[PRCo] Fw: TRANSNET 2005 - 1
Harold G.
transitmgr2 at earthlink.net
Wed Jan 12 23:55:59 EST 2005
-----Original Message-----
From: Harold G. <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
To: transitmgr2 at earthlink.net <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 11:15 PM
Subject: TRANSNET 2005 - 1
USE TRANSIT IN 2005
TRANSNET 2005 - 1
NEW EVENTS, OPENINGS, IDEAS, UPSETS AND TRENDS
THE NEXT RAIL OPENINGS
NEW JERSEY TRANSIT HUDSON-BERGEN LRT
= EXTENSION TO OPEN JANUARY 15, 2005 TO ADD ONE
MORE STATION TO LINE NORTH FROM HOBOKEN.
THIS EXTENSION WILL BRING LRT SERVICE TO
WEEHAWKEN, MAKING 4 STATIONS ON THIS LINE.
THIS LINE WILL BE FURTHER EXTENDED THIS SUMMER
TO TONNELLE AVE THRU THE FORMER WEST SHORE=
NEW YORK CENTRAL TUNNEL. THIS DEEP TUNNEL
WILL INCLUDE A STATION AT BERGENLINE AVE
IN THE CENTER OF A HEAVILY POPULATED AREA
WITH BUS CONNECTIONS. (EDITOR-I WAS BORN
NEAR HERE IN NORTH BERGEN. THE AREA IS
NOW THE CENTER OF A LARGE CUBAN-AMERICAN
BUSINESS DISTRICT SECOND TO MIAMI).
HUDSON-BERGEN IS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL KINKI
BUILT CARS FOR THESE EXTENSIONS. OF THE
ORIGINAL KINKI ORDER, CARS #2001 AND 2019 WERE
TRANSFERED TO THE NEWARK CITY SUBWAY AS
#117-118.
PORTLAND STREETCAR: IN MARCH 2005-0.6 MILE EXTENSION
FROM UNIVERSITY TO SW MOODY & 5TH
SOON: IN SAN JUAN, PR.- TREN URBAN0 IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN
FULL SERVICE FOLLOWING INITIAL WEEKEND ONLY
OPERATIONS SINCE FALL 2004.
SOMEDAY IN PHILADELPHIA: REHAB PCC CARS ON GIRARD AVE
DEPENDING ON RESOLUTION STREET PARKING PROBLEM.
SUMMER 2005:
- SAN DIEGO TROLLEY: MISSION VALLEY EAST
5.18 MILES INCLUDING DEEP TUNNEL STATION
AT UNIVERSITY
- SAN JOSE=VTA: EXTENSION TO VASONA
OTHER OPENINGS;
- FALL:GO TRAIN-BRADFORD TO BARRIE
- NOVEMBER 2005:CALTRAIN=VTA EXTENSION 6.8
MILES TO CAMPBELL
- UNKNOWN-CHARLOTTE LRT
= UNKNOWN:SALT LAKE CITY-TRAX LRT-4 BLOCK
EXTENSION FROM DELTA CENTER TO INTERMODAL
TERMINAL.
- UNKNOWN:SACRAMENTO-FOLSOM EXTENSION
- UNKNOWN: BOSTON MBTA-SURFACE EXTENSIONS
OF SILVERLINE DUAL MODE BUSES TO LOGAN AIRPORT,
CITY POINT AND ANDREWS FROM WATERFRONT TUNNEL.
BIG NEWS FROM NEW MEXICO
MAJOR EVENTS IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE STATE
IS MOVING FAST TO IMPLEMENT COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE.
- BELEN-ALBUQUERQUE SERVICE TO START IN THE
FALL OF 2005. THE STATE HAS PURCHASED NEW
TRI=LEVEL COMMUTER CARS FROM BOMBARDIER.
THIS LINE WILL OPERATE ON TRACKS OWNED BY BNSF.
THIS SERVICE EXEPECTED TO COST $75 MILLION. -
- ON JANUARY 5, 2005, THE STATE SIGNED A $12.7 MILLION
CONTRACT WITH WABTEC FOR 5 MPXress LOCOMOTIVES
FROM THEIR BOISE, IDAHO FACILITY. THE NEW
LOCOMOTIVES WILL BE SIMILAR TO THOSE DELIVERED
LAST YEAR FOR THE SAN JOSE BABY BULLET SERVICE.
