Search found 392 matches

by electricron
17 Mar 2024 20:15
Forum: The Parks, Trails, + Miscellaneous Infrastructure
Topic: It’s time to close Dallas’ Triple Underpass and build a memorial park
Replies: 19
Views: 14651

Re: It’s time to close Dallas’ Triple Underpass and build a memorial park

Historically, Dealy Plaza was to be the front door to downtown Dallas from most compass points (North, West, and South) except from the East.
It still is.
by electricron
17 Mar 2024 20:10
Forum: The Bus + Roads/Highways/Bridges
Topic: Cresson: US 377 bypass
Replies: 1
Views: 8731

Re: Cresson: US 377 bypass

It's March 2024, and they have built the bridges and laid most of the road bed. They have just started on paving. Not sure when it will open.
by electricron
09 Mar 2024 19:14
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

I have no idea what an underground HSR station would cost or if Arlington has the capacity to fund it. Do know that such a station is on their radar and will do what it takes to pay for it if asked to. Yes, they coiuld take money out of their general funds, property and sales taxes and other fees. ...
by electricron
08 Mar 2024 21:52
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

I don't think Arlington has the money to pay for a transit system unless they dramatically increase their property tax income or sales tax income. Property tax income is potentially possible; dramatically increasing their sales tax income is almost impossible. I agree that something to turn HSR int...
by electricron
08 Mar 2024 09:18
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

As I wrote before, it will be very expensive to get HSR between FW and D, which seems foolish because TRE already exists. The TRE takes around an hour to do so. The proposed HSR line will take around 30 minutes. So NCTCOG is proposing spending around $11 Billion to save around 30 minutes. That's $36...
by electricron
08 Mar 2024 09:08
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Looks like vinyl seats will be the future for all transit vehicles. Covid crisis brought up cleanup is far cheaper with vinyl than with any cloth material.
by electricron
10 Feb 2024 12:55
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

This is what happens with so much jealousy between Fort Worth and Dallas. Texas Central gets an elevated station structure environmentally and federally approved in downtown Dallas, NCTCOG recommends an underground station in downtown Fort Worth, now Dallas also wants an underground station in downt...
by electricron
31 Jan 2024 09:25
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: History of Passenger Rail in North Texas
Replies: 0
Views: 408

History of Passenger Rail in North Texas

Steve Goen presentation at Allen library a few years ago documents with hundreds of photos the boom and decay of passenger trains in North Texas. I recently found a youtube of a two hours long presentation, and there are others on the same subject for most of Texas. Here are the links: North Texas h...
by electricron
27 Jan 2024 12:36
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

What about a Houston-style signal-protected at-grade median transit line along Ft. Worth Ave. / West Davis / Irving's East Main / Arlington's Randol Mill Rd.? Any higher-speed like would have to be elevated or grade-separated a la the Red Line north, of course. A better comparison for HSR trains fo...
by electricron
22 Jan 2024 10:27
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

Thank you for posting that. “Last mile challenges” lol I usually agree with Cara Mendelsohn on almost nothing, but I think she's spot on here: “I don’t understand how we are investing in something that will be to the detriment of Dallas that will benefit others.” I loved Morris's response even bett...
by electricron
25 Dec 2023 07:36
Forum: The Parks, Trails, + Miscellaneous Infrastructure
Topic: It’s time to close Dallas’ Triple Underpass and build a memorial park
Replies: 19
Views: 14651

Re: It’s time to close Dallas’ Triple Underpass and build a memorial park

I strongly disagree. It is a historic location that should remain as unaltered as possible.
As it is today, people can walk around the entire plaza, check out potential firing angles, realize how close everything is, and reach their own conclusion to what happen. Change it, and that all goes away.
by electricron
18 Sep 2023 20:57
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

The tall station canopy designs were designed to announce the train stations presence.
To make a statement in each neighborhood so blessed that we are here.
You do not often hear people asking where the station is within a few blocks of it.
In that way, they have been very successful.
by electricron
23 Aug 2023 03:26
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project
Replies: 44
Views: 7045

