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Friends of the Monorail | 2/5/12 |
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Friends of the Monorail | 2/5/12 |
Monorail agency officially dissolves; cost taxpayers $125 million
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- 1/18/2008: The authority's last meeting was a final financial accounting. All 33 properties the authority bought had been sold, all lawsuits settled. The authority closed up shop with $425,963.07 in the bank, which the board voted Thursday to give to Metro for bus service in the communities that would have been served by the line.
The Stranger, blog entry by Josh Feit -- 12/17/2007: For those of you that live in Ballard or West Seattle and work downtown, how long did it take you to get to work today?
Mourning the monorail; looking ahead
West Seattle Blog -- 12/15/2007: So on this Opening Day That Wasn't, you might wonder, what's next for mass transit in West Seattle, considering that Sound Transit light rail isn't pointing our way? Some interesting ideas can be read on the Sustainable West Seattle Transportation Action Group blog; regarding more concrete plans, two public meetings are set in West Seattle next month for the "RapidRide" bus plan (both dates are on the WSB Events page).
Andy MacDonald, Blogger at Sound Politics -- 12/15/2007: For five years I've kept that magnet on my fridge, waiting for our glorious transportation future. Now that the day has finally arrived, where is my monorail ride?
The Big Blog, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- 12/7/2007: Not many pieces of history are stuck to refrigerators.
New request for monorail documents is likely
Puget Sound Business Journal -- 11/30/2007: The Washington Coalition for Open Government is considering submitting a new request for records the agency had refused to release, citing attorney-client privilege.
Seattle Weekly -- 11/14/2007: Dead but awaiting final rites, the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority apparently will be allowed to take some of its most treasured internal documents to its grave, as a King County Superior Court judge recently tossed a lawsuit seeking disclosure of the agency's records.
Suit delays shutdown of monorail agency
Authority accused of violating public records laws
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- 8/17/2007: In the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court, the coalition argues the monorail authority violated state public records laws when it refused to release "the vast majority" of 1,007 documents requested by the coalition citing attorney-client privilege.
West Seattle Herald -- 5/29/2007: For private businesses, the law provides a roadmap for shutting down the monorail and creates finality and certainty to Seattle taxpayers that the Seattle Monorail Project no longer exists. It also protects taxpayers from any liabilities and obligations that may arise once the agency is dissolved, and for this reason, the current board of directors remains in place, eliminating the need for and cost of elections for board seats.
Shit’s in the P-I: Who Is Queen of the Viaduct Haters?
The Stranger, blog entry by Dan Savage -- 2/13/2007: And getting back to the monorail: All reasonable people everywhere agree that the failure/assassination of the monorail was for the best. Because now that we’re faced with tearing down the viaduct and living without it out for years—at least five, maybe seven, could be longer, regardless of what we build in its place—the last thing Seattle needs is an efficient mass-transit system carrying people from West Seattle to Downtown and back. I mean, really! What were we monorail supporters smoking?
Failed Monorail project's legacy may be a denser Seattle
The Puget Sound Business Journal -- 2/9/2007: Spurring interest, the sales coincided with a time of unprecedented institutional investment in commercial real estate. Then, too, the public agency's exercise of its power of eminent domain enabled Seattle Monorail Project to assemble certain parcels into larger sites, which has made redevelopment more feasible in some instances, under new owners.
Local News Highlights: The Last Weeks of the Seattle Monorail Project
KUOW -- Local News Highlights -- 1/17/2007: After almost five years, the Seattle Monorail Project is nearing its end. State lawmakers are expected to pass legislation that will allow the agency to legally close it’s doors. Then the S.M.P. board will meet one final time to end operations. KUOW’s Derek Wang has this look at the transit project’s final weeks.
WHERE ARE THE MONORAILS?[video]
AutoChannel.com -- 12/16/2006: In 1997, Dick Falkenbury authored an initiative to 'build, operate and maintain' a forty mile monorail system hat ould span the city of Seattle in a huge "X". With a handful of volunteers and no support, the initiative gathered 18,500 signatures while spending only $2,000--and it won the first election. He served as a volunteer as a member of the Board of Directors without missing a single meeting for six years. In these six years, there were two more successful elections for the monorail in Seattle, and a fourth election approved a tax on vehicles to pay for the project. Inexplicably, the staff padded the contract to the point where 14 miles of monorail, with interest, would cost $11 billion and the Seattle voters rejected the project. Had it come to fruition, it would have been the only transportation system drafted, planned and implemented by the citizens of a city.
Seattle Center's future begins in nod to past
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- 12/1/2006: Jan Levy, executive director of Leadership Tomorrow, and co-chairwoman of the committee, said the new group will continue the work of its predecessor, the Mayor's Task Force for Seattle Center Sustainability.
Retro-named panel to make plans for World's Fair site
A running Monorail puts holiday shopping on track
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer -- 11/25/2006: "When the Monorail doesn't empty people into our escalators, we have fewer pedestrians," said Roger Fredericksen, the owner of Millstream.
