M-1 rail discussion

[Honky Tonk]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OK Honky Tonk, 3-4 hrs of busyness around a stadium does not qualify as "overcrowding". Cities are meant for the crowds. I'm not sure what else you were expecting when you lived there. Peace and quiet and open air?

I was expecting less assholes.

[dtowncitylover]

I was expecting less assholes.

Yeah sorry but your "complaints" are typical of city living. Though I'll to give you the benefit of the doubt because we haven't been around or living in a typical city for decades...

[middetres]

I was expecting less assholes.

And where are most of those assholes from?

[RO_Resident]

By the way, that the QLine streetcar was towed along most of its route was due to a slight mishap - it was supposed to be towed the entire way; this was not intended to be a test of its own operating capabilities [[this first test was largely about ADA compliance) but the streetcar got detached from the towing vehicle [[oops) but was able to proceed on its own battery power until it could be reconnected. [[Yay!) Thank goodness somebody remembered to plug in the charger beforehand

Testing on Wednesday, 12/14 was under the streetcar's own power. At least the portion saw. Never went faster than a slow jog. The flaggers got a bit of a workout.

[canuck]

"Delivery Drivers: Please exercise use of side streets." This will probably result in the biggest complaints concerning putting the Q-Line right along the curb of the southbound lanes. A delivery driver is supposed to find a side street, park, unload deliveries, and then cart deliveries 50 to 100 yards away from said destination. There is more of a potential for delivery drivers to be robbed or their trucks broken into while they are in the businesses along Woodward unloading their deliveries. They'd be better off parking in the left turn lane like they do on Kercheval in Grosse Pointe. At least this way they can keep and I on their vehicles and they're not targets for criminals lurking around the corner on those side streets.

In addition, I still don't know how this curbside configuration on the southbound lanes was accepted by city council. There will be other occurrences where this configuration will be a problem. For example, cars turning west onto streets like Warren or Canfield will slow the Q-Line down when they have to wait for pedestrians to cross the street. Also, cars with mechanical problems will have to use the Q-Line's lane to get out of the way of on coming traffic.

Finally, how can the fine for being in the way of the Q-Line be $650? Shouldn't the fine for parking on the rails be the same as parking in any other no-parking area along the street? I can see a lawyer for someone required to pay this fine arguing in court, saying that this fine is unconstitutional because it is "excessive." Stay turned.

Frankly, why would anyone park their car on any stretch of rail, anytime? Nevermind streetcars or trams. Honestly, I would revoke your driver's license and stick a 1300$ fine. Maybe even a little waterboarding for good measure. It seems to be getting some traction of late.

[Honky Tonk]

Frankly, why would anyone park their car on any stretch of rail, anytime?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRBBKF0XGLo

[canuck]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRBBKF0XGLo

That guy driving the fire truck is the poster child for Oxycontin now. Lol. No need for waterboarding.

[ferndalescotty23]

I drove downtown last night and came across three cars parked with hazards on in the rail lane. One was a MSP patrol car. This reprograming of drivers and pedestrians in the Midtown/Downtown areas is going to take awhile. I predict a QLine/car accident in the first month of operation and I am shocked a jaywalker hasn't been clipped yet with all the increased foot and vehicle traffic. I almost hit two clowns in the road last night.

[Honky Tonk]

I drove downtown last night and came across three cars parked with hazards on in the rail lane. One was a MSP patrol car. This reprograming of drivers and pedestrians in the Midtown/Downtown areas is going to take awhile. I predict a QLine/car accident in the first month of operation and I am shocked a jaywalker hasn't been clipped yet with all the increased foot and vehicle traffic. I almost hit two clowns in the road last night.

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[gumby]

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Wait I thought the whole creepy clown thing died out after Halloween. Lol,

[drjeff]

I drove downtown last night and came across three cars parked with hazards on in the rail lane. One was a MSP patrol car. This reprograming of drivers and pedestrians in the Midtown/Downtown areas is going to take awhile. I predict a QLine/car accident in the first month of operation and I am shocked a jaywalker hasn't been clipped yet with all the increased foot and vehicle traffic. I almost hit two clowns in the road last night.

