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OMG its heavy rail. No tram/trolley rail. It's a system that dates back to the 1800s literally. With a WW2 era subway added in its Core and lines that extend further into neighborhoods along with its elevated portion never removed in its Core .,,... as NYC did. But NYC had a much more extensive subway portion.
Also in-median large segments of expressways in later extensions of the L (as it is called) it too pioneered.
Chicago is the only city in the US that maintained its elevated HEAVY RAIL lines in its downtown.
These elevated iron skeleton supports are what date to the 1800s. The trains are computerized with automated trains saying when doors are closing and the side that a station has doors open toward. You merely download the app. and at stations/terminals buses and trains, to tell you when the next train/bus arrives. Great in winter as you can stay in the coffee shop till the train is due.
In the sheer definition of 'heavy rail' in this country, which mainly defines systems where passengers board trains from high platforms for a step-less, level entry, controlled (barrier) access and primarily grade separation (although we know of several portions of outer L lines that drop down from elevated viaducts and travel at grade, including having at-grade stations. Chicago's L is sometimes considered light rail, or more correctly LRT-ish, because of its smaller, lightweight cars (required from the L's early days when elevated structures were built with extremely tight turning radii -- still existing today in such older/original 1890s-ish sections as the Loop, Green Line South, and Red/Brown/Purple Lines, north), as compared to say, New York, DC Metro, MARTA, BART, etc... In fact, in the 1940s and 50s, a series of L cars were actually built with PCC (Presidents Conference Committee - standardized WWII era trolley cars) shells; they were that interchangeable in terms of size.
Ithaca, NY has 24-hour bus service. I assume lots of small towns have all-night bus service, especially college towns.
Are you talking about TCAT? I looked on their site, but it looks like all the routes end before 2am.
As far as other cities, there might be a few outliers and tourist areas, but I think there are not that many places with true 24 hour service. I'm taking an educated guess that the closest most cities get, is some routes ending at 2 am, and starting around 5:30 or 6am.
I would have thought New Orleans might have 24 hour service at least in the French Quarter. It has a larger city limit population than Pittsburgh, but a much smaller metro population, which is really the more important factor. But the tourist presence would offset that.
Pittsburgh used to have some 24 hour bus service, but that was changed maybe 8 or 10 years ago due to budget.
It ran 24 hours when I was an undergraduate at Cornell. They called it the Blue Light Bus, and it came every half hour. Maybe Uber/Lyft reduced late night demand.
Anyways, what is the point? Why does it make a difference if a city has an empty bus at 3 AM and one at 4 AM? That's basically what we're talking about. Most cities have services starting around 5 and ending around 1-2, so, for most routes, we're asking if there are one or two additional buses in the middle of the night.
It ran 24 hours when I was an undergraduate at Cornell. They called it the Blue Light Bus, and it came every half hour. Maybe Uber/Lyft reduced late night demand.
Anyways, what is the point? Why does it make a difference if a city has an empty bus at 3 AM and one at 4 AM? That's basically what we're talking about. Most cities have services starting around 5 and ending around 1-2, so, for most routes, we're asking if there are one or two additional buses in the middle of the night.
well you could say that about a lot of things what's the point at 4 am? simple with transit its about being able to rely on it any time no matter what. if you miss the last train or bus at night, it can cost a lot more money, and be a big hassle and/or dangerous trying to get home. most systems with 24 hour service are going to have more than one an hour, also, even in the middle of the night. and also some of this service is designed specifiaclly for shift workers. so its pretty important to them if they don't have a car.
In the sheer definition of 'heavy rail' in this country, which mainly defines systems where passengers board trains from high platforms for a step-less, level entry, controlled (barrier) access and primarily grade separation (although we know of several portions of outer L lines that drop down from elevated viaducts and travel at grade, including having at-grade stations. Chicago's L is sometimes considered light rail, or more correctly LRT-ish, because of its smaller, lightweight cars (required from the L's early days when elevated structures were built with extremely tight turning radii -- still existing today in such older/original 1890s-ish sections as the Loop, Green Line South, and Red/Brown/Purple Lines, north), as compared to say, New York, DC Metro, MARTA, BART, etc... In fact, in the 1940s and 50s, a series of L cars were actually built with PCC (Presidents Conference Committee - standardized WWII era trolley cars) shells; they were that interchangeable in terms of size.
The width of Chicago's trains about the same as trolleys of old. Had nothing to do with it being still NOT called a - light-rail system. Ground level medians on expressways do not make it light-rail either. It blends all three. Subway, elevated and expressly median segments. Same trains still not seen as light rail or some kind of hybrid-system.
Trolley's of old width changes nothing. Judst because they could be The trains today are considered heavy rail.
The width of Chicago's trains about the same as trolleys of old. Had nothing to do with it being still NOT called a - light-rail system. Ground level medians on expressways do not make it light-rail either. It blends all three. Subway, elevated and expressly median segments. Same trains still not seen as light rail or some kind of hybrid-system.
Trolley's of old width changes nothing. Judst because they could be The trains today are considered heavy rail.
I've always considered the CTA to be HRT-lite due to the cramped and narrow cars. It's also the only one I've ever seen anywhere with actual at-grade street crossings.
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