Salt Lake City | Transit and Airport Developments

delts145 · #1 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 1:12 AM**

Fellow Forumer SLCrising takes us to the debut of Salt Lake City's new Commuter, "FrontRunner" and the new 400 West TRAX light rail line

UTA

UTA FrontRunner up and running today

Beginning Monday, the new downtown TRAX intermodal line will connect FrontRunner passengers with light-rail...

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...273908,00.html

All Pics by SLCrising

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLCrising

What a beautiful day to open FrontRunner. TRAX makes special runs to the Salt Lake Central Station.

Nose to nose:

Salt Lake Central

All Aboard!

Platform View

Another Arrival

It was so packed, with long lines waiting to board. I decided to skip the ride this time and went back to look around the Intermodal Hub.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLCrising

Salt Lake Central

Love the dual platforms at SL Central

TRAX at Intermodal Hub
The connection is complete, I still wish the hub expansion was complete.

Old Greek Town Station
There are going to be some happy, happy tenants along 2nd South.

Planetarium Station

New TRAX Line along 4th West

TRAX rounding the curve at UP Depot
With new Fidelity Building in background.

New TRAX ticket machine

by SLCrising
.

seaskyfan · #2 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 2:05 AM**

Looks great! I checked out the schedule - that's amazing frequency for a new commuter rail line:

http://www.rideuta.com/projects/commuterRail/maps.aspx

DENrising · #3 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 2:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by seaskyfan

Looks great! I checked out the schedule - that's amazing frequency for a new commuter rail line:

http://www.rideuta.com/projects/commuterRail/maps.aspx

Hi Seasky, thanks for looking at the thread on our beautiful Front Runner. Yes, it is a nice schedule, daily headways of 30 minutes is impressive. I like the fact it runs 5am till about midnight, I believe even the Sounder there in Seattle runs mainly during rush hours, is that correct?

We have a real opportunity here to get people out of their cars and an expanded schedule to fit many peoples' schedules will do just that. The air quality here can get bad as we live in a bowl, so this is just what was needed.

Come down to SLC sometime and check it out!!

DENrising · #4 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 3:09 AM**

...for starting this thread, it gives alot of people outside our area to see what is going on here in Northern Utah.

I was real fortunate to get close to the two locomotives that came nose to nose during the opening ceremonies today. If you are outside of our state, you might remember that back in the mid 19th Century, the construction of the Trans Continental railroads was completed here in Utah. It is referred to as the Golden Spike. But anyhow, the nose-to-nose of the locos was done as a symbolic gesture of that achievement.

It is a reminder of how we have progressed in Transportation in this country, yet looks forward to the many, many possibilities that lie ahead.

I suspect gas will exceed $4 a gallon in most parts of the country soon, so let us look as this as a way to promote a greener Earth.

SLCrising

P.S. Our transit agency has begun planning a 50 mile extension of FrontRunner to the south.

seaskyfan · #5 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 5:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLCrising

Hi Seasky, thanks for looking at the thread on our beautiful Front Runner. Yes, it is a nice schedule, daily headways of 30 minutes is impressive. I like the fact it runs 5am till about midnight, I believe even the Sounder there in Seattle runs mainly during rush hours, is that correct?

We have a real opportunity here to get people out of their cars and an expanded schedule to fit many peoples' schedules will do just that. The air quality here can get bad as we live in a bowl, so this is just what was needed.

Come down to SLC sometime and check it out!!

You're right about the Sounder - it currently has a total of six trips each way on the south route to Tacoma (one is a reverse commute - from Seattle to Tacoma in the morning and from Tacoma to Seattle in the evening) and three trips each way on the north route to Everett (plus two Amtrak trains that accept Sounder passes). All trips happen during rush hours and there's no service on weekends outside of sporting events and other special event stuff. They've taken an incremental approach to increasing service - primarily due to funding but there are also some issues with sharing the tracks with freight and Amtrak service.