- PURCHASD A 18-MILE RAIL CORRIDOR BETWEEN SANTA
FE AND LARRY FROM THE SANTA FE SOUTHERN FOR
$10 MILLION. SERVICE TO SANTA FE COULD BEGIUN BY
2008. NEW MEXICO GOV. BILL RICHARDSON AND THE
MID-REGIONAL COG ARE TAKING THE LEAD FOR THIS
FAST START UP OF COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE USING
EXISTING TECHNOLOGY WITH NEW LOCOMOTIVES AND
CARS. CONGRATULATIONS TO GOV. RICHARDSON
AND THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP.
MONORAIL REOPENINGS
- IN SEATTLE-THE OLD REDLINE MONORAILREOPENED ON
DECEMBER 16, 2004. THE FIRE DAMAGED BLUE LINE IS
EXPECTED TO REOPEN IN LATE SPRING
- IN LAS VEGAS-THE BOMBARDIER MONORAIL REOPENED
ON DECEMBER 24,2004. RIDERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY HEAVY.
AN ESTIMATED 50,000 RODE ON NEW YEARS EVE AND
40,000 THE NEXT DAY. THE MONORAIL COLLECTED $138,000
IN FARES THE FIRST DAY (THAT EQUALS 48,000 RIDER)
RECONSTRUCTION: BALTIMORE MTA-DOUBLE TRACKING OF
LINE FROM NORTH AVE TO HUNT VALLEY. CLOSED
JANUARY 3, 2005, TO BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR.
THE SOUTH LINE DOUBLE TRACKING REOPENED IN
DECEMBER 2004
OTHER OPENINGS
- WMATA: DECEMBER 18, 2004
IN OTHER WMATA NEWS, THE PROPOSED OPENING OF
AN ORANGE LINE EXT FIRST PHASE TO WIEHLE AVE
IN RESTON ON THE EVENTUAL DULLES AIRPORT LINE
HAS BEEN DELAYED 18 MONTHS TO MID-2011
- BANGKOK: FIRST SUBWAY IN THAILAND OPENED ON
AUGUST , 2004. THIS IS A 12.4 MILE 18 STATION LINE
USING 3 SECTION ARTICULATED CARS OPERATING ON
5-10 MINUTE HEADWAYS. ALL STATION HAVE PLATFORM
DOORS. THE SYSTEM IS KNOWN AS THE "CELEBRATION
OF THE AUSPICIOUS KINGSHIP"! THIS IS A FOLLOW-ON
TO AN ELEVATED SKYTRAIN LINE OPENED 5 YEARS AGO.
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?
TRANSNET TAKES A LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF TRANSIT FUNDING IN 2005.
OUR INDUSTRY IS AT A MAJOR CROSSROAD. THE APPROPRIATIONS
BILL MUST BE PASSED BY CONGRESS. WITH IRAQ WAR
FUNDING NEEDS AND SOUTH EAST ASIA RELIEF COSTS,
ALL OTHER FUNDING IS AT RISK.
NEEDED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS CONTINUED FUNDING OF
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSIT NEEDS. THE BENEFIT OF
SUCH FUNDING IS BEYOND SIMPLE ACCOUNTING. THE BENEFITS
CONTINUE INTO ENERGY CONSERVATION, THE ENVIRONMENT.
TRAFFIC CONGESTION RELIEF, SERVICE TO THE ELDERLY AND
THE DISABLED AND PRESERVATION OF OUR URBAN AREAS.
LOOKING AT THE PROJECTS ADDED TO THE APROPRITIONS
BILL, WE FIND LITTLE TO BENEFIT THESE BASIC NEEDS.
SIMILARLY, OUR NATION NEEDS TO ADDRESS REALISTICALLY THE
AMTRAK FUNDING NEEDS. WE PROVIDE FEDERAL MONEY FOR
HIGHWAYS AND AIR SERVICES. AMTRAK IS BEING HELD TO A
DIFFERENT POLITICAL STANDARD. THERE ARE VAST CAPITAL
NEEDS ON THE NEC INCLUDING AN OBSOLETE ELECTRIC POWER
SYSTEM. CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT NATIONWIDE LACKS
FEDERAL SUPPORT.
