June 6th, The 67 Finally Goes to Metropolis International.

Airport Ridge, BR. May 29th, 2016.

New Metropolis Transit Maps Now Show the 67 Trolley Extension Through MPO Airport. 

Metropolis Transit is proud to announce an opening day for it's heavily anticipated 67 Trolley extension to Metropolis International Airport. June 4th, will mark the first Trolley extension since 1984's Broadway Trolley Subway. All extensions between 1984 and now were more aimed at the growing Elevated Subway system in Metropolis, however instead of building an elevated subway route along the busy Corlesen Avenue, Metropolis Transit spent 6 years upgrading the 67 from Streetcar to light rail as will as building a new extension to the Airport. Since 1922 when the 67 Line first open as the Corlesen Ave Trolley, there were plans to expand the trolley line into the Former Butler Air Force Base. World War II almost saw this extension happen until metal productions was redirected to war efforts so for year the trolley line ended just east of the Air Force Base's entrance. In 1965, Metropolis City Consul agreed on turning Butler AFB into Metropolis International Airport and approved $3 Million dollars to run a subway line from Woodland Avenue. This plan was canned in 1971 due to The Heroin Binge of the early 1970s.

Current 67 Schedule. 

The 67 Trolley will finally be extended into Metropolis Int'l Airport at 6AM, June 6th, 2016 via a new elevated viaduct and new station within the airport. Unlike most trolley lines, the viaduct limits the stations that can be put on the line so trolley only stop at 51st-Ridge, Avis-Hertz, Parking Lot P3 & P4, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3 and the Airport Transit Center where it connects to Bridgerissa Commuter Railway's Airport Expressway Line. Unlike most trolley lines, a pocket track is in place after Terminal 3 which will provide Short-Turn serviced during the Peak within the Airport doubling the potential service. Double-ended trolleys help make this move possible unlike the older single ended trolley who need to loop around at stations like Airport Transit Ctr. or 49th-Corlesen. The opening is expected to be heavily attended.

The Oldest Subway Cars In The Country Are In NYC & Metropolis.

Metropolis, BR/Manhattan, NY May 7th 2016.

Metropolis's ME-PCC or "Type-D" cars just turned 52 years old.

Sometimes, age isn't factor. Pushing in their 50s, some of America's oldest subway cars are now facing replacement. In New York City, the "R32" fleet hold such title. Built in 1964 by The Budd Company, It was one of the first stainless steel subway cars in NYC to be mass produced. (There were a few Stainless Trains from the 30s and 40s who were experiments and didn't last long on NYC's rough environment.) Out of 600 cars only 212 are left running on the C, J, and Z Lines of NYC. The reason why 2/3 of the fleet retired was because the R32 were suppose to be retired in 2009 when the newer "R160" subway cars were place in service but new rail cars from 1972 were beginning to rot so instead they were junked but only after 2/3 of the R32 fleet was sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic.

One of the 212 remaining "R32" cars on the Z Train in Brooklyn. Also turned 52 this year. 

Metropolis Transit actually has a similar story about their 52 year old ME-PCC cars. While Metropolis Elevated materialized in 1986, the rail cars were also born in 1964 but by the St. Louis Car Company.  They began life on Maine's only rapid transit system, the Sea Bright City Municipal Metro replace the 1920s built wooden rail cars. They came with third rail abilities as well as trolley poles for their Hopeland Line who used overhead wires similar to Metropolis. They only last til 1982 when Sea Bright City opted for Stainless Steel cars and converting the rest of the system to 3rd Rail. So this left the cars up for grabs because they were too young to scrap (Only 18 years old at the time.) Metropolis Transit purchased all 150 of them for the start up of Metropolis Elevated in 1986. They were rebuilt, fitted with pantograph for better wire to train contact since Metropolis opted for overhead wires. In 2005, 3/4 of the fleet was retired when newer Bombardier cars came in. Today only 42 are left in service running on the 39 and 79 lines. They are being replaced by Kawasaki "ME-III" Trains in 2018.

52-Year-Old Trains are the mainstay of the 39 Train!

