OK,
This is to all the neysayers in and around Austin that said this commuter train was a rip off and all the other bad things about it...I went to the open house held at Leander today and Im here to tell you that you should be proud of this new light rail/commuter rail train you now have ! This is one heck of a train,the cars are all WI-FI equipted and are handicapped accessible, security will be very present..The trains will run from 5am til 830-9ish and from 4pm til 7ish M-F.. There is no reason not to ride it ! Some emplyees were saying that from the looks of the crowd that came out the schedule may have to be modified for a Sat run...I was there from about 11:00 til 2 and the crowd was big all day ! I would give up my car permanantly to ride this train everyday ! Give up your car if you live in Leander and work in Austin and ride it and you will see how much better it will be ! You have a great thing there and it will get bigger and better ! My advise to you is USE IT ,IT's GREAT !
videomaker OK, This is to all the neysayers in and around Austin that said this commuter train was a rip off and all the other bad things about it...I went to the open house held at Leander today and Im here to tell you that you should be proud of this new light rail/commuter rail train you now have ! This is one heck of a train,the cars are all WI-FI equipted and are handicapped accessible, security will be very present..The trains will run from 5am til 830-9ish and from 4pm til 7ish M-F.. There is no reason not to ride it ! Some emplyees were saying that from the looks of the crowd that came out the schedule may have to be modified for a Sat run...I was there from about 11:00 til 2 and the crowd was big all day ! I would give up my car permanantly to ride this train everyday ! Give up your car if you live in Leander and work in Austin and ride it and you will see how much better it will be ! You have a great thing there and it will get bigger and better ! My advise to you is USE IT ,IT's GREAT !
I too went to the open house. The equipment is first class. So too are the station facilities.
I am looking forward to the start-up of the service on March 30th. It will cut approximately 15 minutes off my commute time to the University of Texas. In addition, because of somewhat wider seats, the ride should be a bit more comfortable.
Initially, the top speed on the train will be 60 mph. However, once Capital Metro has gained sufficient experience operating the trains, the top speed could be lifted to 75 mph, which would cut more time off of my commute.
Sam: That sounds like it will be great for you. However I will throw two items that may be "nice" problems. If the route was planned well you could have the same problems that Charlotte (CATS) now has. One is parking. I've not heard how much is available or what or if quick fixes can occurr if parking is overwhelmed. The second is overcrowding. Since much of your route appears single track (?) headways may (?) not be reducible and/or platform length may be too short to add a car. Do you have information on these questions? Haven't heard from Phoebee as to the CATS situation with the economic downturn. nAt least you may be able to study r internet on you trips.
Sam: Sorry I din't see 1300 parking spaces on the three outermost stations but none (?) at the other stations?
Sunbeam: How many CPs and what siding lengthes for the CTC? Any track diagrams available yet?
also I note the proposed schedule requires 5 units and Austin only has six. No double sets I can see and only I in backup worries me.
blue streak 1 Sam: Sorry I din't see 1300 parking spaces on the three outermost stations but none (?) at the other stations? Sunbeam: How many CPs and what siding lengthes for the CTC? Any track diagrams available yet?
The Leander station already had a park and ride lot for Express buses,I dont know how many spaces but there is nothing around it that CapMetro cant expand it and if the late comers dont have a space they'll park in the pasture that surrounds it..Cedar Pk also has a P&R lotfor the AST rides ,I dont know how big I think the others will be kiss and drop points..Satillo Plaza is in a shopping ctr if Im not mistaken so they should have plenty parking there...Someone correct me if Im wromg...
The trains appear to have some sort of goofy throttle based deadman control, which may have a considerable learning curve for the operators, so expect some unexpected brake applications, delays and the occasional late train while everyone gets used to these new things.
Remember, for the most part, we're talking about bus operators becoming railroaders, so there will be bumps in the system for a while.
With anything new, the passengers will play a big role in delays, as well.
As to parking expansion, I believe the land surrounding the park and ride in Leander is already taken up for commercial and residential projects. Minor expansion may be available, but the best plan might be for a multiple deck parking garage. Let's see how popular this thing is first.
