Sound Transit in Seattle area operates Siemens S700 light rail vehicles (LRVs), similar to the ones SacRT is using for its Light Rail Modernization Project. Dan Allison, STAR Action Team Lead, recently visited Seattle and used the LINK 1-Line light rail system a number of times. LINK 1-Line is all grade-separated, not street-running, and the … Continue reading Seattle S700 cars
Category: SacRT light rail modernization
SacRT can’t fix S700 announcements
When S700 rail cars approach Gold Line 29th St and 39th St, the announcements and internal displays are often incorrect, saying and showing the wrong stations. This has been going on for months, and SacRT has been unable to fix this. This is unacceptable.
SacRT falls short on Folsom 15-minute service
SacRT has announced on their website (Folsom Light Rail Service Schedule Update) and in an email that only some Gold Line to Folsom service will be on the 15-minute frequency that was promised by the the passing track at Glenn/Robert G. Holderness station. This project was initially referred to as 'double-tracking to Folsom', though it … Continue reading SacRT falls short on Folsom 15-minute service
light rail update
Dan has ridden the Gold Line to Mather Field/Mills Station or Sunrise Station nearly every day for the last two weeks, sometimes more than once per day, so we will provide an update on the new Siemens S700 low-floor rail cars and service on the Gold Line. Ramp Deployment: There seem to be many fewer … Continue reading light rail update
15-minute Folsom service is not working
SacRT's Gold Line light rail service to Historic Folsom is not working well. The 15-minute service, which started January 5, has frequent delays on the Sunrise to Historic Folsom (the end of the line) section. Many trains are being turned back at Sunrise because there is congestion east of there. No bus bridge has been … Continue reading 15-minute Folsom service is not working
low-floor door issues
The new low-floor rail cars, used on the SacRT Gold Line, continue to have issues with door function. One a single trip today, Dan observed three instances of the ramp deployment for handicapped users not working properly. In the first, rider with a mobility device pressed the ramp button (the one with the wheelchair symbol), … Continue reading low-floor door issues
level boarding NOT
A Tuesday email from SacRT about the new low-floor light rail cars included this statement: “Level Boarding: All riders board from the level platform.” SacRT made the decision to design the rail cars and platforms with low-floor boarding, which is why deployable ramps are necessary. STAR from the beginning recommended level-boarding, where deployable ramps would not … Continue reading level boarding NOT
SacRT new light rail cars have inaccessible ramp call strips
The other major issue that the disability community, through the Mobility Advisory Council (MAC) and elsewhere, is that the ramp call strip on the bottom of the fold-up seats is inaccessible for most wheelchair users. As seen in the photo below, the yellow call strip is blocked by the grab bar. For some wheelchair users, … Continue reading SacRT new light rail cars have inaccessible ramp call strips
bicycles on new light rail cars
SacRT staff has claimed that since the policy of four bicycles per light rail car is not being changed for the new light rail low-floor cars, Siemens S700s, that everything is OK with bicycles. The policy is four bicycles per car. But staff is gaslighting the MAC, the public, and apparently the SacRT Board as … Continue reading bicycles on new light rail cars
light rail modernization platforms
Though our members have stopped at all of the light rail stations on the Blue Line to Cosumnes River College (CRC) extension (even the currently unused Morrison Creek station), we had not noticed that all of these new platforms, except the terminal platform at CRC, were built to the current standard of eight inches above … Continue reading light rail modernization platforms
Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders (STAR) 