shows that almost no trips meet schedule. We have a small but expanding system here, and it's run worse than a lot of the systems I've ridden on in major cities, including both big and small systems and a couple that are very comparable to Charlotte. Is the light rail a net benefit for Charlotte? Of course! And I'd vote for any tax increase that expands the system. But it can definitely improve and it's not out of bounds for us to expect better.

[Matthew.Brendan]

Charlotte City administration and all the back end is woefully behind. It can’t keep pace with the growth and it shows. The thing is it won’t magically improve as long as the status quo remains. What can be done to bring real improvement to CATS operations, rather than just our moaning on a message board?

[kermit]

8 minutes ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

Charlotte City administration and all the back end is woefully behind. It can’t keep pace with the growth and it shows. The thing is it won’t magically improve as long as the status quo remains. What can be done to bring real improvement to CATS operations, rather than just our moaning on a message board?

Somebody has gotta take the moaning to Council and CATS. Unfortunately all of us are reluctant to since we don't want to do anything to imperil expansion....

Current management sucks, but there is a big risk in calling that out. Also a big risk in not calling it out....

This sucks

[davidclt]

6 minutes ago, kermit said:

Somebody has gotta take the moaning to Council and CATS. Unfortunately all of us are reluctant to since we don't want to do anything to imperil expansion....

Current management sucks, but there is a big risk in calling that out. Also a big risk in not calling it out....

This sucks

Love WalletHub or hate WalletHub, they agree with you: https://wallethub.com/edu/cities-with-the-best-worst-public-transportation/65028/ (I think many of these sorts of surveys are clickbait pabulum but they are what they are).

Spoiler: Of 100 cities ranked by the study, Charlotte's not in the top 10, top 50 or even the top 90. (for 'Safety and Reliability' we rank 95th)

[Desert Power]

3 hours ago, Durhamite said:

I saw that and some were within  minutes off schedule,  little to NO overall value to conclude anything.  That last sentence sums it up for me, shut 'em all down then.   This forum is becoming a cult of urbanplanet No(KNOW)-Nothing  "experts"....# DO BETTER.  There a few positions opening in DC where that factless perspective means a lot to a certain person. Don't believe the data, believe me.

Does CATS make this data available?  Does it have real time tracking that could be used to make it independently verified?

[kermit]

3 minutes ago, Desert Power said:

Does CATS make this data available?  Does it have real time tracking that could be used to make it independently verified?

CATS doesn't even publish a useable schedule.

[tozmervo]

If that data exists, is available via the city's public records request website.

[Desert Power]

14 hours ago, kermit said:

14 hours ago, Desert Power said:

Does CATS make this data available?  Does it have real time tracking that could be used to make it independently verified?

CATS doesn't even publish a useable schedule.

Yeah, that was kind of my point.  CATS doesn't make data available so anecdotal evidence is all we can go on.  It is consistently late and unreliable in my experience. 

[tozmervo]

16 minutes ago, Desert Power said:

Yeah, that was kind of my point.  CATS doesn't make data available so anecdotal evidence is all we can go on.  It is consistently late and unreliable in my experience. 

So you requested the data from https://charlottenc.gov/PublicRecords/Pages/default.aspx and were told that the data isn't available?

[kermit]

-Lots- of Panthers fans on the BLE.

[Desert Power]

11 hours ago, tozmervo said:

So you requested the data from https://charlottenc.gov/PublicRecords/Pages/default.aspx and were told that the data isn't available?

No, I haven't.  Maybe I'd have that extra time while sitting at the light rail stops if I still did it.  Saw 2 not in service trains go by before the Panthers game when the schedule said they should be there just tonight.

[kermit]

What exactly does a 15 minute delay mean when trains are scheduled to run every 15 minutes???

Its times like this when real time tracking would be REALLY helpful to folks trying to figure out how to get to work (I type this while standing on a platform for 24 minutes with no sign of a Northbound train)

#DoBetterCATS

 

[kermit]

Siemens vehicle design flaw: open doors let in lots of rain.

seems like an easy fix...

[XRZ.ME]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

Siemens vehicle design flaw: open doors let in lots of rain.

seems like an easy fix...

