New TRAX cars debut

While I have not had the opportunity to ride these cars yet (San Diego and Portland use them), I have heard good things about these from people in the Portland area. The down falls of low floor buses don't seem to apply to low floor rail vehicles. Sadly I will not be able to make this debut on Friday.

UTA to Debut New Light Rail Vehicles

What: UTA will introduce its new S70 light rail vehicles with an inaugural public ride on a new section of the Mid-Jordan TRAX line.

When: Friday, June 18, 10 a.m.

Where: 5600 West park and ride lot, Mid-Jordan TRAX line

5651 West Old Bingham Highway, West Jordan

Directions: Go west on 9000 South to 4800 West, then south to Old Bingham Highway and west to 5600 West

More Info:

· UTA has ordered 77 new light rail vehicles for its four new light rail lines: Airport, Draper, Mid-Jordan and West Valley

· New vehicles began arriving in March and are being tested on the newly completed Daybreak section of the Mid-Jordan TRAX line

· S70 light rail vehicles have low floors for platform-level boarding

· Doorways have deployable boarding ramps for greater accessibility

· The new vehicles are expected to first enter service in 2011

Good and Bad Density, TOD's and TAD's

One of the big issues around last year's city council election in the city of Holladay focused on density. The existing council promoting density including Holladay Village and the rebuilding (if it happens...) of the former Cottonwood Mall sight. On the other side were the people running against the incumbents who fear density, thinks it will bring in "those kind of people" and basically want to stick their heads in the sand wishing there little enclave of acre lots will never change.

One of the problems when you mention the word density is that people picture this:


This condo development located at the corner of Van Winkle and 1300 East is the perfect example of bad density. This complex does not in any way encourage the use of transit or walking. While people may walk out of the complex, the builders did not make it easy to do.

In addition there is nothing within easy walking distance of this complex. If you need anything you either have a very substantial walk (which people are just not going to do) so they are going to drive. A complex like this does nothing but increase traffic congestion which and this is what comes to most peoples minds when it comes to density.

Now take a look at this development in Pasadena, California.




This place is near and dear to my heart. Not only did I grow up four blocks from these buildings, but this complex is situated around the former Santa Fe passenger station that I spent a lot of time at growing up.

This is what is often referred to as Transit Oriented Development. It focuses residential and commercial development at a transit station in this case the MTA's Del Mar Gold Line station. Now there is some good and bad associated with this complex.

First the good.

Residents have easy access to transit. All they have to do is walk a few feet out of their apartments and they can board a Gold Line train to Los Angeles.

However that does not make good transit oriented development. What makes good transit oriented development is whether the complex reduces the number of short automobile trips. One of the benefits of this complex is that there is plenty of restaurants within walking distance. Even the former Santa Fe station has now been turned into a restaurant so residents do not have to jump in their car to get a bite to eat.

On the other hand, the downside is that there is no grocery shopping in the immediate vicinity. While there is a Trader Joe's a few blocks away, if you need to grab an item or two the only solution is driving. There is a convenience store located across the street but it has a very limited selection even by convenience store standards.

To make matters worse there is very little bus service in the area. Metro (MTA) has done a very poor job of coordinated bus service and rail service in the Pasadena area. The bus along Del Mar only runs hourly and you have to walk a couple of blocks to reach Colorado Blvd where most of the bus service exists.

Another term that has recently come into use is TAD or transit adjacent development. While TOD encourages the use of transit or walking, TAD is located near transit but does not encourage the use of transit.

Some extreme transit, pedestrian and bicycle advocates will paint anything that has parking as being TAD instead of TOD. However, the reality of today is that parking is still going to be needed and a complex will loose market share with out it. While it would be nice to be completely car free there is many people not willing to make that jump yet and 80 years of auto centric development has made it even more difficult. I applaud the people who have been able to become completely car free but right now they are a small minority.

Now that we have traveled from Holladay to Pasadena lets had back to the Salt Lake Region and look at this new complex going in:




This is the Meadowbrook Station complex going in near, you guessed it, the Meadowbrook TRAX station. However, is this complex going to be TOD, or is it more TAD?

At first glance things look positive. The complex is located within walking distance of the Meadowbrook TRAX station and is planning to have a retail element to it.

However, then there is the current downsides.

First of all, this complex is located in the middle of an industrial area. While the complex may eventually have retail and restaurants, at the present time there is nothing within walking distance of this complex. A person will have to use a car for most trips. In addition even bus service is hard to access because you have to walk to the far side of the TRAX station to even reach it.

In addition the complex still has a big focus on parking. Like I said you do not want to eliminate parking altogether but this complex (along with the new apartment complex at Daybreak) still focus too much attention and the parking lot and not making access to transit easier.

Hopefully, the area around the complex will eventually change and hopefully will create a transit oriented corridor all the way from the Meadowbrook Station down to the Murray North Station at Fireclay. Until that happens this complex will really have to be classified as TAD instead of true TOD.

Now here is an interesting building located right on State Street in downtown Salt Lake:



Notice at the bottom of the picture on the left the grocery store? That's right people in this complex and the surrounding area do not have to get in their cars in order to get a couple of items. They can just walk into this little store and get what they need. How many auto trips does this little grocery store eliminate by providing residents with an easy place to buy groceries?

Now back to Holladay and the issue of Holladay Village. Will Holladay Village be good density or bad density?

Well first of all it does have 3 bus lines servicing it from good bus service (45) , to barely adequate bus service (228), to useless bus service (223).

Second there will be shops available for residents to shop in and restaurants nearby so the complex could eliminate some automobile trips. Finally there is a grocery store located across the street so residents do not have to drive to the market. In fact by the time they go through the parking lot to their car they would be halfway to the Village area so why bother driving? ( I know many still would..).

So Holladay Village would not be a bad development. It could actually eliminate more auto trips that the new Meadowbrook Station complex.

Density, TOD, and TAD are complex emotional issues that you need to look beyond the surface and truly see how the development will function and be part of the community.

This Week in Amtrak

Image via Wikipedia

Volume 7, Number 17
June 14th, 2010


A weekly digest of events, opinions, and forecasts from



United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

America's foremost passenger rail policy institute



Jacksonville, Florida USA

Telephone 904-636-7739, Electronic Mail info@unitedrail.org . http://www.unitedrail.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Positive news for commuter operations, and ponderings on the future of high speed and intercity operations. But let us begin with two brief preludes; first, a short poem, called a "Grook" by its author, Danish poet and philosopher Piet Hein.


Thoughts on a Station Platform

It ought to be plain
how little you gain
by getting excited
and vexed.
You'll always be late
for the previous train,
and always in time
for the next.

A second lead-in: a note on why we are all here. Marcus Garnet, of Transport Action Atlantic in Canada, writes in a Progressive Railroading internet journal ,

What is commonly overlooked, is that time spent on a full-service
long-distance train is also available for other purposes, including
overnight sleep, meals, work, meetings, socializing or simply the
enjoyment of scenery. Overnight train travel serves a transportation
function, but also offers a total experience, especially for those
who are able to afford a bedroom. These passengers do not just
travel on the train, they live on the train. Whether for tourists or
traveling Canadians, this is a vital market distinction from other
land transport modes.

