NEWSLETTER Winter 2017 Vol
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NEWSLETTER Winter 2017 Vol. 14, Issue 1 Join the Rail Summit, Taking Place on Saturday, May 6, 2017, Sponsored by RUN, Individual AAWA & AORTA, and Help Fight for Better Highlights Rail Service in the Pacific Northwest! Cincy’s Streetcar Loop By Richard Rudolph, Ph.D. The focus will be on recent success of the state House / Senate Opens p. 2 Chair, Rail Users’ Network stories, which projects are moving Transportation Committees, forward and which are standing still who are members of the MTA’s New Fare This exciting meeting is taking place and could use some help. We will Legislature’s Rail Caucus, will Proposals p. 3 Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 8:00 also examine what rail advocates also be on hand to greet and talk a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Columbia are doing in other parts of the with attendees. City Theater, 4916 Rainer Ave. S. country to promote and expand New Jersey Transit’s Seattle, WA. The conference, which passenger rail. We are planning to invite a Rough Ride p. 4 is sponsored by the Rail Users’ number of speakers, including Network, All Aboard Washington, The day will begin with opening Charles W. (Wick) Moorman, Canada Report for and the Association of Oregon Rail remarks given by Dr. Richard President and CEO of Amtrak, November p. 5 & Transit Advocates (AORTA), Rudolph, Chair of the Rail who will provide an overview will examine what’s happening in Users’ Network and Lloyd Flem, of the progress that Amtrak is the Pacific Northwest regarding the Executive Director of All making to improve and expand From the Southwest and passenger rail and rail transit issues. Aboard Washington. The chairs (Continued on page 7) Nearby p. 6 Measure M Passage Boosts Canada Report L.A. Rail Projects Fall 2016 p. 5 By Dana Gabbard The most immediate impact will a delay of 12 years after Sections RUN’s Annual Meeting be to enhance/accelerate two 1-2 (Koreatown to Beverly Hills) Four years ago, an effort to pass rail projects already underway. open before section 3 would be in Lafayette, IN p. 8 a local sales tax in Los Angeles Measure M will enable the under- constructed. County—Measure J, whose construction Crenshaw light rail New Rail Starts principal focus was to accelerate line’s 96th Street station to be Many other rail projects in 2016 p. 10 urban rail construction— a transfer station/hub between through the county will be narrowly failed to reach the the rail line and Los Angeles getting a boost from the Riding the Rails in two-thirds threshold that International Airport via a people measure, and the years ahead such local measures must mover. This is due to be ready as promise numerous rail line Germany, Part 3 p. 12 meet in California to pass. early as 2021 and no later than openings, as Los Angeles Advocates regrouped after this 2023. And whereas section 3 of County boldly continues the Alaska, The Trip of a disappointment and through the Purple Line subway extension urban rail revolution heralded Lifetime: Part 2 p. 14 the leadership of MoveLA, a project (linking Beverly Hills and at our Annual Conference broad coalition was assembled Westwood via Century City) with last year. To learn more about How the 2nd Avenue and a project list negotiated existing revenues was not slated what Measure M will do, see among diverse stakeholders. for completion until 2036, with theplan.metro.net/ Subway Will Change The result on Nov. 8 was a the passage of Measure M it will New York Transit p. 15 stunning success as the new open in 2024. This means the Dana Gabbard is a RUN Board sales tax effort, Measure M, entire nine-mile extension between member and executive secretary passed with a nearly 70% Koreatown and Westwood will of Southern California Transit “yes” vote. open simultaneously, instead of Advocates. RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER Page 2 of 20 Cincinnati Streetcar Loop Opens to the Over-the Rhine neighborhood. The fare system has a $1 ticket valid for Stop one is The Banks, located on two hours and a $2 all-day pass. A transfer Second Street near Great American Ball from a connecting bus route gets you on Park, home of the National League’s for free. The Cincinnati bus system has Cincinnati Reds baseball team. The line an option called Metro Fare Deal. Pass then turns away from the Ohio River to holders of that pay ½ fare on the streetcar. run approximately north on Main Street. Paper tickets are available at vending Stops two through six are on Main. The machines at the stops. Tickets must be line then turns left (west) on Twelfth validated and are subject to inspection