during february, i am emailing the letter i posted today to elected councils in 6 cities and 3 counties in the path of my "fantasy commuter railroad"; also the lengthy discussion that was posted some time ago.. each mailing includes the pair of messages: the letter and the discussion about commuter rail.. other addressees are the b-c-d council of governments and the carta board.. i am also appearing at the public comment part of the carta board meeting where i will read from the beginning of my letter.. i only have 2 min.. after these minor, no-cost attempts, i dont know where else i could attempt to make an impression on anyone who might take an interest in my "transit campaign".. i dont travel.. although all the recipients of my messages allow public comment at meetings, i will not attend any other meetings, as they are held at night, and i dont favor driving or walking in unfamiliar neighborhoods after sunset.. a 1-in-a-million chance might be that the media would attend the carta board meetings and, if they observe my comments and are stimulated, they might ask to interview me about what i said and other views on commuter transit, but im not holding my breath.. i also sent the pair of messages to our new s.c. gov, henry mcmaster; if he cares, maybe he will reply; again, im not holding my breath..
and so it goes..
COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE IN THE CHARLESTON, SC, AREA.
#11
Posted 13 February 2017 - 04:52 AM
#12
Posted 07 September 2018 - 02:26 AM
I am a resident of Charleston since 1970. For several years, I have attempted to attract interest in a commuter rail system for the Charleston, SC, ("Tri-county") region. My efforts have failed. After sending more than 20 messages to 200 + persons and agencies, I have had no replies. I represent no one: no group, movement, cause, foundation, committee, etc. I am backed buy no one. I have done this exclusively via email, without added expenses. I am retired and unemployed. I truly believe that, without a great enhancement in mass transit, this area could suffer a massive economic slump. Yet, no one I write will so much as acknowledge my messages, as good, bad or indifferent. A list of senders is at the end of some of the below messages. I also contacted every TV, radio station and newspaper in the area. I spoke with a newspaper reporter outside of the area and was told the reason is the lack of money. I understand this. S.C. is a "poor state", maybe the poorest between Virgina and Texas. Still, I believe a system could be built with ambition and determination, but, most of all, a realization that, without a major improvement breakthrough in mass transit, this tri-county region is likely to be doomed by its success. These points are discussed in the copies of messages I have sent over the past six months. I would appreciate comments as to how I might improve my message to "turn heads" and be "on the radar" of the person(s) in my area who could assist me in bringing the issues to the attention of the approx. 500,000 residents who live and work here. Thank you.
There has been much talk about the conditions of S.C. highways: their detioriation, lack of funds to repair or improve, etc. Commuter rail can solve this problem. The more drivers and passengers that ride commuter rail, the fewer cars that remain on roads in the area of Charleston's area commuter rail system. The fewer cars that drive on these roads, the less wear and tear on the road's condition; the less wear and tear, the less money needed to make repairs; the less money needed for repairs, the more money that is saved. Does any of this make sense? It makes sense to me; it makes enormous sense. Unfortunately, CARTA's express bus cannot be a part of the equation to reduce damage to our highways; if anything, those buses will make it worse. CARTA buses carrying heavier loads will cause greater stress on the road surface; they will exacerbate the damage that already exists. Only commuter rail can move greater numbers of people cheaper, safer, more economically and also reduce cracks, holes and large pieces of asphalt from coming loose and flying into the windows of cars or laying in the road, waiting for cars to strike these fragments, and cause drivers of cars to lose control, causing accidents, injury, even death.
What will happen to the Charleston area without improvements in traffic flow? Companies won't locate here if their employees cannot move between home and work easily; tourists won't visit here if they cannot move between their hotels and tourist stops. Our reputation with travel booking agencies will suffer because tourists will leave negative comments with booking agents, Facebook pages, local govt. offices, etc. Retirees won’t locate here if they cannot drive between home, doctors' offices and hospitals. What is the first question people ask each other after arrival? "How was the traffic?” No other form of transportation can handle large numbers of people as safely, cheaply and efficiently as commuter rail.
Commuter rail can serve as a means of removing large numbers of people from our region in the event of natural or man-made disasters. In an emergency, commuter rail would perform as well or better than means we traditionally have available: cars, buses and aircraft. Under routine conditions, commuter rail can move hundreds of riders in a brief, economical, feasible manner; under emergency situations, re-location becomes even more vital and speed is essential..