Mr. Garnet sums up many of our feelings and motivations for being passenger train advocates. Yes, trains are a vital part of our national infrastructure, but we want trains because of what they do for us personally, what they do for our friends and families and neighbors, what they do for our economy and our ecology. Trains are special and we need many more of them.

One last item, from the Inbox: Reader Ole Amundsen wrote in regard to the referenced article on VIA Rail Ocean Train Service:

The comments around this exceptional piece of work seem to be
getting at the heart-wood of the rail passenger conundrum in this
country. My positions come from being 70 years of age, nurtured by
an old school conservative view of individual responsibility,
educated in business and economics, and experienced in national
agendas...

When Amtrak was started, I was only interested in getting the
/Montrealer/ re-instated so I could avoid driving from my new home
in Vermont to family in Connecticut. It is easy to look back and say
Amtrak should have been done differently: it has performed the task
of "place holder" for passenger rail but that is about it. Those
were dark days for railroads, but we are now in a very different
world: then I paid 16 cents a gallon for fuel oil to heat my drafty
Vermont farm house! Today, we have 75 million boomers aging out;
they control about 75% of the nations wealth, they love to travel,
they are fit but getting more prone to medical situations, they have
"done it all" and want to continue to have adventures, they enjoy
creature comforts and are enjoying being grandparents. This is not a
market block to be ignored, it is not solely a market for "luxury
train travel;" it is a major component of the traveling public which
does not opt for speed alone, but which prefers reasonable mode
frequency, reasonable adherence to published schedules, reasonable
and clean accommodations, reasonable food, accessible and
accommodating equipment and a minimum of hassle...

My friend, the late Paul Weyrich, had all the conservative
credentials a person could have; and he was a strong voice for
passenger rail and trolley ("light rail") as well as integration of
inter- and intra-urban service. This problem, this opportunity, must
be addressed without falling back on old reasons not to, and [there
must be a way we can] come together with fresh ideas on how to
really run the railroad.

Now, on to the news.

The /San Mateo County Times/ reported on 27 May that

Caltrain officials have convinced federal safety authorities to
allow quick European-style electric trains to zip from San Francisco
to San Jose... common in Europe, the smaller electric trains... [had
been considered] unsafe. But after three years of tests and
research, Caltrain will become the first railroad in the nation to
use the technology after being granted a waiver... [this] will
essentially be a pilot operation for the trains, called electric
multiple units. If successful, commuter railroads and planned
high-speed rail networks throughout the nation would have access to
cheaper, greener and faster trains...

Even with several restrictions, the advent of modern equipment used successfully and safely for years elsewhere around the globe is a huge step forward for the implementation of regional rail lines around and between American cities.

For those who saw the Ayn Rand quote last week as being "the politics of the past," we turn to Paul Merrion 's article in Chicago Business this June 10th , regarding high-speed rail (emphasis mine):

In a move that reportedly "stunned" the rail industry, the Federal
Railroad Administration last month proposed stiff terms for the
grant agreements that railroads must sign with states to get funding
to upgrade their rail systems... Among other things, *the FRA said
railroads must be required to pay, without limit, for any further
improvements or fixes needed to meet on-time performance goals* set
out in the grant agreements, or else pay back the federal
grants.Even Boston-based non-profit, National Corridors Initiative
Inc., a high-speed rail advocacy group, questioned whether that is
feasible."While the objective of these guidelines --- to protect the
taxpayer against the (mis)use of their money when federally assisted
railroad projects are built --- is a valid one, the prescriptive,
punitive nature of the proposed FRA regulations are and will be
non-starters for any normal businessperson who has to carefully
assess projects for risks to his company, or face the wrath of his
stockholders," the group said in a statement on its Web site...

The FRA holds over the railroads, not just the billions in high-speed rail grants effectively controlled by Amtrak, but also the impending imposition of Positive Train Control (PTC), a worthwhile safety and capacity improvement but one that will cost billions and take years. It is still not certain how much of PTC the railroads are expected to shell out of their own pockets. Is the Obama administration seriously going to require the railroads to pay /any/ price so Amtrak can operate its government-funded high speed trains?

In parallel developments, concerning the Gulf oil spill, "Obama said he had no interest in undermining the value of BP" (Reuters story , 12 June 2010), but meanwhile "U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday BP should be subjected to unlimited liability costs and should pay all damage claims" (Reuters story , 11 June 2010). How can one impose unlimited liability without undermining industry? What person or corporation in their right mind would continue operating under those conditions?

(Caution: Ayn Rand reference follows; the timid may avert their gaze.)

In /Atlas Shrugged/, Rand populates her dystopia with officials who do not understand how the world works. Rand's bureaucrats have only ever ridden, as a Mr. Guthrie would put it, "their fathers' magic carpet made of steel," never seeing the engineering brain-power and the technical muscle-power behind a railway, imagining that trains function by magic, that oil pumps itself, that commerce and industry exist in a mythical land of everlasting continuation unaffected by taxes, regulation, and legislation. Rand posits a government whose popular and well-intentioned enactments "for the public good" strangle commerce and industry, slowly as a gentle flurry at first, finally escalating to a murderous avalanche.

Arthur Laffer explained in the /Wall Street Journal/
one June 6th why this neverland of perpetual sameness does not exist:

People can change the volume, the location and the composition of
their income, and they can do so in response to changes in
government policies... It has always amazed me how tax cuts don't
work until they take effect. Mr. Obama's experience with deferred
tax rate increases will be the reverse. The economy will collapse in
2011.

Dire predictions of impending doom aside, will the Obama administration, having already started down the dystopian road (One of the characters in Rand's 1957 book asks, When they nationalized health care, did anyone ask what the /doctors/ wanted?), truly enact scorched-earth policies in one economy sector after another? If so, look for oil and rail executives to be among the first to relocate to Galt's Gulch.

Back in the high speed arena,

Amtrak announced it is reorganizing and establishing a new
department to pursue opportunities to develop new intercity
high-speed rail service in select corridors around the country...

"Amtrak is the unparalleled leader in high-speed rail operations in
America today and we intend to be major player in the development
and operation of new corridors," said President and CEO Joseph
Boardman...

-- Amtrak press release, 22 March 2010


Aside from the omission of a word (does Amtrak intend to be /*a*/ major player, or /*the (only*/) major player?), does it not sound as if Amtrak might be jockeying for a near-monopoly in high speed rail? Will we see a resuscitation of the dead corpse of its former monopoly over all intercity trains, moved to HSR? Prior to the passage of S.738, the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997, U.S. Code: US Code, Title 49, section 24701(b) read (emphasis mine):
"Except as provided in section 24306 of this title, a person may provide intercity rail passenger transportation over a route over which Amtrak provides scheduled intercity rail passenger transportation under a contract under section 401(a) of the Act *only with the consent of Amtrak*."

