The Legendary Red Line in Austin

[Bob Dylan]

Todays local fish wrap contained two stories about local transportation problems.The first dealt with the increase in traffic congestion on all of Austins inadequate roadways including IH35,due to NAFTA traffic and being the Main North-South Interstate in the country has the single most congested spot 24/7 of any place in the US, the crossing of Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin.

In a related story, our crack local transportation comedy club put out a press release(aka lies)saying that due to "unforeseen" problems with the "vital logic" in the system that is supposed to seperate the freight trains that use the line from the passenger trains that are now more than a year overdue

to start their runs!

The new scheme will run the freights at night, and in mid-afternoon with the "rush hours" reserved for the passenger trains soon as they pass the required FRA inspection when the "vital logic" problem is fixed!

The good news is that they have backed off from the announced fare increases due to citizen input (read storming the bastille)but that due to budget shortfalls they will have to stop the downtown "tourist friendly "Armadillo" shuttle psuedo trolleys,cut back on connecting bus service and run fewer trains when it starts by the beginning of the next decade!!! :lol: :angry:

 

[stntylr]

I think that soon CapMetro will just have to resort to bribing the FRA inspectors in order to pass an inspection.

I guess my plan to ride the Metrorail in Oct will have to be put off for a while.

I also saw an article about how Austin will be taking bids on engineering studies to start building a streetcar from downtown to the airport. I figure they should have that running by the year 3000.

 

[Bob Dylan]

<_< <_< <_<

I think that soon CapMetro will just have to resort to bribing the FRA inspectors in order to pass an inspection.I guess my plan to ride the Metrorail in Oct will have to be put off for a while.

I also saw an article about how Austin will be taking bids on engineering studies to start building a streetcar from downtown to the airport. I figure they should have that running by the year 3000.

yeah,dont book any trips to Austin expecting to ride any rails except Amtrak in this decade!The biggest problem is that this comedy club is provided "leadership" by local politicians(ie mayor.councilperson/county comissioner etc.)!I doubt that there are more than,at the most,one real experienced trasportation planner in this flying circus,but there is a pr department staffed by 7 people!Originally the Redline was supposed to run to the Airport from downtown but guess what,its been put off due to being too expensive!!!The latest scheme is to take the downtown "Armadillos" that are being mothballed due to lack of ridership/traffic congestion and run them to the airport on our clogged roads to/from the airport!!Monty Python II!!! :lol: :lol:

This update just in: The Mayor Pro Tem of Austin demands to know why there is more delay and wants answers!Hes been on the board for the past 2 years! Hes SHOCKED!SHOCKED!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: