The 79 Is Now Free....Until January

Christine Beach, BR.

Both 79 Shuttle El Trains & Shuttle Buses are now free.

The 79 Elevated's "Lindsay Blitz" construction called for half of the elevated subway line to be shuttle buses at all times during the removal of tracks for new platforms. The shuttle buses ran on a schedule similar to trains but it was costing them time and often late due to rush hour traffic along Ocean & Christine Avenues. To add, the bus shortage of spare buses for shuttle buses called for 25 buses to be borrowed from Great Grundolf Transit for shuttle work. As of Monday morning, it was announced all shuttles will be free as well as the in service portion of the el. The wish has now been granted. The 79 from South Clubs to Exhibition Hall is now FREE from now until January 1st in order to help customer satisfaction.

The Lindsay Blitz Isn't Going Well

North Christine, BR.

Packed and often slow shuttle buses are infuriating riders.

The 79's Lindsay-Ocean Station prior to being torn down this week was the oldest elevated in Metropolis dating back to 1959 when the elevated bridge and station was built to bring trolleys over into Downtown instead of using the Christine Bridge that at time was planned on being tied into the I-626 construction. The station was later upgraded to a rapid transit (elevated subway) station in 1991 but kept the same structure while the rest of the line was built using a more effective three track method to run express service during the peak periods. Now at capacity, the two tracked 1959/1991 rebuilt station was torn down to make way for the new three track express station that will increase the amount of trains the line can run.

The catch? No elevated service for a week and only four days into the shut down people are speaking up and are not happy with the way Metropolis Transit is handling the shut down which also put the 3 trolley out of commission for it's last 3/4 mile of it's journey. Shuttle buses are criticized as packed, slow and ineffective for this type of shut down despite Metropolis Transit using all 60 foot articulated buses which hold more passengers.

Shuttle bus leaves Angelia-Ocean after carrying on load from a 79 train that just pulled in. 

"Keeping the El closed during rush hour is a big mistake, especially with all the congestion caused on the route, nobody is getting anywhere because the buses are on the street", one resident said. 

"It took me 2 and a half hours to get to work today, and it usually takes me a 5 minute bus ride and a 15 minute train ride," said another person who lives in Christine Beach. Traffic was the blame for that delay because of a accident  but still caused a backlashed. 

Crowding a rush hour 79 shuttle bus. 

Others also criticized the fact that running one 60 foot bus in the place of six 53 foot subway cars is not a proper way of moving a crowd at rush hour. Metropolis Transit officials had this statement to say:
"In order to make a bus bridge, buses have to be taken off other in-service bus routes to run for that bus bridge. We're short on buses, articulated buses to be exact. The New Flyer order for 40 new Artics is late and we're trying to make do with what we got. We recently launched a program where we're running normal transit length buses behind the articulated buses on certain rush hours runs to try to ease the congestion. Until, a better solution is found within the next 48 hours, the bus bridge runs will remain with same number of equipment we're currently running."

DashTransit Rebuilds House Park Trolley Depot

North Christine, BR. Nov 26th 2014.

Recently rebuilt tracks at House Park Depot

When The Metropolis Connector loops opened in 2014, there was no clear picture where the trolleys would be laid up. The only soultion was share space at Ran Mourie Depot and use the only working two tracks at House Park Depot. HPD was the main depot for the Broadway & Boga IBOA trolleys until the company went under in 1975 and bought out by Metropolis Transit in 1976. Metropolis Transit treated the depot as a paint shop for the Gretalinn trolley routes (Route 3 & 7) until 2004 when Gretalinn was rebuilt with a paint shop. The depot building's tracks remained wired as some 3 & 47 trolleys used the depot as short turn point while the yard tracks were severed and unused.

A 46 bus using the depot as a looping point due to construction at 21st-Lindsay. 