The "monopoly clause" indeed prevented state agencies as well as private companies from even talking to railroads about running passenger trains.
Would Amtrak have approved trains like New Mexico's RailRunner?
Doubtful. Certainly not in the short time it took from its announcement to the first cue for the "Meep-meep!" of the RailRunner departure door chimes.

That provision having been rescinded, will the liability issue now be how private operators are forced out of business?

Perhaps echoing liability concerns voiced frequently by North
America's Class I freight railroads, Amtrak President and CEO Joseph
Boardman has cited similar concerns "emerging as a significant
obstacle to the improvement of existing passenger rail service and
the development of new, including high speed and intercity corridor,
passenger rail service in the United States."

Boardman, in a five-page letter to four congressional leaders dated
Feb. 26, says in part, "The core of the problem is the unwillingness
or inability of a growing number of entities, including states and
other public bodies, to enter into the kind of agreements for risk
allocation ... and/or to purchase insurance at all or at sufficient
levels ..."

"Moreover, the attitude from a number of private parties and state
entities alike seems to be that Amtrak, in significant part because
of its federal funding, should assume the greater share or risk of
liability." That, Boardman warned, could curtail or terminate
state-supported services Amtrak currently provides...

-- Railway Age, 2 March 2010


Airlines are feeling a similar pinch. According to Susan Stellin in the /New York Times/ , this 7 June, reporting from the first meeting of the Future of Aviation Advisory Committee, air travel will look much different within half a decade.
Small cities will continue to lose air service, or at best will have ever-fewer flights at ever-higher prices, while some large cities with aggregated volume will see volumes above today's and low prices from further rate wars.

...Glenn Tilton, United's chairman, stated it more bluntly: "There
are clearly going to be winning cities and losing cities," he said,
addressing the fact that the industry cannot sustain service to
destinations that don't have the passengers to fill planes...

High speed trains have the same problem as airplanes: They just do not serve enough places. California's governor Schwarzenegger has proposed running a "high speed lite" train before he leaves office. Here is what Noel Braymer of RailPAC has to say in a letter to the /Los Angeles Times/:

According to the letter signed by the Governor, it looks like there
are plans to run rail service between Los Angeles and San Diego by
November in about 2 hours. It looks like the new train would only
have 3 stops at Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego. Just dropping
the six other intermediate stops would save 30 to 36 minutes on the
current schedule of 2 hours 40 minutes.

Generally express trains are not successful. By skipping stops such
trains also loses the business from those stations. Amtrak has tried
several express trains and they have all failed. A local example of
this was the /San Diegan Metroliner/ which ran for about a year
starting in September of 1984. It rarely carried more than a busload
of passengers. It lost the traffic the other trains carried from the
skipped stations. There was only one train a day leaving Los Angeles
for San Diego in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Saving
10 minutes wasn't worth the extra money for passengers if the return
train ran at an inconvenient time. Another problem with the
Metroliner was most cities with train stations lost a train to run
this new train. Many of these cities had gone to great trouble to
build new or rebuilt their stations and had not been consulted about
this decision. These cities were not happy...

Precisely this same scenario is playing with the English Javelin trains, the California HSR project, the Florida HSR, and soon coming to a minor city near you whose airport terminal will lose scheduled flights.

Looking back to Mr. Garnet's thoughts about the vital market distinction of rail, clearly the nation's towns and smaller cities, the ones left without air service, and nowadays without even bus service or anything at all, are the market for regular passenger trains. Even fifty or a hundred years of mangled government transportation policy cannot hide the basic utility and need of trains over cars and airplanes. The difficulty will be to create something that works more like a free market, replacing today's lack of choice or hope for too many towns and people.

The way forward involves tort reform, reasonable liability caps, and getting government back to /governing/, not operating, passenger trains. The same prescription holds for the freight railroads, the oil industry, even our highway and airway systems. This involves the dreaded "C" word -- Change -- and nobody much likes change; not lawyers, not unions, not management, not stockholders, and certainly not government.

We had better get started quickly.

\\/
William Lindley

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Front Runner Construction Update

Image via Wikipedia

Greetings,



Construction is progressing on UTA’s FrontRunner South Provo to Salt Lake Commuter Rail line.

Below is the FrontRunner South construction update for June 12 – 18. Please visit UTA’s FrontRunner South Webpage to learn more about the project.



Visit www.flickr.com/rideuta to view exclusive FrontRunner South construction photos.



Area 16 — Downtown Salt Lake City to 4500 South (Murray)



Construction Activity:

Crews will form, tie rebar and pour concrete for one of the 3300 South bridge abutments and also begin work on the bridge’s wrap-around walls. At the 4500 South bridge crews will continue installing temporary shoring and excavation.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be lane restrictions in both directions on 3300 South during off-peak hours this week.



Please note that Central Avenue has reopened until crews resume work on the bridge walls.



Salt Lake Central Station:

Station complete.



Area 15 — 4500 South (Murray) to Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale)



Construction Activity:

Crossing upgrades will be made at the 4800 South crossing this week. Upgrades include signal and track work, the installation of concrete medians and signs, road striping, and asphalt replacement. At the 5300 South bridge crews will form, tie rebar and pour concrete for a cheek wall and also pour concrete for one of the bridge’s piers. Crews will be installing slope paving at the 7200 South bridge.



Traffic Impacts:

The 4800 South crossing will be closed from Monday, June 7 through Sunday, June 13.



There will be a lane closure with flaggers on Vine Street on Monday from 7:00 a.m. until noon.



There will be lane restrictions in both directions on 5300 South during off-peak hours this week.



There will be shoulder work on 7200 South this week.



Murray Station:

Crews will backfill the footings for the Murray Station platform.



Area 14 — Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale) to 14600 South (Bluffdale)



General Information:

Considerable progress has been made on the flyover structure west of Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Campus at 9800 South. The 642-foot flyover bridge features a 40-foot-high bridge deck that will allow FrontRunner to travel from the east to the west side of Union Pacific Railroad’s track way. The flyover structure’s approaches consist of keystone block MSE walls filled entirely with lightweight fill to minimize settlement.



Construction Activity:

Storm drain work continues between Wasatch Street and 9000 South and work on the walls continues at the flyover bridge. Storm drain work also continues at 10000 South and work will begin on a wall just south of 10000 South this week. At 10600 South crews will be drilling a shaft for the bridge Saturday night through Monday morning. Between Jordan Gateway and 11400 South crews will work on a water line and between 11400 South and 12300 South crews will excavate and embank the track way as well as install field fence. At the Bangerter Highway bridge, crews will repair the north sidewalk, strip forms from one of the piers and install shoring, drill soil nails and excavate at the north abutment.



Traffic Impacts:

The eastbound lane on 10000 South will be closed Monday through Wednesday; there will be flaggers directing traffic.



