[milwaukee-electric] Re: This and that ~ Speedrail

[Ken and Tracie]

One point which seems to be ignored is the effect first generation shopping 
centers such as Southgate, Capitol Court, Bay Shore and Mayfair had on 
Downtown as a major shopping district. Office parks (actually office 
buildings along Capitol Drive, Mayfair Road, etc.) drew smaller businesses 
from Downtown into the outer reaches of the city as well as into the inner 
ring suburbs.

Incidentally, I can agree to some degree that retention of Speedrail may 
have kept Downtown relevant longer, but I seriously doubt a return to a 
Milwaukee-Waukesha light rail line, with branches and even park and ride 
lots would revitalize Downtown Milwaukee at this stage of the game. Suburb 
to suburb auto commuting is too entrenched. Just my uneducated opinion.

K.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don L. Leistikow" <DLeistikow at webtv.net>
To: <milwaukee-electric at lists.dementia.org>
Cc: <emory1522 at wi.rr.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 3:22 PM
Subject: [milwaukee-electric] Re: This and that ~ Speedrail


> Matt A and list:   Would Speedrail survived if... the 1950 Labor Day
> Accident hadn't happened?  A challanging thought.
> Ridership was strong prior to the 'accident'.   Rushhour service on the
> Waukesha Line was heavy during the rush-hours.  Duplex trains were
> moving on a 15 minute headway beginning at 6:00 am and at 5:00 pm.
> Seating into and out of the Public Service Building during those hours,
> was virtually a seated load.
>
> On the Hales Corners Line, the same was true however, single cars
> provided most of the service.   This oddity was occassioned by the need
> for West Junction Duplexes which ran between the Waukesha Duplexes and
> the HC cars.  The purpose of the WJ trains operating ahead of the HC
> cars, was to handle the stranding room only WJ trains.
>
> Now consider that the Waukesha line was 18 miles long whereas the HC
> line was only 13 miles long.  The real purpose of off rush-hour
> transportaton was to balance WJ service between PSB and WJ, into even
> thirds, time wise.  Basically, half hourly service was available during
> daylight hours in that local service.  The only gap was the one hour
> space between 12:10 pm and 1:10 pm on the Waukesha Line.  Add to that,
> Line Car (D 21) which operated between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.  Of course,
> the Line Car was an extra operating on train orders from the Dispatcher
> in the PSB.
>
> Actually, the PSB - WJ half hourly service was not really necessary, as
> seating counts verified.  Hourly service, off rush-hours, would have
> been adequate.
>
> I should mention that rush-hour service to Waukesha was Limited.  No
> local passengers were allowed on those trains or cars.  Therefore, they
> only made transfer points (crosstown services) and stops to discharge
> passengers began at Lovers Lane Road, aka S.108th street or Wisconsin
> State Highway 100.  This was the first landing west of WJ on the
> Waukesha branch.
>
> Don L.
>
>
>
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