This is where commuter rail can be an integral element in evacuating a local population to distant and safer locations; the plan would offer transit to riders from Charleston to N. Charleston, Summerville and terminate in St. George; a branch line would terminate in Moncks Corner; but, when emergency conditions dictate, special permission could be sought and granted from the local railroads to re-locate riders beyond the limits of the commuter rail system as originally planned. From St. George, commuter rail would be granted the right-of-way to transport riders to Columbia; they could be transported to local motels, schools, etc., for temporary shelter. During emergency conditions, fares would be waived for transportation of all riders to and from emergency evacuation points. Beyond Moncks Corner, riders could be transported to the first available locale that could accept a large number of persons requiring emergency shelter. As commuter rail resources are maintained here in the Charleston area, it would be easier to gather and schedule elements and personnel in this system to support evacuees than for the railroads to do it themselves, as they must re-route trains to this area, whereas our commuter rail units are already positioned locally and are always in readiness to support emergency needs. Charleston has experienced extreme weather this winter. How would commuter rail be better than driving on roads in this weather? Commuter rail: Would not lose control on "black ice"; would not "jackknife" in the midst of heavy traffic; would carry more riders than buses or cars; would not be delayed due to rain, ice or snow; would reduce accidents, as more people would be riding, not driving.
The more situations in which commuter rail can serve the communities in the Charleston area, the more apparent it becomes that commuter rail is the one viable, durable means of moving people that is available and ready to move large numbers of people, whether under routine or emergency conditions. Commuter rail can transport riders to the airport, to the N Charleston convention center; it would reduce parking congestion and expedite travel time for concerts, airline travel, etc...
The issue of traffic flow in Charleston is not a concern for just one area of the Lowcountry. What affects one part of our region affects all of us. Our economy is interwoven among every home, every business, every aspect of the Tri-county region. Traffic concerns everyone, and not merely those who drive to work in a car or work on a delivery truck. We are all part of what makes the Lowcountry our home. We must all realize our vested interests in making our homes and offices easy to access, whether to work in, recreate, travel as tourists, or just pass through on the way to somewhere else. We face not only a challenge but an obligation to insure our roadways are free to drive through. Clogged roads are as fatal to communities as clogged arteries are fatal to humans. The sure cure is a commuter rail system. It will improve traffic flow and reduce gridlock. It will expedite riders to destinations faster, cheaper and safer than any other mode. Building it will be expensive, long in completion and fraught with obstacles, but it is the only system that will endure over the long-term after it is inaugurated. Commuter trains are flexible in scheduling, highest in passenger capacity and much cheaper on a cost-per-mile basis. No other mode of transit approaches the effectiveness of commuter rail by any comparison.
Edited by remoat, 07 September 2018 - 03:54 AM.
#13
Posted 07 September 2018 - 02:37 AM
Edited by remoat, 07 September 2018 - 03:00 AM.
#14
Posted 07 September 2018 - 02:46 AM
Edited by remoat, 07 September 2018 - 03:10 AM.
#15
Posted 07 September 2018 - 02:49 AM
#16
Posted 07 September 2018 - 02:51 AM
- Emergency crews clear I-26 eastbound accident
…Emergency crews clear I-26 eastbound accident …… Emergency crews have cleared an accident on I-26 eastbound in North Charleston. It was in the…… Emergency crews have cleared an accident on I-26 eastbound in North Charleston. …Last Modified: Aug 09, 2018 5:36 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">August 9, 2018 5:36 PM EDT</em>
- Crews clear I-26 westbound accident in North Charleston
…Crews clear I-26 westbound accident in North Charleston …… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 westbound in North Charleston Wednesday night. It was in…… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 westbound in North Charleston Wednesday night. …Last Modified: Aug 23, 2018 2:42 AM EDT <em class="wnDate">August 23, 2018 2:42 AM EDT</em>
- Crews clear I-26 westbound accident in North Charleston
…Crews clear I-26 westbound accident in North Charleston…… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 westbound in North Charleston. It was in the area of Exit…… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 westbound in North Charleston. …Last Modified: Jul 25, 2018 6:40 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">July 25, 2018 6:40 PM EDT</em>
- Crews clear I-26 westbound accident near Aviation Avenue
…Crews clear I-26 westbound accident near Aviation Avenue…… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 in North Charleston. The accident was a mile west of Exit…… Crews have cleared an accident on I-26 in North Charleston. …Last Modified: Jul 16, 2018 7:19 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">July 16, 2018 7:19 PM EDT</em>
- SCHP investigating fatal I-26 accident
