San Antonio Light-Rail... Possibility?...Give SA Light Rail...Light Rail Trolley (Alamo: train, estimated)

[Sevenelements]

Wth?

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

Originally Posted by 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.

um.... SA has one of the best bus systems in the entire country.....

I mean, I agree with everything ELSE you said and I think we should have light rail too!
But it was just kind of weird that you had facts to back up everything else
yet in the beginning you just blurted out "VIA Transportation is way too far behind in San Antonio" without showing anything to support it.

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

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[chud]

We need light rail in San Antonio. I would vote for it.

[Quattro72]

Light rail in San Antonio would bring the city to the 21st century but by the time that happens in SA, the other cities with light rail will have cars flying.

[Busfan]

Originally Posted by ChrisSA_wxatUIW

um.... SA has one of the best bus systems in the entire country.....

I mean, I agree with everything ELSE you said and I think we should have light rail too!
But it was just kind of weird that you had facts to back up everything else
yet in the beginning you just blurted out "VIA Transportation is way too far behind in San Antonio" without showing anything to support it.

I don't mean to make you feel offended about the VIA transit... Most routes in northern part of San Antonio frequency is hourly services unless certain times of the rush hour.

In San Diego, most routes average during the week is 15 minutes frequency...

I would suggest you go over to San Diego to ride on the trolley to gain some experience and ideas how the trolley operate. If you do have plenty of time, take the Amtrak from San Antonio to Los Angeles and then transfer to "San Diegan" train to San Diego (unreserved train).

[Mezter]

How is the no light rail yet??

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Mezter

How is the no light rail yet??

The voters voted it down twice. And it wasn't a close vote.

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by Mezter

How is the no light rail yet??

Just fine why?

[samvp]

Originally Posted by Bo

The voters voted it down twice. And it wasn't a close vote.

I believe it was voted down only once, in 2000. Since then there has been no other light rail vote. Though, considering the changing demographic and just for. The last couple of city bond votes and independent surveys done regarding light rail, a vote done now would pass with flying colors. Anti tax folk would be as ignored as they were with prek4sa.