4merrr4man,
The guys I talked to on Sat. had several yrs experience,1engineer in paticular had 40 ! He drove the car out to Leander and back along with another fellow who was in charge of keeping freight and passenger seperated..I dont recall the engineer's name but he had worked for UP until he came to Metro or Austin Western,I think Metro may be using Austin Western engineers,he did say that Capital Metro least the freight ops to AW and that UP dose not have tarckage rights as I had heard from someone else...UP turns thier train over to A&W and they have a time limit on getting it back to UP...
Controlled signals were lit tonight at the control points as the signal system is undergoing preliminary testing. Signalheads are still turned away from the tracks, deonoting them as out of service.
Danny, experience doesn't make for expertise. A new control system on these cars seems to be completely different from anything most freight (or conventional passenger for that matter) employees would be used to.
Cap Metro should be using their own folks. The AW people may be in use while CapMetro's folks are being trained. StarTran does the hiring for CapMetro, and references are made to new operator testing, so I would imagine that the AW people are simply stop-gap personnel until the permanent people can be trained. AW's parent, WATCO, makes no reference to their crews operating Metrorail trains.
If anyone knows for sure, clue us in.
Veolia Transportation is the operator of the rail system for Capitol Metro and operates the commuter rail. Watco is the freight operator (Austin Western RR) for Veolia. Veolia has extensive experience in rail operations, and has hired mostly railroaders to operate the Capitol Metro RR. I'm not sure how many bus drivers are actually going to be involved in commuter rail.
Sunbeam: Isn"t Veolia the operator of LA's Metro Linkl??
There sure seems to be a lot of players involved in this start up, I didnt get to talk to the engineer very long but he sure implied that they were running the trains...
I guess time will tell,I plan on going back during the GRAND OPENING and maybe I can talk with him again...
Yes, they operate MetroLink under a contract.
Naturally this contract is up for bid regularly but I cannot find the date.
Did anyone watch the trains run on Sat 2-14-09 or do they start tomorrow (MON 2-16) for final testing, training,Are the signals working yet?
Signals not in service as of Sunday 2-15-09. Track geometry car has been operating recently to check track condition.
Signals are lit at night, but the heads are still turned perpendicular to the track, indicating they are out of service. The folks at the gas station where I stop, here in Leander have not yet seen the "red cars", as they are becoming locally known.
Veolia is the operator for CapMetro, and hiring is done through them. They also handle Metrolink, as said before, and were the folks in charge when the Chatsworth incident took place. They apparently have been taken to task regarding many issues, among them safety. The one time I rode Metrolink, it was an Amtrak operation, so I cannot say from personal experience.
The LA Times did an article and it is on line. Read it and judge for yourself.
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/29/local/me-veolia29
4merroad4man Signals are lit at night, but the heads are still turned perpendicular to the track, indicating they are out of service. The folks at the gas station where I stop, here in Leander have not yet seen the "red cars", as they are becoming locally known. Veolia is the operator for CapMetro, and hiring is done through them. They also handle Metrolink, as said before, and were the folks in charge when the Chatsworth incident took place. They apparently have been taken to task regarding many issues, among them safety. The one time I rode Metrolink, it was an Amtrak operation, so I cannot say from personal experience. The LA Times did an article and it is on line. Read it and judge for yourself. http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/29/local/me-veolia29
It certainly looks like Veolia has had it share of problems in all areas they work..Lets hope they make better decisions in Austin,or Cap Metro finds some one else with a better record...
I am getting ready for the new start date. Did you guys got a find a spot to shoot pictures?
When I go back and ride again,Im going to get my photos at every station since I dont know anything about the area...Austin is a busy place so I dont know how one would do to try and grab a place to park and get a shot off w/out getting a ticket or worse...
videomaker When I go back and ride again,Im going to get my photos at every station since I dont know anything about the area...Austin is a busy place so I dont know how one would do to try and grab a place to park and get a shot off w/out getting a ticket or worse...
I received the system map and I drove a few areas where you could take pictures. When are coming down?
Awesome,
I have signed up to be an Ambassador for the grand opening,I havent been told yet when the training class(s) will start but Im bringing my camera everytime I have to volunteer ! I will keep you posted..You can email me off the forum if you like...
videomaker Awesome, I have signed up to be an Ambassador for the grand opening,I havent been told yet when the training class(s) will start but Im bringing my camera everytime I have to volunteer ! I will keep you posted..You can email me off the forum if you like...
