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| Re: Culver Line (1634600) | |||
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Re: Culver Line |
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Posted by Edwards! on Fri Aug 2 17:09:07 2024, in response to Re: Culver Line, posted by LuchAAA on Fri Aug 2 01:48:22 2024. Point taken.However, this isn't "fantasy,or railfan wet dreams". This proposal has been around longer than either of us have been alive,in one fashion or another. The first serious recommendation was was when the line still carried passengers..was actually used in part by Sea Beach trains in Western Brooklyn. The BRT wanted to use the line as an extension of the Canarsie line, across southern Brooklyn to the New York Bay.. The IND wanted to use the line.. All of those proposals were either not taken seriously, money wasn't available,or Robert Moses blocked the development. The first proposal that was seriously considered, and actually engineered,was the Cross Brooklyn Expressway, with Rapid Transit facilities. The 14th st Canarsie line would have been relocated to the right of way, to Southern Bklyn, And East to City Line via the new expressway median. Atlantic Ave would have served as the host between ENY and Conduit Blvd, where the line would run side by side with the road to just over the Queens boarder. The protest against the road by Nimbys and others forced the city to reconsider, even though modifications were made to how much property was needed. Since the rail line was tied to the project, and the city Really didn't want to build it anyway, the subway line was deferred. The link was again presented to the public as part of a system of new routes, using hybrid railcars capable of transversing LIRR trackage. The new system would incorporate various LIRR City Zone routes, including the Far Rockaway Branch, reopen various long disused rail facilities.. and build new sections and connections to the subway system via the SAS , Southeast Queens subway extension,Port Washington and others. The line would have included the planned SAS route that would have been located alongside the Amtrak right of way in the Bronx, to a facility in Co Op City. The scope of the new system was vast, but the value of said system was astronomical. The new "Metro" would have worked wonders for the City, Nassau County, and even Westchester by acting as a feeder extension between railroad and subway systems,an "overlay" connecting both. How ever, even though this was masterful stroke of genius for the transport network, the powers that be saw it as a threat to the system they built. The sticking point being fare structure and other things that pointed out an underlying social "problem". What killed the proposal was the same excuse used by people opposed, Money and funding. This is the Real reason why SAS is being dragged out,so expensive, and why the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens links has been practically cancelled. Even the smaller proposal, the Triboro link,was fought by government officials, including Amtrak. The fix has been in for a Very long time. The MTA decided that Metro North needed the ROW "more than the subway system", and came up with the Penn Access" plan, using the New Haven and Hudson lines. Let's be honest here.. We All know Why Metro North was chosen. Higher fares, different demographics, professional atmosphere. To the " big wigs", this was a better investment for the CBD.. and would cost less than the Hybrid System to build. Still, the plan for the Bay Ridge route didn't die, because the powers that be understood something. Taxation without representation. They HAD to offer New York City Something, especially the districts where services were offen promised, but never materialized. Property assessment, time after time, for proposed new routes that were never built. MTA tried to compensate by creating the SBS "bus System",in various areas to improve travel, but this has proven to be a bandaid on a festering wound. It took the current governor to see the writing on the wall, one that the MTA was doing it's best to ignore. She told them directly, that if they didn't do Something other than the bare minimum, they would loose even more riders. They would see a "revolution" take place,where riders would reject the MTA. She also said that the political machine that was squarely in the "Democrat corner", would evaporate. Losing voters would push them out of their jobs(this is why she postponed Congestion Pricing). So she looked over some "plans" that The MTA has lingering in limbo, and picked the one serving the largest demographic, and serviced areas that were in need. The sentiment hinged on the fact that it Didn't have to be just Dems, but winning over Republicans was included. The Bay Ridge route was shown to be THE NEW ROUTE THAT COULD SERVE A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE. The ideal gravitas was the line ROW already existed, requiring Some reconstruction, but fully intact. It passed through All the desired areas that she knew would need "shoring up".. and created a two boro connecting route as a MOS.. with potential for Airport service. She knew.. So, she Told the MTA to do the "scoping work" for the project (mind you,old plans were dusted off, and analyzed). Low and behold... the ridership projections justified the use.. but Not "subway cars". BRT or Light rail was the optimal option. Light rail Was ALWAYS the plan, but it had to go through the motions as far as presentation. The Bay Ridge line will be the largest piece of expansion effort made in NYC since 1932, when the city opens the first of its Independent subway system. By far, the largest piece of rail expansion in years, the new 14 miles of rail line will weave a connection to 17 different lines including the LIRR, and potentially a new Montauk route, and LGA line. The link to the Bronx has been placed on hold as of this moment. So, This is the furthest away from "fantasy railfan" optics... This is a core example of politics and political wranglings meeting social interactions. This was a message,heard loud and clear by a shady politician who is fighting for her political career. You loose the NYC vote, Especially Democrats,then it's all over for you. She's doing what Cuomo wouldn't do.. and that cost him. Brooklyn And Queens needs this.. It's about time someone listened. |
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