…SCHP investigating fatal I-26 accident…… dead. The accident was in the area of I-26 westbound near mile-marker 216. The man lost control of…… Officials with the South Carolina Highway Patrol are investigating an accident that left one man…Last Modified: Apr 15, 2018 11:22 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">April 15, 2018 11:22 PM EDT</em>
- Fiery accident causes delays on I-26 near I-95
…Fiery accident causes delays on I-26 near I-95…… An accident on Interstate 26 near Interstate 95 has traffic backed up on both the eastbound lanes…… An accident on Interstate 26 near Interstate 95 has traffic backed up on both the eastbound lanes…Last Modified: Mar 13, 2018 5:55 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">March 13, 2018 5:55 PM EDT</em>
- CCSO: All I-26 EB lanes open following string of accidents
…CCSO: All I-26 EB lanes open following string of accidents…… The Charleston County Sheriff's Office responded to three crashes on I-26 east. The crashes began…… The Charleston County Sheriff's Office is working three crashes on I-26 east. The crashes begin at…Last Modified: Aug 01, 2018 1:00 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">August 1, 2018 1:00 PM EDT</em>
- VIDEO: Accident on I-26 near Midland Park blocks two left WB lanes
…VIDEO: Accident on I-26 near Midland Park blocks two left WB lanes…Last Modified: Jul 16, 2018 4:28 PM EDT <em class="wnDate">July 16, 2018 4:28 PM EDT</em>
- Multi-vehicle accident kills one on I-26 in North Charleston
…Multi-vehicle accident kills one on I-26 in North Charleston…Last Modified: Jul 02, 2018 5:08 PM EDT
- Coroner's Office identifies victim of I-26 accident in Dorchester County
…Coroner's Office identifies victim of I-26 accident in Dorchester County …… The Coroner's Office has identified the victim of an accident on I-26 in Dorchester County that…… One person is dead and three others have been injured following an accident on I-26 in Dorchester…Last Modified: Jun 22, 2018 3:51 PM EDT
Edited by remoat, 07 September 2018 - 02:54 AM.
#17
Posted 07 September 2018 - 11:02 PM
Remoat, I've merged this thread with your earlier one from January 2017 since they are essentially the same thing.
Again we railfans applaud your efforts. Whether they will be successful remains to be seen -- but I see your frustration continues. While rail service may make perfect sense to you, your arguments could be applied in many other areas of the country where there are political, financial, and territorial concerns that won't allow it. By territorial, I mean who owns the tracks and can they provide the capacity for commuter rail without affecting their existing level of freight service?
As I suggested last year, it would help your own cause to know the difference between commuter rail and light rail. The photo in your recent documents posted above is clearly light rail; the vehicles are Sound Transit LINK light rail in the Seattle area, displaying a roll sign from a proposed extension to West Seattle that has not yet been built. The overhead catenary wires would also be highly unlikely in the Charleston area. Electric propelled trains that draw power from catenary is limited to commuter rail providers in several Northeastern cities, as well as Chicago and Denver. Diesel engine hauled trains would be much more likely, and they would better lend themselves to those emergency extensions you propose for instances such as hurricane evacuations. There's also the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) option that more and more recent commuter rail startups have been embracing in cities like Austin and Denton in Texas, as well as the area of Portland, OR.
Kevin Korell
OTOL Board Leader
Lakewood, NJ
#18
Posted 08 September 2018 - 02:13 AM
colorful and unusual in appearance.. the redundancy of my posts is due to taking different approaches, adding photographs, new insights, etc.. I am ambitiousin finding new ways to discuss the topic and composing unique ways to express my thoughts;anything to push my topic onto the "radar" of those who could
upgrade my musings to a more highly publicized level.. as to studying other cities in their application of commuter rail, I admit I am not interested in
pursuing research of greater intensity.. I am 70+ and this is partly to fill my unused hours.. if users pass on their insight and suggestions to help me to find a more receptive audience, that's great, but I am not motivated indoing a lot of "heavy lifting" to uncover areas where commuter rail has evolved into a viable community asset, and convincing "my people" locally that they should emulate a system in "somewhere, usa".. if I were a graduate student researching a thesis in the evolution of the American transit
system, such undertakings would be quite inline with presenting a paper to a doctoral committee.. im just doing this because I like "things on rails",
because I have the time.. I am a frustrated little boy who never got the chance to drive a train or transit car for a living; now I am trying to make up for that.
one more thing: this composition screen is not good in performing "wrap-around" functions where a letter is at the end of a line and the rest of the word is on the next line.. it looks quite unprofessional and appears the writer doesn't know how to end a line or carryover to the next line in the middle of a word..
but, I could be wrong!
Edited by remoat, 08 September 2018 - 02:19 AM.
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