[Savona Mill, Lakewood Trolley, Greenway]

5 hours ago, tarhoosier said:

That is the old trolley from Greece that ran the Piraeus-Athens line. Piraeus is the port for Athens. It sat in the Atherton barn with 85 for years. It occasionally was pushed onto the track where the light rail is now in the later 90's as a display. It sat out there during a Greek festival or two and for wedding party photos as I recall. It has (had) mechanical brakes, not hydraulic and would NEVER operate on a passenger line. In other words one had to be a he-man's he-man to muscle the brake lever on the car.

As an example of the possibilities and for photos it is a good choice. It is attractive, in good aesthetic condition and plenty of wood inside. It is also quite small with limited passenger space. This is for press purposes, I am sure.

Car 1 ran for several years by generator and also via catenary wire (as shown below) on the South Blvd. (Norfolk Southern) corridor along with 85. It was put on display at Atherton Market after light rail began running.  

 

[500 West Trade (14 story apartments on site of former Polk Building)]

http://www.ebenezerscharlotte.com/

This property is designated as a local historic landmark and receives a 50% property tax abatement annually.  Don't see how they will get permission to demo the second floor, add-on to the building, etc..., as there are interior elements that contribute to its historic significance.   

[Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line]

By starting your post by equating criticism of CATS management of light rail, as a "failure to see the large picture", you either lack an understanding of what I have posted, or you have made the same mistake of criticizing their management with that of criticizing the decision to go to light rail.

First lets set the facts straight. I will remind you the decisions to make invoke a transit tax was a county commission decision, not that of the city of Charlotte and even today it's the county that controls that tax. In addition, CATS did not exist until AFTER the tax was created. Finally CATS is not supposed to develop transit policy in regards to the transit tax. That is the domain of the MTC. They control the tax and give and set priorities for CATS. In reality the MTC has done a poor job of requiring conditions on how CATS should spend their tax. Instead, CATS bungles through and is only responsible to the city manager and hence the Charlotte city council.

Second in regards to catylizing some sort of transit policy. The Charlotte city council has completely failed in this arena in that 1. they have not held CATS responsible for any metrics that anyone can measure on this matter. and 2. They abandoned their own transit and corridors plan that would have developed transit corridors that would have made rail more effective. Instead we have gotten the mess at NorthLake, the horrendous IKEA/Walmart development right on the transit line, and the Met which places a huge traffic burden outside one of these zones. This is the same city council that has been responsible for every bad urban planning decision made in Charlotte and one that definitely is not transit friendly. One only has to look at the developments approved after the tax was put in place despite assurances this would not happen. I am not sure how anyone could honestly say the city has done a good job of this or has placed a requirement on CATS for this. The in fact seem to operate in a complete vacuum. You have not given us any examples that would demonstrate otherwise.

Finally on your criticism of me for applauding the NCDOT on the work they do. I posted that in the context of comparisons to CATS. If you read through my posts on this site, you will see that many times I have suggested the NCDOT be broken up because in its present form it does not serve the needs of the cites. Furthermore I have also spoken many many times of the politics behind the NCDOT. It's a politics that most seem to ignore however when they vote in Charlotte instead choosing to vote on other more trivial reasons.

If you want to fill us in on the Large Picture, I am willing to listen but so far one has not been presented.

Sorry Monsoon.... I think I understand less about your above statement than your previous.

However, I didn't misunderstand your criticism of CATS. You mentioned that you were frustrated with the fact that they did not build the north corridor when they could have. Got it.

While we're setting facts straight....

I did not suggest that the City was responsible for introducing the tax. However, the effort was led by Charlotte Mayor Pat McRory.

I did not suggest that CATS existed prior to the sales tax. Not sure where you got that.

I did not suggest that CATS developed transit policy (did you mean land-use policy?). Either way, I was referring to the Planning Dept. when discussing land-use. What CATS and Planning both understood was that the two go hand-in-hand.

I do not understand the following....

Second in regards to catylizing some sort of transit policy. The Charlotte city council has completely failed in this arena in that 1. they have not held CATS responsible for any metrics that anyone can measure on this matter.

Please elaborate.

This I really don't understand....

Furthermore I have also spoken many many times of the politics behind the NCDOT. It's a politics that most seem to ignore however when they vote in Charlotte instead choosing to vote on other more trivial reasons.

Thanks.

FYI all. Just received this from CATS regarding the closing at Carson Station....

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jean Leier (704) 432-0496

CONSTRUCTION TO AFFECT LYNX BLUE LINE SERVICE THIS SUNDAY

Charlotte, N.C., December 17, 2008 - On Sunday, December 21, from 6:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., the LYNX Blue Line will not operate north of the Carson Light Rail Station due to construction of a pedestrian bridge in Center City. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will provide free connecting buses that will operate between the Carson Light Rail Station and the Charlotte Transportation Center (CTC)/Arena Station during this time.

If you are travelling southbound on the LYNX Blue Line Sunday morning and early afternoon, please board the connecting bus on Brevard Street at the Charlotte Transportation Center or on Brevard Street at Martin Luther King Boulevard in front of the AT&T building. Please arrive five minutes earlier than the published rail schedule to catch the bus to Carson Street Station.

For commuters travelling northbound on Sunday during this time, you can board the connecting bus on Carson Street for travel back into Center City. The bus will terminate at the CTC/Arena Station.

