San Antonio Light-Rail... Possibility?...Give SA Light Rail...Light Rail Trolley (Dallas: transfer to, purchase)

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by amexicano

I think you are confusing two different things: trourists visiting the city likely won't care at all about a train to the military bases or to Austin, but would benefit from a GOOD LOCAL transportation system, which probably doesn't have to be light train.

Some of the influx of tourists are visiting their family members who are doing basic training at Lackland.
Dopo mentioned "Military tourist"; a type of tourist who will explore the city but will also be here for basic training graduation.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by amexicano

In order to make the one in SA attractive it would have to be much more than a fast route to Austin. It would have to have a good network around town.

Light rail within town will have nothing to do with a fast route to Austin.

That is a separate project known as the Lone Star Rail commuter service.

Lone Star Rail District | Home

The stop for that should be just west of downtown.

VIA buys site for planned multimodal transit center | San Antonio Business Journal

[amexicano]

Originally Posted by Merovee

Light rail within town will have nothing to do with a fast route to Austin.

That is a separate project known as the Lone Star Rail commuter service.

Lone Star Rail District | Home

The stop for that should be just west of downtown.

VIA buys site for planned multimodal transit center | San Antonio Business Journal

Exactly...

Now my question is: wouldn't a fast train to Austin promote more suburban sprawl in both cities? People will feel more inclined to live in the outskirts of the cities instead of closer to downtown?

[Merovee]

People already feel inclined to do exactly that due to our high dependency on automobiles.

[jb9152]

Originally Posted by amexicano

Exactly...

Now my question is: wouldn't a fast train to Austin promote more suburban sprawl in both cities? People will feel more inclined to live in the outskirts of the cities instead of closer to downtown?

Not necessarily. The Lone Star service is not truly a commuter train, it's an intercity regional rail system. It provides connectivity across the entire corridor from Georgetown to South City (TAMU). It also interfaces with the planned high-capacity transit system in San Antonio (currently being studied as part of the MyWaySA program), connects to the Airport, interfaces with the planned Urban Rail system in Austin (which itself will connect to Austin-Bergstrom Int'l Airport), and connects with rural transit authorities (CARTS and ART) at the other stations on the line.

It's a two-tiered service - local and express. The local service will stop at every station between Georgetown and South San Antonio. The express service will serve the two downtown stations - Austin and San Antonio - and stop at San Marcos and New Braunfels. Total travel time between the downtown stations is projected to be about 1 hour 15 minutes (time-competitive with the auto).

[jb9152]

Originally Posted by amexicano

You hit the nail in the head. They would love it "to go to Austin". Not sure how that benefits San Antonio.

By transporting people in both directions. People wanting to live in Austin and work in San Antonio, see a Spurs game in San Antonio, have dinner on the River Walk in San Antonio, having a business appointment in San Antonio, or attending/working at one of the many higher education facilities within a mile and a half of the track (upwards of 300,000 students and staff between Georgetown and South San Antonio).

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by amexicano

Exactly...

Now my question is: wouldn't a fast train to Austin promote more suburban sprawl in both cities? People will feel more inclined to live in the outskirts of the cities instead of closer to downtown?

You think that people are going to ride a "fast train" like hobos that can get on and off the train wherever they want?
They have to build stations in areas with an already existing large population. (Garden Ridge/Schertz, New Braunfels, San Marcos, etc.)

It sounds like you are just looking for any possible reason to be against it.

[BenjaminNicholas]

Originally Posted by amexicano

Exactly...

Now my question is: wouldn't a fast train to Austin promote more suburban sprawl in both cities? People will feel more inclined to live in the outskirts of the cities instead of closer to downtown?

Gas-powered vehicles have been doing this since the advent of the Model T. I don't think 'urban sprawl' is a decent reason to rally against the creation of public transport.

God forbid we encourage some positive growth in this city. Would you prefer another strip mall consisting of a nail salon and taqueria?



BN

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by amexicano

In order to make the one in SA attractive it would have to be much more than a fast route to Austin.

The never-ending spiral of "anti-progress"

How are we going to have a "whole network" if we don't build the 1st line?
We can't build 10 lines at the same time.

