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Re: Mouse has another pyschotic episode over his fixation with SMART?
Author: FUD
Date: 09-28-2019 - 18:24
Overreaction much? But possibly appropriate.
Anyway, where's PUC in all this? Is this a transit operation under their jurisdiction?
The PUC did force Sac RT to slow down light rail: there's now a hard speed limit (enforced by the signaling system at some stations) of 20mph at and near all stations and pedestrian crossings (the latter with full gates, bells, and lights). The result of that (and other overreactions like slowing down for ALL grade crossings if cars are lined up even if the gates and lights are working correctly and the cars are properly stopped) is that the Gold Line, which ran in 59 minutes (26 stops in 23 miles) from Folsom to downtown Amtrak when it opened, is now scheduled for almost 75 minutes for the run (and is often 5-10 minutes late). Another result is that an additional train is needed to maintain schedules, which RT doesn't have due to age and maintenance, so many rush-hour trains are 3 instead of 4 cars (and overcrowded). So beware the PUC...
The 20mph limit in stations apparently is in an old (very old) General Order, so PUC didn't invent it for the RT situation; they just applied it (along with a fine suitable for PUCs revenue needs). One presumes that RT might be having second thoughts about the timing implications of some of the extra stations they have wanted to build.
Anyway, where's PUC in all this? Is this a transit operation under their jurisdiction?
The PUC did force Sac RT to slow down light rail: there's now a hard speed limit (enforced by the signaling system at some stations) of 20mph at and near all stations and pedestrian crossings (the latter with full gates, bells, and lights). The result of that (and other overreactions like slowing down for ALL grade crossings if cars are lined up even if the gates and lights are working correctly and the cars are properly stopped) is that the Gold Line, which ran in 59 minutes (26 stops in 23 miles) from Folsom to downtown Amtrak when it opened, is now scheduled for almost 75 minutes for the run (and is often 5-10 minutes late). Another result is that an additional train is needed to maintain schedules, which RT doesn't have due to age and maintenance, so many rush-hour trains are 3 instead of 4 cars (and overcrowded). So beware the PUC...
The 20mph limit in stations apparently is in an old (very old) General Order, so PUC didn't invent it for the RT situation; they just applied it (along with a fine suitable for PUCs revenue needs). One presumes that RT might be having second thoughts about the timing implications of some of the extra stations they have wanted to build.