Re: Dallas - Fort Worth high-speed rail project

NCTCOG's goal per the latest study is to have a one seat ride from downtown Fort Worth to Houston via Dallas. I-30 between Fort Worth and Dallas is their preferred right of way. Elevated at downtown Dallas, it will remain elevated betwen the freeway and service roads to Arlington where it might run ...
by electricron
15 Aug 2023 12:06
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

I'm a little surprised there's not a good rail connection between the TX triangle cities. Brightline in FL and CA seem to use existing tracks for the most part and I guess there really isn't that here. I often wonder about Brightline and why that seems to work so well there and not here. It's not a...
by electricron
06 Jul 2023 18:42
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

To drive higher ridership, what DART needs to do is lower train headways or if you prefer increase train frequencies. Interlining 4 different lines through one at surface transit mall limits train frequencies beyond the split offs. Having a second route through downtown Dallas is needed to reduce th...
by electricron
09 May 2023 10:45
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

This is speculative, but fun to think about. What if D2 was built at-grade as planned from Victory past Museum Way, but then rather than submerging below ground it would end in a wye with the existing transit mall at Griffin and Pacific? If you look at that location there is just exactly enough roo...
by electricron
01 Feb 2023 09:45
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 402369

Re: DART D2 Subway

I think it might partially be a thing, but the frequency of trains and spacing of the stations interfere enough to lessen any positive effects. During off-peak times it works better, but at rush hour it gets a bit chaotic; if anything's off-schedule by more than a few minutes you can get trains bac...
by electricron
28 Jan 2023 19:30
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 402369

Re: DART D2 Subway

As others have pointed out, it is not necessary to run every line thru the downtown transit mall. The lines could be reconfigure to run two less lines thru it, but that will probably require some reconstruction at the wye west of the West End. Not an impossible task, just a commitment to do so.
by electricron
09 Jan 2023 15:46
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

True, but the amount granted is relatively small. Look at my earlier reply and check out other non-operating revenue and compare that to sales taxes and Federal grants. But every penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and dollar helps.
by electricron
08 Jan 2023 16:47
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

There are just too many governmental entities involved… Thanks for sharing the detailed breakdown on the revenue sources. Lots of good info. The counties, cities , and other Federal agencies provide zero financial support. One minor quibble: Not sure which cities you mean to include here, but the 1...
by electricron
07 Jan 2023 08:01
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

I don't know if this is allowed in the USA or for DART, but I wonder if we could switch to a model of letting DART be a transit operator/property developer and operator like the highly successful model Hong Kong uses for the MTR. Of course in Texas, more of the profit would come from the property s...
by electricron
05 Jan 2023 06:55
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

We need a ton more density built around all of the Dallas urban stations. For instance the Cityplace station on both sides of Central should have a ton more density and if you lived there you could ride the system to another Station with density to shop eat or work. It seems we built out a system t...
by electricron
31 Oct 2022 19:23
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Is the Houston delegation trying to get the JNR to bankroll the Texas project? The City of Houston is in no better financial shape as the City of Dallas. Neither can afford to build and operate HSR trains. But they can help reduce the costs of building new train stations in their cities, most likel...
by electricron
31 Aug 2022 15:25
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

It won't be a popular opinion in this state (or this forum I suspect lol), but I think its construction should be entirely publicly funded, much like DFW Airport was jointly funded by the FAA and the cities. It should be a joint effort between Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth (who should have a stat...
by electricron
30 Aug 2022 15:12
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 402369

Re: DART D2 Subway

Heavy rail costs more to operate and build than light rail, and Dallas had no experience at all in its past with heavy (metro) rail. But it did have experiences with streetcars and interurbans. And light rail trains are the perfect combination of streetcars and interurbans. That is what the citizens...
by electricron
30 Aug 2022 14:57
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

The 80s Texas T-Bone HSR project was an entirely different set of investors not associated with Texas Central that did not exist at that time. The dream for having HSR between Dallas and Houston keeps arising from the private sector is because it is doable. If it was not, the private sector would ha...
by electricron
31 Dec 2021 21:20
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

