Phoenix Light Rail Train Ride

Took a ride on one of the new Kinki Sharyo cars for the Valley Metro Light Rail. Fantastic cars.

More pics and clips can be found at http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=152053

The initial 50-vehicle order has been delivered, and all but 11 are assembled.
These are Low-Floor LRV's made by Kinki Sharyo. Seattle Sound Transit is using a similar vehicle.

The initial 20-mile line is scheduled to begin operation on December 27th. This is an at-grade route, with 18 miles running on existing city street right-of-way. The transit guideway is dedicated, and will be separated from existing traffic by curbs. The remaining 2 miles includes a 1500' bridge spanning the Tempe town lake, and a former Union Pacific right-of-way through DT Tempe.

The trains will operate on surface streets using a predictive priority system. The average operating speed for the trains on this initial route will be 22mph (this includes dwell time at the stations). Future route operating speeds will probably be much faster, since some of these routes will use existing freeway right-of-way. Operating hours are initially slated to be 4:30am to 12:30am, but the final decision on this still hasn't been made.

They will run with 2-car trains at 10 minute intervals, from about 6am to 7pm on weekdays. On weekends, trains will run at 15 minute intervals. In the case of special events, such as Tempe's New Year's eve party, the Fiesta Bowl parade, or Diamondback's games, they will go with either 3-car trains, or run the 2-car trains at shorter intervals.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Phoenix
• Tempe
• Mesa
• Light
• Rail
• Train
• Trolley
• Transit
• LRV
• Arizona
• Metro
• Public
• Transportation
• Kinki
• Sharyo
• Kinkisharyo

[w1ngzer0]

holy cow thats so quiet!!!!

[ItsMrQ]

They are pretty fast though. Although you can get away with riding for free if you get lucky.

[AsianVietAlex]

@dogdemon07 Lol, thats great for you.... :]

[dogdemon07]

@greg8998 LOL FAST? it goes about 50 mph tops i think. But really depends on the driver on how fast it goes one day could be a fast trip and others an eternity.

[dogdemon07]

@AsianVietAlex lol stop your whinin i have to ride the damn light rail all the way from sycamore and main all the way to 19th and montebello EVERYDAY

[dogdemon07]

@TheRhae well they started building in late 2007 and finished on December 27, 2008 and now they are thinking about expanding it so it goes all over the greater phoenix area

[dogdemon07]

@ItsMrQ lol not a good idea if you get caught i rather pay the money than a $500 fine

[EatsYouUp]

cool

[TheRhae]

wow when was the lite rail put in Phoenx?

anyone know when this happened?

I lived out there and then I visited there

in 2006 and didnt see any of this or

was I sleeping?

this is very awesome!

[LEXPIX]

Nice viewpoint  which most of the public does not get to see. Thanks for sharing.

[Porgot138]

MORONS.