Portland Transport has the skinny with photos and a video. With the recent passage of the Eastside Extension, it looks as if there will be a lot more of these coming. I've also heard rumors that Tuscon could order from OIW as well.
As a side note but not entirely unrelated, the Wall Street Journal ran a piece on how places like Portland and Austin are hitting a mid-life crisis. They are getting such a huge influx of past college folks that there just aren't enough jobs for them. But why are people moving there? What makes these places cool?
5 comments:
That delivery process looks painful! They really need to just build the mile of track from their factory to the end of the Green Line.
In the old days it might have been cheaper to build track--now it's probably cheaper to hire the specialized truck folks for relatively infrequent moves. Back about 7 years ago, my wife and I, along with another couple, stayed up until 3 am to watch the first light rail car unloaded in South Pasadena for the LA to Pasadena Gold Line. It's quite a process, but when dealing with something that weighs around 40 tons, slow and easy is the way to go. Back in the 19th Century, there was a locomotive works without a rail connection--they had to use specialized "drays" pulled by large teams of horses to deliver their products to the nearest railway.
Portland and Austin are America's Hippie Town #1 and #2, respectively -- it goes without saying that that necessarily includes thriving bike scenes.
I ended up choosing Austin because it was warm. I left Austin because I couldn't find a job I liked. :)
Austin also has the Black Star Brewpub Co-op, though, so that might sway some opinions.
http://www.blackstar.coop/
OIW has two locations(Clackamas OR & Vancouver WA)close to existing rail lines, build a short spur and put them on a flatcars.
"TOFC" Tram On Flat Car.
Also spurs would be good for moving other equipment in & out of their facilities.
Though transit entities need conections with railroads too.
http://www.walkertrans.org/images/trolley/trol_berypcc1.jpeg
why people like Portland? Austin? SF Bay Area? Check out Richard Florida's
The Rise of the Creative Class
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