[North Carolina Intercity Rail Transit]

Brightline West just broke ground while Brightline Florida is capacity constraint and ordering more coaches.

BTW, when will NCDOT announce new trainset orders. I remember there are grants a few years ago for this.

[Brightline Trains]

https://emma.msrb.org/P21801226-P21382315-P21822196.pdf

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Demand for our service currently exceeds supply as we look forward to delivery of additional passenger coaches in mid- and late-2024. 

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In March 2024, over half of our trains reached load factors of 80% or more and approximately one in three trains had load factors of 90% or more

Capacity limited and ordering more coaches to lengthen the train.

[The Bad News Report]

On 2/6/2024 at 7:20 PM, KJHburg said:

BofA is BofA Corporate Center,  1 BAC next to the Ritz and Bank of America Tower at Legacy and the Gateway center.  Plus BofA has space at 5/3 Center and 525 N Tryon.

if anyone knows anything different please share.  

Most of the Trans America Building (401 N Tryon) is occupied by BofA

[Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction]

There is one person working hard for last few years for enhancement of Potter Rd by Pleasant Plains Rd intersection near Stalling. 

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Great news. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has received bids and awarded a contract to begin the improvement of the Potter Road and Pleasant Plains Road intersection.

I hope to have a timeline to share soon. Thank all of you for your continuous support. This project was slated to begin in 2027! I will update you with details as they come in and as always, STAY TUNED

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fixpotterrd/permalink/1564337677689961/

[Brightline Trains]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-02/florida-high-speed-rail-senior-muni-debt-rated-investment-grade?srnd=homepage-americas

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Brightline ... obtained an investment-grade rating on its proposed senior municipal bonds in advance of a planned refinancing of $3.6 billion of debt.

 

[Charlotte Photo of the Day]

[Union County]

Indian trail began expanding Chestnut spare park

https://www.indiantrail.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=563

 

Also the town's part of Chestnut parkway phase 3 and NCDOT's portion of phase 2 (railway bridge) both should began construction by now

https://www.indiantrail.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/264

 

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

1 minute ago, TCLT said:

Or gives more reason for the current preferred routing. If office commutes are no longer the driving trip generator for transit, choosing the preferred alignment could spur the development of residential, institutional, and entertainment uses along the line that will generate trips regardless of in office trends.

Then silver line does not need to go to Matthews or put Union and Gaston county into consideration if the destination does not have much office space.

It could end at airport at west and Idlewild road or Margaret Wallace Road at south east. 

 

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

Given how bad the office side of CRE is currently.

I guess the reason for silver line to skip center uptown could be a problem now. (Not much office development for some time)

 

But giving how long we need to wait for Silver line. Maybe the trend will be different by then.

 

[Good New Restaurants]

Yama Loso Village will soft open tomorrow.

https://www.yamaloso.com/

It supposed to be the new location for Yama Izakaya when it was closed due to plaza midwood re-development in 2020.

But not sure how much legacy will be in the new place or it will be a new concept.

 

https://beacondevelopment.com/news/restaurateur-birdie-yang-set-to-open-yama-as-part-of-14m-push-into-lower-south-end

Also some background on the owner and the place.

[Traffic Congestion and Highway Construction]

There is a lot of land clearing around Union county part of Old Monroe Rd.

Probably the widening will start soon

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

So the consultant will get same 500K for study Charlotte to Kings Mountain and Charlotte to DC?

[North Carolina Intercity Rail Transit]

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The Carolinian has always run with Amfleet, and will be among the first trains to get Siemens-built Airo trainsets as a part of the large Amtrak order.

Quote

“We applied this year for an FRA federal-state partnership construction grant for the (17-mile) S-Line segment from Raleigh to Wake Forest, N.C. The goal is to develop serviceable sections that will allow extending Piedmont service north,” says Orthner, pointing out, “it is the most complicated segment where we have already received federally-matched grants for highway grade separation construction.”

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/special-report-on-amtrak-round-trips-north-carolina-to-add-another-piedmont-trip-in-july/

[BankTown Banking & Finance News]

some banking news from the other pillar of NC economy

First Citizens to Buy Silicon Valley Bank After Run on Lender https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-27/first-citizens-to-buy-silicon-valley-bank-after-run-on-lender


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[Triangle Economic News]

First Citizens to Buy Silicon Valley Bank After Run on Lender https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-27/first-citizens-to-buy-silicon-valley-bank-after-run-on-lender


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[Triangle Economic News]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-26/first-citizens-said-to-near-deal-for-silicon-valley-bank

More on First Citizen Bank to purchase Silicon Valley Bank

Could be good to startups in triangle area.

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

So there is a trainset loaned from other transit agency?

Two trainsets have been mid-cycle overhaul finished (one still on route) with bearing problem fixed.

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

In MTC meeting it said employee brought up that CATS failed to do a bridge inspection on 2021. (Seems to be bridge from station to parking garage)

[North Carolina Intercity Rail Transit]

Does that mean the new Piedmont trainset will be produced here?


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[Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line]

long twitter thread from Rail Magazine

[North Carolina Intercity Rail Transit]

https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2023/2023-01-18-ncdot-ncbytrain-ridership.aspx

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Between January and December of 2022, more than 522,000 passengers rode NC By Train, which has four daily roundtrips between Raleigh and Charlotte and service to the Northeast. That's more people than have ridden the train in its 32-year history. 

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While October saw the highest number of riders in a month, with 55,493 traveling, December also set a record and was the third best monthly ridership of all time. NC By Train services, which include The Piedmont (Charlotte to Raleigh) and Carolinian (Charlotte to New York) trains, carried over 48,600 riders in December, beating the previous ridership record by over 10%. 

 

[Charlotte Gateway Station and Railroad Improvements]

https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/Winter 2022 eRailReport.pdf

Should be enough space for additional track in uptown direction.

[First Ward Urban Village / North Tryon Vision Plan]

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[Ballantyne]

Ballentyne, Rea Rd and Waverly (also Steele Creek and north Meck) area has high number of Asian populations, and the highest concentration is approaching 40%.

This census tract with 36.7% Asian population (846/2308) in 2020 census, back in 2010 census it has 22% Asian (417/1894)

So out of the 414 net addition in this area, 429 of them are Asian.

Assuming the same trend for 2030 census. This census tract will become an Asian majority area. 1365/2812=48.5%

 

[Brightline Trains]

https://emma.msrb.org/P21645448-P21266442-P21693053.pdf

Brightline have exceeds their previous monthly ridership record (127.69k on Dec 2019) by near 50% on Dec 2022 for 183.92k

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December 2022 ticket revenue was 205% higher than December 2021, with ridership up 87% to 183,920 passengers and average ticket fares up 63%. Total ridership growth of 85,491 passengers was supported by strong results in all segments. Ridership among our three original stations (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach) grew by 40,791 passengers, or 49%. Our new inline stations at Boca Raton (opened December 21) and Aventura (opened December 24) served 17,682 passengers and revealed strong latent demand for our service in those communities. Finally, our customers flocked to our annual Polar express holiday charter, which welcomed 27,018 more riders this year than in December 2021, up 187%. Rides by monthly passholders increased 107% in December 2022 compared to December 2019, demonstrating a trend back toward normal commuting patterns for an increasing portion of our market.