Search found 43 matches

by Haretip
02 Mar 2021 18:45
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Minor historical correction, Stone & Webster only owned Fort Worth's streetcar system and the interurbans from there to Cleburne and Dallas. The Texas Electric Railway was locally owned to my knowledge, and the Texas Interurban Railway was under the same ownership as Dallas Railway & Termin...
by Haretip
25 Jun 2019 13:07
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DART D2 Subway
Replies: 508
Views: 404556

Re: DART D2 Subway

Is the D2 alignment still proceeding?

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm ... xVO1UZAmKU

This also mentions extension of the streetcar to Knox Henderson.
by Haretip
12 Dec 2018 12:02
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 425713

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

The M-LINE Streetcar has a Holiday Express and just announced today that they have added an additional run. The streetcars are frequently decorated for the holidays (although 636 was not when I operated last Saturday).
by Haretip
12 Dec 2018 08:48
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 425713

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Image
by Haretip
28 Nov 2018 18:46
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

369 Specs: • Built: 1913 • Length: 47'10.4" • Width: 7'6" • Height: 10'5.6" • Weight: 21 tons • Motor: Four MV101 40-horsepower, 600-volt DC motors ( 4614 • Built: 1951 • Length: 46'6" • Width: 8'4" • Height: 10'3" • Weight: 19 tons • Motor: Four WH 1432J 55 horsepower ...
by Haretip
19 Jun 2018 13:36
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Fantasy DART Streetcar Expansion Map
Replies: 24
Views: 30499

Re: Fantasy DART Streetcar Expansion Map

Dallas streetcars were double ended. They didn't turn around, they switched ends. Dallas streetcar lines began electrifying in 1889, not long after Boston proved it successful on a large scale and a few months after the first electrification in Fort Worth. Mules were used instead of horses in southe...
by Haretip
18 May 2018 12:28
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Silver Line
Replies: 401
Views: 423223

Re: the Cotton Belt line

Ah, but you make them sound so altruistic. Don't forget that they make money by charging the TRE (and the other railroads) for use of the tracks. It'd help the transit agencies' bottom line if the Cities of D and FW would sell or donate the line to them.
by Haretip
15 May 2018 16:02
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Streetcar
Replies: 4
Views: 9999

Re: Dallas Streetcar

These cars are the first time Brookville Equipment has produced a complete, new streetcar and they contain innovative technology that allows them to operate wirelessly. I know that they have kept the Brookville technicians very busy working out the bugs. I've heard some of the DART employees say tha...
by Haretip
09 Apr 2018 12:21
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Replies: 519
Views: 425713

Re: Dallas Area Rapid Transit

There is another building downtown that has a subway station shell. I can't remember which one off the top of my head, but DFWCre8tive suggests 1700 Pacific.
by Haretip
27 Mar 2018 16:08
Forum: Texas Town + City Issues/News
Topic: Oil industry - Texas "tea"
Replies: 31
Views: 41942

Re: Oil industry - Texas "tea"

The sinkholes in Winkler County are a product of dissolving salt layers. To get similar sinkholes here, we would have to have a soluble strata of salt.
by Haretip
26 Feb 2018 12:04
Forum: City Issues/News
Topic: Uptown Dallas: Business Openings and Closings
Replies: 636
Views: 628885

Re: Uptown Dallas: Business Openings and Closings

I don't think Mack owned the building. DCAD has the real estate owner listed as M.M. Whitewing Holdings and a Business Personal Property account is shown for McKinney Avenue Tavern. The building is historic and the size of the lot makes any substantial redevelopment difficult. Hopefully a new establ...
by Haretip
29 Jan 2018 11:52
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Texas Central DEIS public hearings tonight at Dallas and Navarro Counties.

