Salt Lake Transit News Thread - Page 267

delts145 · #**5321** Posted **Dec 5, 2013, 3:37 PM**

Salt Lake City's New Streetcar Contd...

http://www.shstreetcar.com/

New streetcar offers different transit experience
- The S-Line train will travel at just 15 mph, surrounded by a park built in a historic rail corridor.

By Lee Davidson, The Salt Lake Tribune

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/57213783-90/lake-salt-stop-streetcar.html.csp

VIDEO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAs1ZgdJIkg

Unlike fast TRAX and even more rapid FrontRunner trains, the new Sugar House Streetcar cruises leisurely at about 15 mph — and reaches a maximum of only 25 mph.

While fences and barbed wire keep pedestrians away from TRAX and FrontRunner tracks for safety, the new streetcar is in the middle of what essentially will become a long park. It is an historic rail corridor with new bike and walking trails near tracks, along with sculptures, greenery and even bocce ball courts.

"It’s pretty exciting that an old rail corridor is going to carry a streetcar plus all these amenities," said Jim Webb, project manager for the Utah Transit Authority. "It’s more like a linear park next to a streetcar. It’s something akin to the River Walk in San Antonio. It’s a boat you ride there. This is a train."

UTA officials showed off the new streetcar — officially called the S-Line — to the news media on Wednesday before its grand opening ceremonies on Thursday, and its opening to the public on Saturday, when anyone who brings a can of food for the needy will be given free fare...

"In the same way that the Riverwalk transformed downtown San Antonio, and the 16th Street Mall has revitalized downtown Denver, building on the assets of Sugar House and South Salt Lake will make this streetcar district one of the premier urban neighborhoods in the region." Soren Simonsen, Salt Lake City Councilman

http://www.shstreetcar.com

Greenway and Trail >

In addition to construction of the streetcar line itself, the partners behind the project completed a public involvement process in March 2012 that found the community overwhelmingly supports the creation of a greenway---to include plazas, the Parley's Trail, and extensive landscaping---along the streetcar corridor from 500 East to McClelland Street.

The Salt Lake City Council recently approved a budget amendment to fund the creation of the greenway, and the streetcar team is moving forward with plans for the linear "park."

- See more at: http://www.shstreetcar.com/greenway.htm#sthash.9ZCdrGYb.dpuf

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scottharding · #**5322** Posted **Dec 5, 2013, 4:15 PM**

The Trib article has a brief mention of Central Pointe in South Salt Lake. I'll be very interested to see what happens with that over the next few years. The location is so primed for development. It's sort of a transit hub already. It just needs a good neighborhood around it, and the land is pretty much mostly vacant. BUILD!

wrendog · #**5323** Posted **Dec 8, 2013, 5:16 AM**

It looks like Alaska Airlines initial flight to Seattle was a big success.

Alaska is now starting flights from SLC to:

LAX
PDX
SJC
SAN

SLCdude · #**5324** Posted **Dec 8, 2013, 8:09 PM**

I'm gonna ride the streetcar today!

ajiuO · #**5325** Posted **Dec 9, 2013, 6:41 AM**

Has anyone timed the ride from central point to the end of the line? I often take trax... But 15mps seems like it might be pushing it in the slow department. :/

If it's considerably longer then driving I think I will stick with the car for sugar house.

Future Mayor · #**5326** Posted **Dec 9, 2013, 7:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Has anyone timed the ride from central point to the end of the line? I often take trax... But 15mps seems like it might be pushing it in the slow department. :/

If it's considerably longer then driving I think I will stick with the car for sugar house.

It took 15 minutes from end to end. Could easily take that long by car, depending on traffic and if you need to park when you arrive.

ajiuO · #**5327** Posted **Dec 9, 2013, 8:27 PM**

So will a round trip trax ticket get me from down town salt lake to sugarhouse and back.. Or do i need a separate ticket for the s line?

CountyLemonade · #**5328** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 1:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

So will a round trip trax ticket get me from down town salt lake to sugarhouse and back.. Or do i need a separate ticket for the s line?

The S Line operates under the same fare structure as Trax and bus, so the round trip ticket will cover you.

Hatman · #**5329** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 2:43 AM**

Hey all you formatting lovers - have you seen the new schedules for trax? Not the one online or in the cars, but on the printed schedules. They consolidated all the Trax schedules onto one brochure, and have it all in color. And the station addresses that added clutter have been removed to a separate table on the side.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised to see that southbound Frontrunner trains will now go all the way to salt lake central before going out of service, instread of just ending at north temple. It's a little thing, but I think it makes the system much more logical and professional -even a little more useful...

But yeah, no black line. Yet. I am so sorry for posting bad information and getting everyone's hopes up. I will be much more careful about posting other people's speculation in the future, no matter how high their position or how much I want to believe it myself.
One major hurtle for the black line (besides money) I learned recently is the shortage of available cars. A set of S70's is already filling in daily on the blue line because they are so short on classics. The tests that were done to try and combine old and new cars into a single consist apparently failed - the electronics on one or the other would just get fried over time. But once the lack of cars and money is solved, I know that a schedule for that line has been drawn up with headways, route assignments, recorded and visual announcements - and that tests runs continue to be done as part of new operator training. One day... hopefully soon...

Stenar · #**5330** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 4:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

So will a round trip trax ticket get me from down town salt lake to sugarhouse and back.. Or do i need a separate ticket for the s line?

I would think you could just transfer from TRAX to the S-Line on one ticket.

Cirrus · #**5331** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 5:02 AM**

Congrats on the new streetcar.