On 10600 South, all westbound lanes and the eastbound left lane will be closed from Saturday, June 5, at 8:00 p.m. until Monday, June 7, at 5:00 a.m.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on 11400 South Monday through Friday.



There will be lane restrictions in both directions on Bangerter Highway during off-peak hours this week.



South Jordan Station:

Lightweight fill for the job is being stored at the station site.



Draper Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Area 13 — 14600 South (Bluffdale) to Thanksgiving Point (Lehi)



Construction Activity:

Crews will continue to demolish the old Union Pacific track at the Mesa Siding. They will also begin creating access on the west side of the tracks below the Thanksgiving Point golf course to prepare for excavation of the slope.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Area 12 — Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) to Main Street (American Fork)



General Information:

Crews are currently constructing two major bridges in Lehi at 2300 West and 2100 North. The 2300 West bridge will allow FrontRunner to travel over Lehi City’s future 2300 West road project and the 2100 North bridge will span UDOT’s future Mountain View Corridor, 2100 North roadway. The 2100 North bridge will feature abutments on each end of the bridge and five center piers. For the purposes of this publication, the piers are numbered 1 through 5 starting at the southern end of the bridge.



Construction Activity:

At the 2300 West bridge crews will install sheet shoring and begin excavation for the south abutment and form and tie rebar for the north abutment. At the 2100 North bridge crews will pull the sheet shoring at pier #5 and form the bridge deck. Structural backfill and surcharge will also be placed at the bridge. Between 2100 North and 1220 North crews will be plowing for duct bank and also installing power for signal houses. Prep work will begin for retaining wall construction between 900 North and 500 West and chain link fence will be installed between 500 West and Main Street. Between 200 South and 300 South crews will construct a wall and utility work will take place between 300 South and Center Street.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic with flaggers in the following locations this week:

· Garden Drive near the golf course, Monday through Wednesday

· Garden Drive near Cranberry Farms, Monday through Wednesday

· 1500 North, Monday and Tuesday

· 300 South, Monday through Wednesday



Lehi Station:

A portion of the Lehi Station Park and Ride Lot is now open for public use.



Crews will form, tie rebar and pour concrete for the pedestrian tunnel footings and also continue work on the base for the ramp and stairs.



Area 11 — Main Street (American Fork) to University Parkway (Orem)



Construction Activity:

Between the American Fork Station site and 200 South crews will conduct mass embankment work and install a water utility box at the Pioneer Crossing project. Between 100 West and 100 East crews will be placing bottom ballast and near the 1100 South crossing crews will be constructing a retention pond. Crews will realign the road near the 1500 South crossing in American Fork and construct track between Geneva Road and 400 South in Orem. Finish work for crossing upgrades will take place this week at the 400 South crossing and between 400 South and 800 South crews will place a ballast mat. Fencing will be installed at the soil nail wall constructed near University Parkway.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic with flaggers in the following locations in American Fork this week:

· American Fork Park and Ride, Wednesday through Friday:

· Storrs Avenue, Monday and Tuesday

· 100 West, Monday and Tuesday

· 1100 South, Wednesday through Friday

· 1500 South, Monday and Tuesday



There will be lane restrictions at the 400 South crossing in Orem this week.



American Fork Station:

Crews will install sidewalk and continue landscaping work at the Park and Ride Lot.



Vineyard Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Orem Station:

Crews will work on snowmelt facilities.



Area 10 — University Parkway (Orem) to Center Street (Provo)



General Information:

Significant progress has been made in Area 10 along the Union Pacific Railroad corridor between University Parkway in Orem and Freedom Boulevard in Provo. Crews have prepared a path for FrontRunner by grading and clearing the right-of-way and relocating water lines. Drainage and irrigation installations are generally complete in this area, and main line earthwork has been finalized from University Parkway to 2000 South in Orem and from the Provo River bridge to 500 West in Provo. At-grade crossing improvements have also been completed in Provo at 2000 North, 2800 West, 1680 North, 820 North, Draper Lane, 900 West, 700 West, 500 West and Freedom Boulevard.



Construction Activity:

Between University Parkway in Orem and 2000 North in Provo, crews will install a perforated under drain, prepare the sub grade and place sub ballast. Crews will surface, line and dress the track between 1680 North and 820 North, install chain link fence near the Provo River bridge, place ties between 820 North and the Provo River bridge and excavate the track area south of University Avenue.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Provo Station:

Crews will continue to place granular fill for the platform.

Thanks again for your interest in the FrontRunner South project. If you have construction-related questions,
please call our 24-hour construction hotline at 1-888-800-8854.

Airport TRAX Line Construction Update

Image via Wikipedia

Welcome!



Construction progress continues on the Airport TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this six-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments, for management and planning purposes. The map below shows each construction reach in a different color, starting with Reach 1 in dark red by the airport and ending with Reach 7 in light green on the east end of the project.

A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



Reach 1

Reach Description: Reach 1 is the area that extends from Terminal One at the Salt Lake City International Airport on the side of the Airport Access Road to the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course.



Current Construction:

Work continues on wet and dry utility work along 3700 West. Various traffic restrictions are in place for internal airport traffic; however, access is being maintained.
Crews are currently excavating the east side of 3700 West from the United States Post Office to 400 North. After sidewalk and driveway is restored, crews will continue north toward 510 North with similar activities. During this time, lane restrictions will be in place; however, access will be maintained.
Crews are currently working on walls and excavating the guideway between the X Bar Bridge and 3700 West.


Traffic Impacts:

Right lane restrictions along Bangerter Highway just north of the I-80 off-ramp entering the airport are in place Monday through Friday, and occasionally on Saturday.
A traffic plan has been distributed to the 3700 West businesses. This plan does not affect those traveling to the airport.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 extends from the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course along the Airport Access Road fence line to 2400 West.



Current Construction:

Work at the North Surplus Canal is scheduled to be complete by the end of this week.
Now that girders are in place, crews have begun deck work at South Surplus Canal. This work will continue for the next two weeks.
Wet and dry utility work will begin early next week.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 extends from 2400 West along North Temple to I-215. This is the reach where TRAX will move from the side of the road to the center of North Temple.



Current Construction:

Curb, gutter, sidewalk, and wet and dry utility work continues to make its way west.

Old North Temple is currently closed but is scheduled to be paved and re-opened by the end of day on Friday, June 11. We thank businesses in the area for their patience.
In approximately one week, crews will begin removing a portion of the island between North Temple and Old North Temple. Lane restrictions will take place; however, access to Old North Temple will be maintained.



Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 extends from I-215 to just east of Redwood Road on North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include a station located at approximately 1950 West. Access to the many businesses and governmental organizations will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Wet and dry utility work is currently taking place on North Temple approaching Redwood Road.

Crews are currently relocating utilities and reconstructing driveways on the south side of North Temple between Redwood Road and 1950 West. There will be lane restrictions, but access to all businesses will be maintained and signage provided.