Austin, Tex.’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority says testing and training for its 32-mile passenger rail line is behind schedule, and could further delay the route’s operational debut, currently set for March 30.
Cap Metro is considering a phased service startup, such as only running morning rush-hour trains southbound into downtown Austin, and evening counterparts north to Leander, postponing contraflow service.
Officials expect the delay or the period of limited service to be one-to-two weeks, with bidirectional testing occurring on the weekend when passenger rail service is not scheduled. But a test period of two weeks, as opposed to two months, makes the “more of an unknown because it depends on what might pop up, if anything," according to Doug Allen, Cap Metro's executive vice president and chiefdevelopment officer. "We don't anticipate anything like that, but you just never know until you get into it and start testing."
Cap Metro set the March 30 opening date last October, saying the system’s track controls and computerized dispatching equipment would be in place by December, with personnel training and on-site operational practice to follow. But the equipment wasn’t functioning until early this month, and employee training is now ongoing as a result.
Problems with gates at grade-crossings, while minor, also are still to be resolved to Cap Metro's satisfaction. The line's signal pre-emption system also is not yet fully operational.
Cap Metro says it still plans to hold opening celebrations for the line on the March 21-22 weekend, regardless of when revenue service is scheduled to commence. Six Stadler-Bussnag diesel units will be placed in service, operating under temporal separation rules.
THEY ARE ONE UNIT,THE ENGINE IS IN THE CENTER SHORT BODY WITH THE WHEELS UNDER IT..I dont know about coupling them together,they would run short of trains...
L
videomaker THEY ARE ONE UNIT,THE ENGINE IS IN THE CENTER SHORT BODY WITH THE WHEELS UNDER IT..I dont know about coupling them together,they would run short of trains...
Once again, this weekend Metro were testing the equipment and rails. Hopefully, by the end of the month. To tell you the truth I saw this weekend working on one the stations. let me know when you come to Austin.
Awesome! Lvideomaker THEY ARE ONE UNIT,THE ENGINE IS IN THE CENTER SHORT BODY WITH THE WHEELS UNDER IT..I dont know about coupling them together,they would run short of trains... Once again, this weekend Metro were testing the equipment and rails. Hopefully, by the end of the month. To tell you the truth I saw this weekend working on one the stations. let me know when you come to Austin.
Unfortunately, according to the article in the Austin American-Statesman, the opening of the Leander to Austin commuter rail service has been postponed indefinitely. It appears Capital Metro, which is the owner, has run into some serious safety and contractor issues.
I reported for training as an Ambassador this morning and we were told at that time ! We didnt get notified by email until later in the am..This is a sad turn of events for the people of Austin and the people along the route...From what we were told by a Cap Metrorail exec is they are not satisfied with the contractor Veolia and I think the FRA is not either !
Capital Metro may delay commuter rail until after a review is completed sometime in May. Track warrant control will probably remain in effect until then. Haven't heard specifically what the safety violations are that have been alleged against Veolia. Also, the intermediate signals (although not turned towards the main track) work just fine when an Austin Western freight goes through, but apparently aren't activated by the DMU's.
I cannot help but wonder if Capital Metro's initiative for commuter rail between Leander and Austin would have turned out better if it had followed the Trinity Railway Express model.
TRE, which runs between Dallas and Fort Worth and is owned by Dallas Areas Rapid Transit, as well as Fort Worth's T, began operations with rebuilt RDCs. These demonstrated a demand for the service and helped make it viable. Subsequently, the TRE purchased F-59PH locomotives, of which four were used and two were new. It also purchased 10 bi-level coaches and 7 cab cars. Most of them were used, although five of the cab cars were new. Buying used stuff, especially when in start-up mode, is probably a better business decision.
I did not live in the Austin area when the decision was made to go with European built DMUs, and I don't know what drivers led to the decision to buy them, but it does not look like a very good one. They are not the only problem to confront Capital Metro's commuter rail start-up, but it appears that they are a contributing factor.
Interestingly, the rail distance from Dallas to Fort Worth is approximately the same as the rail distance from Leander to Austin, although the Leander to Austin line snakes a bit more.
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