Spooky Monorail Maoist
@awildschild.bsky.social
460 followers 480 following 640 posts
Don't ever 'well actually' me, Temple '23 Union Not technically a maoist
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awildschild.bsky.social
Cosponsorship memo for a statewide preemption of local parking minimums in PA!

Link: www.palegis.us/house/co-spo...
awildschild.bsky.social
Betting on volatilities here, phasing out income tax on the bet Pennsylvanians will keep spending and you can lean more on the sales tax. Also requiring transit capital investment by the City of Philadelphia and Allegheny County (if revenue is above 2025 numbers).
awildschild.bsky.social
No one even wants to build a bespoke people mover in their planned community, anymore. No one has the juice of 1989 Las Colinas, Texas
awildschild.bsky.social
It may be going into the old building. There's a pier that was being used for parking that's being renovated from the piles up right next to it. I haven't heard anything about Urban Outfitters moving though so who knows
awildschild.bsky.social
Hapag-Lloyd line is also due to have their MS Europa 2 stop through Philadelphia as part of its repositioning moves to Miami in 2027, and will also take the C&D canal to Baltimore
awildschild.bsky.social
Looks like the Philly Cruise ship terminal has more takers, beyond Norwegian. Small ship line American Cruise Lines is extending their 'American Revolution Cruise' through the Chesapeake and Delaware canal from Baltimore to Philadelphia
awildschild.bsky.social
A ghost town with close surf in OC
awildschild.bsky.social
I'm fascinated by what they mean by having Alstom invested. Financially, this sounds like asking Amtrak to give the trains back to Alstom so they can run them, but also doing this with partnered with hare brained schemes Inc. instead of doing it themselves and being $2.4 billion in the hole
awildschild.bsky.social
I think that was Amtrak themselves originally before they did the math on how much that would cost
awildschild.bsky.social
They might have a new company name to go with this, which is more so that they can try and beat the spam filter Amtrak's IT Department put on their system because they emailed their plans too much
awildschild.bsky.social
Anyway, for reference the way they link back to their existing website, this reads like they have just renamed their existing proposal to privatize the Acela, but with a new name and baffling involvement of Alstom.

In so many words, they're finally out of ideas
awildschild.bsky.social
These assholes again?

So what they want to run direct DC to New York trains that have been proven to be unpopular? And they want to buy Amtrak's Avelia debt they owe the US treasury? AND they got Alstom into this? Like, does Alstom want to buy their trains back wtf?
awildschild.bsky.social
I will say, I figured Trolley Mod and the stuff getting shaved for this year's budget was also some sort of accounting gimmicks given the money comes right back for the next FY. Especially if they need more than just the new maintenance facility to receive the new trolleys.
awildschild.bsky.social
The five that are deferred don't have completion dates anymore, period, and will need new money.

There are additional cuts from individual projects (i.e. trolley mod) for this fiscal year, but as they try to back fill those totals, there's a huge risk of cost escalation due to inflation.
awildschild.bsky.social
SEPTA has released the FY 2026 Capital Budget amendment that changes the plan to provide for the capital to operations swap.
-5 programs are deferred 3 of which are for buses, but it also pushed out the Bristol Station ADA upgrade
-Trolley mod loses $136.1 million in this period
awildschild.bsky.social
He gets to say he's had that nightmare scenario, and it didn't kill him. As a pitcher whose capability seems very based on his confidence, that might make him so much better
awildschild.bsky.social
But! It let's them skip unions and avoid having to deal with a state transit agency that always acts surprised when you tell them their state extends south of I-195
awildschild.bsky.social
I'm hoping NJT does similar reports for a decent chunk of their stations over time. They have a mandate to support TOD after the reform package awhile back but it could likely be weaseled out of thanks to the good ole' bureaucratic process if it's not internalized quick
awildschild.bsky.social
GOTrenton is adding more vehicles, upgrading its headquarters and looking at expanding into surrounding communities
awildschild.bsky.social
Also some data on both of the municipal microtransit/rideshare operations in Camden and Trenton that have started in the last few years
awildschild.bsky.social
Couple of interesting things in the DVRPC technical committee presentation from this month

First is a NJT report about TOD at Pennsauken TC theorizing a possibility of 379 to 567 units able to be supported in the area
awildschild.bsky.social
I guess this idea models how SEPTA has tried maximizing properties next to other regional rail stations, but like, with a head injury. At the very least mirrors the way that SEPTA doesn't want to build garages, unless someone else is picking up the tab, right now

www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...