Friday, November 27, 2009

WBJ: Streetcar Backers Gather Ammo

Streetcars
The Washington Business Journal reports on information gathering efforts by streetcar proponents.

13 comments:

Jeff Teitel said...

The whole thing is a pipe dream unless somebody can convince the National Capital Planning Commission to allow over-head power cables.

inked said...

I've been seeing overhead wires all over Boston the last few days. They aren't that big of a deal.

Jeff Teitel said...

If only the NCPC listened to you, inked...

Anonymous said...

Jeff,

Do you have some insider's insight about what NCPC is thinking regarding the matter?

DDOT has made it clear that the city is talking to NCPC, and I suspect that the city is not completely without a plan for how to deal with the issue.

While we don't know, I find it very funny that people without any knowledge of the situation are so ready to jump to the conclusion that the city has not thought at all about the problem.

Jeff Teitel said...

Nope, I don't have any information regarding this. But the fact that the city hasn't said how they're going to clear this hurdle doesn't fill me with confidence that they have a plan. This is the District Gov't we're talking about here...

Anonymous said...

My solution:

The city has natural gas lines running all over the city. Some homes in DC use natural gas to cook with and heat their homes. My solution, create a natural gas station in NE and require the street cars use natural gas as the power source. We will all be driving cars powered by electric and natural gas in 50 years anyway. This is our chance to get ahead of the curve.

Thank you T Boone Pickens!

TR

ro said...

right, because unlike oil, we'll never run out of natural gas...

on a more serious note, i think Jeff makes a good point. every time the issue of how the streetcars will be powered, DC dodges the question. i really would like to know what the plan is. the tracks are nearing completion, the streetcars are on their way from overseas and we still have no word on what the power source will be.

Jeff Teitel said...

As ro mentioned the streetcars have already been purchased, so switching to natural gas probably isn't feasible at this point. Based on the pics from the original post, it looks like the cars will be powered by over-head electric. I don't know if it's possible to convert them to underground electric.

Anonymous said...

I hear from a reliable source that they will be powered by overhead wiring. DC Gov. knows this they're just waiting for the time and place to introduce a change in the law (against overhead wires). I think the approach is actually smart, wait until the project is too far along to halt and then say they have to change the law or the whole streetcar project will have been a waste.

Anonymous said...

The street cars are already here.

oboe said...

The whole thing is a pipe dream unless somebody can convince the National Capital Planning Commission to allow over-head power cables.

Boy! I sure hope someone, somewhere in the District government reads Frozen Tropics!
Thank God, we have someone willing to think through these issues!

(Incidentally, the streetcar tracks around H & 3rd are "done", and exposed. You can drive on 'em now.)

Jordan said...

I don't know where some of you have been the past year, but there has been alot of debate and actual research conducted (i.e. steps forward) with regard to coming up with a solution to the overhead wire ban. You can read about it here: http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=3587

Besides, Gabe Klien, Scott Kubly and others have talked alot about the 'hybrid' solution at the Streetcar town hall meetings. In my opinion, that is the solution that I believe we will end up with: overhead wires will power the cars on Benning and possibly H st then the wires will drop off and cars will be powered by battery through K st and downtown.

read more here:
http://www.voiceofthehill.com/D-C-NEWS/City-officials-map-out-streetcar-plan

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=3167

Rayful Edmond said...

Natural gas is the champagne of fuels. Yes, it burns cleanly, but it's expensive and a limited resource. Rail cars can be powered through off-the-grid electricity.