KCMO Downtown Streetcar

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earthling
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by earthling »

All 5 streetcars were running for a bit this morning, including 805 testing. It's down to 4 now. Testing patterns of having 5 at once?
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normalthings
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by normalthings »

earthling wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:43 am All 5 streetcars were running for a bit this morning, including 805 testing. It's down to 4 now. Testing patterns of having 5 at once?
5 maybe 6 car operation would be much appreciated on peak days (ex. First Fridays)
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by flyingember »

normalthings wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:05 am
earthling wrote: Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:43 am All 5 streetcars were running for a bit this morning, including 805 testing. It's down to 4 now. Testing patterns of having 5 at once?
5 maybe 6 car operation would be much appreciated on peak days (ex. First Fridays)
Big 12
some First Fridays
The absolute largest conventions
Makers Faire
The Union Station Memorial Day Event
4th of July at the riverfront
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DaveKCMO
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

No six car operation until there is substantial changes to the alignment -- removing cars, better signal priority, etc.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

805 has completed its burn in. Should be running in July.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by langosta »

DaveKCMO wrote: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:29 pm 805 has completed its burn in. Should be running in July.
Anything special planned for its first revenue trip?
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

langosta wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 2:26 pm
DaveKCMO wrote: Fri Jun 14, 2019 6:29 pm 805 has completed its burn in. Should be running in July.
Anything special planned for its first revenue trip?
Probably not. There won't be a public commitment to the new schedule until 806 is ready for service.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by langosta »

Progress being made on the NB Northloop Stop.

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805 peeking out of the MRO shop.

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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by KCPowercat »

So the first picture bring up a question not really streetcar specific. There are signs saying sidewalk closed on either side of the platform but the sidewalk isn't closed only redirected a bit to one part of the platform. Is the city ordinance that any partial blockage of a sidewalk requires the sidewalk closure signs? In my mind those signs should only go up in a true full blockage of the sidewalk on that side of the street.

Other recent examples of this are 10th and main. I am not sure of the law of when to report it to 311.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

Just report it anyway.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by KCPowercat »

But what is the law?
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by WoodDraw »

I walked to get coffee this morning at spokes and at one sidewalk there was a protected entrance and at the other end it was blocked off.

So, I'm not sure looking for logic in our sidewalk laws will get you anywhere.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

KCPowercat wrote: Sun Jun 23, 2019 8:27 am But what is the law?
http://bikewalkkc.org/blog/2016/09/kcmo ... re-policy/
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by KCPowercat »

I was informed by those who take the streetcar every day for am commute that 4 car service would very much be appreciated as they are attempting to get to work at a specific time and many times cars are delayed during this time. I told them it wasn't in the cards due to volume to which they said they end up walking due to late cars and maybe volume would go up with more reliable service during am commuting times.

I told these people I would voice their request to the people I knew on this topic.
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normalthings
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by normalthings »

KCPowercat wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 11:00 am I was informed by those who take the streetcar every day for am commute that 4 car service would very much be appreciated as they are attempting to get to work at a specific time and many times cars are delayed during this time. I told them it wasn't in the cards due to volume to which they said they end up walking due to late cars and maybe volume would go up with more reliable service during am commuting times.

I told these people I would voice their request to the people I knew on this topic.
I second that car delays have lead me to take different modes when meeting set times
earthling
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by earthling »

If cars are late due to a blockage more likely won't make a difference. What I have noticed though is that sometimes 3 are not evenly space out (bunched together) and maybe the operators should focus on minimizing that given morning and lunchtime workers have a time dependency. Four all day would be nice though, as well as true traffic light control.

At some point it also may make sense to get rid of nearly all street parking along the line as poor parking seems to be the number 1 reason for holdups, especially snow days.
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

Having two additional cars will create more reliable 3-car service because if there's a vehicle problem there are more vehicles to swap out (rather than one, or zero if one is under scheduled maintenance).

Blockages aren't that common here, especially during rush hour, because Main Street through downtown isn't the main commuter thoroughfare from the south (that would be Oak and Broadway, which is why Main and Grand were road dieted and Baltimore and Walnut were converted to two-way traffic).
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by earthling »

I've hit blockages fairly often, like maybe 3 times a month - due to poor parking, not really traffic. So likely occurring more than that, especially snow days. And streetcars are often out of sync when 3 actively in use.
earthling
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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by earthling »

Three are bunched up right now at lunch hour. 24 minute wait for S bound Kaufmann stop...

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Re: KCMO Downtown Streetcar

Post by DaveKCMO »

earthling wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:38 pm I've hit blockages fairly often, like maybe 3 times a month - due to poor parking, not really traffic. So likely occurring more than that, especially snow days. And streetcars are often out of sync when 3 actively in use.
KCSA knows when blockages occur and why. The contractor is required to report them. Depending on the duration, they don't always notice the public if the real-time system is working as expected. KC blockages are less frequent here compared to other mixed traffic operations. It's important to remember that your experience, while relevant, is anecdotal to overall system performance.

The KCityPost mobile app uses a different data source that's not based on the schedule at all. I've lobbied for getting rid of it because it's confusing to customers who don't know the signs and Google Maps/RideKC/Transit apps and KCityPost apps use different data sources (and can thus get out of sync).

All that said, let's remove the cars from Main Street!
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