42 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Curbed DC, 8/7/14:

So, this "Coming Soon" sign has appeared on H Street NE just in time for the start of streetcar operator training. Oh, for Pete's sake, the streetcar has been coming "soon" since the cars arrived in the city in December.

Continue

[CNJRoss]

WAMU radio (NPR-American University) Washington, DC, 9/17:

Simulated Streetcar Service In D.C. Scheduled To Begin Sept. 29

D.C.’s first streetcar line since 1962 is approaching a critical, final testing phase before opening to the public.

Streetcars have been slowly moving up and down H Street and Benning Road Northeast for seven weeks of operator training, their high pitch electric whir becoming a familiar sound, though their path is not always clear of obstructions .

That training wraps up this Friday, and the District Department of Transportation says simulated service will begin Sept. 29. Project sources say that could last 25 to 35 days, the last key phase before the system is ready for passengers. . . .

Continue here.

[KevinKorell]

Certainly good news. That will allow them to meet their last goal of having revenue service up and running by Thanksgiving. Now it would be nice to have a published timetable; perhaps within this 25-35 day simulation period one can be derived once the system runs in normal operating conditions.

[CNJRoss]

Another remaining "critical" detail is submitting the "certification and safety package" to the Office of State Safety Oversight for D.C. Streetcar. This must be reviewed and approved before revenue service can begin. -Ross

[KevinKorell]

E-mail from DC Streetcar:

Streetcar Pre-Revenue Operations Scheduled to Begin September 29, 2014
Major Milestone as DC Streetcar Readies for Safety Certification and Passenger Service

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) today announced the start of DC Streetcar’s Pre-Revenue Operations phase—a crucial milestone for DC Streetcar as it continues prepping the system to be certified safe to carry passengers. System Integration Testing (SIT) and Operator Training is wrapping up now, and Pre-Revenue Operations is anticipated to begin on Monday, September 29th.

Pre-Revenue Operations is actual service simulated along the corridor without passengers. During this phase, all streetcar vehicles will run at their projected hours with projected headways (about every ten minutes). Proposed hours of operations for the streetcars were included in a recent legislation package that is now open for public review. Comments regarding the proposed hours of operation can be sent to publicspace.policy@dc.gov until September 27th.

The proposed hours are:
•Monday-Thursday: 6:00 a.m. – midnight
•Friday: 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
•Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
•Sundays and Holidays: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.


Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians can expect to see streetcars with greater frequency during this phase and are reminded of the following safety tips:
•Streetcars share the roadways, but cannot veer around vehicles.
•Vehicles, including delivery trucks, should be sure to park within the lines and use designated loading zones. The Department of Public Works is now ticketing and towing vehicles that impede the path of the streetcar.
•Pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists should use caution as they travel through the corridor.
•Remember to “Look, Listen, Be Safe!” near streetcar vehicles at all times—look both ways and listen for the streetcar before stepping into the crosswalk.
•Never walk in front of a moving streetcar.
•Traffic and pedestrian signals exist for your safety—follow them to ensure your safety.

For more information, visit http://www.dcstreetcar.com/ .

[KevinKorell]

Progressive Railroading, 9/29/14:

DC Streetcar set to begin pre-revenue operations

Today, the District Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin the pre-revenue operations phase of the DC Streetcar in Washington, D.C.

The full story!

[KevinKorell]

NBC Washington, 9/29/14:

D.C. Streetcars Begin Simulated Service

Streetcars hit the road in Northeast D.C. Monday morning, though it will still be a couple of months before you can take a ride.

However, when you can jump on, that ride might be free.

Note that last thought....... service may be free for as long as a year once "revenue" service begins. More here.

[CNJRoss]

In the Capital, Wasington, DC 11/12:

Report: DC's Streetcars of the Future May Not Open by Thanksgiving After All

DC's new streetcars just can't seem to catch a good break since the D.C. Council gutted Mayor Vincent Gray's plans for a longterm rollout over the summer. . . . Things were looking up, however, after simulated service began and a pre-Thanksgiving open-for-business date appeared as though it might be attainable.

Now, it seems as though the cars won't be ready in November after all. In fact, getting them all through the necessary certification process before the end of the month looks "very unlikely," sources at the State Safety Oversight office told WAMU.

SNIP

No opening date has been officially stated yet, but Mayor Gray will likely make an announcement within a few weeks. As a major supporter of the streetcars, it would be fitting for Gray to introduce them to the city as one of his last major public appearances . . .

Continue here.

[jacorbett70]

D.C. Still Aiming To Begin Streetcar Passenger Service By End Of Year

With one month left in 2014, D.C. is down to 30 days to start streetcar passenger service on H Street and Benning Road NE by the revised deadline. The city's transportation agency is sticking with the estimate, but isn't providing specifics.

http://dcist.com/201...ice_will_be.php

[BillMagee]

A couple of DC Streetcar stories:
 
First, an Editorial from the Washington Post, 12/2/2014:

The District’s streetcar deal leaves taxpayers holding the bag

IN THE market for streetcars for a planned trolley line, the District of Columbia undertook a lengthy procurement process in 2010. A company with a proven track record in designing and manufacturing streetcars got the highest ranking in the year-long open competition. But the contract went to a firm that had never produced an operational streetcar, had major problems delivering the vehicles and today no longer makes them.

The Editorial is HERE.

Referenced in that Editorial is this story from 11/29/2014:

U.S. effort to help build homegrown streetcar manufacturer falls short

Company executives and their patrons greatly overestimated the size of the market they could capture and underestimated the difficulty of starting a homegrown streetcar business from scratch. Executives hoped to sell 10 or 15 of the 8-by-66-foot vehicles each year and create hundreds of new jobs as communities embraced a national streetcar revival. The company’s president at the time, Chandra Brown, set her gaze further. “One day, we can’t wait to be exporting these cars,” she said during another LaHood visit in 2011. Instead, the company built just 18 streetcars for three customers — the District, Tucson and Portland — and was late delivering them to all three cities.

That story is HERE.