They're currently considering another ballot measure for November - one option is add another 12 trips (6 RT) on the Tacoma Sounder line.

Here's the latest expansion proposal:

http://future.soundtransit.org/proposed.aspx

Congrats on launching the new SLC line!

urbanfan89 · #6 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 6:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLCrising

Hi Seasky, thanks for looking at the thread on our beautiful Front Runner. Yes, it is a nice schedule, daily headways of 30 minutes is impressive. I like the fact it runs 5am till about midnight, I believe even the Sounder there in Seattle runs mainly during rush hours, is that correct?

We have a real opportunity here to get people out of their cars and an expanded schedule to fit many peoples' schedules will do just that. The air quality here can get bad as we live in a bowl, so this is just what was needed.

Come down to SLC sometime and check it out!!

After looking at the TRAX schedule, I have to say that frequencies are downright embarrassing for a light rail line.

srperrycgy · #7 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 6:24 AM**

Congrats on the Commuter Rail!

Are there any LRV purchases required for TRAX?

Quote:

After looking at the TRAX schedule, I have to say that frequencies are downright embarrassing for a light rail line.

The frequencies are low, but that's probably all the demand there is for the service right now.

I noticed quite a few future LRT projects on the website, how bad are your NIMBYs?

zilfondel · #8 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 10:36 AM**

^ this isn't a light rail line, its heavy rail. Really, really heavy too - the specs on those locos are ~150 tons!

I'm pretty amazed to see that you guys get all-day schedule. That's more than just mere 'commuter rail.'

delts145 · #9 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 12:42 PM**

^^^
Hey Zilfondel, There was the inaguration yesterday of both the 'Commuter FrontRunner,' (heavy rail) and also the new '400 West TRAX lightrail line' was just completed. Both are shown in SLCrising's pics.

FrontRunner service starts amid festivities - Officials hail return of cummuter rail to Utah

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...274205,00.html

Kids and Trains, "You got to love it!!"

( Keith Johnson, Dereret News)

(Keith Johnson, Deseret News)
A FrontRunner Commuter-rail train arrives Saturday at the new intermodal hub in Salt Lake City. ( Keith Johnson, Dereret News)

Children line the tracks at the Farmington station on Saturday as they wait for the arrival of the FrontRunner commuter-rail train. Celebrations were held all along the route. (Keith Johnson, Deseret News)

.

delts145 · #10 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 12:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Congrats on the Commuter Rail!

Are there any LRV purchases required for TRAX?

The frequencies are low, but that's probably all the demand there is for the service right now.

I noticed quite a few future LRT projects on the website, how bad are your NIMBYs?

As an Angelino, one of the things that has impressed me most about this Metro, is the way they are embracing and supporting the Commuter Rail advent. Salt Lake Metro is booming, and the people seem deternined to keep up with new lines opening and others beginning construction like crazy. As far as NIMBY's, there has been one upscale community, (Draper) which is asking for a route adjustment. But so far every town council is screaming for their own line. Mayors and Councils are loving the mixed-use TOD's that are going up all along the commuter corridors.

I've never seen such clamoring for mass-transit by the general populace. I think a lot of it has to do with so many newbys moving in from the coasts, where commuter rail is prevalent. Also, there's a significant part of the adult population which have served as missionarys in all parts of the world, where of course commuter service is highly valued.

As far as scheduling frequency, that will continue to increase as new lines continue to open and the ongoing boom of TOD's, a new stadium, and the 'Downtown density boom' comes on-line.

arkhitektor · #11 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 10:55 PM**

Is a train every 15 minutes really that infrequent?
I would imagine that is right about where other cities are with light rail, no?

When you consider that the lines come together downtown at staggered times, there is a train through downtown every 7 minutes. Not bad if you ask me.

