Re: New Tri-Met RDCs
Author: Pdxrailtransit
Date: 07-22-2017 - 16:58
Erik H. Wrote:
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> Ed Immel Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The cars were acquired to meet increasing
> passenger loads on the WES service.
>
> Except that TriMet:
>
> 1. Cannot operate any more trains (this is the
> agreement with P&W, as well as siding capacity,
> the lack of anywhere to store extra trains at the
> ends of the line as each terminus station is a
> single stub track)
> 2. Cannot run three-car trains (platforms can
> only accommodate two car trains)
> 3. Is nowhere near the first year ridership goal
> and has plenty of excess capacity (there is never,
> ever a "crush load train", while TriMet on a daily
> basis turns away bus riders because it would
> violate federal law by taking on more riders.) -
> TriMet carries about 1,900 daily riders, or 950 in
> the morning and afternoon. The first year
> ridership goal was 2,500 daily riders, and the
> expected ridership by now was somewhere around
> 5,000 daily riders.
> 4. TriMet doesn't need to add equipment; each
> train spends 36 out of every 90 minutes stopped at
> either Wilsonville (27 minutes) or Beaverton (9
> minutes), which is longer than a one-way trip (27
> minutes) - it simply could reduce the dwell time
> to increase equipment availability.
>
> But, hey, something good for the non-tax paying
> railfans to enjoy looking at, while bus riders are
> left in the dust and commuters are in gridlocked
> traffic because where they need to go, WES is
> utterly useless for.
Yeah well, since the 217 is the biggest POS excuse for a freeway I have ever seen, WES is worth every penny.