Thanks for the Washington Post article. I hadn't seen it before.
On the "switch heater" issue, the streetcar systems of yore typically didn't use switch heaters, even on powered switches. But the streetcar switches of yore were usually single point switches (i.e., there was only a moving point on one side of the tracks, with a non-moveable cast frog on the other). Modern light rail and streetcar switches usually have two moveable points similar to a standard railroad switch, and I presume that's what they're using in DC. Trouble is that a two point switch in a street has a lot more moving mass and mechanism that can freeze up than the old fashioned single point switches (which, when they did freeze up, could usually be broken loose by the switch iron carried on the cars). Maybe the old timers really did know what they were doing.
wanswheel Excerpt from Washington Post, July 9 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/dc-streetcar-line-gets-latest-tough-report-card/2015/07/09/110d2592-266d-11e5-b77f-eb13a215f593_story.html?postshare=4921436529134146 Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s pick for DDOT director, Leif Dormsjo, brought in the APTA team earlier this year to provide a fresh look at the program. Bowser assigned him the task of getting the system opened safely… Officials are coordinating with safety oversight officials on a schedule for opening. Dormsjo said it will be this year. “I’m talking months,” he said.
Guess someone figured it rarely snows in DC and they don't need switch heaters. Wrong!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Does anyone have any information on whether this line has opened or, if not, when it will open? The "official" website on this project doesn't have any definite information, which is a little strange.
I've made posts on other threads questioning the value of new "streetcar" lines (as opposed to LRT lines). But "value" issues don't seem to be the reason for what's going on here. The line (on Benning) has been complete for sometime and was undergoing non-revenue testing. Then, it all stopped, apparently due to some "safety" concerns. In March, APTA issued a "peer review" report that concluded that the line could open. But I haven't seen anything indicating that it has opened, or any planned opening date.
If the reason for the delay is "safety" concerns, it's even more curious. Streetcars have been around for decades, both old and modern systems. Why does this system have "safety" issues that the others don't? The only thing I can think of is that the tracks on the DC line aren't in the center of the street as on a "classic" streetcar line. Rather, the tracks are in the outside traffic lanes, right next to the parking lanes. The apparent reason for this is to allow curbside loading with a sidewalk extension into the parking lane at transit stops, rather than require people to board at platforms or safety islands in the middle of the street. But this feature would make the streetcars more vulnerable to delays from improperly parked cars and accidents with vehicles or pedestrians in the parking lanes (opening car doors and the like). I don't know whether this is the reason, or whether there's something else in the design or construction of the system that is creating safety issues. Anyone else know?
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