Comments on: Seeing the Purple Line by itself (+ a great map) http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/ Helping imagine a great college town for a great university Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:30:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Walt C. http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/comment-page-1/#comment-25558 Walt C. Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:53:46 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/#comment-25558 My early post said I didn't think the WMATA should control the Purple Line, I was actually thinking about MARC. Of course the WMATA or Metro should be in charge of the Purple LIne My early post said I didn’t think the WMATA should control the Purple Line, I was actually thinking about MARC. Of course the WMATA or Metro should be in charge of the Purple LIne

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]]> By: Walt C. http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/comment-page-1/#comment-25364 Walt C. Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:48:57 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/#comment-25364 The Silver Line in Virginia unlike the Purple Line is essentially a Virginia project, although I guess its supposed to stop near the Navy Yard I think in DC. The Purple Line on the other hand is supposedly supposed to be (at least that was my early understanding) a METRO wide project and not exclusive to MD. The Purple Line is (was) supposed to be parallel the Beltway all the way around DC with obvious stops at established stations like Bethesda, Silver Springs, New Carrollton, Branch Ave, Alexandria, Merrifield, etc. As well as potential new stops in Langley Park, UMD, Forrestville, National Harbor, Annandale, Tysons Corner, etc. This is why I can't really understand the concept of this seemingly exclusive idea of a Bi-County Transitway with LIGHT RAIL (sic). If Maryland is that shallow, and Virginia that blind that they can't see the obvious benefits of working together to build a heavy system with many underground miles of tracks to preserve neighborhoods, parks, and help fuel better pedestrian TODs near the Beltway, then this might as well be the Twilight Zone. I'm NOT AGAINST LIGHT RAIL TRAINS, it is just that a route like this that parallels the Beltway needs to be fast and capable of holding many passengers and should be integrated into the Metro System Rail, sorry WMATA. But, this is not just about a cutesy lil train line, this about 100s of thousands if not millions of potential residents coming to the DC metro in the next 25 years, and the more of them that can be closer to city center with adequate transportation and easy access to amenities....THE BETTER. And I understand, it may? cost more money for heavy rail, but that outweighs building some slow moving trains that barely hold any people, IMHO. The Silver Line in Virginia unlike the Purple Line is essentially a Virginia project, although I guess its supposed to stop near the Navy Yard I think in DC. The Purple Line on the other hand is supposedly supposed to be (at least that was my early understanding) a METRO wide project and not exclusive to MD. The Purple Line is (was) supposed to be parallel the Beltway all the way around DC with obvious stops at established stations like Bethesda, Silver Springs, New Carrollton, Branch Ave, Alexandria, Merrifield, etc. As well as potential new stops in Langley Park, UMD, Forrestville, National Harbor, Annandale, Tysons Corner, etc.

This is why I can’t really understand the concept of this seemingly exclusive idea of a Bi-County Transitway with LIGHT RAIL (sic). If Maryland is that shallow, and Virginia that blind that they can’t see the obvious benefits of working together to build a heavy system with many underground miles of tracks to preserve neighborhoods, parks, and help fuel better pedestrian TODs near the Beltway, then this might as well be the Twilight Zone.

I’m NOT AGAINST LIGHT RAIL TRAINS, it is just that a route like this that parallels the Beltway needs to be fast and capable of holding many passengers and should be integrated into the Metro System Rail, sorry WMATA. But, this is not just about a cutesy lil train line, this about 100s of thousands if not millions of potential residents coming to the DC metro in the next 25 years, and the more of them that can be closer to city center with adequate transportation and easy access to amenities….THE BETTER. And I understand, it may? cost more money for heavy rail, but that outweighs building some slow moving trains that barely hold any people, IMHO.

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]]> By: David Daddio http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/comment-page-1/#comment-24261 David Daddio Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:16:05 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/#comment-24261 I was hoping someone else would comment on this, but I'll go ahead and do it. Keep in mind that the silver line process was started earlier and although it is "heavy rail" most of it will be above ground (and relatively cheap). Witness the controversy over a tunnel for part of that project at Tysons Corner... The Purple Line is by no means the only light rail being considered in the region. It's just cheaper, plain and simple, even when taking into account that it has different maintenance requirements than today's metro. I was hoping someone else would comment on this, but I’ll go ahead and do it. Keep in mind that the silver line process was started earlier and although it is “heavy rail” most of it will be above ground (and relatively cheap). Witness the controversy over a tunnel for part of that project at Tysons Corner… The Purple Line is by no means the only light rail being considered in the region. It’s just cheaper, plain and simple, even when taking into account that it has different maintenance requirements than today’s metro.

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]]> By: Ray http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/comment-page-1/#comment-23839 Ray Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:29:53 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/#comment-23839 So i can understand the reason to build light rail versus heavy rail more economic devolopment, cheaper costs and other stuff like that. But if you think of it in the long run dosnt it make more since to build a tranprotation system that will work with the other stystems. Like why does virginia get the "silver line" but maryland cant get a purple line. Wouldnt it make much more since to build onto the system so the same kind of trains could be used. We have an amazing metro rail system why add the light rail component So i can understand the reason to build light rail versus heavy rail more economic devolopment, cheaper costs and other stuff like that.

But if you think of it in the long run dosnt it make more since to build a tranprotation system that will work with the other stystems. Like why does virginia get the “silver line” but maryland cant get a purple line. Wouldnt it make much more since to build onto the system so the same kind of trains could be used. We have an amazing metro rail system why add the light rail component

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]]> By: David Daddio http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/comment-page-1/#comment-23513 David Daddio Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:24:34 +0000 http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/2007/408/#comment-23513 There is definitely a tradeoff between too many stops (slow train) and not enough riders. I don't think they will build all of those, but keep in mind that the train doesn't actually have to stop if no one presses the button to get off. Also, a light rail station is not very substantial: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicajuriga/403645361/ There is definitely a tradeoff between too many stops (slow train) and not enough riders. I don’t think they will build all of those, but keep in mind that the train doesn’t actually have to stop if no one presses the button to get off. Also, a light rail station is not very substantial:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicajuriga/403645361/

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