Here's a new map of the system for those who are interested:

The red and blue lines are existing light rail, the purple is the new commuter rail line, and the rest are in various stages of planning and construction. The plan is to have them all finished by 2015:
http://www.rideuta.com/projects/fron.../overview.aspx

hammersklavier · #12 Posted **Apr 27, 2008, 11:58 PM**

Nice. How much does it cost?

I think all your transit officials should come to Philadelphia!

Then we could have good transit, too!

mersar · #13 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Is a train every 15 minutes really that infrequent?
I would imagine that is right about where other cities are with light rail, no?

15 minutes is the most infrequent the CTrain runs (with a few oddball exceptions late at night) and thats only on Sundays, every other day is worst 10 minute frequency, plus we also have a shared portion so the downtown has service about every 7 minutes at the worst. During peak we're starting to butt into the maximum frequency with trains every 3 or so minutes in the downtown.

Looking at pictures of low floor stations makes me jealous though, can't wait until our future SE line gets built since its likely to be similar design.

jamesinclair · #14 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 2:24 AM**

The commuter rail looks really nice. The light rail...not so much.

It looks high floor...is it?
Its a bit pricey for what it is.
The website sucks
The frequencies are slow.

Its a start though, hopefully itll get better.

The frequencies on the commuter rail are very impressive.

DENrising · #15 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 2:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

15 minutes is the most infrequent the CTrain runs (with a few oddball exceptions late at night) and thats only on Sundays, every other day is worst 10 minute frequency, plus we also have a shared portion so the downtown has service about every 7 minutes at the worst. During peak we're starting to butt into the maximum frequency with trains every 3 or so minutes in the downtown.

Looking at pictures of low floor stations makes me jealous though, can't wait until our future SE line gets built since its likely to be similar design.

I think for the city of our size, we have awesome freqency. You have to remember, transit in the US has not always been embraced, as we pretty much went to our cars for everything. That obviously is changing. People are more interested in living and working downtown as opposed to the suburban commute.

This is evident when you look at the amount of new residential condo projects being constructed in the city core.

J. Will · #16 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 3:59 AM**

For me 15 minute frequency would be "check the schedule and arrive a few minutes prior" frequency.

For the city I consider 5 minutes or better "frequent", 6-10 minutes "semi-frequent", and 11+ minutes "infrequent".

You can't expect the same in the outer suburbs, so there I consider 10 minutes or better to be excellent frequency, and even 15 minutes to be very good.

If you're very patient, 15 minutes might be fine.

DENrising · #17 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 2:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Will

For me 15 minute frequency would be "check the schedule and arrive a few minutes prior" frequency.

For the city I consider 5 minutes or better "frequent", 6-10 minutes "semi-frequent", and 11+ minutes "infrequent".

You can't expect the same in the outer suburbs, so there I consider 10 minutes or better to be excellent frequency, and even 15 minutes to be very good.

If you're very patient, 15 minutes might be fine.

Yeah, I once lived in DC and used Metro, that was high frequency to the max.

Justin10000 · #18 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 3:39 PM**

Living in Toronto, 15 minutes is a pretty long wait for me. But when I used to live in Brampton, 15 minutes was high frequency service, and I thought it was pretty good.

Gordo · #19 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 4:03 PM**

SLC isn't DC or Toronto.

The frequencies on both the commuter rail and light rail are INCREDIBLE for a city of SLC's density and the length of time that each train has existed.

Bravo.

I know I've seen mention of several TOD's happening - how successful have these been? What has been the density of these projects?

arkhitektor · #20 Posted **Apr 28, 2008, 4:52 PM**

To answer some of the questions that have been asked:

Light rails cars are high floor, the Commuter Rail cars are bi-level but the lower level is flush with the platform, so you might call that "low-floor"

A monthly pass for Frontrunner and the rest of the system is $145
A monthly pass for light rail/bus only is around $50

Most of the new TOD's are still under construction. There are a few townhouse/condo developments that are doing quite well along the original light rail line, but nothing that is truly mixed use has been finished yet.