Upcoming Construction:

On Friday, June 11, crews will be replacing a storm drain lateral at the North Temple and Redwood Road intersection from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. East-bound traffic on North Temple will not be able to turn left onto Redwood Road during this time.
In approximately two weeks, crews will begin sewer sag repairs at Orange Street and North Temple. Various lane restrictions will be in place; however, access to businesses will be maintained and signage provided. As we get closer to construction we will meet with businesses in this area.

Crews will begin relocating hydrants and water services in the upcoming weeks. As we get closer to this work we will meet with businesses and coordinate any planned interruptions to services.


Traffic Impacts: There are currently right/left lane restrictions between the I-215 overpass and Redwood Road. As work progresses, there will be additional lane restrictions for both east and west bound traffic, but access will be maintained at all times.



Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 extends from just east of Redwood Road on North Temple to the Jordan River. TRAX will be center running and includes a station at 1500 West. Access to the many businesses and office complexes will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Work continues on the south side of the Jordan River Bridge as crews remove sheet pile that was being used to divert water. Next week crews will begin working on the bridge deck. The Jordan River Bridge is on schedule for completion before the Utah State Fair begins in September.
Crews are currently installing a storm drain on the south side of the Jordan River Bridge.
There is occasional potholing for dry utilities taking place ahead of actual construction.
Heavier construction is anticipated to begin throughout Reach 5 in summer 2010.


Traffic Impacts:

Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 extends from the Jordan River to I-15 along North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include two stations located at approximately 1100 West and 800 West. Access to the many businesses and the State Fairpark will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Crews are currently replacing a small stretch of sidewalk on the north side of North Temple between the I-15 overpass and 600 West. This work will take place for approximately one week. A pedestrian walkway will be in place during construction.


Upcoming Construction:

Crews will begin relocating City Creek West from the Jordan River Bridge to 1000 West beginning in early July through late August.


Traffic Impacts: Traffic management is currently in place near the Jordan River Bridge and is limited to one lane in each direction.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the Airport Line will connect with the current north/south TRAX Line at the Arena Station. This reach extends from I-15 to 400 West along North Temple and turns south on 400 West to South Temple. Access to offices and the Gateway will be maintained throughout the construction project.



Current Construction:

The North Temple Viaduct re-construction project has begun and will last for approximately 18 months. Crews are now nearing completion of the demoltion portion of the work.

Early next week crews will begin work on a gas line at 300 West. This work will be done underground with a boring machine and will not require any driveway closures.
Beginning June 14, crews will start work on drill shafts for the new North Temple Viaduct. This work will take place for approximately three weeks and noise is expected to be minimal.

Wet and dry utility relocations are currently taking place to prepare for the City Creek East relocation.

No night work is currently scheduled for the viaduct; however, if Union Pacific Railroad grants approval for night work we will notify all residents and businesses in the area as soon as possible.
Please see the viaduct construction guide below for information on getting around during this piece of construction.

General Information



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction is permitted to take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon conditions and will be coordinated with city officials.



Construction Tours

If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



For More Information

Timely and helpful information is available to assist business and residential communities, as well as commuters and stakeholders.



If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.



Please note that construction information provided is subject to change.

Mid Jordan TRAX Construction Update

MImage via Wikipedia

UTA Mid-Jordan TRAX Line Weekly Construction Update: June 11, 2010



UTA invites you to the unveiling of its new light rail vehicles on Friday, June 18 from 10 am to noon. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at the new 5600 West Park & Ride at 5651 West Old Bingham Highway in West Jordan. The inaugural ride on the new vehicles is scheduled for 10:30.



* Old Bingham Highway will be closed just west of 9000 South from Monday, June 14 through Thursday, June 17. Please use 4800 West as an alternate.

* 5200 West will be closed at the railroad crossing on Saturday, June 19th from 7 am to 5 pm.

* The Jordan River Parkway Trail will be closed from 7800 South north to the UTA Jordan River bridge for approximately two weeks, from June 8 through June 22.

* Please use caution when approaching railroad crossings throughout the project area. Crews and equipment travel on the rails frequently.



The Mid-Jordan TRAX line is a 10.6 mile light rail line that will connect the communities of Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan with the existing Sandy/Salt Lake TRAX line. It runs from the existing TRAX line at 6400 South to approximately 7400 South, then turns west along the Bingham Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. At 5600 West, the line turns south again and ends at the southern end of the Daybreak development. For construction purposes, the line has been segmented into five sections. The map below shows each section in a different color, beginning with Daybreak on the southwest end and ending with Cottonwood at the northeast end.

Daybreak Area

(This segment runs north through the Daybreak development to Old Bingham Highway at approximately 5600 West)



Concrete work continues at station platforms in Daybreak. Crews are also testing the new light rail vehicles in this segment.


Old Bingham Area

(This segment runs parallel to the existing Union Pacific Railroad Bingham Branch line,

along the Old Bingham Highway from approximately 5600 West to the Bangerter Station, east of Bangerter Highway)

This week, crews will resume installation of sound wall panels along Old Bingham Highway between 4000 West and Bangerter Highway. Crews are also installing a new storm drain under Old Bingham Highway just west of 9000 South, which will require Old Bingham Highway to be closed for four days at 9000 South. Residents and businesses can use 4800 West as an alternate. Crews are also repaving the railroad crossing at 5200 West.



* NEW ACTIVITY: Storm drain tie-in at Old Bingham Highway

TRAFFIC IMPACT: Old Bingham Highway will be closed just west of 9000 South from June 14 to June 17.



* NEW ACTIVITY: Installation of new asphalt pavement at the railroad crossing on 5200 West.

TRAFFIC IMPACT: 5200 West will be closed Saturday, June 19 between 7 am and 5 pm.



* NEW ACTIVITY: Installation of sound wall panels along Old Bingham Highway between 4000 South and Bangerter Highway

TRAFFIC IMPACT: Old Bingham Highway will be subject to intermittent lane closures beginning Monday, June 14.

Sugar Factory Area

(This segment continues northeast along the UPRR Bingham Branch from approximately Bangerter
Highway to Gardner Village)

Construction of the Redwood Road rail crossing is complete, and crews are installing concrete medians and sidewalks. Overhead catenary system (OCS) poles, arms and wire are being installed between 3200 West and 1300 West. Crews are also installing ballast and laying rail throughout this segment.

Gardner Village Area

(This segment continues along the UPRR Bingham Branch northeast from Gardner Village to 700 West)

The Jordan River Parkway Trail will be closed between Tuesday, June 8 and Tuesday, June 22 as crews begin widening the embankment of the rail right-of-way between 7800 South and the Jordan River. Grading work is moving forward at the Gardner Village Park & Ride, and crews will begin work to install OCS foundations between the Jordan River and Bingham Junction station.



* ACTIVITY: Embankment work between the Jordan River and 7800 South.

TRAFFIC IMPACT: The Jordan River Parkway Trail will be closed from 7800 South to the Jordan River from Tuesday, June 8 through Tuesday, June 22.