Both the R32 and ME-PCC cars will see retirements in the coming future but they will live on with the many rail buffs who cherish them. Bridgerissa Traction Museum in Great Harbor, has actually saved one pair with another pair on hold that still in service. Metropolis Transit is also planning on running a retirement run system wide. It current not know what the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City plans to do with their last R32 subway cars but they do host annual nostalgia trains on their M Line during the holidays and selectively run other older cars on other fantrips so  their maybe a special for the last R32 subway cars. Many railfans wish to see them restore to their 1964 look which is VERY similar to the ME-PCCs.

R32 Subway cars at Lorimer St in Brooklyn, NY on the J Line.

Trees Avenue Subway & The New Boga Island Bridge Moving Along

Metropolis, BR. May 1th 2016.

A Train tests the Clearance The Trees Ave Subway.

Hard to believe the Trees Avenue Subway construction has reached 3 years old since the first pile was driven into the ground. The tunnel were dug in the controversial cut-and-cover method which lead to reroute of cars, buses and trolleys along Midtown Metropolis's second busiest street. At Central Station, the former Amtrak coach yard was hollowed out and the new subway platforms were constructed. The platforms at Interfair and Blue Beach have been done for a while and now getting their fixtures while the ramps to the 22 Line & future new Bay Bridge for the 26 have been completed. The bridging over the bay waters and south shores of Boga Island are also completed with station shells already being erected. The wire poles are being shipped to the bay bridge construction site while MT tests the electricity inside the main Trees Avenue Subway Tunnel. Clearance trains have already penetrated the tracks of the tunnel 3 times with no issues other than dealing with diesel fumes that can not escape. Metropolis Transit is expected to ban diesel trains from the tunnel after the clearance trains have finished their job.

New Elevated Rails over the South Shore of Boga Island

The Boga Island Bay Bridge Upgrade and the new elevated track over the South Shore of Boga Island will speed up service on the 26 line 2%. A small but noticeable percentage since trains are no longer on the surface at risk of hitting a beach-goer. The current 26 "Elevated" Line runs completely on rebuilt trolley tracks who originally date back from the 1920s. While it was easier to run a trolley along the beach side, a full blown Elevated Train cannot stop on a dime like the trolleys did so many people have been killed or injured by the 26 train since it conversion from trolley in 1986. The section between Lizzy's Shops & Boga Beach Hotels was the most notorious. Train now must run at 20 MPH and blow their horn every 100 feet. While this method did help reduce the amount of train related accidents to almost none, it didn't help the line for it's second threat, hurricane surge. Sandy almost ate the 26 when it hit in October, 2012. The South Shore Elevated will now take tracks away from storm surge and potential ice hazards in the winter from ocean spray. The South Shore Elevated will open BEFORE the new Bay Bridge and Trees Avenue Subway, most likely around December of this year.

Interfair Convention Center Station on the Trees Ave Subway in May 2016.

Construction on the actual Trees Avenue Subway is also building up. The 22 & 26 line will benefit from a new structurally sound cut and cover tunnel under Trees Avenue taking them directly into the heart of Metropolis. With Central Station being in the Central Business District and Interfair Convention Center Station being in heart of Midtown Metropolis, this subway line is going to see high ridership from locals and tourist alike. Aside from the fact the 22 will actually go somewhere now, this now opens the door for more business growth to both the city and Boga Island. The tunnels were inspected as of April 27th, 2016 by the city and deem structurally sound to run train traffic. Since then, 3 clearance trains have used the line and all came back with positive feedback. The testing phase is set to being in October 2016, first with slow-speed signal tests, then with normal passenger service patterns. Metropolis Transit hopes to have the subway tunnel in service by New Year's Day 2018 thus relieving the 65 Line of it's heavy passenger traffic.

65 Riders, You Are Now Screwed. No El Service To Blue Beach Til' June.

April 23th, 2016. Metropolis, BR.

65 Trains Will Be Stopping Short For 2 Months at Bay of Silence Instead of Blue Beach.

In almost the same level of the botched Lindsay Blitz Project which forced riders of Metropolis's third busiest elevated rapid transit line on buses for half the route just to reconfigure the tracks and platform at one station, the 65 Elevated Line is now about to drop the ball for 2 months while they tear down and rebuild Blue Beach Terminal into a new Multi-modal transit center and a connection to the Trees Avenue Subway. Passnegers will be forced onto buses and the 36 Bus Line most likely will feel the brunt of this closure.