[Busfan]

Gas prices are rising and the VIA Transportation is way too far behind in San Antonio, TX which don’t have rail transportation like San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Seattle, Denver, and Dallas.

Arizona new trolley went into service December 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Light_Rail_(Phoenix)

In San Diego, the MTDB (Metropolitan Transit Development Board) had a plan to bring back the trolley. Apparently that the Southern Pacific didn’t want any more business so they wanted to sell the tracks due to the summer flash flood in Imperial Valley that have washed away.

So under their agreements, MTDB had to purchase the whole railroad tracks from San Diego to Imperial Valley and El Cajon.

Their first line operated July 1981 was from Downtown to International Border went very successful. For the last 20 years, the MTDB continued working on their projects to expand the lines. So there are three lines which now are colors.
Blue Line -American Plaza (East of Santa Fe Depot), Downtown San Diego to San Ysidro / Tijuana Mexico Border
Orange Line -Santa Fe (Amtrak Station), Downtown San Diego to El Cajon
Green Line - 12th & Imperial (Trolley Main Transfer), Downtown San Diego, Old Town to El Cajon / Santee via SDSU (Mini - Subway)

Please note: Los Angeles now have trolley lines right after San Diego Trolley re-birth.

The opponents are anti-trolley that has nothing to do with taxes. They love their cars and they like the traffic. The next 5 to 10 years, roads and highways will be like Los Angeles that many opponents don’t realize what’s happening in San Antonio today! Even though the opponents wanted to drive 2 hours to and from work within 10 miles during the rush hour.

“The San Diego Trolley” book by Gene Holle, were not used by any Federal funds. It was used by local and state tax. They started off at $8.6 million light rail 16 miles.

Former Republican San Diego Mayor / California Gov. Pete Wilson and Former Democrat San Mayor Maureen O’Conner were involved with the light rail program.

The money should help pay for the project by local and state tax. Small percentage gasoline tax, perhaps.

Who all would have to be involved to execute a trolley system?
It’s a very difficult to answer this. It started off by a small group in way for the long run. After the small group being active, it grew bigger and bigger and more people were interesting to have the trolley back.

The San Diego Union-Tribune links:
San Diego Trolley
http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070225/news_lz1h25train.html
http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060723/news_1m23trolley.html

San Antonio
The City of San Antonio population is growing rapidly and the VIA public Transit will eventually demand better transportation impact.

The community will need 3 transit systems, BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), Trolley (Rail Transportation), and regular transit bus in certain areas.

If the community is unable to enhance public transportation in time will allow increase traffic problems, however, the roads and highways will be like Los Angeles that the community wouldn’t want that.
History, San Antonio was the first major cities in the nation have had shut down the trolley back in 1933. San Diego Electric Railway had ceased April 24, 1949. Many of these PCC fleets were sold to El Paso and ran until 1970.

An interesting history on about Rochester, New York the smallest city subway had operated. It was shut down by one of the Republican representative who opposed rail transportation which has been lost for several decades. The main advantage for Rochester community if the subway is operating today will help people move around more freely by avoiding the terrible snow storms during the winter. Before the subway was shut down, Toronto, Canada Transit Board has tried hard to save it and it apparently that a Republican representative had won!

San Antonio need to have the trolley re-birth because this city barely bigger than San Diego. No light rail mass transportation and many Texas residences do not understand the tool that the light rail trolley attracts many riders and tourists.

After the San Diego trolley re-birth July 1981, for the first few months of services, the number of riders have gone up rapidly un-expected so they had to add a third car to make it 3. About a year later, by the Naval Ship building during the rush hour, enormous number of riders packed at the station waiting for the trolley. It was very successful and it is good to have at least number of cars off the road as much as possible.

San Antonio was the 1st major cities shut down the trolley system, please check this link:
http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/history-streetcars.php

The former Republican San Diego Mayor/California Gov. Pete Wilson was very involved with the light rail trolley transportation that have became successfully in San Diego. He was at the SDSU (San Diego State University) presentation ceremony July 2005 before the service officially available for the Green Line. This line has a tunnel/subway under SDSU.