Monday, June 22, 2009

Shared-Street Light Rail Too Dangerous for the Pike

So Mr. Zimmerman's served on the Metro Board for years and neither he nor anyone else on the Metro Board ever raised the issue of Metrorail cars telescoping as the result of a crash? Earth to Zimmy, if you want to see some more fatalities and serious injuries, put motor vehicles and streetcars on the Pike together.

21 comments:

Rail Fan said...

Telescoping accidents were deadly on American railroads, until 100 years ago the railroads began replacing wooden rail cars with all-steel rail cars.

A.Y. said...

The WMATA Board of Directors can be reached (if that is the right word) at: BoardofDirectors at WMATA.com

Doug Park said...

Anyone who is a "decision maker" in the region (including the news media) only associates with people who go along with the program, their program, and is dismissive of everyone who doesn't.

Zimmerman hasn't worked in years and spends his days meeting people like him who tell him what he wants to hear. He's like the Governor of South Carolina, increasingly divorced from reality, into his own belief system, abbreviated B.S.

Anonymous said...

So, as it happens Zimmy and the other WMATA Board members were discussing stuff like how to place food carts outside Metro stations while the NTSB was after WMATA to make significant safety upgradss to MetroRail.

Ted said...

Chris Zimmerman is on Planet Zimmy when it comes to Transportation.

Anonymous said...

Anyone on WMATA's Board ever investigate how many accidents occurred on DC streets when light rail operated in DC?

Anonymous said...

Haven't they learned from the Space Shuttle disasters? Guess not.

Philly Native said...

As a matter of fact there are accidents between motor vehicles and light rail cars all the time. Also accidents caused by autos, bicycles, and motorcycles slipping on the rails.

T Rider said...

The cities that had shared right-of-way light rail replaced the light rail with buses because light rail is too expensive to operate and maintain. The light rail vehicles (aka trolleys) also cause too much traffic congestion and too many accidents.

Anonymous said...

Re County Board, Metro Board, etc.,they only want to talk among themselves and to people who will support whatever they decide to do, no matter how irrational that is.

22201 said...

The Pike Trolley is basically an expensive gimmick (like $175 million) for the Clarendonification of the Pike

L.K. said...

Did you see that the Pols on the Metro Board are blaming the riders and local residents for not "fully funding" Metro? Same Pols (e.g. Chris Zimmerman) who are stripping Arlington's budget to fun arts, recreation, and entertainment projects.

Anonymous said...

Light rail on the Pike is an idiotic idea. The overhead wires alone would preclude many uses for the Pike, like festivals and parades. That's why Philly removed light rail from around Independence Hall.

Don said...

Zimmerman is dangerous. He knows how bad a shape metrorail is in and is spending scare transportation money to install light rail on the Pike, operate Falls Church's bus system and buy expensive new ART buses to replace 3-year "old" Art buses.

Lynne said...

Hi, Yupette,

I just saw that Farah Fawcett died. I am 54 and remember her in Charlie's Angels. Before Yuppies.

RIP with the Angels, Farah.

Linda1947 said...

Lynne, I know how you feel. Our lives have been wasted attempting to build a real world with a real future instead of a Yuppie world with no future. Farah is with God and the Angels.

Barbara1950 said...

Michael Jackson, America's First Yuppie, Dead at Age 50? Why am I not
surprised?

Sue 49 said...

Micheal Jackson. The First Yuppie? About right.

Anonymous said...

Hi Yupette, what did the WMATA Board do yesterday?

Pikester said...

Hi Yupette,

The WMATA Board approved funding for the preliminary design of the Pike Light Rail, aka "Zimmerman Trolley Folly".

Anonymous said...

AY check put the DC Transit board under the header Metro Board heads need to roll

All check out Federal transportation data on trolley and fatal accidents v. buses and fatal accidents. Arlington needs to buy some body bags.