I would feel much better about the latest news if it was posted on Texas Central's web site, but as I am writing this response it is not there.
by electricron
26 Oct 2021 14:56
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle
Replies: 36
Views: 35758

Re: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle

True, but those are just city limits. Amtrak serves the suburban cities only a few miles away in all of those areas; Newark NJ, New Rochelle for NYC. Glenview, Naperville, Joliet for Chicago. Numerous cities in the LA area like Glendale, Fullerton, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Oxnard and many others. Suburb...
by electricron
19 Oct 2021 00:03
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle
Replies: 36
Views: 35758

Re: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle

I don't know how feasible it is but I think switching the UP freight line from its current route to the TRE lines and the TRE to the UP tracks would be a good idea. It follows I-30 for the most part. It misses Irving/DFW but the airport is now served by better rail options. Also, it's closer to the...
by electricron
18 Oct 2021 11:02
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle
Replies: 36
Views: 35758

Re: Hyperloop: Texas Triangle

I don't see why we need HSR/HL between two cities that close to each other. Upgrading TRE to light rail , increasing speeds and run times seems sensible Huh? You do realize that DART’s light rail trains have a maximum speed of 60-65 mph vs the TRE locomotives maximum speed of 79 mph. How are you pl...
by electricron
02 Oct 2021 06:26
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

In most master-planned developments, that handover of maintenance is usually part of the overall development agreement laid out in advance - the developer might build the roads and other public services at their expense as each phase begins (rather than being beholden to the city timelines, plannin...
by electricron
01 Oct 2021 20:11
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

A link to the US Census Bureau latest density maps https://mtgis-portal.geo.census.gov/arcgis/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=2566121a73de463995ed2b2fd7ff6eb7 Many of the 10,000+/square mile tracts are near light rail lines and stations. Whether these tracts grew because of DART light rail being bui...
by electricron
01 Oct 2021 16:00
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

One needs to look closely at where the stations are, not just where the rail line is. When you do that, it is clear there are very few of those census tracts about which one can say with a straight face that they are densely populated because of the red line. (And the same applies to the Blue Line ...
by electricron
01 Oct 2021 08:13
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

To begin, the system was built on the top of former freight railroad right of ways instead of being designed to serve areas of density that require such service. It's not a city metro, which is what Dallas needs. It's a commuter system that serves the suburbs. Not to mention too many stops along th...
by electricron
25 Sep 2021 07:58
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

I don't know if I see this thing actually happening. The other thing is the technology being used, isn't a maglev trying being tossed around on the east coast? I know thats probably more expensive but also faster. https://northeastmaglev.com Yes, meglev is both more expensive and faster. But Texas ...
by electricron
14 Sep 2021 07:15
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

What are RRIF loans? The Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) program is a program established in the United States by the passage of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Under the RRIF program, funds can be made available for the development or improvemen...
by electricron
13 Sep 2021 09:19
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 423577

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

However, now they're instead running a loop service, going clockwise from Downtown to Fair Park and back through the yard. The impetus for this change is probably the fact that platform extensions have been completed at Convention Center and Cedars stations; Texas-OU day trains would run three-car ...
by electricron
14 Aug 2021 22:11
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 402369

Re: DART D2 Subway

Yeah that's a valuable insight I hadn't had -- that the [color] Line South and [any other color] Line [East OR West OR North OR even South] can be designated from end to end as a complete operating route. edit: In TNWE's example, in case you didn't click through to that DART PDF file, the D2 option...
by electricron
11 Aug 2021 08:38
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 402369

Re: DART D2 Subway

Is D2 Queued up for any funding in this new infrastructure bill? The bipartisan infrastructure bill has $39 Billion targeted for transit. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/28/fact-sheet-historic-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/ "This is the largest Federal inv...
by electricron
27 Jul 2021 13:18
Forum: The Parks, Trails, + Miscellaneous Infrastructure
Topic: Trinity River Park
Replies: 468
Views: 446265