DashTransit Services's Metropolis Connector Trolley was placed into service in the summer of 2014 and the Red Loop (formerly the 47 trolley) used the depot tracks to park PCC trolleys for the service. With a federal grant, DashTransit hired a private contracting firm to rip up the old yard tracks and replace them with brand new ones as well as a new depot building. The yard was expanded to 5 tracks instead of 4 and new electric wires were erected to power trolley cars. When all said and done, the depot will be able to house 45 trolley cars including their upcoming order of Siemens S70s that will replace the vintage PCCs on the Red Loop. Those PCC cars will go back to Geneva Heights Trolley Museum.

Metropolis Transit's President Nikki Casey Talks 47, 22/26 Extension & Other Plans

Metropolis, BR. Nov 14th 2014

Nicholette Casey has been the president of Metropolis Transit since 2008.

In a recent interview with Metropolis Transit's President & General Manager, Nicholette Casey, a lot of light was drawn on the future of the transit system that's currently in the mist of two major expansion project after recently completing another that was called a "boondoggle". The 2012 opening of the 47 elevated was a bittersweet victory for Casey's early career at MT. 

"I got death threats," she said, "as well as lot of insults such as one telling me to go back to the girl's bathroom of the high school I came from."

The hate came from a lot of property owners along Ballerman Blvd's main trunk who felt the elevated tracks over the street would cause a change in how people would see the community. The line, like all other Metropolis Elevated Railway Lines, was originally a streetcar/trolley line that ran from Uptown to Morrisville. 

"One thing I possibly till this day regret is not sending the line to Morrisville like the trolley did," Casey explained. She originally faced a lot of lawsuits for putting the elevated over the Bayway part of the line. "Nobody wanted an el over Bayway. Hell even I didn't want it. I even came up with the compromise for a terminal at Southside & Bayway but the lawsuits kept pouring in. Had one pillar went up in that intersection, I would've still been sitting in court now trying to clear this up."

Casey also went on to describe the current westward leg of the 47 as "The Grand Compromise" since the tracks the elevated was put on were dormant for eight years prior when the N trolley was cutback from 19th Street to Freehold in 2004 due to deteriorating track conditions. Today, this leg of the 47 see the most ridership with Multilevel parking garages at Morganville, 35th-Hamilton & Freehold. 

Currently, Metropolis Transit is working on two major extensions. The first being the long-awaited 22 & 26 extension that will bring the two short elevated lines into Downtown via a new subway tunnel under Trees Avenue. The other is the 67 trolley extension into Metropolis International Airport. Both extensions were mapped out and executed on Casey's order. 

"Randall Mourie for years before he converted the 22 & 26 into Els wanted to build a Rapid Transit link from Boga Island to Downtown, he didn't want to bore through Mount Lover to build a ramp on the 65 line, this is why Blue Beach Transfer exists today. Why he never though of tunneling downtown is beyond me," she explained. "The reason why I wanted to do this was because I personally hear from the Boga Islanders about how annoying the transfer is. Tourist also do not understand or get why the 22 doesn't go into Downtown. Some even feel that 45 second ride is pointless until they walk that mountain by foot then are grateful it's there. Probably why nobody can pull the plug on it, it makes a great funicular railroad. Now think of it like this, unlike a funicular, my trains have the ability to run right to Downtown. Why give them the cake and not let them eat it too?"

When all said and done, the new 22 & 26 extension will run from their respective endpoints to a new terminal downtown near either Colette Street or Downtown Square with stops at Metropolis Central & The Interfair. The first phase to Metropolis Central is fully funded and under construction.

The future of Metropolis Transit is questionable for now according to Casey.  She current has no other long term plans other then expanding the DARK Bus network. There was a lot of mention of further partnerships with DashTransit Service like the current CERT Bus the M30 & M34 line that use to be Metropolis Transit lines. There's a possible expansion in the CERT Network as well but under DashTransit's control.

"I want us to move forward in our city. We have the nation's biggest trolley system, the third biggest elevated subway in the county next to NYC & Chicago and we can have the greatest transit system in the county if we put our minds to it. Certain transit companies rather spend millions abandoning trolley tracks and yanking them out while we're spending millions to keep our running in the grade A shape they are. I'm confident Metropolis Transit will be a remember name in the transit community for being a leader in change," she closes. Nicholette Casey currently is 22 Years Old, unmarried, and plans on staying with the company long term.

