Salt Lake City, UT: UTA TRAX

The blunt truth is that UTA is going to have to do a lot to equal the service Bamberger offered 60 years ago in Davis County. Bamberger's operating speeds were actually faster that Frontrunner when you factor in Frontrunner's waits for opposite traffic. Bamberger ran faster and made many more stops - 12 stops or more, getting to Ogden in 1 hour. Moreover, the bus/TRAX interface out of Salt Lake into Davis County just plain stinks. I'm an enthuiastic supporter of TRAX, and I'll give Frontrunner some time, but bus service into Davis County must be greatly improved.

New YouTube videos for Frontrunner North
SLC to Odgen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziUej_rKt0w
Odgen to SLC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pJUoAhj8Ag

The only stops I see the trains making are at train stations.....
Don't understand why they must wait for other trains long?

Frontunner North uses a lot of single track with passing sidings - hence the waits. Frontunner South apparently will use much more double track.

ljeppson wrote:Frontunner North uses a lot of single track with passing sidings - hence the waits. Frontunner South apparently will use much more double track.

Did you take the 5 minutes to watch either video I so kindly provided links to?

No, not completely. I will do so.

Yes, I just watched the SLC to Ogden version. Very entertaining. I noticed you didn't have to wait for opposing traffic, except at stations. Often, particularly at rush hour, we have to wait for opposing traffic where double track coverges to single.

Ljeppson

"Shame really that UTA did not come up with a centralized location for all points to come together and meet to make transferring easier for all (UTA, TRAX, Amtrak and Greyhound). If I wanted to go from Layton to the airport it seems I would have to make at least three transfers to do so. Not very smart."

Slchub, based on the picture of a map at the links posted by ljeppson, and the FAQ at the UTA, there will be a new Frontrunner station at North Temple, so that it would just require one transfer (two trains) to get from Layton (or anyplace else on Frontrunner) to the airport. Actually, it looks like every Trax line will still have a transfer to Frontrunner. Of course, they could have changed their mind on that station since they wrote what I saw; I don't live in Salt Lake and only visit there once a year or so.

The following photos show the TRAX airport expansion as of 1/21/2010:

www.utahtransit.us/apt0.html

The following pics document problems with TRAX access to the Jordan Campus of Salt Lake Community College:

www.utahtransit.us/jc1.html

Does anyone have a roster of the ex EL/NJT Coaches showing what was the NJT number and what number UTA uses for each car?

This is not the sort of stuff I keep track of, but I do know some people here in SLC, one in particular, who does. I'll ask him.

Great pics. I tested every odd numbered unit. I work at MPI in boise and do static, cab signal and load testing.

Electricron - Where did the video footage come from for the links you provided? Cool, but they did not have DVR systems when we built and tested them. Also, if a locomotive has a DVR system the camera is in one of the windows inside the cab and you would not get that coupler level view.

Go Transit is the only commuter locomotive built at MPI with a DVR system we install. Wonder if it was installed after the units were delivered.

Jerry

jerrycranium wrote:Electricron - Where did the video footage come from for the links you provided? Cool, but they did not have DVR systems when we built and tested them. Also, if a locomotive has a DVR system the camera is in one of the windows inside the cab and you would not get that coupler level view.
Go Transit is the only commuter locomotive built at MPI with a DVR system we install. Wonder if it was installed after the units were delivered.
Jerry

I found the videos at YouTube, I have no idea how or when they were recorded. According to YouTube, they were uploaded to YouTube on September 29, 2009.....

UTA proposes to rebuild much of the Bamberger southend!!! Of course as a lifetime Bamberger fan I'm very pleased. The 400 West section in SLC would literally rebuild Bamberger in that part of town. Truly amazing!

www.utahtransit.us/interurbans.html