Posted on 03/05/2010 2:53:15 PM PST by deport
Passenger rail in Austin — for 40 years the subject of speculation, argumentation, elections and, finally, construction — will leave the station early in the morning on March 22, Capital Metro officials announced just after noon.
Federal rail regulators, in town the past several days as Capital Metro did on-schedule testing of the 32-mile line from Leander to downtown Austin, gave their blessing this morning, Capital Metro interim chief executive officer Doug Allen said. The line, which was to have opened a year ago (and even earlier under original predictions), had been plagued by glitches in its signal and gate crossing systems much of last year.
But after a trouble-shooting process that involved bringing in signalization experts to diagnose the problems and revamping both hardware and software, Capital Metro in recent weeks had indicated that the equipment was working properly.
The line will have nine stations, and service will run every 35 minutes during the morning and evening commuting hours. There will be a total of 19 daily runs: six southbound and three northbound in the morning, and six northbound and four southbound in the evening. Most of those “reverse” runs — those going north in the morning and south in the evening — will not run the full 32 miles............
The full trip from Leander to downtown should take just over an hour, Capital Metro says. The agency will have a promotional period of at least one week with free fares. After that, a one-way fare for that distance will be $3, with a $2 fare for shorter trips. A day pass, which will entitle a customer to ride all Capital Metro buses as well, will cost $6, and a monthly pass with the same privileges will cost $70.........
end snips
(Excerpt) Read more at statesman.com ...
Photo: Andy Sharp for the American-Statesman
Jean Shull of Volente waits for a Capital Metro
passenger train during a test run today. Officials said the
line, which will run from Leander to downtown Austin,
will begin service March 22.
Nothing more than Socialism for suburban Austin and the eastside hipsters.
Anyone want to bet on how big the per ticket subsidy will be after 1 year? The over under starts at $20.00.
It would be quicker to drive downtown than to drive to the closest place so I could get the train.
Besides, many Texans and Austinites simply are not willing to give up their vehicles. Pickups and such.
I may have an opportunity for a job in Austin this fall. Real Estate looks awfully expensive there. I may have to have my salary tripled. Why so expensive? Looks like California real estate prices to me.
Besides, many Texans and Austinites simply are not willing to give up their vehicles. Pickups and such.
That’s just the way of life here. Mass commuter transportation hasn’t been a way of life for Texans.
I actually don’t mind cap metro. I used to take a bus from Cedar Park downtown every day. Instead of fighting the inconsiderate, suicidal morons on mopac, I would just read a book and drink a coffee.
What if instead of a passenger train like this, the largest US cities had flatbed-style trains? You just drove your vehicle right up to an open slot on the flatbed, turned off the ignition, and let it take you where you needed to your stop, and then drive your merry way. Nobody has to give up their truck, nobody has to sit next to a smelly bum, and nobody dies in a fiery ball of hell because some seventeen year old beeotch is texting while driving...
Not in Austin so maybe some others can give you some advice. I suspect prices to some extent or dependant upon location, schools, neighborhoods, etc. If and when you get more defined and maybe want to spend sometime go the the following Travis County Appraisal District and look at homes and their tax roll appraisials. Just a suggestion.
http://www.traviscad.org/property_search.html
Welcome to Texas if you get get the opp to move here.
I think the San Antonio, Austin, DFW connection is a prime area for high speed passenger rail and extension into OK would seem logical or reverse the order in your case. I think the key to this concept is dedicated passenger lines not under the control of freight lines like we have today. That is what Perry was thinking with his TTC concept of freight and passenger trains on seperate rails.
There is the Heartland Flyer that goes from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, and thus connects onto the train that goes from Dallas to Los Angeles. It’s just the Tulsa to Oklahoma City that isn’t there now. I used to ride the trains from Dallas to Oklahoma City (the Santa Fe) and then the Rock Island to Tulsa (changing in OKC)... :-)
Oklahoma is talking about a line that goes up from Oklahoma City to Kansas (can’t remember what cities up there now...).
I think the national passenger rail system may be gradually built up again... it seems that it’s gradually going that way.
I doubt if the Austin line can match the NMRRX line for scenery and the high priced ad below cannot be aimed for the everyday commuter.
Click on the image for an ad for the NM Rail Runner. Due to the budget deficit mentioned above, the late Saturday service mentioned in the ad has already been discontinued.
Looks like California real estate prices
.... good grief, where are you looking? We just bought 4.7 Acres with pond and custom built stone/brick house for less than a third of what it would cost in So CA, just north of the Leander station. You won’t believe how cheap everything except RE taxes is in TX... probably cut the cost of living in half! Come hang and look around.
ymmv
I brought up the google map for Austin and used the real estate gadget to show prices in the surrounding areas. Maybe referring it to California was a little much but it looked double or triple to where I am now. SC.
money better spent than....
fighting two land wars in Asia
On flatbed trucks.
≤]B^)
Well lookee here... Austin plum done gone ahead and become a BIG CITY on us , Ma.
SNORT!
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