In Seattle, a Dream From the Past Has a Hazy Future
The New York Times -- 9/25/2006: And during the four decades after the fair, the Seattle Center Monorail, elevated and alluring along its one-mile course to the fairgrounds from downtown, became something more than just a mighty cool mode of getting humans about: it was an aerodynamic dream from the past that symbolized this city's romance with the future.
Seattle Monorail: Transit bargain?
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board -- 9/5/2006: A contributor to the Seattle P-I's online "Soundoffs" weighed in with this: "There is zero possibility that we could replace this transit corridor with any different transit system (or road construction) that would move as many people for $4.5 million. ... Let's also compare the Monorail with the South Lake Union Streetcar that the mayor so proudly supports: SLU Streetcar -- $50 million, 1.3 miles, expected to carry 350,000 passengers in the first year; Seattle Center Monorail -- $4.5 million, one mile, regularly carries 2.5 million passengers annually (when running)."
A Case of Voter Overkill
The death of Seattle's monorail plan is a telling tale
Governing -- April 2006: I suspect the Seattle monorail would have been a great asset to its city and region if city leaders had allowed it to live. But that's not the only reason I believe Mayor Greg Nickels and his allies in the business community made a mistake when they helped kill the populist transportation project last November. In working to shut down this grassroots movement, Nickels and allied business leaders were also shutting down democracy and civic engagement. And in the long run, that's more important to a healthy city than any specific transportation project.
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Times Article "monorail worn out"
by raia1us on 11/4/06 |
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Seattle's stalled monorail worn out, report says By Susan Gilmore Seattle Times staff reporter The Seattle Center Monorail, built for the 1962 World's Fair and out of service since stalling out twice this summer, "is at or near the end of its useful service life," according to a report by a national consulting firm. If the service does restart, the firm has recommended that no more than 200 passengers ride a train at any one time about half of the capacity. The report, by Booz Allen Hamilton, says reducing the number of riders not only will help ensure the trains' performance, but will improve the performance of individual systems due for overhaul. Systems found to be involved in one of the two stalls this summer are all affected by weight and the number of passengers on board, the consultants said. The report, which cost about $100,000, will be presented to the City Council on Monday as part of its debate over whether to support Mayor Greg Nickels' proposal to issue $4.5 million in bonds for major repairs so the monorail can operate reliably. Nickels included the request in his budget, which the council is expected to vote on within a few weeks. The consultants' recommendations for shorter-term repairs have already been completed, said Tom Albro, executive director of Seattle Monorail Services, which runs the city-owned system that runs between Westlake Center and Seattle Center. The company is now testing the trains, and Albro couldn't say when they may reopen to passengers. He said consultants recommended a realignment of the power distribution and collection system for the trains to improve their performance. A stall Aug. 13 resulted from a surge in power, Albro has said. The Aug. 19 stall, which prompted the expert review, was much harder to diagnose. Albro said the train stalled when the collector assemblies, which provide power to the trains, were not able to stay in contact with the power rail the trains run on. He compared it to a Metro trolley bus losing contact with its overhead power lines. Albro said the collector assemblies are the original ones from 1962 and the company doesn't have the original designs, making them more difficult to fix. "What we've done is tuned up an old system scheduled for replacement," he said, comparing the work that's been done to "patching the roof." City officials had been warned in a 1999 city audit that the trains were already well beyond their expected lifespan of 30 years. Booz Allen Hamilton is the same company that helped troubleshoot the Las Vegas Monorail after it malfunctioned during startup two years ago. In its analysis of the Seattle Monorail, the consultants tried to replicate the load when the car stalled, using the amount of weight equivalent to 112 passengers, or 17,000 pounds. During the test the Blue train was driven by the same driver who was at the controls when the train stalled. The train sputtered as it was trying to get out of the Seattle Center station and an inspection showed the power collectors were not in continuous contact with the power rail when moving out of the station. The next step was to evaluate the four cars of the Blue train when it stalled in the Denny Way curve. With no test weight on two of the four cars, the train was operable, but when stopped in the curve, not only did the loaded cars lose contact with the power rail, but the empty cars did as well. All four cars rolled to the left. Albro could not say how much the repairs cost the Seattle Monorail, but called it "minimal." Most of the expense, he said, was diagnosing the problem that cause the train to stall. Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by willaffleck on 11/4/06 |
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I just can't understand it. How can two vehicles built in the 1960s, more than 40 years old, wear out? Oh, wait, that's NORMAL. Will On Sat, 04 Nov 2006 07:08:32 -0800, raia1us wrote: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by cjbuchter on 11/4/06 |
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You might be interested to know that throughout SMP's negotiations to acquire the SC Monorail the Seattle Center and the private operator claimed the system was in fantastic shape and ready to roll for many more years. They asked SMP to pay $14 million for the lost revenue (and no maintenance expenses) they claimed SMP's purchase would cost the City. We found those claims to be ludacrious and told them so. Now after the three accidents/shutdowns, they claim their "lack of maintenance" during the two years SMP was under contract to buy and remove the SC Monorail are the cause of the problems. No mention is made of the two City studies in the late '90's pointing out the many problems resulting from the system's age and lack of regular maintenance. In addition, no one is discussing the seismic vulnerability of the system and I've seen no estimates of what it might cost to solve those issues. Jonathan Buchter |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by chadman_98126 on 11/4/06 |
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what's also interesting is that no one appears to be examining what would cost to purchase new trains - either from Hitachi, KL or BBD. All are well situated to provide replacements. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by raia1us on 11/4/06 |