There is no charge to ride the connecting bus service. However, passengers will be required to have a valid ticket, transfer or pass while riding the LYNX Blue Line. Passengers can purchase light rail tickets from the ticket vending machines located at any light rail station. Passengers with exact change will be allowed to purchase transfers good for light rail travel on the free bus service that is being provided.

CATS

[Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line]

^Maybe so, I wasn't replying to your post. However, CATS has had a record of being more than 100% over both time and cost wise on all their rail projects so I don't think the NCDOT has anything to worry about. And... right now, they have no plan for building the rest of the rail system. They could have built the North Line years ago when it was relatively inexpensive to do so. But because they hedged their bets to keep the options for the more news worthy NE line and delayed it with endless excuses and plans that required the property tax payers in the North to take on risk, neither line is going to be built. Yet we continue to be taxed for it.

Monsoon, I am new to posting here, but not new to watching. When I hear or see people comment on the failings of CATS and/or the City to bring rail transit to the North and Northeast Corridors in a more timely manner, it disappoints me that they don't see a larger picture. I'm not going to compare NCDOT to CATS, because I would agree that the two are apples and oranges. However, what I will say is that NCDOT's mission is to open the hose and push as many people back and forth as possilbe along a stretch of pavement (or water as you've pointed out). In comparison, what CATS and our City's Planning Dept. have absolutely done right is that they recognized in the late '90s, when they were planning a comprehensive mass transit system, that land-use planning was as important as the transporting of a rider from one end to the other. Rail transit foes would point to the fact that light rail does not pay for itself. I would say first that this is not the point. But, I would also say, that the statement is also false. Because we have married land-use planning with our transit plan, we have effectively catalyzed transit-oriented real estate development up and down our South Corridor. Anyone who believes the type of development we are seeing along the LYNX Blue Line comes automatically with light rail development would benefit from visiting other cities, which have built transit, and have struggled with creating the proper zoning to procure the types of projects that stand the test of time around their transit stations. It's probably also appropriate to point out that none of the currently constructed projects (or those under construction) along the South corridor have required public dollars in the way of public financing, bond issues or rebates of any sort to make them feasible. However, it is my hope that the City will consider TIF and TIF-like proposals in the future to create even more density around stations.

CATS has a plan to develop the entire rail, streetcar and BRT integrated system - it's called the 2030 Plan. Perhaps you mean they do not have a complete understanding of how it will be funded. If that's the point of your statement, ok. Although, I don't think there is much point in arguing it. With each new administration (we will see 4-7 new administrations by 2030 depending on re-elections), and each new Congress (even more by 2030), come different opportunities.

Ron Tober inept? - you lost me there. If you asked transit CEOs across the country, they would tell you exactly the opposite. Did you know that Ron Tober was inducted this fall into the North Carolina Transportation Hall of Fame? Here's a list of their current advisory board...

Ted Alman, NCDOT Aviation Division

Greg Dean, NC Concrete Pavement Association

Mary Meletiou, NCSU-ITRE

Miriam Perry, NCDOT Public Transportation Division

Pat Simmons, NCDOT Rail Division

It appears that several members of the organization, in which you place so much pride, feel largely the same way about Mr. Tober. There are approximately 40 inductees to the NCTHF. You may recognize a couple of them. If you live in NC, a picture of their plane is on your license plate.

Mr. Tober has been courted by several major metropolitan transit authorities and quasi-governmental transit entities like CATS to assist them, because of the successful development of the South Corridor. I'm sure that you read this week in the paper that Ron is leaving his post as director of Charlotte Trolley, to go back to Seattle to help them plan and organize an $18 billion dollar expansion of their transit system, for which they passed a sales tax during the November election. He is somewhat of a guru among transit officials across the country. You don't get that reputation without being competent and effective.

As to building the North line years ago, I'm not sure what your opinion is on how it could have been funded. That aside, there are 4 other municipalities (if you include Mooresville), all of which must cooperate to develop the project. Creating a land-use plan that is effective, protective, and addresses each community's own characteristics is a lengthy and challenging process. That having been completed, at least one town remains apprehensive about the value that rail transit will bring to their community.

Deciding on Northeast over North has less to do with popularity and more to do with ridership. I hope you would agree that obtaining federal dollars for either or both projects would be a welcome event. Very shortly after federal dollars were granted to build the South Corridor, those ridership requirements increased. Despite your politics, with the new administration, there are likely to be more dollars available for projects like the North & Northeast Corridors and the Streetcar Line, although I'm forming the opinion that the first dollars available to us will go to adding value to the existing South Corridor (longer platforms, trains, etc....).

Getting off-topic, now is the time to develop the main section of the Streetcar Line through Uptown Charlotte. It is far less expensive, the City owns all of the ROW it needs to do it, and there are private partners who would likely assist in the funding. Plus, we have the rolling stock available to begin operation tomorrow.

[SouthEnd Midrise Projects]

Because of its central location, it would make a great park but, for the very same reason, the real estate is too valuable. That's the major difficulty in creating green space in the Center City. Unless the land is donated, or has limited utility, it's very tough.

Efforts are in progress to create a green space across the tracks from the new Trolley Powerhouse Museum, adjacent to Duke's substation and just south of Circle. The area sits under heavy power lines, is owned by the City and is currently being used as a dog walk area by local residents. It's a much smaller area than "the triangle". However, these smaller "pocket park" opportunities are a focus of County Parks & Rec and are a quicker means to an end, creating refuges along the rail corridor.