Dallas County 5p-9p
Wilmer Hutchins High School
5520 Langdon Rd, Dallas, TX 75241

Navarro County 5p-9p
Corsicana Middle School
4101 FM 744 Corsicana, TX 75110
by Haretip
21 Dec 2017 13:07
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

I didn't see a thread for Dallas Union Terminal, so I'll post this think piece here for the time being.

http://myprogressiverailroading.com/myp ... for-trains
by Haretip
16 Nov 2017 17:04
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

http://www.mata.org/images/890_11138134_10204855388167510_5289431851891554037_n.jpg The metal contemporary car is Emma or 7169 and is from Belgium. Usually wrapped in a beer advertisement and currently not in service due to a faulty relay. Check this page for car pictures, numbers and names: http:/...
by Haretip
15 Nov 2017 10:15
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

New track construction to connect new carban space in the M-Line tower. (Photo from MATA facebook).

Image
by Haretip
28 Sep 2017 12:16
Forum: Suburban + Exurban Development
Topic: Downtown Fort Worth: Sundance Square
Replies: 8
Views: 10612

Re: Downtown Fort Worth: Sundance Square

Well, it is the Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum, so it's a little offensive to those of us on the west end of the Trinity to see it posted under exurb/suburban.
by Haretip
18 Sep 2017 10:56
Forum: Urban Development
Topic: Could Dallas land Amazon HQ '2'?
Replies: 1075
Views: 877226

Re: Could Dallas land Amazon HQ '2'?

I'm just going to set this here and then hide behind a substantial blast proof structure.

http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6478
by Haretip
06 Sep 2017 16:08
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: New Oak Cliff Streetcar
Replies: 92
Views: 93072

Re: New Oak Cliff Streetcar

Farebox recovery doesn't pay full operating expenses almost anywhere in the world outside of Asia. In the US, it tops out at 75% for BART (Bay Area). Currently, the MATA's farebox recovery is 0%. It wouldn't need to be super high-frequency service to be more useful, just enough to reduce headways t...
by Haretip
17 Aug 2017 15:29
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: New Oak Cliff Streetcar
Replies: 92
Views: 93072

Re: New Oak Cliff Streetcar

As for the car capacity issue, you said you've seen riders turned away due to cars being over capacity? How often does that happen? I feel like I would have heard something about that if it was anything close to a regular occurrence. The overcrowding is usually more prevalent in the spring and fall...
by Haretip
17 Aug 2017 11:00
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: New Oak Cliff Streetcar
Replies: 92
Views: 93072

Re: New Oak Cliff Streetcar

The question was not, "Is Portland better than MATA?". The question was, "Is MATA successful?" Reiterating my points, I'd still say yes. And that length is still wrong. When the system opened in 1998, it had 2.8 miles and has been extended since then. I do not know the current le...
by Haretip
17 Aug 2017 09:44
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: New Oak Cliff Streetcar
Replies: 92
Views: 93072

Re: New Oak Cliff Streetcar

Isn't the MATA system fairly successful? I always see people on it and they may mostly be tourists but it does get used. No, it has very low ridership. And that's despite being free. They reported a pace of 380,000 rides in 2015, which was a 38% increase over the previous year. Even if there's cont...
by Haretip
30 May 2017 11:28
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

The current estimated finish date for 4614 is late December or early January. The staff is really motivated and they have good material to work with. Not sure what the car will be named. Maybe they could have a public contest and then it would end up being named Streety McStreetcarFace.
by Haretip
24 May 2017 13:20
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

4614 does not have the rust problem. The TTC refurbished the fleet at great expense shortly before decided to dump the cars. They were a great deal. The problem with 4614 is adding a required left hand door and re-gauging the wheels, but I think the cost to do that was much less than the problems ne...
by Haretip
22 May 2017 15:15
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

So, it looks like the Dallas PCC, 612, is going back in to storage or scrap and the Toronto PCC car, 4614, that was in the shop is coming back from storage for restoration.
by Haretip
07 May 2017 15:03
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

I have no information about future plans. I don't even know if they know what they are going to do yet. FWIW, when I stopped by the carbarn last Friday night, someone had spray painted the word "scrap" on the side of 612, the Dallas PCC.
by Haretip
03 May 2017 17:35
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:Thx. I didn't know 612 referred to the PCC street car


I'm sorry. I thought the MATA quote mentioned that 612 was a PCC car, but I see I was mistaken.
by Haretip
02 May 2017 10:15
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

612 is the Dallas PCC car. I don't think it is going to get fixed. If you reread what I posted, you will have the answers to your questions. It has too much rust. When they derusted the car, there wasn't that much car left there.