Cottonwood Area

(This segment extends north from 700 West along the existing light rail alignment to its terminus at the 6400 South-

Fashion Place Station)

Track work, including switches, derails and signals, is moving forward on both sides of Cottonwood Street as crews work towards connecting the Mid-Jordan line with the Sandy-Salt Lake line. Work is also progressing at the site of the future west platform at the Fashion Place station. Lovendahl Yard track work continues as switches, pre-curved rail and other special track is installed.


General Information

This schedule is subject to change due to weather, materials issues, or unanticipated utility conflicts.



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction is permitted to take place between 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon conditions and will be coordinated with city officials.



Construction Tours

If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 550-2211.



For More Information

Information is available to assist business and residential communities as well as commuters and stakeholders.

If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 550-2211 or e-mail midjordan@rideuta.com. You can also visit the UTA Web site at www.rideuta.com/projects/midjordanlightrail.

West Valley TRAX Construction Update

Image by darktek13 via Flickr

Welcome!



Construction progress continues on the West Valley TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this five-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments, for management and planning purposes. The map below shows each construction reach in a different color, starting with Reach 1 in light green on the south end of the project and ending with Reach 7 in light green on the east end of the project.

A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.





Reach 1

Reach Description: Reach 1 is the area along Constitution Boulevard (2700 West) from West Valley City Hall at 3600 South extending north to 3100 South. This area includes both large and small businesses, as well as many residences. Access to all businesses and residences will be maintained throughout construction.



Current Construction:

· Overhead wire work continues along Constitution Boulevard.

· Crews are currently forming and pouring the platform at West Valley City Hall.

· Night work is currently taking place near the 3100 South and Constitution Boulevard intersection. This work is scheduled to last until June 12 as crews work on an electrical communication system. Noise is anticipated to be minimal during this night work.



Upcoming Construction:

· Crews will begin installing station canopies and benches during the first few weeks of June.



Traffic Impacts: There currently are lane restrictions along Constitution Boulevard; however, access is being maintained throughout the area.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 is the area along 3100 South from Constitution Boulevard to Decker Lake Drive. The E Center and a few other businesses are located in this reach, as well as residents on either side of 3100 South. Access will be maintained throughout construction and we will continue to coordinate with the E Center so you can visit the great events they have to offer. When TRAX is completed along 3100 South, it will operate on the south side of the roadway.



Current Construction:

· Work continues on the TRAX bridge approaches over I-215 on the south side of 3100 South.

· Work on the overhead electric system is also taking place near Decker Lake Drive.

· Crews are currently working on curbs and sidewalks near the E Center.



Upcoming Construction:

· Landscaping is scheduled to take place in planter islands toward the end of June.



Traffic Impacts:

· Traffic control is in place along 3100 South; however, access is being maintained.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 is the area along Decker Lake Drive from 3100 South to Research Way (2770 South) and running east to Redwood Road. This area includes many commercial office buildings with thousands of employees. We will continue to work with businesses to ensure access is maintained.

Current Construction:

· Progress continues on the northern portion of Decker Lake Drive just south of Research Way. This temporary closure is anticipated to last until the first part of June. Access will be maintained to all businesses. We thank businesses for their support and patience. Please see the map for detour information.

· Track and station work continues in the center of Decker Lake Drive.

· We encourage motorists to please obey the posted speed limits along Decker Lake Drive.

· Decker Lake Drive is expected to be reopened to north/south traffic in mid-June.

· Third party utility work will continue along Research Way throughout June.



Traffic Impacts: Currently, there are lane restrictions along Decker Lake Drive and Research Way, but access is being maintained.



Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 runs through the Chesterfield residential area along 2770 South and proceeds along the Decker Lake Canal and the Crosstowne Trail. We will work with residents to ensure a safe working environment that provides access to their properties throughout construction.



Current Construction:

· Significant work has been accomplished in the Chesterfield area. Crews continue to work on the rail and other items in this area.





Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 includes construction along 1070 West in the Chesterfield industrial area. This reach includes one bridge structure over the Jordan River and another over 900 West.



Current Construction:

· Crews are currently excavating the east side of 1070 West. This work will include new curb, gutter, sidewalk, and driveways. Access to all businesses will be maintained.

· We thank businesses in this area for their patience during construction.

· Work also continues on the Jordan River Bridge and tunnel.



Traffic Impacts: There are various lane restrictions on 1070 West; however, access to businesses is being maintained.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 runs through the Union Pacific Railroad’s Roper Yard area. Although there are no businesses and residents, extensive coordination will take place to ensure that freight deliveries and other train travel is maintained. Reach 6 includes an extensive bridging system that will enable TRAX to operate over other train traffic.



Current Construction:

· Progress continues on the TRAX bridge structures over 900 West at approximately 2200 South and also at the Union Pacific Railroad Roper Yard area.

· Work is also taking place on the overhead electric system.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the West Valley Line connects with the current north/south TRAX Line. Construction will take place along Andy Avenue in South Salt Lake and crews will closely coordinate activities with businesses to ensure access is maintained.



Current Construction:

· Drainage and track work continues between 300 West and 600 West.



Upcoming Construction:

· Crews are scheduled to distribute ties and rail toward the last part of June between 300 West and 600 West.

· Track is scheduled to be placed over 300 West near Andy Avenue during July. More details regarding this work will be available during the next few weeks.



Traffic Impacts: Currently there are no traffic impacts on Andy Avenue.






General Information



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction on the project is permitted to take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours, depending upon conditions and will be coordinated with city officials.



Construction Tours

If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.



For More Information

Timely and helpful information is available to assist business and residential communities, as well as commuters and stakeholders.



If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.

This Week in Amtrak

Image via Wikipedia

Volume 7, Number 16
June 10th, 2010


A weekly digest of events, opinions, and forecasts from



United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

America's foremost passenger rail policy institute



Jacksonville, Florida USA

Telephone 904-636-7739, Electronic Mail info@unitedrail.org . http://www.unitedrail.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week: A brief report from each coast and then we look at some Amtrak finances.

On the right coast, some good news for the passenger rail manufacturing industry, and a lesson in perseverance. Around 1974 when I was in fourth grade my parents took me to a public meeting about Washington Metro.
Even then, I loved studying maps; and one of the "future extensions" was to Dulles Airport. A mere 35 years later, that line may have a chance to finally be built --- which is quite quick, really, compared to Boston's extension of its Red Line past Harvard (proposed in 1912, with the Cambridge segment completed in 1985). In any case, here's is part of WMATA's press release
:

Metro's Board of Directors approved a contract today (May 27) to
have Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., manufacture 428 new generation
Metrorail cars known as the Series 7000 cars at a cost of $886
million. The cars will address Metro's number one safety priority to
replace its oldest rail cars (Series 1000).Of the 428 cars, 128 of
the cars will enable the expansion of Metro service on the Dulles
rail corridor and 300 of the cars will be used to replace Metro's
oldest rail cars (Series 1000), which will improve safety and
reliability of Metro's fleet. The Dulles rail cars will be funded by
the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority...
The delivery schedule calls for the cars to start arriving on Metro
property in 2013, and undergo a rigorous, months-long inspection
process. All 428 cars are scheduled to go into service by 2016....
Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., will manufacture the new rail cars in
Lincoln, NE...

