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Moderator: lensovet

 #1201207  by electricron
 
kaitoku wrote:Residents angry about passing track being built behind their fences...
*are 4000 foot passing tracks necessary? Isn't a loop at the station adequate, if you have good schedule discipline?
I would suggest fairly short double tracking just at station locations "might" work if only SMART passenger trains were using the tracks. But they aren't, freight trains are being reintroduced too. 4,000 feet long freight trains aren't that long today. SMART has to build a corridor that can accept freight trains, therefore the need for 4,000 feet passing sidings at a minimum.

You can be assured the specific locations selected for these passing sidings were based upon planned operations, which reduces the number and length of passing sidings needed.

I suggest using your favorite satellite mapping application, I prefer Google Earth, and check out the recently completed DCTA trackage between Denton and Carrollton Texas. They chose two long passing sidings each including a station, two additional station locations with double tracks, two stations with just single track, and one maintenance yard with more than two tracks available, although there's just one mainline track. The long passing sidings were strategically placed to allow 25 and 20 minute headways - it's at those long passing sidings where trains running in opposite directions normally meet.
 #1215203  by kaitoku
 
SMART becomes a target of theft:
A Novato man who was already on probation for his role in previous burglaries is now facing additional legal woes connected to his alleged theft of metal from local railroad tracks over the weekend. This past Saturday, September 7, a bystander called the Novato Police Department to report witnessing a “suspicious person” near the part of Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit tracks that is located in Novato, according to a NPD press release. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Eli Blackeagle, who matched the description they had been given by the witness.
http://crimevoice.com/probationer-finds ... cks-35426/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1216933  by lpetrich
 
I remember riding the Golden Gate Ferry to Larkspur and back. Nice trip.

I also remember going from downtown San Francisco to Santa Rosa and back by Golden Gate Transit bus. Nice country drive for much of the trip, and I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge along the way.

Checking the schedules at Golden Gate Ferry
Trip time: 1/2 hr
Peak interval: 1/2 hr
Weekday off-peak interval: 1 hr
Weekend interval: 2 hr

San Rafael - Santa Rosa: 37 mi
San Rafael - Larkspur: 3 mi
GGT 70/80 Downtown SF - San Rafael: ~ 1 1/2 hrs
GGT 70/80 San Rafael - Santa Rosa ~ 1 3/4 hrs

The train's average speed is likely 30 mph (Tri-met WES) to 40 mph (NJT River LINE). That will make its travel time 1 hr to 1 1/3 hr.

I think that it may initially have a shuttle bus to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, though Marin Transit routes 28 and 29 already go there or near there.
 #1217142  by kaitoku
 
I think that it may initially have a shuttle bus to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, though Marin Transit routes 28 and 29 already go there or near there.
Why not have both- the Marin Transit being a regular service bus with intermediate stops, and the Larkspur shuttle being a non-stop service.
 #1229709  by kaitoku
 
dowlingm wrote:Any word of when SMART's first trainset is to be completed?
Old news reports from ~2 yrs. back had the first prototype delivered for testing in 3Q 2013 or October, depending on the report. It seems the first body shells were planned to be shipped to the N-S plant in Rochelle, Ill this summer. Whether they were, I don't know. A bespoke design like this trainset is bound to have delays in development and delivery. There is an upcoming SMART board meeting this month- perhaps some news will come regarding this.
 #1230083  by kaitoku
 
Meanwhile, some other news:
PETALUMA — SMART’s board of directors is set to consider awarding nearly $70 million to Oakland-based Shimmick Construction on Nov. 20, the agency’s largest single contract since construction of the passenger rail system began in January of 2012.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail TransitThe work will entail a complicated stretch of track within SMART’s “Initial Operating Segment” known as “IOS-2,” stretching between Marin Civic Center and downtown San Rafael. Shimmick would also construct the rail system’s maintenance facility in northern Santa Rosa, a new movable rail crossing over the Petaluma River, finishing elements of some station platforms and over three miles of mixed-use pathway.

Considered with the so-called “IOS-1″ stretch already under construction, the contract would account for the remainder of the 38.5 mile rail corridor expected to open between Santa Rosa and San Rafael in late 2015 or early 2016.
more:
http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/ ... -contract/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1238422  by eastwind
 
SMART gets more funds, adds station to line
Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) said Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has approved $16.7 million in funds to extend passenger rail service to the site of SMART's Operations & Maintenance Facility (OMF) near the Sonoma County Airport in California.

SMART's Board of Directors, in a related move, approved the addition of a new passenger station to serve the OMF.
More at http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/pas ... channel=55
 #1260009  by dowlingm
 
Metrolinx seem to be close to getting vehicles for Toronto:
http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/bo ... ort_EN.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Operations team has reaffirmed with our partners and key contributors the delivery work plans, schedules, and deliverables to ensure we are ready for testing and commissioning of the vehicles to commence in Summer 2014.
Any word on the California deliveries?
 #1260025  by electricron
 
dowlingm wrote:Metrolinx seem to be close to getting vehicles for Toronto:
http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/bo ... ort_EN.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Operations team has reaffirmed with our partners and key contributors the delivery work plans, schedules, and deliverables to ensure we are ready for testing and commissioning of the vehicles to commence in Summer 2014.
Any word on the California deliveries?
From the July 2013 GM report to SMART's board,
An agreement was reached with Sumitomo Corporation of America for Nippon Sharyo to conduct acceptance testing on SMART’s pilot cars at the test center in Pueblo CO, at no cost to SMART. The end of February 2014 delivery of the pilot cars will be to Colorado, and after testing they will be shipped to SMART in July.

That's the agreed delivery schedule between the two parties, I don't think Nippon Sharyo has failed to meet any delivery dates ever, so I don't expect they will need to change them.
 #1260321  by electricron
 
dowlingm wrote:DMUs are new to the Illinois plant though. Plenty of systems integrations issues could pop out. Here's hoping for a smooth rollout.
DMUs may be new, but Nippon Sharyo USA has experience building double and single level trailers and EMUs, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem managing them.
 #1261349  by kaitoku
 
News about the railcars:
The first Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit district rail cars that will take passengers between Marin and Sonoma counties are currently being built in Japan and are expected to arrive locally in about a year.

The first pair of vehicles are being built at the Nippon Sharyo plant southwest of Tokyo. The rail-car design is a first and work is being analyzed carefully to make sure it meets SMART's specifications.

"We have inspectors there and so far, so good," said Farhad Mansourian, the rail agency's general manager. "It's exciting to see the work."

Once the working prototype cars get approval, they will be disassembled and then put back together later this year at the Nippon Sharyo USA Passenger Railcar Factory in Rochelle, Ill. After more tests in Illinois and Colorado, another dozen cars will be assembled at the Illinois locale.
more (including pictures):
http://www.marinij.com/novato/ci_254614 ... in-testing" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1262593  by dowlingm
 
that timeline looks a bit weird. They are only making the prototypes now and then shipping to Illinois? That may be okay for SMART but unless it's been decided Metrolinx will accept DMUs direct from Japan it's hard to see how Union-Pearson Express timelines will be met. According to previous advisories posted here shouldn't there should have been test vehicles in Pueblo in February?
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