My comments are my own and I do not speak for or represent MATA.
by Haretip
02 May 2017 09:41
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

From MATA's Facebook page: Did you know that we've been in the process of restoring a 7th car for our M-Line fleet? We cannot thank Trammell Crow and Radiant Outdoor enough for their funding support in 612's complete rebuild, because without it we wouldn't be able to make this addition to the fleet...
by Haretip
27 Feb 2017 17:42
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

For what it's worth, the JR Central Hokkaido Line has a central city station, Tokyo. The next station, Shinagawa, is only 4.2 miles distant on the south side of Tokyo and the next suburban station, Shin-Yokohama is 11.6 miles further (and has great shopping and entertainment). All 3 classes of train...
by Haretip
22 Feb 2017 17:04
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Refer to the link in my post dated 22 Feb 2017 13:29 SB 973 by Creighton/HB 2168 by Bell (Railroad Determination Before Surveys) – prohibits a highspeed rail entity from entering private property to conduct a survey unless the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first determines that the surv...
by Haretip
22 Feb 2017 16:29
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Well, that seems to confirm that their proposed legislation on proprietary systems is ridiculous.

I spent way too much time today reading up on the overhead contact system and power systems for the bullet train.
by Haretip
22 Feb 2017 13:40
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

The alternative facts cognitive dysfunction seems to have struck members of the legislature. The two most specious examples in my opinion are the "it's not a railroad" meme and the "it's incompatible with the other railroads". If you had to have track and cars before building a r...
by Haretip
22 Feb 2017 13:29
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Rural lawmakers file 18 bills to derail bullet train between Dallas and Houston http://texasrailadvocates.org/2017/02/21/rural-lawmakers-file-18-bills-to-derail-bullet-train-between-dallas-and-houston/ Texas Rail Advocates Executive Director Chris Lippincott, in response to the filing of bills to k...
by Haretip
18 Feb 2017 16:22
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Japan Central Rail's 16 car Nozomi (limited express) Shinkansen train passing the Hikari (express) train in less than 5 seconds while stopped at a station.

https://youtu.be/IrhJHJ7gjh4
by Haretip
09 Feb 2017 14:25
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

Major mixed use development at Kyoto Station:

Image
by Haretip
25 Jan 2017 09:48
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

Does anyone have insight into how the street car program on the MATA operates or the history behind the present-day lines? I'm working on a project that's investigating street cars versus light rail and would be interested to hear from those with experience on the MATA. There are a few people invol...
by Haretip
25 Jan 2017 09:42
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

] Surely it wouldn't be difficult to build/find a modern streetcar that can handle curves. Has technology gone backwards or something? The single body streetcars are seen as insufficient capacity for modern streetcar lines. Nobody is building anything except articulated units and apparently nobody ...
by Haretip
02 Jan 2017 11:04
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: New Oak Cliff Streetcar
Replies: 92
Views: 93072

Re: New Oak Cliff Streetcar

From my experience, these cars do seem to ride rough and noisy. I would expect better of a modern streetcar. I think it could be things like the springing and shock absorption as well as underfloor insulation and sound deadening practices. I have no knowledge of the design specifics of these cars.
by Haretip
27 Dec 2016 11:59
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail
Replies: 556
Views: 457372

Re: DALLAS to HOUSTON High Speed Rail

I'm headed to Tokyo in February and plan to include a trip on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. A little preview of the equipment and technology proposed for the Dallas to Houston high speed rail.
by Haretip
11 Nov 2016 16:02
Forum: Rail + Guided Transit
Topic: MATA: M-Line Trolley
Replies: 98
Views: 104890

Re: MATA: M-Line Trolley

ut I would think most riders would be perfectly fine throwing in a buck here and there... without worrying about having exact change for every trip. Plus, a tap to pay (NFC) donation box would be welcome as well. It's a lot easier to part with a digital $1 than a physical $1. I'll see if I can forw...
by Haretip
19 Oct 2016 17:24
Forum: Site Issues + Feedback
Topic: DFWU: The Return!
Replies: 11
Views: 20850

Re: DFWU: The Return!

Yep. Glad to be back.