Kawasaki has built single and double level commuter railcars, as well as NYCTA subway cars, partially at the Lincoln plant with final assembly at Yonkers, New York. At least one factory in America will be busy for awhile.

Now to the left coast, where Democratic Congresswoman Anna Eshoo /ponders in the San Francisco Chronicle/
what will happen to Caltrain's nearly forty thousand daily riders in California's anemic budget, even as plans for high speed trains in the same corridor proceed, threatening Caltrain on a variety of levels:

For many months, the people of the 14th Congressional District have
been worried -- and justifiably so -- about what high-speed rail
could mean to their communities. Now comes word of financial
difficulties that threaten the future of Caltrain, the spine of the
Peninsula transportation system and the little train that could, and
does so much, to serve us...

The High Speed Rail Authority has to hit the reset button, improve
its reputation and assuage Peninsula residents, who have every
reason to fear that this project will be a nightmare... We need to
see what high-speed rail will do for us, not only to us. In other
words, we need high-speed rail on the Peninsula to be a betterment,
not a detriment. One of the betterments we expect is an improved
Caltrain, and that is something that can be done right now...

Perhaps California will look at England's "Javelin" trains, the long-anticipated high-speed commuter trains that only recently replaced a large part of the usual fleet of electric trains between London and the southeast Kent coast. The /Evening Standard/ reports
:

The 140mph hour Southeastern trains linking Kent to London were
launched with great fanfare [in] December [2009]... [the fleet of]
29 Japanese Javelin trains were expected to be embraced by commuters
as they cut an hour from the London-to-Dover route...

But [train operator] Southeastern has now halved the length of six
of its trains because not enough people are using the services
following complaints they are too expensive and uncomfortable. The
fares cost a third more than those of conventional trains....

Commuters have complained the trains only take them to St Pancras
and they then must cram on to "normal" Victoria or Cannon
Street-bound services, which have been reduced to accommodate the
Javelin trains.

Commuter John Cherry, from Chatham, said the new service had proved
a "disaster" for many.

He said: "Passengers for Victoria lost their peak period services
and now pack on the remaining reduced services or the Cannon Street
services as people do not wish to go to St Pancras."

Another traveller said passengers have "rebelled against being
forced to use an even more expensive service with uncomfortable
trains which terminate in a place no one wants to be..."

This is exactly what could happen in California if new high-speed trains bypass many existing stations and run to a new terminal that does not connect to BART and Muni properly. One could also maintain the same thing has happened with Acela from its inception.

Finally this week we look at the wonderful world of Amtrak-o-nomics.
Bruce Chapman of the Discovery Institute wrote on June 1
of a "Developing scandal at Amtrak" --

I served on the Amtrak Reform Council ten years ago and was
frustrated, ultimately, by the failure of the Bush Administration
and the Republican Congress to press harder for changes to Amtrak
that would have made that entity more transparent in its finances
and more collaborative with the private sector...

The Bush folks knew we needed reform, but couldn't deliver it, and
wouldn't fund the transition to a public-private partnership. The
Obama people are prepared to spend plenty, but not to reform the system.

Now we are seeing the public beginning to a scandal

of unknown proportions at Amtrak. It broke in the /Washington Times/
today.

The scandal could be the grounds for a true new beginning in
passenger rail. America needs rail, not just as an alternative
choice to roads and airplanes in carrying freight, but also in
carrying people on many inter-city corridors.

The article to which he refers is from the /Washington Times/ via Mass Transit Magazine, and titled Amtrak 'Misled' Congress on Finance

When Amtrak assured Congress it was on a "glide path" to free itself
of federal subsidies early last decade [2001], a handful of top
executives secretly had reason to know better. In fact, the rail
service was on the verge of bankruptcy.But Amtrak's public
assurances were based on far more than overly rosy financial
projections... What authorities ultimately unraveled was that two
former Amtrak officials, in fiscal 2001, either booked false or
incorrect accounting entries in Amtrak's monthly financial
statements or failed to report the activities.

Mr. Chapman sees hope in this adversity, and perhaps there may be some; but let us remember that "Amtrak accounting," like "military intelligence," is at best a questionable subject. If you have not recently read Ayn Rand's /Atlas Shrugged/, please hasten to your local library or bookstore for a copy. This tome of over a thousand pages is well worth the reading, or re-reading. Published in 1957, and focusing on American national politics and economic structure, it recounts the tale of a Dagny Taggart who struggles to keep her family's transcontinental railroad afloat against a tide of socialism and nationalization, and a Hank Rearden who invents a revolutionary steel-replacing metal only to encounter the same destructive forces.

In the book, Wesley Mouch's Steel Unification Board is proposed to lift the heavy restrictions previously imposed on Rearden, with a Plan explained by the government representative:

"Our Plan is really very simple," said Tinky Holloway, "...every
company will produce all it can, according to its ability [with all
earnings collected and assembled by the government]; at the end of
the year... [we will] distribute these earnings by totaling the
nation's steel output and dividing it by the number of open-hearth
furnaces in existence... The preservation of its furnaces being the
basic need, every company will be paid according to the number of
furnaces it owns..."

Rearden, who heads the nation's only remaining innovative steel-making plant, retorts:

"Well, let me see," said Rearden. "Orren Boyle's Associated Steel
owns 60 open-hearth furnaces, one-third of them standing idle and
the rest producing an average of 300 tons of steel per furnace per
day. I own 20 open-hearth furnaces, working at capacity, producing
750 tons of Rearden Metal per furnace per day. So we own 80 'pooled'
furnaces with a 'pooled' output of 27,000 tons, which makes an
average of 337.5 tons per furnace. Each day of the year, I,
producing 15,000 tons, will be paid for 6,750 tons. Boyle, producing
12,000 tons, will be paid for 20,250 tons... Now how long do you
expect me to last under your Plan?"

You may recognize here the accounting basis for Amtrak's "Route Profitability System," which derived from the federal Interstate Commerce Commission's formulas for determining passenger train profits and losses. Amtrak, in a 1997 National Association of Railroad Passengers meeting, admitted that revenues were pooled, and expenses were allocated to trains "subjectively" [sic].

In this as in every instance where Karl Marx's "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" has been applied, the doom of failure is not far off.

Case in point: My apartment complex sends me a water bill each month.
The total number of gallons used by the complex --- for each apartment, plus the pool and irrigation --- is added up, and divided by a formula involving the square footage of each unit and the number of registered occupants. This means that if I do my part and conserve water, I am punished because my parsimony is a microscopic fraction of the total, so I am charged effectively the same amount; yet if I squander water and let it run all day, my bill is again hardly unchanged. Clearly, then, the incentive is to waste water.

