New Dallas DART Extension opens

[spuwho]

Per Trains NewsWire

(note cost)



DALLAS â€" Dallas Area Rapid Transit opened two new light rail segments this week, extending its Blue Line to Rowlett and the Orange Line closer to Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport. DART has built more than 40 miles of track in the last three years, bringing its total light rail mileage to 85.

The 4.5-mile, $360 million segment extension of the Blue Line to Downtown Rowlett marks the first expansion of the Blue Line since it reached Garland in November 2002. In late 2016, DART will lengthen the Blue Line south from Ledbetter Station to connect to the University of North Texas at Dallas.

The $1.3 billion Orange Line was extended nearly four miles with new stops at North Lake College and Belt Line Road, on DFW Airport property. The first section opened in July with just three stations. This segment extends the Orange Line toward its eventual terminus at DFW Airport. DFW Station is scheduled to open in December 2014, making DART one of the few transit agencies in the U.S. with direct rail service into a major airport

[Ocklawaha]

DALLAS


JACKSONVILLE...

Per Trains NewsWire

(note cost)

I was there, riding the system just a couple of months ago, to confer, converse, and otherwise hob-nob with my brother wizards of the rails.

The cost is quite low considering $80 million a mile is for an exclusive right of way, largely elevated, double track, electrified speedway with 65 mile per hours permitted between stations.

Bringing this down to a current Jacksonville level, we are looking at a heritage streetcar system, in street, side of the road or in medians. Easily done for $10 million a mile or less - in FACT Memphis was able to bring one segment online for $3 million per mile. We could dream of buying a 3 unit light-rail train for $3-$5 million dollars a copy or we can act with vintage equipment for $250,000 dollars a copy.

If it gets us off the ground, I believe the $250,000 dollar/$3 - $5 million dollar a copy, cars and track structure, is the right choice for Jacksonville (not to mention the suburbs where we plan streetcar were built for streetcars!)