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Back in 2001 SCM told me they had priced new trains at $6M each from Hitachi - KL wasn't there at the time --- In friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com, "Chad Maglaque" wrote: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by chadman_98126 on 11/4/06 |
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prices are surely higher now, but certainly in the ballpark. also depends on the sizeof trains were talking about (Cascadia Hitachi's were $8M-$11M for 100'). but again in the right ballpark. and KL would keep things competitive ;-) as to Jonathan's point about the guideway, would also like someone their state so we can get the facts and put aside any speculation. perhaps some of them are in very rough shape. maybe the've got another 40 years in them. studying them certainly wouldn't cost a $100K ;-) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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RE: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by cjbuchter on 11/4/06 |
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I believe the biggest issue is that there are very shallow foundations, if any, for the columns. SMP's analysis was that the columns would have to be removed, proper foundations dug and if the old columns could be used they could then be affixed to the foundations. The general consensus of the engineers was that it was a very expensive proposition and that a whole new guideway was likely to be just as cheap as trying to fix the current one. |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by cleve206 on 11/4/06 |
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| I believe there may be a code provision that says a remodel that is 25% of the total cost of something means you have to bring the whole structure up to code meaning that any significant remodel or renovation of the guideway could lead to having to build a totally new one that meets a higher level of seismic protection. | ||
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RE: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by chadman_98126 on 11/4/06 |
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as to whether the foundations are too shallow or not, in speaking to the engineers that I'm familar with, one of the concerns is that the columns appear to have been bolted on rather being a continous component of the foundation. but again this all largely speculative, a proper study seems in order. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by chadman_98126 on 11/4/06 |
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again, a more definitive study, assessment, and it appears a ruling on code requirements, seems in order. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by raia1us on 11/4/06 |
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the studies have been done me thinks just not released --- In friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com, "Chad Maglaque" wrote: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Times Article "monorail worn out"
by chadman_98126 on 11/4/06 |
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we should get them released and halt the speculation. it's clearly time for the city to come to terms with what is otherwise one of it's best mobility assets. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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by cleve206 on 11/5/06 |
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getting documents is pretty easy-- Dear Mayor/City Council: Please provide me with a copy of any and all studies, memoranda, or other documents relative to the cost of repairing, renovating, refurbishing or otherwise improving the monorail guideway. This request is made under the Public Disclosure Act. Thank you for your attention. if anyone wants this I can send it out. |
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Re:
by willaffleck on 11/5/06 |
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It does cost money tho. Will On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 19:42:14 -0800, Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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RE: Historical Designations?
by jpixel2k on 11/5/06 |
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One thought in regards to the possibility of going the new vehicle route. Is the current system protected by any type of Historical status designation? If so, or even not, would new vehicles not be possible due to this type of designation, or make this type of designation more difficult to achieve, thus opening a possibility for the city or someone to remove the system more easily? A complicated question but I thought worth asking. _Jurgen From: friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com [mailto:friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of cleve206@aol.com Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 7:42 PM To: friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com Subject: [FoM] getting documents is pretty easy-- Dear Mayor/City Council: Please provide me with a copy of any and all studies, memoranda, or other documents relative to the cost of repairing, renovating, refurbishing or otherwise improving the monorail guideway. This request is made under the Public Disclosure Act. Thank you for your attention. if anyone wants this I can send it out. |
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RE: Historical Designations?
by chadman_98126 on 11/5/06 |
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they were slated for removal and preservation with MOHAI last year. Unless something has changed that is presumably still an option. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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Re: Historical Designations?
by raia1us on 11/6/06 |
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"Petition #1 adopted by Seattle voters in November 2002 established 5th Avenue as the Green Line route connecting the Seattle Center with the downtown retail core. The new Monorail is unable to run on the existing Seattle Center Monorail guideway and columns because they do not meet either current design specifications or seismic codes" http://www.historicseattle.org/preservationseattle/pendinglandmarks/defaultapril.htm http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=4159 Landmark status does not mean things can't be fixed or replaced - in some cases it only means pictures need to be taken before the landmarked item is removed - and the city council always has the right to overrule the landmark commission. For obvious reasons landmark status can not preserve a structure or train that endangers the people. --- In friendsofthemonorail@yahoogroups.com, "Chad Maglaque" wrote: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofthemonorail/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:friendsofthemonorail-digest@yahoogroups.com mailto:friendsofthemonorail-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com friendsofthemonorail-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com |
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