Public Transit.....A Love Story - Democratic Underground

marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:10 AM
Original message

Public Transit.....A Love Story

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 09:25 AM by marmar

For those wondering, the pics are of: 1. The Washington Metro. 2. Ann Arbor Transit Authority hybrid bus 3. Portland light rail 4. The Paris Metro 5. Scarborough LRT in Toronto 6. Amsterdam tram 7. S-Bahn in Germany (not sure which city) 8. Tokyo Metro 9. Bus rapid transit in Bogota 10. Chicago El 11. Vancouver SkyTrain

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PDJane

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:15 AM
Response to Original message

1. Toronto is replacing streetcars....

with LRT vehicles on the downtown routes. In other words, we're keeping the tracks and upgrading the vehicles. I'm glad, frankly; replacing streetcars when we're getting so close to running out of oil would be a really dumb idea. We used to have trolley buses, too; they're useful too.

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:16 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. I love the Queen Streetcars....especially late at night....Always entertaining.

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PDJane

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:17 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. I love public transit.

I refuse to have a car; of course, as I've mentioned, I live downtown. Why would I spend an amount equal to my monthly rent on a car????

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:19 AM
Response to Reply #3

4. Exactly......And having been stuck on the 401 during rush hour before.....

....It's better for your sanity.

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Dappleganger

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:36 AM
Response to Reply #1

10. How hard would it be to change those over to electric?

I think that streetcars are some of the most intriguing vehicles ever designed!

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 01:01 PM
Response to Reply #10

13. Agreed. I love streetcars.

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PDJane

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Sat Jul-31-10 08:41 PM
Response to Reply #10

23. Our streetcars are electric, as will the LRT.

that replaces them. The trolley buses are another story; I don't think they're made anymore.

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Gormy Cuss

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:21 AM
Response to Original message

5. More public transit

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:29 AM
Response to Reply #5

7. Cool....Although the SF cable cars are really Tourist Transit

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 09:36 AM by marmar

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Gormy Cuss

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:35 AM
Response to Reply #7

8. Yeah, but it's great seeing them run down the Embarcadero.

Tourists are the public too.:D

Locals do use them at the quiet end of the run -- just need to stay off them between Civic Center and the wharves.

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:36 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. Yep. ...... It's like waiting on the newest amusement park ride at the Powell St. turnaround.

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Gormy Cuss

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:48 AM
Response to Reply #9

11. Oh... you mean the cable cars.

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 09:51 AM by Gormy Cuss

A fair number of locals use those lines for transit especially the California St. line,the one that doesn't terminate at Powell. Not good for locals in the summer or on weekends however.

I thought you were referencing the historic streetcar line (F Market)which runs from the Castro down Market street and then along the Embarcadero to the Fisherman's wharf area. The cars are from all over the world and it's a hoot to ride them in the off season.

The red street car in my earlier post is an F Market car too.

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:51 AM
Response to Reply #11

12. I accidentally wrote streetcars but meant cable cars.....

When I'm in SF, I use the streetcars for transit purposes all the time, especially if I need to see a street or landmark or something to figure out where I am. Slower but more scenic than MUNI metro.

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LibDemAlways

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Sat Jul-31-10 09:24 AM
Response to Original message

6. Imagine an America in which we took the money being

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 09:25 AM by LibDemAlways

wasted on senseless wars and used it to build an efficient, modern, fast, nation-wide mass transit system. A pipe dream I know.

I often wonder what people from other nations think about how backward we are when they try to get around the US without a car. Other than in a few major cities, it's got to be an exercise in frustration and cause for wondering why we are so damn behind.

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devilgrrl

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Sat Jul-31-10 01:23 PM
Response to Original message

14. S Bahn in München

:-)

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marmar

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Sat Jul-31-10 01:24 PM
Response to Reply #14

15. Thank you....Can you tell by the line on the train's LCD display?

Edited on Sat Jul-31-10 01:24 PM by marmar

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devilgrrl

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Sat Jul-31-10 03:50 PM
Response to Reply #15

22. Yes, I can because I was there to see trains going to Grafing in München

:-)

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Fumesucker

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Sat Jul-31-10 01:41 PM
Response to Original message

16. We could have have fully electric buses in a lot of America without spending a ton on infrastructure

And without the ugly (and expensive) overhead power lines of trolleybuses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrobus

The concept of a flywheel powered bus was developed and brought to fruition during the 1940s by Oerlikon (of Switzerland), with the intention of creating an alternative to battery-electric buses for quieter, lower-frequency routes, where full overhead-wire electrification could not be justified.

Rather than carrying an internal combustion engine or batteries, or connecting to overhead powerlines, a gyrobus carries a large flywheel that is spun at up to 3,000 RPM by a "squirrel cage" motor.<1> Power for charging the flywheel was sourced by means of three booms mounted on the vehicle's roof, which contacted charging points located as required or where appropriate (at passenger stops en route, or at terminals, for instance). To obtain tractive power, capacitors would excite the flywheel's charging motor so that it became a generator, in this way transforming the energy stored in the flywheel back into electricity. Vehicle braking was electric, and some of the energy was recycled back into the flywheel, thereby extending its range.

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Roon

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Sat Jul-31-10 01:51 PM
Response to Original message

17. They are expanding our lignt rail network here in Denver.

When I am ready to move to Boulder the line between Boulder and Denver will be ready. I can live in Boulder but still go to Denver to run my errands. It's going to be awesome!

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janx

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Sat Jul-31-10 02:04 PM
Response to Original message

18. Rail Runner!

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Gin

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Sat Jul-31-10 02:43 PM
Response to Reply #18

19. heard 'Mind the Gap" while on the train in London....and man there

is a big gap to mind.....the Underground was a good way to get around.

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janx

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Sat Jul-31-10 02:47 PM
Response to Reply #19

20. Yeah, I've been on those London trains and heard

"mind the gap."

When the doors close, the Rail Runner makes the sounds the cartoon roadrunner makes.

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trusty elf

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Sat Jul-31-10 02:54 PM
Response to Original message

21. Switzerland is worthy of a mention,

with an absolutely fantastic public transportation network. I live in a quite small village, and though we have a car, we hardly ever use it. There is just no need for it, really.

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