But seriously guys, come on, where are the pictures?

ajiuO · #**5332** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 5:37 AM**

I took a test run. It was about 55 minuets from temple square to fairmont. This was a max length trip. I arrived at central point right when the s-line was leaving... So I had to wait a whole cycle.

The payment system was confusing the hell out of a few people... Here is the skinny.

- If you buy a one way trip on trax it DOES NOT include the s-line.
- If you buy a round trip on TRAX it DOES NOT include the s-line.
- If you buy an all day pass on TRAX it DOES include the s-line.

So in short.. If you are making a round trip involving trax and the s-line.. Its cheaper to just get an all day pass. If you are making a one way trip involving trax and the s-line you will have to buy 2 separate passes.

Luckily the transit police were being nice about it today.. There were several confused people.. I just got an all day pass to be safe.. They also include busses.

I think a lot of people are going to have a hard time distinguishing the S line from trax... It should just be one payment system for the two.

I doubt I'll use the line very often. It's really slow, there's a long wait between trains, and in a lot of cases you have to pay separately.... I 80 can get me there in about 10 minutes..... And I never have a huge problem parking. :/

I would probably consider riding it if they added a third train and unified payment system....

Also.. Why didn't they take it up one more block to highland drive??? That is kind of retarded.

Hopefully its useful for some people

CountyLemonade · #**5333** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

- If you buy a one way trip on trax it DOES NOT include the s-line.
- If you buy a round trip on TRAX it DOES NOT include the s-line.

I'm not sure where you got your information from, but that isn't true.

CountyLemonade · #**5334** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

I arrived at central point right when the s-line was leaving... So I had to wait a whole cycle.

This is also a great time to experience the wonders of the 21 bus, which runs every 15 minutes from 6 am to 6 pm and gets you to Sugar House in eleven minutes.

Yeah, the S Line is going to be quite a novelty until phase II opens up 1100 East.

Future Mayor · #**5335** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Also.. Why didn't they take it up one more block to highland drive??? That is kind of retarded.

Because there wasn't a right of way to purchase past McCleland.

Phase 2A will extend it to Highland then to the monument.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

I'm not sure where you got your information from, but that isn't true.

Actually it is true

From UTA's Website:
A day pass is good for unlimited rides that day on both TRAX, local bus and Streetcar. For trips beginning on TRAX and Streetcar, day passes must be purchased before boarding at ticket vending machines located at all TRAX and Streetcar stations. For trips beginning on bus, day passes may be purchased from the bus operator, on this website, or at selected UTA pass sales outlets. Day passes are validated at the time of use.

A roundtrip pass is available for TRAX only. This fare is good for one roundtrip ride on TRAX. The roundtrip pass can only be purchased at a ticket vending machine.* These machines are located at all TRAX stations. At the time of purchase, each will be validated by the ticket vending machine and can be used for one roundtrip travel on TRAX for that day.

ajiuO · #**5336** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

I'm not sure where you got your information from, but that isn't true.

I got the info from the transit police who were nice enough to give about 3 people a warning who were confused about this..

CountyLemonade · #**5337** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Actually it is true

From UTA's Website:
A day pass is good for unlimited rides that day on both TRAX, local bus and Streetcar. For trips beginning on TRAX and Streetcar, day passes must be purchased before boarding at ticket vending machines located at all TRAX and Streetcar stations. For trips beginning on bus, day passes may be purchased from the bus operator, on this website, or at selected UTA pass sales outlets. Day passes are validated at the time of use.

A roundtrip pass is available for TRAX only. This fare is good for one roundtrip ride on TRAX. The roundtrip pass can only be purchased at a ticket vending machine.* These machines are located at all TRAX stations. At the time of purchase, each will be validated by the ticket vending machine and can be used for one roundtrip travel on TRAX for that day.

I totally forgot that the TRAX round-trip ticket is TRAX only. But a TRAX one-way ticket most definitely does include the S Line. I cannot fathom why in the world a TRAX one-way ticket would count on the bus, but not the S Line.

Future Mayor · #**5338** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:57 AM**

The problem is easily solved for those that live in SLC, which I know you do ajiuO, when the SLC Discount passes go on sale in January. $350 for the year if paid up front, or $30 a month if paid monthly. You're ahead on $$ with just 5-Day passes a month. Then we can all ride whatever we want however many times we want and not worry about it.

ajiuO · #**5339** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 7:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

This is also a great time to experience the wonders of the 21 bus, which runs every 15 minutes from 6 am to 6 pm and gets you to Sugar House in eleven minutes.

Yeah, the S Line is going to be quite a novelty until phase II opens up 1100 East.

I was brutally assaulted on a UTA bus once.. The driver didn't even stop to call the police... Then when I tried to hand him my money because I was holding a role of tissue paper over my face that some lady gave me to stop the bleeding.. He made me put it in the thing.. Then when I got down the steps he asked me if I was ok.. I said no, then he shut the door in my face and drove off.. I almost passed out a few times on the walk to my grandparents.. The hospital did call the cops.. My nose was broken and I still have s hard time breathing from one nostril..... They did nothing to the bus driver.. So I don't ride uta busses any more.. It took a lot to get me started on TRAX.

UTA is just lucky I was a dumb scared 18 year old at the time.. Or else I would have sued their asses off.

ajiuO · #**5340** Posted **Dec 10, 2013, 8:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

The problem is easily solved for those that live in SLC, which I know you do ajiuO, when the SLC Discount passes go on sale in January. $350 for the year if paid up front, or $30 a month if paid monthly. You're ahead on $$ with just 5-Day passes a month. Then we can all ride whatever we want however many times we want and not worry about it.

So is this really happening?? I will pay 30$ a month just for trax.. I dont use the bus. Does it include front runner?