[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

On 2/5/2024 at 6:27 AM, RANYC said:

There was a report to congress in July 2019 written by the federal railroad administration of the US DOT.  The report provides guidelines for shared use of freight infrastructure, shared between freight and passenger operations.

In the report, the railroad passengers association suggests a grant program that acquires abandoned or underutilized rail corridors from freight operators. 

Im wondering if there’s something in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that’s creating incentives for freight operators to share infrastructure for passenger rail?

It’s pretty simple, passenger rail upgrades also mean upgrades to the freight infrastructure. Freight railroads can’t be a grant applicant or recipient for most federal programs but they can immensely benefit from them if there is a public entity involved and willing to be an applicant.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

I’ve been to 9 NFL Stadiums and I honestly don’t see how BofA scored that low. 

 

 

 

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

So I will say, streetcars that have a blend of in traffic and separation where possible are fantastic. Throw in signal priority and they can be a really great tool. Many US cities have seemed to focus on anything but this with their modern attempts and have opted for slow, in traffic, bus-like streetcars that stop at every light.

I travel to Tacoma, Washington often for work and their extended T Line Streetcar (Sound Transit) is one of the more impressive streetcar installations I have ridden in this country. It is extremely fluid and moves well through the City and never dwells at intersections for long as it gets priority.

The Gold Line, like many modern US systems, unfortunately lacks many of the things the T Line does well. Signal priority for the Gold Line at even half of the intersections it runs through would drastically improve service and would likely allow for higher frequency even with current vehicles and operator totals. Also, Trade is completely overbuilt and could definitely have streetcar/transit only sections/lanes.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

Another year has gone by and no movement on Gateway. Any chance this kicks off in 2024 or is Charlotte doomed to just not do anything?

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

3 hours ago, elrodvt said:

Denver has a situation that seems to me to be very similar to our Davidson one. Residents of Boulder believe they got the short end of the stick when RTD converted the Denver to Boulder plan from commuter rail to a BRT plan. This after residents voted for higher sales tax and have paid it many years. Then RTD determined that based on new estimates (after they gained a lot of experience) it was not the right choice economically. From what I read i believe RTD did the right thing and think it's applicable here. We should focus on reducing headways and increasing reliability before more rail expansion. 

The last I read Boulder brt will open in '25. We can learn from how that goes.

A couple things from a former Boulder and now Golden, CO resident.

Boulder and the NW corridor was promised BRT AND Commuter Rail. Not one or the other. The Flatiron Flyer (FF) as the Boulder BRT is branded has been open since 2016 and is long since completed. It is very much an expressway, BRT lite concept. It still runs in general traffic utilizing express lanes where available. Major flaws are the stations are on the Shoulder and the express lanes are in the median which requires some time-consuming maneuvering at every expressway stop, it runs in general traffic in Boulder, has a segment that is subject to a reversible toll lane coming into Denver, and has no signal priority along its route. The FF is a good service usually but it is not true BRT, it is honestly just a high frequency, well branded regional bus system with a few different service patterns.
 

I will add, the FF at its peak had 7 different bus patterns which was great while it lasted, but operator shortages coupled with the pandemic have made the original service plan impossible to maintain. RTD has had that issue across the board though and is honestly pulling a CATS across its entire network in terms of frequency.  RTD even cut two light rail patterns and tried to chop a 3rd. They still have 30 minute headways on quite a few rail routes that used to be or were promised to be at least every 15. RTD is now unfortunately commonly referred to as “Reason to Drive” across the Denver Metro due to their service woes.

The Northwest Rail Line, aka the B line, legally has to happen and coupled with service issues has been a huge black eye for RTD (as well as the 3 other segments of Fastracks that haven’t been completed SW extension, L Line extension, and N Line extension). RTD has been squirrley and has tried to get out of  building the B Line a few times but the Governor of Colorado and a few other powerful politicians keep having to remind RTD they are legally obligated to build the B line which is not a great look for RTD. It also would serve the towns of Longmont and Louisville which presently don’t have any improved transit and have also paid a large amount of taxes for Fastracks. RTD’s latest questionable scheme is to hitch its wagon to Colorado Front Range Passenger Rail which is not a bad idea as long as the NW corridor eventually gets a high quality commuter rail service in addition to the intercity trains.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

11 hours ago, tozmervo said:

Given how long it will realistically take for this route to actually start construction, I wondered if political forces in SC would ever catch up to the catastrophic miss of not actually having proper Greenville and Spartanburg stops.

Anyone else rooting for Bright Line to get involved in this one?

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

Amtrak posted a video touting their achievements in 2023. The opening clip is a familiar location that ironically passengers may not get to enjoy for years at this rate….

