mfastx Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Any pics of the new cars? All I can find are the current boxy Salt Lake City cars. Hopefully those aren't them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urban909 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Any pics of the new cars? All I can find are the current boxy Salt Lake City cars. Hopefully those aren't them.The UTA has ordered the same Siemans S70 LRV's that are currently used by METRO. Siemens Breaks Its Own Record for Largest Light Rail Vehicle Order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 They are the same vehicles we already have, just with a different nose design.http://www.daybreakutah.com/uta-debuts-new-light-rail-vehicles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 They are the same vehicles we already have, just with a different nose design. http://www.daybreaku...t-rail-vehicles I hope this aspect of it doesn't come with the new trains: Does this mean they're a bit "taller" or are their stations that low? Talk about a lousy design in either case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I don't know if those come with it. Utah had an existing system so their platforms were designed for different vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 The UTA has ordered the same Siemans S70 LRV's that are currently used by METRO. Siemens Breaks Its Own Record for Largest Light Rail Vehicle OrderThe only real complaint I have with the current LRVs is the color; not so much for aesthetic reasons, but for safety's sake. That silver-gray color makes the train blend in with its surroundings, especially at dusk and dawn.A vehicle which weighs several tons, traveling at a good clip and incapable of stopping on a dime shouldn't be camouflaged. Perhaps some of the accidents which plagued the light rail in its early years could have been avoided if a more visible color had been selected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pragmatist Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 The only real complaint I have with the current LRVs is the color; not so much for aesthetic reasons, but for safety's sake. That silver-gray color makes the train blend in with its surroundings, especially at dusk and dawn.A vehicle which weighs several tons, traveling at a good clip and incapable of stopping on a dime shouldn't be camouflaged. Perhaps some of the accidents which plagued the light rail in its early years could have been avoided if a more visible color had been selected.indeed, the red stop think train really brings attention to this! (pun intended?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed.So back to Metro, the same analysis needs to be used? Were there kickbacks involved or simply extreme incompetence? Will there be an investigation or cliched statments like, "we need to move on" etc.?As people, we need to not fight with one another, but rather share facts and discuss reality, not beliefs and see who is working for the people and who is working against the people. One indicator of that is who is giving true information to the people and who is keeping that information from the people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. I'm just disappointed that people are so quick to jump on the conspiracy bandwagon. I'm more in line of extreme incompetence as far as METRO is concerned. Personally, I'd like a way for METRO to get it's full share of the taxes instead of spreading the wealth of sorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highway6 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 This post has been edited by Editor to remove off-topic content. Please keep this thread on topic, or it will be closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 I hope this aspect of it doesn't come with the new trains: Does this mean they're a bit "taller" or are their stations that low? Talk about a lousy design in either case. New York subways have a similar contraption that folds out from under the rail car to bridge gaps in places where the platform is on a curve. Chicago also has curved platforms, but people there just have to jump. Unless you're in a wheelchair, in which case one of the station attendants and the train driver will manually put a ramp in place for you. It delays the entire system, but considering that the CTA is the antithesis of automation, and using design specifications from the 1800's, it's probably the easiest way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I was on the tail end of a double train the other morning. The train did not pull up far enough at Bell station and if someone had needed to get off, they would have had to jump. The back of the second train was litterally in the crosswalk. A disabled person would have never been able to exit. Ooops, I guess the engineer forgot they had a double load, but he/she seemed to remember at the other stations that we stopped.On another note, there is still activity at the intermodal site. I guess we can keep our fingers crossed that something will be done there, even if on a smaller scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 What do we have to do to get those buffoons out of there and held accountable? We need to do this NOW.If by 'buffoons' you mean people such as Robb Todd and Tom Delay, I'm with you 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I was on the tail end of a double train the other morning. The train did not pull up far enough at Bell station and if someone had needed to get off, they would have had to jump. The back of the second train was litterally in the crosswalk. A disabled person would have never been able to exit. Ooops, I guess the engineer forgot they had a double load, but he/she seemed to remember at the other stations that we stopped.On another note, there is still activity at the intermodal site. I guess we can keep our fingers crossed that something will be done there, even if on a smaller scale.I saw the same thing. If METRO has dropped the plans for that site... then... who in the world is doing all that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I saw the same thing. If METRO has dropped the plans for that site... then... who in the world is doing all that work?There's still going to be a light rail station (Burnett Station) and a bus transfer area, just not commuter rail and a giant shopping mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Well, CAF took another shot at metro and criticized their Utah purchase.They state that they are spending more from the Utah system cars by 38% at $4.3 million.I do have to state that this report does give a good argument on how METRO is being forced to spend more for less.Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 This only serves to reinforce the idea that METRO cannot do anything right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 This only serves to reinforce the idea that METRO cannot do anything right.No. It just shows that the "buy america" clause is BS.While I don't know enough to know if the cars were sold to us by CAF was a "good deal", I would like to see a what a "good buy" with high capacity vs. low cost vs. quality made in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 No. It just shows that the "buy america" clause is BS.While I don't know enough to know if the cars were sold to us by CAF was a "good deal", I would like to see a what a "good buy" with high capacity vs. low cost vs. quality made in the US.Good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Got this e-mail from Metro yesterday:--:--METRO Board Approves Fully Compliant Buy America Proposal for New Rail Cars from CAF USAThe METRO Board of Directors today gave the green light to purchase 39 light-rail vehicles (LRV’s) from CAF USA (U.S. subsidiary of Spain’s Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) for light-rail lines currently under construction in Houston. “The proposal submitted by CAF USA was the best value for the New METRO and it is fully compliant with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Buy America,” said METRO Board Chairman, Gilbert Garcia. “The work generated by this contract will put money in American wallets and that’s good for Houston, and Texas.”CAF’s $153.1 million proposal was submitted to the Board in accordance with an FTA-approved process that stipulated METRO would: Successfully negotiate termination of the former CAF contractDevelop an FTA-approved acquisition plan in full compliance with all FTA requirements including Buy AmericaDevelop an FTA-approved source selection plan disclosing all evaluation factors, their relative importance, and the basis for any awardPrepare an FTA-approved solicitation for the procurement of 39 LRV’sLast year, the FTA determined the prior METRO administration had not followed appropriate procurement policies in the former CAF contract.“We are very pleased the FTA has placed its confidence in METRO and our revised procurement procedures. This is a huge undertaking and will benefit those who are producing the cars here in the U.S. as well as the citizens of Houston who will have first-class, state-of- the-art trains,” said George Greanias, METRO’s president & CEO. Construction on three new light-rail projects is in full swing and visible along Houston’s East End, North and Southeast lines. The projects are expected to be completed and ready for passengers in mid-2014. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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