The manager of an Amtrak train is faced with the same quandry. Carry more passengers and you are allocated a much larger share of expenses, even though your revenues increase only slightly. Ideally you would carry zero passengers, because then your train would have zero expenses on an allocated basis.

Is it any wonder Amtrak has gone precisely no-where in its almost forty years of existence?

Please do read /Atlas Shrugged,/ for we will be looking at it again quite soon.

Meanwhile: The moment someone says, "Don't worry, I'm from the government, I'm here to help!" is the moment you should look for the exit.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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William Lindley
c/o wlindley.com, l.l.c.
PO Box 3621
Scottsdale, AZ 85271
480-947-6100

The New Flex Routes

Monday I had an opportunity to ride one of the 3 new Flex routes that started back on May 3rd. The routes are funded by a Federal Grant administered through UDOT.

Many routes across the nation have been started on these Federal Grants. The thought is that once these routes are running the agency will find the funding to keep them operating. However, many of the routes that are started under these programs are ones that are not economically justifiable in the first place under current funding and often times die a quick death once the federal funding runs out especially in our current period of extremely tight budgets.

Here are my concerns with these three federal routes and especially the 626 that I rode:

1. Currently the 626 is using a bus out of Ogden's paratransit pool which does not have a headsign. What is annoying about this is that how does the average person figure out if this a paratransit van or a Flex route van. I would think they would at least put a hand written sign in the window so someone at the Clearfield or Roy stations would know that this is a Flex Route bus and not a paratransit bus.

When I rode the bus out of Roy there was two other Paratransit vans sitting at the station at the time so I had to ask the driver which one was the 626. I have noticed that many of the new paratransit vans are now equipped with headsigns to alliviate this problem with the new flex routes, can't one of these be transferred to Ogden?

Not only does a headsign help passengers figure out which van is the one they need, but it also a source of free advertising. People along the route see that they now have transit service and while they may not ride it themselves will let other possible passengers know about it.

2. Another problem with the 626 is the lack of bus stops signs. While Gordon ave had a few bus stops signs, most of the route only has signs where they are needed to tell the driver to make a turn. While I am not sure about Clearfield, there was not even a bus stop sign at the Roy Station.

Bus stops signs make riding the bus more comfortable for new riders because they know where they have to go out and catch the bus. For regular riders this may seem like a non-issue but for non-regular riders the signs show them that there is a route and where is goes.

3. As I mentioned in my trip report, unless something dramatic happens, I do not see this 626 lasting when the federal funding runs out. There was only one other passenger who rode the bus besides myself but hopefully over time that will increase once people know that the route exists.

4. If you look under schedules on the UTA website you will find the 626 under Salt Lake County (crazy, I had no idea Clearfield or Roy where in Salt Lake County), yet if you go into Weber and Davis County schedules the 626 is no where to be found.

Many consider the UTA website on the horrible side already, this is just another example of how the website is to use for non-regular riders. If you where looking on the website for this schedule and did not see it under Weber or Davis Counties, would you go looking for it under Salt Lake County?

5. Another issue with the route is that it serves nothing except rural and suburban residential areas. There is plans to build an auto-centric development at the corner of 4000 South and 3500 West but right now that is nothing but a sign. Otherwise you could not even get to a grocery store on this route without taking another bus however, the schedule is designed only for commuters so few would take it anyway.

On the other had the Herriman Flex does serve major shopping areas however, if you need to travel far, you may need to transfer up to 3 times to get anywhere since the only connection the Herriman Route makes is with the Riverton FLEX Route.

The new Alpine/American Fork Flex route is the best route since it not only serves major shopping destination but you can also make connections with major inter-county routes at the American Fork Park N Ride Lot.

6. I did notice while riding the 626 there was a large number of recreational trails located along the route. While the paratransit van did not have bicycle racks, there is plenty of room inside the bus for bicycles, this would be an excellent opportunity to promote the route as a way to reach the trails and parks along the way. Once the again the schedule is not conducive right now to that but it is a way to think "outside the box" and promote transit use.

I proposed a route similar to this a couple of years ago, the route makes since especially as a flex route since it serves such a semi-rural suburban area that does not justify full bus service but UTA has some work to do to make the service successful and worth keeping beyond the federal grant period.

In addition UTA needs to also work with the communities and organizations along the route and they need to step up to the table to help make this service a success.

Transit Trip Report

Yesterday I had a chance to get out and spend the day riding transit which I have not had the opportunity to do in some time. My trip including Front Runner, plus a host of bus routes including one of the new flex routes that started running last month.

My trip started off on Front Runner. Since I have not had the opportunity to do so I decided to ride in one of the former NJ Transit Comet I cars.



While I still prefer the Bombardier cars, the Comet car rode just fine. I do prefer the cloth seats in the Bombardier cars as apposed to the vinyl in the Comet cars, but otherwise they're passable.

Before leaving Central Station I realized I forgot my pens however, being there is no place near the station to get any I decided to stop somewhere along my trip. I got off at Roy to catch the new 626. Since I had some time I rode the 604 over to 1900 West to see if I could find a pen but had not luck. I then walked back to the station and encountered this very pedestrian friendly area (yes that is sarcasm):



Traffic was fierce on 4000 South but I made it to the station in plenty of time to catch the little bus.

The 626 travels the extreme western end of civilization through Hooper then cuts through some residential areas. I will have a post upcoming talking about this route specifically for right now all I will say is that this routes days are numbered when the Federal funding runs out.



Next I rode the 470 up to 1900 West and 5600 South where I was able to find some pens and get some water for my walk up the Ogden River Trail. After a few minutes another 470 came along and I took it up to Washington and 22nd Street then walked up to the Ogden River Trail.

Following the Ogden River Trail I too a ride on the 612 and ate lunch at the Old China Buffet at Riverdale and Washington (bad experience) then took rode another 612 and 470 down to Bountiful. I walked around Bountiful's downtown area (yes another posting about that coming soon) then caught another 470 toward downtown Salt Lake.

However, the 470 with a 2007 Gillig Advantage BRT started to overheat and we finally came to a stop at 2600 South and Main where we had to wait for the following bus to come pick us up. I my 12 years of riding UTA this is the first time I have ever had a bus break down that I was riding.

The last time I was on the a bus that broke down was down in Miami when I was there for Railvolution and maybe once living in Spokane. In Los Angeles however, broken down buses were a way of life especially when they were dealing with 30+ year old buses but even the newest ones broke down frequently because of poor maintenance.



After the next bus came along we were once again on our way to Downtown. Once downtown I caught a 550 out to North Temple and 1950 West. Our bus was a 2007 Gillig Advantage BRT but in suburban configuration with no rear door. I had no idea that UTA had even purchased any of these.

I got off at North Temple and 1950 West which ended my day of transit riding.