KCMO Downtown Streetcar

[flyingember]

Some of these would connect to transit hubs for local bus routes, commuter rail and commuter busses:

the Houston model.

Houston built their initial segment along the richer part of town that also happened to be where the jobs and destinations are and connected at transit hubs for simpler and quicker bus routes and expanded later along the most logical routes to hit more transit dependent areas.

If KC follows this model phase 2 will go south to hit the densest employment centers and the major tourism spots. The KCATA can reroute more N-S transit to have a connection at the train. This provides a ridership base that has money to spend along the line and boost the property value and increase taxes. Basic money math.

The difference is they built our first two phases all at once.

Then with phase 3 you head out in many directions. This is the time to go north and east as a combined project. You take the improved tax return and put it back into the system.

[beautyfromashes]

the Houston model.

Anything called the 'Houston model' can't be good.

[pash]

.

[flyingember]

track work left to do

there's that weird plate at 3rd/Grand (why is it covered)
the weird no track slab is getting track so this paving is coming close
the prep work for paving from just north of 12th to just south of Petticoat has forms and is ready to pave.
I'm going to call it 2.25 blocks in the CBD

the crossover is largely static on progress. there's some new track sitting ready to place for the stop. I'm calling that 0.5 blocks in total

of the approx 55 linear blocks, only 2.75 blocks left. Track work is almost complete.

Also, if you haven't caught on, the slightly wider track slab is where the stops are going in.

[DaveKCMO]

it's also worth noting that there are now several stretches with no cones in the street. this gives you a sense of how little regular congestion there actually is along the route. traffic through the crossroads is considerably calmer with the 2+1 lane configuration.

first vehicle still on track for late september/early october.

also, the streetcar authority hired a marketing person last week: http://www.kcstreetcar.org/streetcar-we ... am-member/

[missingkc]

Dave, any idea how long it will take to get the first car on the street after it arrives? Days?

[DaveKCMO]

Dave, any idea how long it will take to get the first car on the street after it arrives? Days?

i can only tell you it be longer than a few days, perhaps weeks.

[flyingember]

Houston got a variant on the same vehicle they just put into service

The first one required 4000 miles of testing.
The rest, 1000 miles.

40 miles per day on average would take 3.5 months for #1 and a month each for the next three. That's 18 full trips. Once full day driver training begins and it does same times and frequency of service as a regular day can easily get 150-160 miles in. At 150 miles each day that's a month for 4000 miles.

I'm going to make an educated guess the system will open late Feb to late March. That it will open before the first day of spring.

[beautyfromashes]

And how long would that make it from project start to finish?

[chingon]

And how long would that make it from project start to finish?

Exactly one "boondoggle".

[missingkc]

I should have been clearer when I posed my question. How long after the first car arrives before it hits the street for testing? If I make a trip to KC this fall, I want to make sure it's after I can see a car in action, even if it's empty.

[flyingember]

I should have been clearer when I posed my question. How long after the first car arrives before it hits the street for testing? If I make a trip to KC this fall, I want to make sure it's after I can see a car in action, even if it's empty.

Plan for late fall then, like mid December. As was said, the trains come once per month more or less in late Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec.

With more trains you have more of a chance one will be running. Simple statistics you want more trains available to run to see one.

Obviously when it gets running depends on when the line is ready for trains. The system is at least two months behind on track from just a couple months ago and the plan from 30 days ago had two more stops underway.

The first train comes in ~3 months and there's still OCS foundations to construct and the power substations are just conduit in the ground. Of the 16 stops only four are even in the works. And the whole line repaving has roughly 75% of the work left to do. Track may be done but there's a lot left to go.

I wouldn't count on the train coming and immediately being tested. More heat is just as bad for work as rain slowdowns.

[missingkc]

Thanks.

[DaveKCMO]

the next platform party will be at 5th & walnut on july 29 and will show off a 1% for art installation: https://www.facebook.com/events/1608031076138351/

[flyingember]

It looks like all track through the CBD has been paved.
The final welding at the southern end was being worked on today.

[normalthings]

Final track weld was today

[pash]

.

[flyingember]

the plate at 3rd and grand needs paving right there
the crossover has some tiny 10' segments to go.

In total there's maybe 20 feet of paving left to do and the track slab will be complete.

[flyingember]

I didn't check the track work at 3rd/Grand yesterday but Union Station has three small sections to pave. Track work is very close to completion

One is waiting on work underneath the slab, I believe it's for a storm drain.

[flyingember]

I wonder what the odds are that KC will begin operations before DC Streetcar does?