Blue Beach Transfer Will Never Look Like This Again.

The current station, know as Blue Beach Transfer, will be completely torn down. First the 65 elevated section will be the first to be torn down, followed by the 22 & 26 Platforms. The 65 will terminate short at Bay of Silence while a shuttle bus runs in a giant loop around Bay of Silence, Ran Mourie Plaza and Blue Beach and back to Bay of Silence in that order. Passengers wishing to go to Blue Beach must alight at Ran Mourie Plaza since the next station following is Blue Beach. This move is already criticized due to the launch failure of The Linday Blitz. MT was in bus shortage at the time and they tried to pull off the shuttle busing with limited service. It failed so bad, Great Grundolf Transportation lent Metropolis Transit buses for the duration of the "Blitz". Blue Beach Terminal would be different, buses running more frequently due to the importance of this project.

Borrowing Buses Isn't Happening This Time. 

Since The Lindsay Blitz in in November-December 2014, Metropolis Transit has received 25 new Hybrid Electric Articulated Buses which will be used for the The Blue Beach Blitz. 100 new Clean Diesel Articulated Buses and 40 Trackless Trolley Articulated Buses are also now part of the fleet giving Metropolis Transit more options for shuttle busing. While there was no bill to run the Great Grundolf Tranportation buses, MT is pay off insurance for a tornado damaged GGT bus from the January 2015 Southwest Tornado who destroyed the bus. The Blue Beach Blitz will not effect the 22 & 26 Line.

Fashion Week 2016 Was A Success For Metropolis Transit And City Despite Subway Construction.

Metropolis, BR. April 5th 2016.

A packed Ran Mourie Depot Night Before Fashion Week.

Fashion Week in Metropolis is a very busy time since 25 fashion shows go on at The Interfair Convention Center on the edge of Midtown Metropolis. Some of the world's best fashion designers come together to show off the latest trends. Metropolis Transit was return the favor in their latest trend of service upgrades that boosted revenue 30% during Fashion Week. Bus lines in the area who had nearby terminals were rerouted to terminate in front of The Interfair while Metropolis Connector Trolleys ran the Blue & Purple Loops at rush hour frequencies most of the week. The 79 Express and S2 Express were running almost at all times as well, switching direction shortly after 1 PM. The 5 & 82 trolleys were extended into the island of Metropolis terminating at Exhibition Hall and Bay of Silence respectively. This brought both trolley within a block or two of The Interfair itself.

The Trees Avenue Subway Construction Didn't Hamper Ridership.

Right next to The Interfair Convention Center at 50 feet below Trees Avenue, a brand new subway station is being built for the extension of the 22 & 26 Elevated Lines from Blue Beach Transfer. The street is made up of a temporary bridge structure out of wood and concrete to allow the subway tunnel and station to be built. The construction didn't hamper ridership or hurt sales at the fashion shows despite what many residents and officials feared. Fashion Week was actually the opposite, gaining a 12% boost than last year. Interfair Avenue is expected to be paved over again in September 2016 and construction impacts on the subway line will dramatically lessen. There is plans for a direct entrance into the Interfair for the subway station.

Metropolis Transit Concludes Study on City Line Blvd Subway Line. Favors The Plan.

Metropolis BR, April 5th, 2016.

City Line Subway Would Start At Pecan Valley. 

Metropolis Transit finally concludes a study for a new subway line under City Line Blvd and Greig Street as well as an extension of the 47 Line to Pecan Valley. This study launched in 2013 as part of the 2010-2015 Move Forward Plan. The City Line Blvd Subway would begin from Pecan Valley on a new elevated structure that would run over the existing N trolley line along side an extended 47 Elevated line to Grieg Street where it would run underground in a tunnel under Grieg Street to Greta Way where it will either run in a open trench in the median or as an elevated to a new City Line Park And Ride Station at Woodland Avenue. The current Woodland Subway extension to City Line and Metropolis Int'l Airport is now underway and would meet up with the City Line Subway at such point. They favored the plan are looking at how much the line will cost. If proven successful, it will be eventually extended to the Airport as well on a separate right-of-way.