Tel Aviv Metro

[daveklepper]

 When we look at our little country from above, the biggest problem facing us is the bad transport situation. The roads are clogged, there are too many cars, people drive like 'crazy' and the bus service is far from 'good'.

   The main priority over the next few years must be to plan and build more rails, a smart distribution of bus services and force the car driver to leave his car at home.

   This process will take years, as educating the driver and creating more public transport is a long-term activity. In the meantime, a quick and instant solution is to create 'car-less' days, whereby the driver gets the choice to either not use his car or pay a lot of extra money for the right to use a car on certain days and certain times.

    A simple electronic Wi-Fi system that follows every car [ and truck]  -on the road, can be installed in every car and then the computer does the calculations and sends the bill electronically to the car owner every month.

   If a car owner knows that it will cost him an extra 50 shekels to use his car at peak-time - on busy days, then he will 'change' his driving habits.

   I hope our Ministers will jump on this idea and start to 'fix' our transport problems

Shabbat Shalom

Steve

 

[daveklepper]

The Trains and Tram Society of Israel.
Dear all,
   The German company that has been hired to certify the communication system for the new Tel Aviv LIGHT-RAIL is still not prepared to confirm that the system is working well.
 It seems that the new computer program will automatically stop the Light-rail trams at the slightest indication and slam-on the emergency brakes.
   This is unacceptable.
  Thus, our day-trip on 31st July is postponed until the MOT gives us  a new date.
 (The MOT is saying 'August', - but ..... who knows.)
So, at this time: we will wait till the MOT and her Minister gives us the 'good-word'.

 

  Steve

 

[daveklepper]

Edited  from 124News report

 

The Tel Aviv Light Rail Red Line will start public operation August 18, after years of delay, the Transportation Ministry announced Friday.  Israel's Transportation Minister Miri Regev assured that all necessary approvals to open the line had been received.

. 

The line connects Petah Tikva with Bat Yam, 15+miles, with 33 stations also serving Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, and of course Tel Aviv.

 

 

[daveklepper]

Since the 18th is a Friiday, and  I usually have lots to do on Fridays to prepare for the Sabbath, the timng denies me the opportunity to be a First Day ruder.  Hope to try the system on the Sunday the 20th.

[daveklepper]

Ceremonial run past Thursday, opened Friday

Dear all,

a review.

    Friday 18th August.

       Some of us got to Navon station in Jerusalem at 08.20, We met
the rest of the group and took the IR A1 train to Savidor/Arlorozov
station. Then after a little geographic confusion We found the way to
the new Arlorozov underground Light-Rail (tram) station.



       Escalators or elevators to the main level, then the turnstiles
[that  were free today], then to the platforms. We choose the
Light-Rail heading South to Yaffo, then then, rode back to Elifelet,
and then Allenby.

       At Allenby, we exited had an ice-cream, and then the Light Rial
to Bat Yam. This is a long journey [about 7/8 above ground] to
Komimiute deep in the Bat Yam suburb. This is 17 stops south from
Allenby.

      At the last stop, We then leaded North, the tram was full, the
lady driver was very cool and calm, and we met the Tel Aviv mayor -who
was doing a Mayor-ic tour with his staff.

     The tram stops at every station for about 1-3 mins.



     We got to Arlorozov, got past the demonstration, and headed for
the train to Jerusalem.

    This new mass-transport system is a 'wonder', modern,
technological and full. Today over 90,000 people rode the trams.

   Steve

 

[daveklepper]

Steve Sattler	5:58 PM (1 hour ago)
to bcc: me

Dear all, 

      Those of us who remember those days in the 70s when any trip between cities was a long, noisy, and uncomfortable bus ride .... and; ...and that black stuff spewing out the back of the bus was a cloud of poison.

       Here is the new reality.

   I can leave my house at 09.22, catch the local bus to the Givat HaTachmoshet Light-Rail station, catch the tram, [every few minutes], ride 8 stops, take the tunnel into the Navon station, do security, then elevators, catch the 10.07 train to Herzliya, and sleep for 35 mins, or re-charge my phone or just chat with the group around me.

    At Savidor Station in central Tel Aviv, [a long platform], I exit, walk 180 meters, and descend into the new Arlosoroff Light-Rail Station, and then ride 4 stops to Allenby Station [all the trip is underground], and exit on Yehuda Halevi. Walk to Ahad Ha-Amm st and I am at my office. Today I was in the office at 11.14.

  On the way back this afternoon - it was just the reverse-  and  I slept.

   At this time most of Allenby st is closed off to traffic as they are digging the Green line... That will run from the East and then North.

   During the day, the new DanKal RED line is not very crowded, but the morning rush and from 4 PM till 8 PM the trams are full.

   Tel Aviv is now 'up-there' with all the other modern cities  and this new 'tram' service has already reduced the number of cars driving into TLV every day.

    Steve Sattler 

[daveklepper]

 The new Tel Aviv light -rail system has completed 1 month of public service. The trains are full both mornings and evenings and for sports events. The general appreciation by the public is excellent. The Tel Aviv city transport department already says that cars coming into the city from the South and along the Jabotinsky route at the NE, are down by 30%.

Steve Sattler from Globes. (Translated)

 

[daveklepper]

My canera is still a que waiting for repair, but I finally did get to ride the Tel Aviv Red Line.  It is longer than Jerusalem's, and while the operation in the sustantial subway portion is fast, the surface operatuion is slower.   End-end running time is about 80 minutes.

The surprises to me were:`1. unacceptable to me noise levels in the subway, with zero sounf-absorbing material in the tunnels, and 2.   an unsigned, complex, and overly-long walk between the Arlozorov subway and railroad stations, with a connecting pedestrian tunnel still under construction.   

[daveklepper]

But the underground stations are reasonably quiet, because of full-height edge-of-platform, mostly glass, walls.  Train operation is automatic underground (manuel on-the-surface), and the train doors match the wall doors.