IN PAST YEARS, WE HAVE MANDATED INCREASED COSTS FOR
DISABLED ACCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WITHOUT
PROVIDING THE FUNDING. LOCAL BODIES HAVE BEEN LEFT HOLDING
THE BAG FOR MANY OF THESE EXPENSES. DISABLED ACCESS
IS A WORTHWHILE COST AND CAN BE MORE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED
ON A NEW SYSTEM THAN ON AN EXISTING LINE. HERE IN MORRISTOWN
WHERE I LIVE, OVER $3 MILLION IS REQUIRED TO INSTALL TWO
PASSENGER ELEVATORS AND TWO MINI-HIGH PLATFORMS AT JUST
THIS ONE STATION. NEARBY SUMMIT HAS FULL ADA ACCESS BUT I
HAVE NEVER OBSERVED A WHEELCHAIR PERSON USING THIS STATION
IN MY 2 OR 3 TIMES WEEKLY USE. ADA FUNDING SHOULD BE IN
ADDITION TO OTHER CAPITAL AND OPERATING FUNDING.
AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, THERE IS A NEED TO PROVIDE
A STEADY SOURCE OF FUNDING. IN MANY CASES THERE IS A
NEED FOR GAS TAXES AND SOME SORT OF A TRANSPORTATION TRUST
FUND. SYSTEMS IN NEW YORK, CHICAGO, PHILADELPHIA AND
PITTSBURGH ARE FACED WITH IMMEDIATE SHORT FUNDING AND
POSSIBLE FARE INCREASES AND SERVICE REDUCTIONS. OFTEN
A NEW LINE OR EXTENSION IS WITHOUT AMPLE OPERTING FUNDING.
SO ON THE ONE HAND, WE ARE FACED WITH CUTS IN WEEKEND OR
NIGHT SERVICE AND AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE CONTINUING TO
BUILD MORE LINES.
THE SAME IS TRUE WITH FARE INCREASES. TRANSIT FARES OF
$2.50 OR $3 ARE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO AN URBAN COMMUNITY.
MANY OF THESE FARE AND SERVICE CUT PROBLEMS COEXIST IN
OUR COMMERCIAL AVIATION INDUSTRY. AIR LINES HAVE BEEN
HARD HIT WITH INCREASED FUEL COSTS SIMILAR TO TRANSIT.
FOR COMPETITIVE REASONS, AIRLINES ARE RELUCTANT TO
RAISE FARES AND RESULT IN SUICIDE PRIVATE CITIZENS
PAY THE HIGHER FUEL COSTS AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR REMAINING
LIFE, IN THE CASE OF THE AIRLINES, I BELIEVE THAT SOME TYPE OF
A UNIVERSAL FUEL SURCHARGE ON ALL TICKETS WOULD CANCEL
OUT COST COMPETITION BETWEEN CARRIERS. FOR EVERY ONE
ELSE, IF FUEL GOES UP, THEN SO SHOULD FARES UNLESS A
COMMUNITY WISHES TO DIVERT OTHER FUNDS TO TRABSUT. I READ
A LETER TO THE EDITOR OF A PGH PAPER WHERE A CITIZEN FROM
REYNOLDSVILLE,PA, A NON TRANSIT CITY, ESTIMATES THAT IT COSTS
HIM $16 A DAY FOR TRANSPORTATION. HE HAS HAD TO ABSORB THE
HIGHER FUEL COSTS AND DOES NOT WANT TO USE STATE MONEY
TO PAY FOR FUEL FOR PHILADLPHIA. IN NEW JERSEY, NJ TRANSIT WILL STUDY A 15% FARE INCREASE . THEY PRESENTLY ARE PAYING $15 MILLION IN INCREASED FUEL COSTS AND $13 MILLION IN INCREASED
SECURITY AND HEALTH CHARGES THAT HAVE ALREADY JUMPED BY
$37 MILLION SINCE 2001. FARES COVER ABOUT 43% OF THEIR $31.3 BILLION OPERATING BUDGET
WAGES AND EMPLOYEE COSTS ARE ANOTHER SIMILAR SITUATION.
AIR LINES ARE SEEKING GIVE BACKS. BUT OFTEN TRANSIT LABOR
RATES CONTINUE TO GO UP WITH NO RELIEF. TRANSIT WORKERS
LIKE OTHER MUNICIPAL WORKERS, LOOK FOR HIGHER WAGES. BUT
IF NO MONEY IS COMING IN, THEY CANT BE PAID. IN THE
DEPRESSION. SOME CITY WORKERS WERE PAID WITH SCRPT.
SOME CITIES HAVE REDUCED THEIR MANNING AND COSTS.
PITTSBURGH HAS REDUCED COSTS AND TODAY RANKS
SEVENTEEN IN HOURLY OPERATOR WAGES AT $21.38.
