  Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 454 Registered: 08-2006 |
Received today via Ann Arbor-based Getdowntown.org: quote: | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3017 Registered: 06-2006 |
for you transit buffs out there, what other city is currently the prime example of what we're trying to do with this commuter rail, i.e., run both commuter trains and freight trains on the same tracks? | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3018 Registered: 06-2006 |
for you transit buffs out there, what other city is currently the prime example of what we're trying to do with this commuter rail, i.e., running both commuter trains and freight trains on the same set of tracks? | ||
Jsmyers Member Username: Jsmyers Post Number: 1944 Registered: 12-2003 |
Chicago | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 248 Registered: 05-2006 |
I'm not sure Jesus, why don't you tell us many times? Is it Albuquerque, is it Boise? | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3022 Registered: 06-2006 |
sorry about the triple post...stupid board won't let me delete them for some reason...if a mod sees, please delete the prior two posts and this post EDIT: I was able to delete one of the three but can't delete either of the remaining two...I get the following error "The poster of this message is not recorded in the posting log. Therefore you cannot edit or delete this message." (Message edited by thejesus on December 14, 2007) | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2007 |
I know Miami had something similar for a while...Not sure what they do now, but I remember visiting my Grandparents in West Palm, then taking the train back to the Miami Airport. http://www.tri-rail.com/ - Link to Miami-Dade Commuter Line | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 1038 Registered: 09-2005 |
Toronto. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 470 Registered: 08-2007 |
Portland, Or http://trimet.org/ cleveland http://www.gcrta.org/ st louis http://www.metrostlouis.org/ just the ones I know about, believe it or not, the cleveland system is pretty good ... st louis is a freak show and portland's is a dream ... they serve latte's right on board | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 455 Registered: 08-2006 |
Any thoughts on where the Metro Airport station may go? The NS line runs along Michigan Ave about 2 miles north of the airport. My guess would be in downtown Wayne, with connector buses making the trip back and forth from the airport. This would link downtown Wayne with Detroit and Ann Arbor and maybe spark some interest in sprucing up Wayne's downtown. It'd also be close to the Ford Truck plant opening up the line for use by plant workers. However SEMCOG might settle for something a bit closer and with enough space to build a big parking lot and station, like at Michigan Ave. and Merriman where there is even a vacant lot. It'd be nice to see them link it up to the elevated tram that runs in the Smith terminal somehow. Anyone got about $400 million laying around? Satellite images for reference: Downtown Wayne at Wayne Rd. Following the line east and west, it's a bit tight, but I'm sure one of the warehouse lots along the line could be converted into parking/station: http://tinyurl.com/yt99m7 Michigan/Merriman: http://tinyurl.com/yw6v7x | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 1689 Registered: 07-2004 |
The gold standard for dedicated rail passenger service in the United States is the Northeast Corridor, all dedicated trackage, with four tracks, two local, two express. When I was in Albuquerque, their Rail Runner trains seemed to run regularly and looked pretty sharp too. | ||
Hans57 Member Username: Hans57 Post Number: 249 Registered: 05-2006 |
I just realized there could be a stop at Greenfield Village, wonderful. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1534 Registered: 02-2006 |
quote: With commuter rail, this is quite common. As some have mentioned, Chicago is a prime example. | ||
Parkguy Member Username: Parkguy Post Number: 171 Registered: 04-2007 |
Downtown Wayne has a parking structure a block and a half north of the track at Wayne Road already, so that's a plus. Merriman road might have room for some enhanced parking south of the tracks-- I don't remember if the old Eloise Hospital farm has been totally "developed." I know the south end of the old farm closer to Van Born is a mobile home park. Merriman would be a logical spot in terms of direct route to the airport. Middlebelt in Inkster might also work, and there is plenty of room for a parking lot or structure. Maybe Henry Ruff Rd, as well. The east end of the old Eloise Hospital property is already county land, I think. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1614 Registered: 11-2003 |
Didn't Wayne County (or maybe it was the state) buy land with the intention of it being used for the future transit site at Merriman and Michigan Ave? (Message edited by bob on December 14, 2007) | ||
Tayshaun22 Member Username: Tayshaun22 Post Number: 386 Registered: 02-2005 |
Nice area there Parkguy. Henry Ruff, Inkster, Middlebelt. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2143 Registered: 10-2006 |
Even Philadelphia's train system shares its tracks with freight. SEPTA however does use rather ‘heavy’ railcars more akin to an Amtrak passenger car than light rail. Here in Charlotte, the light rail line (that just opened a month ago), has its tracks paralleling a freight rail line right-of-way, but does not share its tracks. The light rail bridges over the freight rails in a few places. | ||
Queensfinest Member Username: Queensfinest Post Number: 136 Registered: 08-2006 |
http://www.businessweek.com/gl obalbiz/content/dec2007/gb2007 125_600001.htm Maybe this should be the start of a new thread, but the above link for the article "Subways: The New Urban Status Symbol" offers some interesting info on a few new subway construction projects around the world. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 3830 Registered: 10-2003 |
What do light rail and subways have to do with implementing commuter rail between Detroit and Ann Arbor? | ||
Parkguy Member Username: Parkguy Post Number: 172 Registered: 04-2007 |
Tayshaun22 said: "Nice area there Parkguy. Henry Ruff, Inkster, Middlebelt." Yup. True. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 2147 Registered: 10-2006 |
Good point Danindc. There is a huge difference between light rail and commuter rail. Chances are that Detroit's commuter rail would not have too many stops along the route, would have heavier cars, and also have park & ride stops. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3024 Registered: 06-2006 |
"Chances are that Detroit's commuter rail would not have too many stops along the route" I don't know what you consider to be "many" stops, but just off the top of my head, once this thing really gets going, likely stops would be: Pontiac Troy/Birmingham Royal Oak Ferndale Detroit Dearborn Metro Airport Wayne Ypsilanti Ann Arbor I'd say that's a pretty good number of stops for one region | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 457 Registered: 08-2006 |
Thejesus, the line will end in Detroit, it won't go all the way to Pontiac until many years from now. Like stops would be Ann Arbor, Ypsi, Wayne, Metro, Dearborn/Greenfield Village, and Detroit. | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 458 Registered: 08-2006 |
For those out there unacquainted with the concept of Commuter Rail, it differs greatly from inter-city light rail and subway transport. Commuter rail can be considered somewhere between Amtrak long-distance passenger routes and short-distance light rail. It will use the same train cars as Amtrak passenger rail (i.e. Heavy Rail) and run regularly along a few stops in the I-94 metro corridor, probably every 25 minutes to an hour, maybe even longer, but more regularly than the twice-a-day Amtrak Wolverine service that runs along the same line. It's considered the first step at implementing a region-wide transit system, and for sparking interest in inter- and intra-city rapid transit services like light rail, BRT, etc. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3027 Registered: 06-2006 |
"Thejesus, the line will end in Detroit, it won't go all the way to Pontiac until many years from now" I agree that's a good possibility, hence my statement "once this thing really gets going" Though considering the pro-transit commentary we've heard recently from Troy, Birmingham, L. Brooks Patterson, Royal Oak, etc., I think the commuter rail servicing Oakland County might not be as far away as you think... (Message edited by thejesus on December 15, 2007) | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 459 Registered: 08-2006 |
you're right Thejesus, once L Brooks sees this line in place and the ridership steadily increasing, he'll feel like a jackass for not jumping on the bandwagon sooner and demand for its extension to Pontiac to help the OCers. Then he'll blame Detroit for not offering it in the first place... |