by Street. Stop seven is at Twelfth and Vine. fare inspectors. There is a smartphone app At Elm Street the line turns north again for purchasing passes as well. to follow Elm. The streetcar is owned by the City of After four stops on Elm, which include Cincinnati. The local transportation ones near Music Hall and Findlay authority, Southwest Ohio Regional Market, the line heads east on Henry Transit Authority (SORTA) manages it, Street a short distance to reach Race while Transdev handles the day-to-day Street, where it turns south to head back operations. downtown. There are four more stops along Race, including one at Washington So far the streetcar appears to have been Park. When the tracks reach Central received well by the riders. Transdev Parkway they turn east again a short reports ridership is 24% above projections. distance to Walnut. At Walnut a right For some reason weekend ridership is turn is made to follow that street south to higher than on weekdays. Cars begin Second. There are three stops on Walnut running at 6:30 AM Monday thru Friday. to serve the Public Library, Aronoff Monday thru Thursday operations end at A Flyer promoting the opening of Cincinnati’s Center, and Fountain Square. Where Midnight. They continue until 1:00 AM new downtown loop streetcar line. Walnut reaches Second the line turns left Friday (Sat AM). Cars don’t start until By Bill Engel (east) to restart the loop. 8:00 a.m. Saturday but continue until 1:00 a.m. Sunday. Sundays and holidays have lThe long-awaited day arrived Friday, The sleek, modern streetcars used the least service with cars operating only Sept. 9, 2016. The 3.6-mile long on the Cincinnati Bell Connector between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. downtown loop streetcar line in Cincinnati were assembled by CAF-USA in their opened! To introduce the public to the Elmira, NY facility. They are a 100% What does the future hold for the new way to get around, rides were free low floor design. CAF-USA was one Cincinnati Bell Connector? One idea is to thru Sunday, Sept. 10. And ride the public of five vendors to submit proposals. extend it to the University of Cincinnati did! The line’s website reported more than The first car arrived in Cincinnati late (UC). Both the UC President and the 50,000 trips were taken during the first in 2015. All cars underwent extensive Student Government of UC support the weekend of service. testing prior to entering revenue service. plan. UC has in the neighborhood of Testing included running more than 44,000 students. That is a lot of potential A last minute development was the one car on the line at a time to insure riders. rebranding of the line as the Cincinnati the power system could handle the load. Bell Connector. Cincinnati Bell Connector When not out on the line, the streetcars For more about the Cincinnati Bell graphics will appear on the streetcars and are based at a maintenance facility Connector go to their website at at the stations. The $340,000 per year for located at the corner of Henry and www.cincinnaticbellconnector.com. 10 years that the naming rights deal brings Race Streets. Another source of info are the monthly in will go toward funding operations of the E-Newsletters of All Aboard Ohio. Their streetcar. A new paint scheme was applied Shelters at the passenger stops along the archive is at www.allaboardohio.org. Both to the cars in time for the opening. line were designed by a Cincinnati-based sources were invaluable to this writer in firm, DNK Architects. They are intended preparing this article. There are 18 stops on the Connector, to be easily recognized by riders and to which runs from the Ohio River, through protect them from the elements while they Bill Engel is a RUN Board Member based in the Central Business District, and on wait for the streetcar. Clinton, OH. RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER Page 3 of 20 MTA Sets Fare Proposals for 2017 By Andrew Albert time. Of course, for those who will find a one, the base fare of $2.75 would not rise, but fare hike onerous, this is of little consolation. the discounts on the bonus Metrocards (those As has been the pattern since 2009, when And—unlike in some other years (and in purchased with at least a round-trip) would the every-other-year fare hikes began, the some neighboring transit properties across drop from an 11% bonus to a 5% bonus. On Metropolitan Transportation Authority the Hudson River)—this fare hike comes option two, the base fare would rise to $3.00, has proposed the lowest fare increases in with service improvements, not service but the bonuses would rise from the current some time beginning in March, 2017, for cutbacks.