BUT IN GENERAL WAGE COSTS ARE HIGH AND THERE HAS BEEN
AN EXPANSION OF THE PROFESSIONAL WORK FORCE. WHEN
PITTSBURGH RAILWAYS WAS ACQUIRED BY PAT, THE TOP MANAGEMENT
FORCE CONSISTED OF A PRESIDENT (C D PALMER), A VICE PRESIDENT
(LIGO), A SUPT OF TRANSPORTATION (BUZZARD) AND RELATED LOWER
LEVEL ACCOUNTING, MAINTENANCE, OPERATIONS. CLAIMS AND
SERVICE PLANNING. TODAY, ACCORDING TO A RECENT POST GAZETTE
STORY, THERE ARE EIGHT PAT STAFF MEMBERS MAKING OVER $100,000.
TWELVE MORE MADE BETWEEN $75,000 AND $100,000.
THE TOTAL MANAGEMENT PAYROLL GREATLY EXCEEDS 1964.
IN SHORT, TRANSIT, LIKE THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY, MUST REINVENT
ITSELF. RAISING FARES AND CUTTING SERVICE STILL RETAINS
THE SAME BASIC PROBLEMS. MORE MONEY ALONE IS NOT
THE ANSWER.
WE MUST SIMPLIFY OUR OPERATIONS INSTEAD OF BECOMING MORE
CONPLEX. EACH YEAR WE IMPLEMENT NEW PROGRAMS AND
EQUIPMENT WHICH RAISE OUR COSTS. WE MUST REVIEW OUR
FARE STRUCTURES TO SECURE MORE PEAK HOUR REVENUE
WE MUST FURTHER INTEGRATE OUR RAIL AND BUS SYSTEMS.
DUPLICATE OR UNUSED SERVICE MUST BE DROPPED. THERE
ARE MANY CASES OF ROUTES AND SCHEDULES NOT REVISED FOR DECADES. WORK RULES MUST BE UPDATED TO INCREASE
EFFICIENCY. CAPITAL PROGRAMS ARE SOMETIMES EXCESSIVE.
SKOKIE SWIFT CREATED A NEW HIGH SPEED SERVICE AT LOW
COST. I WONDER WHAT IT WOULD COST TODAY.
THE SAME IS TRUE WITH BUS SIZES. WHEN GENERAL MOTORS
MOTORIZED THE NEW YORK STREET CARS IN THE 1930'S, THEY
HAD 3 DIFERENT SIZED BUSES...40, 36 AND 32 PASSENGER.
SUDDENLY WE WERE ALL BUYING ONE SIZE BUS. ONE SIZE DOES
NOT FIT ALL. WE HAD BUSES IN EXCESS OF 40' 40 YEARS AGO
BUT WE ARE JUST NOW MASS PRODUCING 45' BUSES.
WE HAVE TO RELEARN SIMPLE OPERATING STRATEGIES TO KEEP
SERVICE RUNNING DURING CONSTRUCTION. THE DOUBLE TRACKING SHUT DOWN IN BALTIMORE WILL SET RIDERSHIP BACK FOR YEARS.
MANY PEOPLE TODAY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A SIMPLE TEMPORANY
CROSSOVER TO OPERATE A SINGLE TRACK SECTION.
IN SHORT..WE MUST REINVENT OUR SELVES. YOUR COMMENTS
WILL BE APPRECIATED.
CONGRATULATIONS PENNSYLVANIA TROLLEY MUSEUMS
TO PENNSYLVANIA TROLLEY MUSEUM (PTM) AT ARDEN ON
COMPLETION OF THEIR MULTI TRACK DISPLAY BUI.DING.
PTM WAS HARD HIT BY FLOODING IN SEPTEMBER BUT
THEIR MEMBERS HAVE RESPONDED. DONATIONS ARE
WELCOME TO PTM AT 1 MUSEUM ROAD, WASHINGTON, PA 15301
AT THE ROCKHILL TROLLEY MUSEUM, THEY HAVE RECEIVED
A PENNDOT GRANT OF $366,000 TO LYONS INDUSTRIES OF
EBENSBERG TO REHABILITATE JOHNSTOWN TRACTION CO
CAR #355.
FROM THE PAST; THE FORMER YONKERS RY(THIRD AVE TRANSIT)
CAR BARN AT THE FOOT OF MAIN STREET REOPENED AS A 40
LOFT STYLE APARTMENT ON OCTOBER 31, 2004 TROLLEY SERVICE
ENDED IN NOVEMBER 1952 ON THIS NINE LINE SYSTEM. ALSO,
IN MANHATTAN THE ANGELIKA THEATRE ON HOUSTON STREET
HAS OPERATED FOR YEARS IN THE CABLE BUILDING, A FORMER
CABLE CAR POWER HOUSE.
