Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

The CityLYNX website has a few other images as well: http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/planning/GoldLine/Phase%202/Pages/default.aspx

The entire website shifts when it changes pictures...

I... cannot... read... it

[tozmervo]

Yeeeaaahh I would recommend looking at it on a desktop. The image gallery script and the image sizes don't play well together.

[Deleted.]

Im still hoping for the Siemens S70 Streetcar as the future vehicle!

[15895]

For the next phase of rail transit; I'd like to see streetcar (with prioritized signals and dedicated lanes) be extended to the airport (under a different color name than gold) and the gold line extended to Plaza. 

 

 

I hope people are still thinking about future phases and not just satisfied with the status quo of what's already on the books.

I think the success of CityLynx will grow exponentially with each expansion. 

Edited March 1, 2016 by AirNostrumMAD

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

For the next phase of rail transit; I'd like to see streetcar (with prioritized signals and dedicated lanes) be extended to the airport (under a different color name than gold) and the gold line extended to Plaza. 

 

 

I hope people are still thinking about future phases and not just satisfied with the status quo of what's already on the books.

I think the success of CityLynx will grow exponentially with each expansion. 

I think It'd be too slow to go to airport. The rail line that goes through uptown goes right past the airport, then continues to Belmont, Cramerton, Lowell and Gastonia. That should be a shared commuter line.

Can you imagine a 10 minute train ride to the airport from uptown???

Edited March 1, 2016 by Guest

[15895]

At this point, I can't really imagine any other transit lines. Hopefully Foxx, Norfolk Southern & city leaders are still talking for at least the red line (for selfish purposes. I live off of Sam Furr in Huntersville)

 

it it would be nice if one of our local news folks would interview Foxx. I'd be interested to hear his opinions some more

Edited March 1, 2016 by AirNostrumMAD

[kermit]

1 hour ago, ricky_davis_fan_21 said:

I think It'd be too slow to go to airport. The rail line that goes through uptown goes right past the airport, then continues to Belmont, Cramerton, Lowell and Gastonia. That should be a shared commuter line.

Can you imagine a 10 minute train ride to the airport from uptown???

Yea, the quickest trips would certainly be produced by commuter rail to the airport. However, since Norfolk Southern -owns- that line, airport service on it would be restricted to very limited frequencies (once an hour, best case. Probably more like Milwaukee airport service, five trains per day).

tradeoffs...

Edited March 1, 2016 by kermit

[tozmervo]

We already have a bus that will get you from the CLT arrivals level to Trade & Tryon in 25 minutes. How fast exactly are you trying to get to Uptown?

[SgtCampsalot]

It's a pickle: The Gold Line is in such a position that if further expansions are deferred, it will still feel "useless" to many in the city; If it is expanded to phase 3, the cost will irk those same people who didn't want it in the first place, but it will ultimately prove to be a resounding success. POLITICS!

[Niner National]

49 minutes ago, tozmervo said:

We already have a bus that will get you from the CLT arrivals level to Trade & Tryon in 25 minutes. How fast exactly are you trying to get to Uptown?

buses are for poor people. 

[ah59396]

45 minutes ago, Niner National said:

buses are for poor people. 

This sentiment really grinds my gears.  I know you're half joking, but I don't understand why "bus" is such a bad word.  I'm really hoping some added tech will help to reduce this mindset.

[Deleted.]

1 hour ago, Niner National said:

buses are for poor people. 

Whilst you're joking (at least, I hope you are), bus has connotations like "black" "homeless" for many white people in CLT.

[Guest StuckInASuburb]

1 minute ago, Piedmont767 said:

Whilst you're joking (at least, I hope you are), bus has connotations like "black" "homeless" for many white people in CLT.

The city could improve the ridership and connotations if they could rebrand "buses" to "coaches" or perhaps inventing a new word. This is the same sort of thinking as rebranding "downtown" to "uptown" and could potentially work over time. 

[southslider]

There's no such thing as being too poor for a cab, but too rich for a bus. There's just the problem of some folks' egos being too big for a bus.

[15895]

I don't like the bus for several reasons. 

 

1.) I don't really know where the stops are that well. I have to truly scout out where the poles are.

 

2.) Bus stops don't generally seem to be in as pedestrian friendly areas like a lot of fixed transit areas.

 

3.) There's not as great options for park and rides except express routes and the express busses don't run weekend.

 

 

in summary, if bus stops had more pedestrian infrastructure, the buses would be infinitely better. But I don't want to take a bus and then wind up walking through the grass because there is no sidewalk, or cross insane traffic, etc

[kermit]

Streetcar, interesting archetecture, decaying and unused historic building, fancy parking deck, huge surface lot at the center of town. Ahh Charlotte urbanism.

#neverupthisearly 

[Third Strike]

21 minutes ago, kermit said:

Streetcar, interesting archetecture, decaying and unused historic building, fancy parking deck, huge surface lot at the center of town. Ahh Charlotte urbanism.

#neverupthisearly 

There's nothing planned for the red building? Someone could easily refurbish that building into a tavern or something.

[DMann]

Daniel Levine owns that red brick building.

[Guest StuckInASuburb]

 

36 minutes ago, DMann said:

Daniel Levine owns that red brick building.

Is this part of the plan of the blocks surrounding UNCC Uptown?

[ajfunder]

Just curious, when did CATS add the reflective red and white warning striping on the streetcar? Wasn't there last time I was in CLT in early January. 

[kermit]

I post this here because I _really_ want this route to be added to our Streetcar network. There is enough width in the underpass below the Norfolk Southern tracks for at least one track plus a separate pedestrian route.

The heritage streetcar route from Cedar st to State St / Blue Blaze is making some progress. The tracks have been excavated (they are no longer buried) and look to be in usable shape (I think). Its not visible in the photo but the city has also added ped crossings across the tracks for connections to the street grid (these were not necessary back when the tracks were buried).

The streetcar restoration also appears to be making some slow progress, but I am concerned that these guys don't really know what they are doing (e.g. it seems impossible to do a decent restoration on the cars while they are outside). #NotanExpert

Edited March 6, 2016 by kermit

[staffer]

37 minutes ago, kermit said:

"I post this here because I _really_ want this route to be added to our Streetcar network. There is enough width in the underpass below the Norfolk Southern tracks for at least one track plus a separate pedestrian route."

 

 

 

That's of course BECAUSE it was where the P&N track(s) were !!

[kermit]

Some kind of minor streetcar meltdown happened today around noon. Here is #91 towing #93 back to the service yard.

 

but less than an hour later:

Hats off to CATS for speedy recovery!

Edited March 19, 2016 by kermit

[Nick2]

Charlotte should really have something better than a street car for the airport-uptown route. An express bus route can work but like it was already mentioned, buses have this weird negative stigma. Light rail would be ideal.

Having a live updating app for the buses and their routes would be a good start (forgive the ignorance if there already is one. I don't know about it which is the problem if it does exist). 

 

[Deleted.]

Does anyone have any updates on the streetcar manufacturer tender? When should we find out the supplier?