Digging tunnel for it!

[kermit]

On 9/11/2019 at 6:43 PM, Desert Power said:

Does CATS make this data available?  Does it have real time tracking that could be used to make it independently verified?

[straying from our topic a bit] Accidentally stumbled across a blog post of on time data at MTA (NYC subway operator). It appears they don’t (really) publish on time data, and when they do the data are fradulent:

Quote

But that’s not the true story. Because On-Time Performance, the stat most often cited when evaluating subway performance, has a dirty secret. For much of its history, it’s been fraudulent.

On October 26, 1994, MTA Inspector General Henry Flinter published a report titled “Does The Transit Authority Accurately Report Subway On-Time Performance?” The answer to that question was a resounding “No.” 

The post is here: https://signalproblems.substack.com/p/the-massive-fraud-behind-the-subways

As a rider I think I only want to care about three numbers, frequency (hopefully trains leave often enough that I don't need to look at a schedule); end to end run time (aka average speed) and how many trains are taken out of service unexpectedly (indicating a ride was interrupted). Personally I don’t think its entirely fair to hold CATS to an expectation of OTP when the run a system which is mostly at grade and will have innumerable obstacles in it — I would prefer the drovers to stop and exercise care rather than sweat what  might happen to their OTP stats.

Regardless of the stats, riders know that the Blue Line is being operated unreliably and below-design speed. We are not getting what we paid for. I want CATS to fix it.

Edited September 15, 2019 by kermit

[nakers2]

Per a girl I’ve been talking to who lives in Southend, someone on an ATV got hit by the blue line tonight, I certainly hope they’ll be okay, but that’s pure Charlotte. 

[Bruco72]

12 minutes ago, nakers2 said:

Per a girl I’ve been talking to who lives in Southend, someone on an ATV got hit by the blue line tonight, I certainly hope they’ll be okay, but that’s pure Charlotte. 

How is that pure Charlotte? Guys driving dangerously on city streets on dirt bikes and ATVs is happening all over 

[nakers2]

2 hours ago, Bruco72 said:

How is that pure Charlotte? Guys driving dangerously on city streets on dirt bikes and ATVs is happening all over 

Light rail, dangerous ATV riders, poor driving decisions, disregard for the light rail,  Southend. 

 

[KJHburg]

wow the incredible stupidity of that act with his ATV on tracks. if he comes through he needs to face jail time.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/atv-struck-by-train-in-south-end-cmpd-says/987121764

https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/1-person-rushed-to-hospital-after-train-hits-atv-on-light-rail-in-south-end/275-605f86e0-fa80-4e3a-845c-e7a511a279fa   this story makes it a little clearer

Edited September 17, 2019 by KJHburg

[navigator319]

Here’s to hoping we thin the heard by one. Darwinism in action. We prob get stuck with his medical bill also. Seems like good chance someone that does this does not carry insurance as well.

 

[kermit]

[Bruco72]

24 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

wow the incredible stupidity of that act with his ATV on tracks. if he comes through he needs to face jail time.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/atv-struck-by-train-in-south-end-cmpd-says/987121764

https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/1-person-rushed-to-hospital-after-train-hits-atv-on-light-rail-in-south-end/275-605f86e0-fa80-4e3a-845c-e7a511a279fa   this story makes it a little clearer

I predict a couple more serious accidents.

for whatever reason police in Charlotte (and several other cities to be far) appear unwilling to do much of anything to combat this phenomenon. 

On the streets is bad enough but if these guys start targeting the rail trail, it could end very badly for some innocent pedestrians 

[Desert Power]

1 hour ago, navigator319 said:

Here’s to hoping we thin the heard by one. Darwinism in action. We prob get stuck with his medical bill also. Seems like good chance someone that does this does not carry insurance as well.

 

I thought about posting something like this last night, but wanted to wait on the details.  It does not even look like this was at a crossing.  Darwin indeed.

Meanwhile....

CATSRideTransit

 

@CATSRideTransit

 

LYNX Blue Line trains are operating on a single track between Arrowood & I-485 stations due to a mechanical issue. Expect slight delays.

9:09 AM · Sep 17, 2019