Ridership On Buses Grow While Elevated Lines See Empty Trains

Metropolis, BR. Oct 21st, 2014.

Metropolis Transit's Route 79 Elevated Is Seeing More And More Empty Trains As Riders Flock to Buses.

Metropolis's elevated railway is one of the fastest ways to scale downtown and the southside of Metropolis but in the case of the 79 line, not many people are riding. A straight three years of sharp ridership declines had led to some trip on the 79 to run completely empty trains. Meanwhile right below the 79, the 74 & 74X buses are packed with passengers. Metropolis Transit is seeking to balance this out but has no idea yet on how. A lot of the Ocean Avenue businesses has also noticed the spike in bus ridership. Signs saying "Please Wait for The Bus Outside" has been popping up in windows of bodegas, liquor stores, and pizzerias that sit in front of bus stops because the crowds are using the stores as shelter from the cold weather.

Longer Buses Were Needed After Regular Buses Would Crowd

Recently, Metropolis Transit combated the problem of crowed buses by reassigning articulated bending buses to help alleviate the crowds that have been waiting for the bus. It helped to some degree but than even more riders flocked away from the elevated. The 79 is currently seeing it's lowest drop of ridership since the line was converted from a trolley line in 1991. It's possible the lack of elevators might explain the drop in ridership but if it hasn't drop like this before, Metropolis Transit asks why. The 74 & 74X buses currently run from 5:30 AM to 2:30 AM everyday of the week with the 79 elevated running bus service from 1:30 AM to 5:30 AM during the nights.

Metropolis Transit Wants YOU To Pick The Paint Job For New El Cars

Metropolis, BR. October 20th, 2014

Pattern A

Pattern B

Pattern C

Pattern D

Pictures above show four new possibilities for a new look for Metropolis's elevated system. Recently, Metropolis Transit announced Kawasaki was the winning bidder for the new 200 ME-Three Elevated Subway Cars that will replace the 48 older elevated cars that are now over 50 years old and beginning to rust. The paint job (really a vinyl decal rather than actual paint) is currently up in the air because Metropolis Transit's President, Nicholette Casey, feels the elevated needs a fresh look.

"One thing with the ME-Threes is the fact they will introduce three doors instead of only 2 and will have fluted sides so a design change in the paint is need," she said, ", Buses are already wearing new designs, trolley cars have been repainted since 2008 so it's time the Elevated & Subway gets a fresh look,"

Pattern A is the closest to what elevated trains currently wear when they're not wrapped for advertisements. Pattern B introduces dark grey into wide red body stripes while Pattern C goes a bit more on naked side with only pinstripe designs for decoration. Pattern D is basically a carbon copy of what the current two generations of Woodland Subway cars wear. If Pattern D is chosen, it will make the Elevated & Subway systems finally have matching paint jobs.

The vote is be held between the dates of 10/20/2014 & 10/26/2014 via Facebook. The most popular design will be chosen for the new railcars. Metropolis Transit has also stated this is not the end of the contests. Another vote in December will be held for the interior of the cars that will determine how the seats will be placed, what color will the padding be, and how the poles will be set up for maximum standee capacity. Visit Metropolis Transit's Facebook Page to vote, https://www.facebook.com/MetropolisTransitPage.

Kawasaki Picked To Build New Elevated Trains

Metropolis, BR. October 1st 2014.

Kawasaki will build the new elevated subway trains for Metropolis Transit.

Metropolis Transit has picked Kawasaki to build 150 brand new elevated subway cars after Kawasaki presented the lowest price in a month long bid against Bombardier, CAF USA & AlsandoBreda. The 150 new train car will replace the 50 year old Type-D PCC Cars. Metropolis Transit currently owns only 48 Type-D cars after 120 of them were retired following the delivery of the Bombardier elevated cars. All 48 cars will be retired and the fleet will expand greatly. This will give leeway for 8 car 47 & 65 Trains as well as expanding the fleet for the 22 & 26 Line which is currently having an extension built to Metropolis Central Station. Currently, the 47 & 65 trains run 6 cars packed loads at rush hours and both line runs every 7 mintues during rush hour.