Re: Trinity River Park

Also can we do something about these power lines? They ruin great views. Tom Leppert tried to talk the state PUC into charging all electric users statewide for the $130+ million cost of burying those power lines. You can guess how that went over. I am appalled at how much of a recurring theme Dalla...
by electricron
21 Jul 2021 11:58
Forum: The Parks, Trails, + Miscellaneous Infrastructure
Topic: Katy Trail 1.0
Replies: 37
Views: 31423

Re: Katy Trail 1.0

I would love a giant interconnected trail. However, the two options presented to connect these two trails just seem a bit silly, IMO. As far as specific improvements, I suppose just cleaning up the creek, I suppose. It would be nice to see more development directly along the creek too, which would ...
by electricron
21 Jul 2021 07:52
Forum: The Parks, Trails, + Miscellaneous Infrastructure
Topic: Katy Trail 1.0
Replies: 37
Views: 31423

Re: Katy Trail 1.0

While I definitely prefer this version over the ridiculous looking (and expensive) pedestrian bridge connector, I'm just not sure it is really important to connect these two trails at this point in time. I don't see enough people using this connector to really justify it, and I actually think the T...
by electricron
07 Jul 2021 13:44
Forum: The Airports
Topic: DFW Airport
Replies: 420
Views: 328445

Re: DFW Airport

That link was like the best Rick Roll. In all honestly everyone I know that works for a airline is being asked to work in the airport itself and that's LUV and DFW. They are all overwhelmed plus customers going apesh!t at employees about everything from masks to the delays themselves. So the snake ...
by electricron
05 Jul 2021 08:57
Forum: The Bus + Roads/Highways/Bridges
Topic: Margaret McDermott Bridge by Santiago Calatrava
Replies: 148
Views: 114847

Re: Margaret McDermott Bridge by Santiago Calatrava

My thinking for the sidewalks on Beckley, they dont want people parking in the immediate area, trespassing on other property to get on the walkway. Just park at Trinity Overlook park and walk on the levees. It's manageable. I figure they are waiting on someone building something on those empty/aban...
by electricron
26 Jun 2021 09:29
Forum: The Bus + Roads/Highways/Bridges
Topic: I-345
Replies: 426
Views: 306680

Re: I-345

Southbound, the primary issues are traffic backing up on the ramp to I-30 and the weaving in the stretch between the Spur 366 merge and the I-30 exit. Northbound, you've got a short stretch where you lose multiple exit-only lanes with more vehicles merging in, mainly from the left. From I-30 to Lem...
by electricron
26 Jun 2021 08:52
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: TexRail
Replies: 178
Views: 172841

Re: TexRail

Tucy wrote:February 2019 ridership: 32,998
January 2021: 17,585
February 2021: 12, 879
March 2021: 24,752

Encouraging to see ridership numbers doubling this year between February and March.
Let's hope this new trend continues.
by electricron
26 Jun 2021 08:34
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Maybe I am blind, but I fail to see how a rapid transit line built above one freeway services passengers near another freeway more than a mile away "directly". I-10 and US-290 are not physically the same freeway.
by electricron
25 Jun 2021 07:05
Forum: The Bus + Roads/Highways/Bridges
Topic: I-345
Replies: 426
Views: 306680

Re: I-345

I appreciate the fact that a ‘highway’ that consistently is moving at less than 40 MPH falls in the ‘nothing wrong’ category. Even if we’re evaluating inner city thoroughfares solely on traffic counts, it’s fucking dreadful at it’s supposed job. Ever thought on why the traffic is moving so slowly? ...
by electricron
23 Jun 2021 07:29
Forum: The Bus + Roads/Highways/Bridges
Topic: I-345
Replies: 426
Views: 306680

Re: I-345

Other items of note: - The last slide is perhaps the most important: The projected effects of the alternatives on total congestion. Interesting that the "no build" baseline is the best one here. It's a shame to spend so much money to cater to the politically correct crowd and not get any ...
by electricron
19 Jun 2021 07:42
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 455055

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Or perhaps I mixed up the components. Sometimes it’s easier to find things on this forum than on other websites. Instead of moving the HSR closer to union, they wanted to move the transit hub closer to HSR , across the highway, next to the convention center. That's just a study for moving the hub c...