The fact that people regularly block a lane of Woodward in the heart of downtown because they are too lazy to park and walk should have been addressed long before the rail was even built. It's ridiculous.

[dtowncitylover]

I drove downtown last night and came across three cars parked with hazards on in the rail lane. One was a MSP patrol car. This reprograming of drivers and pedestrians in the Midtown/Downtown areas is going to take awhile. I predict a QLine/car accident in the first month of operation and I am shocked a jaywalker hasn't been clipped yet with all the increased foot and vehicle traffic. I almost hit two clowns in the road last night.

The would've taken a photo of MSP car and posted it to their Facebook page and shamed them. They need to be setting a better example. Hazards don't give anyone the right to stand still illegally. I'm sure there will be night testing, especially for their drivers to get acclimated at driving at night, like we all had to do when we first got our permits.

[Honky Tonk]

Wait I thought the whole creepy clown thing died out after Halloween. Lol,

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[swede1934]

Got a question re the new M1 streetcars. Can anybody tell me how these new cars compare to the 1949 PCC vehicles, as far as length and total passenger capaciity? I rode the PCC's as a kid and I am interested in seeing how they compare.

[canuck]

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Santa Clown is coming to town.

[Zack Lask]

I have a question, what is the purpose of those tall barriers in the middle of the road around the LCA Fox theater area?

[SpartanDawg]

I have a question, what is the purpose of those tall barriers in the middle of the road around the LCA Fox theater area?

they've converted that area into a boulevard... they will plant some sort of trees and shrubbery i'm assuming they're waiting until march do so though

[Zack Lask]

that makes sense. I just thought they looked much taller than a normal curb. It seemed a little strange to me.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Got a question re the new M1 streetcars. Can anybody tell me how these new cars compare to the 1949 PCC vehicles, as far as length and total passenger capaciity? I rode the PCC's as a kid and I am interested in seeing how they compare.

When in San Francisco, be sure to catch a ride on car 1079.

http://www.streetcar.org/streetcars/1079-1079-detroit/

[MSUguy]

Got a question re the new M1 streetcars. Can anybody tell me how these new cars compare to the 1949 PCC vehicles, as far as length and total passenger capaciity? I rode the PCC's as a kid and I am interested in seeing how they compare.

New are little bigger and carry a lot more people

http://www.brookvillecorp.com/Files/...015-WebRes.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCC_streetcar

[royce]

I drove downtown last night and came across three cars parked with hazards on in the rail lane. One was a MSP patrol car. This reprograming of drivers and pedestrians in the Midtown/Downtown areas is going to take awhile. I predict a QLine/car accident in the first month of operation and I am shocked a jaywalker hasn't been clipped yet with all the increased foot and vehicle traffic. I almost hit two clowns in the road last night.

Well, for reasons stated above and for some others, why was it so important to place the Q-Line tracks in the parking lane on the southbound side of Woodward and not in the second lane like those in the northbound lanes? I'm sure you will hear fewer, if any, problems or complaints about the Q-Line on the northbound side. Maybe when the complaints become so numerous that in 10 years when it's time to redo the tracks, they'll decide to move the southbound tracks to the second lane after all.

BTW, why are the stations being done piecemeal as opposed to one being completely done at one point and then the next one being completely done and so on?

[warsaw7]

they've converted that area into a boulevard... they will plant some sort of trees and shrubbery i'm assuming they're waiting until march do so though

........ are you sure about that? They are pretty heavy on concrete and too skinny in the middle for any plant life.

[SpartanDawg]

........ are you sure about that? They are pretty heavy on concrete and too skinny in the middle for any plant life.

So there is an area that is just filled with concrete.. however as you can see the majority of the boulevard has space available to fill with dirt and plants.. as you can see in the renderings for LCA they show what they're going to likely do.

[1953]

I imagine that part of the role of those dividers is to discourage hockey fans from pouring out of the rink onto Woodward, short of a crosswalk.

[SpartanDawg]

I imagine that part of the role of those dividers is to discourage hockey fans from pouring out of the rink onto Woodward, short of a crosswalk.

i think this is definitely part of it.. and i think it helps traffic flow better near the arena since cars won't be able to pull any illegal U turns or anything like that.. the goal is definitely to keep things moving in front of it.. smart move and it also beautifies the street