Seattle's First Hill Streetcar opening 1/23/16

[CHamilton]

More delay for First Hill Streetcar puts open date after July Block Party

It may be time to add the First Hill Streetcar to the list of Seattle transit projects facing serious setbacks. After the Seattle Department of Transportation pushed back the launch date from fall 2014 to “early” 2015, CHS has learned that the SDOT now expects the Capitol Hill-to-Pioneer Square streetcar won’t be in service until at least August.
An SDOT official, speaking at last week’s meeting of the Seattle Special Events Committee, said the streetcar would not be operational for this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party, which runs from July 24th-26th.

 

[CHamilton]

SDOT director heads to Prague to czech on streetcar delays

The Seattle First Hill streetcar was supposed to be open long ago, and city officials still can't say when the 2.5-mile line will open.

Two Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) officials soon will travel to the Czech Republic to try to get an answer, a city official said Wednesday.

Prague is where the holdup is. That's where Inekon, the manufacturer of the streetcars for the $132.8 million First Hill project, is based. City officials and Inekon representatives have been having daily teleconferences about the delay.

 

[NorthShore]

Sounds like a mystery flick: "The Holdup in Prague."

 

[NorthShore]

Sounds like a mystery flick: "The Holdup in Prague."

 

[NorthShore]

The Czech Robbers

 

[CHamilton]

Some movement on the streetcar front.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/city-revises-awards-fines-to-get-first-hill-streetcar-line-moving/

http://www.seattlemet.com/articles/the-first-hill-streetcar-delay-march-2015

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/after-massive-delays-first-6-first-hill-street-car/nkL79/

 

[CHamilton]

Amid considerable confusion, it appears that Seattle's First Hill Streetcar will be going into service tomorrow (1/23/16).

First Hill Streetcar Launches January 23

 

[NorthShore]

Well....Happy Birthday!

 

[CHamilton]

Service starts at 11am, so some of us will be going to the International District for dim sum, then hopping on the streetcar. Anyone in the area, hope you can join us!

 

[CHamilton]

Some quick shots of the first day of service.

EDIT: Link corrected.

 

[NorthShore]

Do you have chaplains there, like we do here (who happen to also be railfans that would be out to ride first/last runs, and such) that bless the new trains?

 

[CHamilton]

Do you have chaplains there, like we do here (who happen to also be railfans that would be out to ride first/last runs, and such) that bless the new trains?

Not that I know of. There will be an official "grand opening" in a couple of weeks.

 

[fairviewroad]

Some quick shots of the first day of service.

Check the link. It appears to link back to this thread.

 

[CHamilton]

Some quick shots of the first day of service.

Check the link. It appears to link back to this thread.

My apologies. Link corrected. Should have been https://chamilton.smugmug.com/Trains/Inaugural-Day-of-First-Hill/n-dLH47C

 

[fairviewroad]

How convenient is the connection between the new streetcar route and the Amtrak station. Looks as though there isn't a streetcar stop immediately adjacent to King Street Station.

 

[CHamilton]

How convenient is the connection between the new streetcar route and the Amtrak station. Looks as though there isn't a streetcar stop immediately adjacent to King Street Station.

I'm annoyed about that. The two stops on Jackson are just about equidistant from King Street Station, a couple of blocks either way. Occidental is probably faster, since one doesn't have to cross a couple of major streets to get there.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, poor planning on tbe part of Seattle which generally does things right!