MBTA NEWS: WITH CANCELLATION OF THE ORDER FOR REMAINING
53 BREDA LOW FLOOR CARS, THE MBTA LRT SYSTEM WILL CONSIST
OF 47 BREDA CARS,117 KINKI CARS AND 34 BOEING CARS.
THERE ARE ALSO 11 REBUILT PULLMAN STANDARD PCC CARS
ON THE REDLINE EXTENSION TO MATTAPAN.
ITS ALL DOWNHILL NOW: WMATA TO CONSIDER REMOVAL OF
SEATS AS AN ECONOMICAL WAY TO ADD CAPACITY AT PEAK
HOURS. ON A TYPICAL RUSH- HOUR SIX-CAR TRAIN, THAT
WOULD ADD ANITHER CAR'S WORTH OF PASSENGERS. OUR
INDUSRY AS OFTEN ADVANCED TWO AND ONE SEATING TO
SPEED PASSENGER FLOW BUT NEVER THE REMOIVAL OF BUT 16
SEATS IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR. THIS WAS ANOTHER PROPOSAL
BY A BOARD MEMBER. PREVIOUSLY ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER
ADVOCATED GOING TO TWO CAR TRAINS AFTER 10pm. THAT
FAILED WHEN PEOPLE COULD NOT GET ON THE SHORT TRAIN.
ALSO WITH THE OPENING OF THE LARGO $456 MILLION, 3.1 MILE
EXTENSION ON DECEMBER 18, PASSENGERS FOR EVENTS AT
THE FED EX FIELD WILL HAVE MORE CONVENIENT ACCESS FROM
THE NEW STATION AT MORGAN BLVD.
METRO GOLD LINE TO PASADENA CARRIED 60,000 PEOPLE TO
THE JANUARY 1, 2005 ROSE BOWL GAME. TEN TRAIN SETS
WERE OPERATED.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH: REHABILITATED PCC CARS ARE
BEING OPERATED IN BOSTON, SAN FRANCISCO AND KENOSHA.
NEW JERSEY TRANSIT HAS SET ASIDE 8 FORMER NEWARK SUBWAY
PCC CARS FOR A FUTURE LINE TO THE BAYONNE
PHILADELPHIA HAS COMPLETELY REBUILT PCC CARS FOR THEIR
GIRARD AVE LINE. NUMEROUS TATRA BUILT PCC'S HAVE
BEEN REBUILT IN EUROPE.
HERE IS THE QUESTION OF THE MONTH
HOW MANY BUS RAPID TRANSIT UNITS NOW BEING BUILT
WILL STILL BE OPERATING IN 15 YEARS? 30 YEARS? 50 YEARS?
CHEAP INITIAL PRICE MUST BE MEASURED AGAINST LIFE CYCLE COSTS
NEW YORK CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS OF RAPID TRANSIT.
WEEKEND TRIPS USING RESTORED SUBWAY TRAINS CONTINIUED IN USE.
LoV, R1-9,SMEE AND OTHER TRAINS WERE USED. ON JANUARY 16,2005.
NYCT CELEBFRATED 100 YEARS OF THEIR FIRST EXTENSION FROM
CITY HALL TO FULTON STREET.
DISPOSITION OF NEWARK CITY SUBWAY CARS: 8 PCC CARS
WILL BE STORED UNDER COVER AT THE HUDSON=BERGEN LRT
JERSEY CITY YARD. SOME WILL BE USED FOR A PROPOSED
PCC OPERATED LINE FROM THE 34TH STREET STATION TO THE
MILITARY OCEAN TERMINAL, BAYONNE 9 OTHER PCC CARS
HAVE GONE TO BROOKVILLE FOR REHABILITATION FOR SF MUNI.
26TH ANNUAL MOONING OF AMTRAK-ALL DAY JULY 9,2005
AT LAGUNA NIGUEL (ORANGE COUNTY) CALIFORNIA.
CHECK THIS OUT AT <MOONAMTRAK.ORG> INTERESTING
ADVANCE NOTICE: CERA MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN MINNEAPOLIS
AND IOWA. PLAN NOW TO ATTEND.
WANT TO RECEIVE TRANSNET?
SEND AN EMAIL TO <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>
BEST WISHES TO ALL
HAROLD H GEISSENHEIMER
1-973 292 2916
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