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.