The city needs to get its crap together and flex its muscles a little bit with the developer, or at the very least find a temporary solution. Heck, I’d board a train there in a mobile trailer over the current station.

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

4 hours ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

I’m not saying it’s not an issue, I’m saying If there’s no timeline, if theres no statements from officials, if there are no blurbs in the final monthly MTC agenda and they’re focused on on-time performance, it’s hard to think the frequencies are an that big of an issue to the powers-that-be. 

It seems to me like the measures they’re using (on-time performance) show improvement in CATS [and that they’re not actual riders. On-time performance matters but from a riders perspective, slashing frequency or keeping it low to achieve higher on-time performance isn’t a great trade off. I rather have unreliable rapid service than reliable reduced service.]

The below is the Final MTC agenda for November 2023. 

https://www.charlottenc.gov/files/sharedassets/cats/v/1/cats-docs/final-mtc-agenda-packet-for-wednesday-november-15-2023.pdf

I haven’t seen anything, timelines, etc so. I just don’t think it’s anything urgent to the city or agency.

And I think that is my main point, the fact there isn’t an urgency to restore service shows complacency which is concerning.  Just like the greater issues surrounding CATS, it shows a lack of leadership. 
 

If CATS can’t expand for broader state political reasons, it needs to focus on making the system it has run more effectively. It just feels like it is going through the motions and providing mediocre transit without trying to be better. 

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

On 11/18/2023 at 7:34 PM, AirNostrumMAD said:

No. I don’t even think the blue line is considered an issue? 

 

Is the Blue Line running every 8 minutes like it used to at peak? Otherwise, it still has an issue.  Ideally it would run at least every 10-15 minimum all day. 20 and 30 minute headways are unacceptable long-term.

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

Is there any timeline for CATS fixing the Blue Line and Gold Line headway issue? Cities who have returned to full schedules have seen a lot of solid ridership come back. 

[SouthEnd "Gold District"]

11 hours ago, michaelef said:

New NIMBY alert

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy1AJNXrRKv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

These facilities need to be near the point of utilization. This has been planned for over two decades. Ultimately, if we want robust passenger rail, this is the most logical site for Gateway Station access. Not a single train has to touch NS to get into the station. 
 

Ultimately, these shops are fairly contained and most of the heavy work is done indoors anyways. there is definitely a lot of fear mongering in that post. These passenger facilities are usually incredibly well kept.

Amtrak’s Holgate facility in Seattle, or Chicago Union Station shops are similar. When trains go out of service, they need to be able to easily clear the platforms for other revenue trains and make room for trains going in service. The ingress, egress to the shop facility is critical to making the two platforms at CGS work effectively especially as passenger rail continues to grow.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

Just amazing what happens when there is actual federal incentive for passenger rail…. Money talks.
 

Some Class 1’s realized the opportunity a few decades ago, others are just awakening from the slumber,  looks like NS is coming around.

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

On 9/27/2023 at 10:58 AM, kayman said:

https://www.rtd-denver.com/sites/default/files/files/2019-04/East_Rail_CU_A_Line_Fact_Sheet_2016_FINAL.pdf

No it's not. It's light rail that operates as commuter. The technology is overhead catanary powered lines in lieu of a trunk third rail. It could be considered medium or light rapid rail but the at-grade crossings along the A-Line causes to be classified as light rail/regional commuter rail but not heavy rail/rapid rail.  I know my transportation mode technologies. 

 

As a resident of Denver (I live on the G Line) and a professional railroader, RTD’s A, B, G, and N lines are FRA regulated commuter rail but definitely not a form of light rail. Unlike light rail, the commuter lines in the RTD network have to adhere to all FRA requirements including PTC and other FRA mandated training qualifications including using certified, FRA qualified engineers. 

People commonly call  the commuter rail lines the light rail, but it is  quite different from an operations, technology, and transportation perspective when compared to the rest of RTD’s actual light rail system. It functions much closer to a heavy rail system (it is technically connected to the national rail network sharing switches at DUS with Amtrak) and from a regulation standpoint is a completely different category than light rail.  
 

 

 

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

The fact that Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston is always left off these planning maps boggles me. Connect the largest City in the Carolina’s to the largest City in SC and what is probably one of the most popular Charlotte weekend/getaway destinations seems like a no brainer. Is that just me?

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

To be quite honest, I don’t see a lot of issue with this location. As stated, it is primarily indoors and looks like it will be well buffered from the neighborhood. They also did a nice job on the existing NCDOT building on the site.

Also, this is a passenger rail facility and the operations will be very different than a freight yard. Also, the proximity to Gateway and the ability to get trains to and from the station platforms without NS dispatching is a huge win for fluidity of operations.

