Denton, Texas - A-Train

[Rockingham Racer]

I'd expect UNT and Texas Women's students to be good users of this service. BTW, is this operation TWC or CTC?

[electricron]

I'm not aware of what controls they're using, but it's probably the same the TRE uses.

Video of a test train at speed in Lewisville taken 5/26/2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK7eL8NuIcI

They still plan to start train service on 6/20/2011.

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[electricron]

Another video taken in Corinth on 5/31/2011.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPFwbjP-m0A

[Rockingham Racer]

Seems slow. Is that the top speed?

[electricron]

Budd RDCs listed maximum speed is 79 mph. DCTA is laying track to Class IV standards, which should allow maximum speeds up to 79 mph. But operationally, they don't need to go faster than 60 mph, and that's the top speed DCTA plans for normal operations.

Additionally, the Stadler GTWs they are buying listed maximum speed is 70 mph. Like the RDCs, the GTWs will operate with maximum speeds of 60 mph. I also don't think the TRE operates faster than 60 mph with their RDCs or F59PH locomotives.

FYI, the TRE website suggests the maximum speed for the F59PH locomotives at 83 moph, and the maximum speeds for their Bombardier BiLevel cars at 95 mph.

Looks like local regional planners believe 60 mph is fast enough for commuter rail.

[electricron]

BTW, is this operation TWC or CTC?

Reading through April DCTA's Board meeting materials, I read it's CTC.

[electricron]

Star-Telegram news story with photo credits STAR-TELEGRAM / RODGER MALLISON
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/11 ... t-for.html

[electricron]

Early ridership numbers are in....
8,300 on "Opening Day" Saturday. 2,927 on the following Monday, peaking to 5,351 by Friday that first week of free rides.
On the first day of fares, a Saturday with limited service, 2,588 riders. I'm sorry that's all I have to report.

I don't think the A-Train will reach steady reliable ridership numbers until this fall when both Universities in Denton are well into their fall semester. So take these ridership numbers with a grain of salt. Never-the-less, the DCTA Express Bus service never achieved these numbers in a week, much less in a day.

[neroden]

I'm impressed. After fares started, it's already running over predicted ridership. I guess they made conservative predictions.

[electricron]

Two photos of the first DCTA GTW at the Stadler plant in Bussnag can be seen here...
http://www.bahnonline.ch/wp/index.php?s=dcta
Here's smaller versions of the two photos


The first GTW is scheduled to be delivered to Lewisville before summer ends..

Additionally, A-Train daily ridership, after the initial newness, is around 1,100. It'll be interesting to see what it will be after both universities fall semester starts....

[electricron]

Photos of DCTA's first new Stadler GTWs being trucked between Galveston and Denton at this Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 920&type=1

[raytylicki]

Umm what is preventing a one seat ride to downtown Dallas? What is interesting about this is that the Suberban RTA is sponsoring this service rather then the central RTA aka DART. Ridership will sky rocket with a one seat ride.

[electricron]

Umm what is preventing a one seat ride to downtown Dallas? What is interesting about this is that the Suberban RTA is sponsoring this service rather then the central RTA aka DART. Ridership will sky rocket with a one seat ride.

Money! Who's going to subsidize the commuter/regional trains from Carrolton to Dallas via Irving? Not Denton, Highland Village, nor Lewisville taxpayers for DCTA. Not DART nor its taxpayers - they are already paying for the more frequent light rail trains.
Would like to point out that since DART provides zero subsidies for the A-Train, why should DCTA help subsidize DART trains?
What we have here are two independent agencies providing two different types of trains with different frequencies and funded with different tax rates. We're lucky they are willing to share a train station so we can make transfers, and willing to sell regional tickets so we only have to buy one per trip.

[electricron]

New ridership numbers in reflecting students riding the trains.
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2011/se ... k-session/
A Tain
Early August - averaging over 1100 riders per weekday
Early September - averaging over 1500 riders per weekday, close to a 50% increase.

Bus
July - averaging 30,000 per month
August - averaging 44,000 per month, another nearly 50% increase.