Oklahoman Hyper-Protective of Streetcar!

[Ocklawaha]

DEVON ENERGY TOWER, OKC, OK.


This historic photo is from the Twin Cities, and it is a payoff by the oil and auto conglomerate 'National City Lines' for scrapping the streetcars and as a result of the dirty deed, both of these scoundrels ended up serving time. One would think that OKC is ready to run with a similar headline for a streetcar system they haven't even built yet.

This article appeared in Oklahoma's largest newspaper, "The Daily Oklahoman," might want streetcars more then I do! I really didn't think that possible. They have a extremely hyper-reactive headline that at first blush, is going to enrage a lot of people who don't read between the lines. The most interesting part is the fight involves the same classical characters that brought down the nations transit systems and ended in a nasty courtroom brawl. CHECK THIS OUT:

Devon Energy's Larry Nichols objects to downtown streetcar system

Larry Nichols, one of the most influential voices guiding downtown Oklahoma City development, is preparing to oppose construction of a new streetcar system over concerns about noise and visual blight.

BY STEVE LACKMEYER slackmeyer@opubco.com
VIEW IT AT: http://newsok.com/devon-energys-larry-nichols-objects-to-downtown-streetcar-system/article/3864840

Larry Nichols, one of the most influential voices guiding downtown development, is preparing to oppose construction of a new streetcar system over concerns about noise and visual blight.


A "modern" streetcar with overhead wiring similar to what will be constructed in Oklahoma City is shown in this photo of a streetcar in Portland, Ore. Provided by Portland Streetcar Inc.
The $94 million streetcar was approved by voters as part of the 2009 MAPS 3 ballot, and campaign materials produced by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber at the time portrayed a system similar to the "modern streetcar" pioneered by Portland, Ore., and which is being studied by engineers hired by Oklahoma City.

The low-floor streetcars run on rails embedded in streets and share downtown traffic corridors with motorists.

The streetcars are powered by an overhead wiring system known as catenary wires that are held up by cantilevered poles that extend over the street. It's those wires that spurred Nichols' recent objections.

"I don't feel very good about them at all," Nichols said when suggested routes were discussed at last week's Oklahoma City Urban Renewal meeting. "When you say streetcar, it depends on what kind of streetcar. If you're talking about these systems you see in older cities with overhead wires, I think that will make our city very ugly ... If it involves cantilevered wires, there will be substantial opposition."

Nichols, executive chairman of Devon Energy Corp. and chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, attempted to strip out a route recommendation that was included in a MidTown Urban Renewal Plan.

The plan provides a list of steps to be followed for redevelopment of the neighborhood on the northwest fringe of downtown, but does not have any bearing on whether the streetcar system is constructed.

But Nichols, who is also on a committee guiding implement of the Project 180 makeover of downtown streets and public spaces, is an influential voice in matters relating to the redevelopment of the urban core.

Fellow Commissioner Jim Tolbert, who also owns property in Bricktown and the Central Business District, countered that the routes recommended in the MidTown plan are more focused on stimulating economic development.

"We're saying let's put it in areas where it will stimulate development," Tolbert said. "That's a significant role for us to play. We're entering the debate with a suggestion."

Nichols responded that some property owners along the eventual streetcar route may not want the tracks opposite their developments.

"Having the wrong sort of streetcar will not enhance development, it will impede it," Nichols said. "We all have the same goal. But a noisy, ugly streetcar may be a detriment to some of these areas rather than an enhancement."

What the writer is apparently missing is that the modern streetcars, with advanced batteries, have the ability to run under wires for a distance (charging batteries) then rolling out from under and right across downtown WITHOUT WIRES! I suspect Devon's Mr. Nichols knows this fact, the newspaper apparently not, and these Cowboys and *Sooners are about to have an old fashioned barroom brawl over a possible misunderstanding.

If Nichols knows about wireless streetcars and is advocating for them we should know within a few days, if not, then its the same story, different century, 'Big Oil/Detroit v Streetcars', aka: 'Roger Rabbit' all over again.

*'Sooners' BTW, were people that cheated, illegally sneaking across the starting line before the various land runs and staked out claims, the penalty was death on the spot.  (As an OSU alumni I felt I should point this out).

Different scoundrels, different city (Richmond VA), as National City Lines buys out and modernizes yet another mass transit system with GM powered buses. The Native American's believe that a person enters the next life either whole or in crippled, a one legged man will have one leg, etc.. For their deeply held belief, general Custer or Major Dade's men were hacked to pieces - if you have no hands in the next life you can't shoot me! Apparently National City Lines picked up this concept from the oil rich Indian and Oklahoma Territories - if you burn all of the trolley's, they can't come back and...

[vicupstate]

The overhead wires have been mentioned in Charlotte as well, but to no particular affect, for their new streetcar.  There was some discussion of whether they would be the 'last of the old' or first of the 'new' technology, regarding a system that did or did not have overhead wires.  I think the answer was, the technology was not quite there yet to go the wireless route.

[thelakelander]

Ock, Richmond's streetcar may be gone but it left that city with some great bones to work with.  Here's Broad Street, a couple of miles out from downtown.







Kind of gives you a feeling what Jax's Main Street was before most of the commercial building stock was torn down in downtown and Springfield.

Anyway, DC has a streetcar under construction that has segments without catenary.  I'll try to get a few shots of it before I had back to Jax in a few days.

[tufsu1]

yep....because the wires would disrupt from the "scenic beauty" of the National Mall and environs

[Ocklawaha]

Yes the technology is up and running, in fact no wires at all are needed for some new streetcars and electric buses. Charging stations are buried under the pavement, they use induction charging, so stations with longer dwell times are ideal to keep the wheels rolling. If our downtown shuttle buses used this system they could charge with each stop at Rosa Parks. This is how the system works:



There really is nothing new under the sun, St. Augustine used a similar system in it's car barns in 1921. Washington DC also restricted the original street railways from stringing wires around national monuments, so the tracks were laid with a cable car like grove in the center. The 600 volt DC, current passed along a wire safely out of reach, and cosmetically out of sight.

The new technology is going to be costly, and it's not been proven in large vehicles, though the Disney Main Street buses use the exact same system. I don't think wireless works with a heritage streetcar, it would completely blow the time warp.


Washington, DC, PCC car.