Also, it would make an excellent facility for commuter train sets to be serviced.  
 

All in all, while it is not an ideal urban land use, it will help facilitate a critical service for urban dwellers and overall, considering the existing conditions, it is still probably the best spot for this without breaking the bank.

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

2 hours ago, CLT2014 said:

Very cool map.... and dang the eminent domain on the routing is no joke. Very insightful on why the cost of the line is going to be pretty high. LOT of properties to demo. 

Axios posted about the Silver Line again today. Just sampling from the Instagram comments which had fairly good engagement/reaction. Like it or not, Axios is well followed even if their reporting is iffy/click-bait-like at times.

Main summary: Airport connection is a political winner. Probably half of the 200 comments mentioned wanting a line to the airport.

Is it just me or is CATS really failing to capitalize by marketing the fact the Silver Line hits the airport (kinda). Furthermore, CATS really should reconsider realigning the route to better serve the airport but that’s another issue in itself. Just some observations and thoughts.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

10 hours ago, carolina1792 said:

Please tell me this station was designed for future platforms right? I'm not sure where more platforms will be going?  

There is room for a 3rd track/additional platform on the Uptown side of the station. I believe the abutments appear to be built big enough to accommodate the 3rd Station track on the Uptown side. i think the piers would have to be expanded though.

Also, old concepts included two other tracks with a center platform on the Gateway Village Side of the tracks, not sure if that is still the case. In all honesty, as long as the maintenance facility is expanded accordingly allowing trains to pass through after loading/unloading, the two constructed should be enough for the foreseeable future and the 3rd provides contingency for expansion if needed in the near future.

[Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion]

Airline rant: Why does AA feel like it has to promote its credit card on every flight. Been flying Alaska and Delta a lot lately and I forgot how obnoxious AA is with their “special, in-flight only, limited-time-only etc” credit card pitch every flight.

Like they have been doing it every flight for a decade, it is neither limited or special and it makes AA feel like a lower class airline having an infomercial every flight.
 

 

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

On 12/19/2022 at 6:06 PM, elrodvt said:

I don't know very much about the history of rail in the USA. But, weren't those right of ways essentially gifted to the rail companies? The "robber barons". Let's pretend they're American Indians and steal it back from them. Just kidding but it seems like the govt. should have a stronger negotiating position than we're seeing? 

Depends, many of the lines out west were land grants, less so on the east coast. While the system was certainly taken advantage of and probably should have had more stings attached, it also was a form of a low-cost subsidization which enabled rapid private investment into the building of the railroads.

Three words, Interstate Commerce Clause. Only Congress and thus the Federal Government has say over Interstate carriers like NS…. unless you know, you lease a double track mainline to NS . That ultimately is why NCDOT does have leverage here and is partially why NS is so protective of the O Line. They aren’t used to a state having this much leverage over their core business.

Im not necessarily defending NS but I can see where they ultimately are coming from.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

1 hour ago, Seaboard Fellow said:

Here’s a few pics from the clearance test today 

Awesome, the station building can’t come soon enough. Thanks for sharing!

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

Word on the street is NCDOT is delivering an extra train set to test clearances at Gateway Station Tuesday-Thursday this week. Someone go take pictures!

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

Just got back into town for the holidays and realized CATS is still running the LYNX on 20 minute headways even at rush hour. WTF are they doing?

Pay your people and fix this issue already, ridiculous. Rant over lol.

[CATS Long Term Transit Plan - Silver, Red Lines]

23 minutes ago, kayman said:

Yep! I represent the transit riders of all types not just local but regional and visitors (to and from the CLT Airport) . They should have a grade separated rail transit ride that is ADA accessible with all the infrastructure and amenities the ability to induce more TOD, walkable and scalable development throughout all of Uptown not just along Trade Street. The Gold Line is already there.  Interlining and at-grade crossings is cheap, value engineering, and pure garbage. This city is getting too dense for more at-grade light rail transit unless it's going to be streetcar.  The Silver Line doesn't need to be at grade anywhere.  I'm long past TIRED of everyone always value engineering because they are afraid of the NC GOP naysayers and apolitical skeptics.  

This APTA & ULI induced nonsense is why it's going be nearly another decade before we move forward with the LYNX Silver Line. 

They need to do right by this rapidly densely, developed major city and metropolitan area.

 

Just rode Vancouver’s SkyTrain system this week. Completely grade separated, scaleable (some lines only have two car trains), and completely automated. I was impressed. I wish the US would look at more systems like this.

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

I received this from a railfan friend. Are we getting new locomotives too?

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

Party Train

 

Looks like the party train if successful will become a fixture in the neighborhood. Explains why they built a whole track. The train nerd in me loves this.