When I posted all of the Cemeteries Terminal stuff earlier this week, I also put a pointer to it up on half a dozen streetcar/trolley mailing lists that are out there on Teh Internets. While many streetcar enthusiasts are historians or amateurs (or both, in my case) a lot of the people involved in street railway preservation are transit professionals. So, who better to get some feedback from than folks who do/did this stuff for a living?
My instincts were right and well rewarded. Bob Diamond of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association read over the stuff on the website, as well as the alternative proposal, and has these thoughts:
***Bob's Analysis***
I see one of the primary design challenges arises from Canal being "dog legged" where it crosses City Park Av. I have some rough draft traffic control solutions for you. If you want to see more, let me know, and we can lay out a sketch for you showing phases.
One solution that comes to mind, is a grouping of traffic signals (located at both of the dog leg intersections or "S Curve Ends") which would be preemptively controlled by the movements of the streetcars. The streetcars would have to be given traffic control priority over automobile traffic at these two intersections.
Here's what we have in mind:
When a streetcar is at a certain precalculated distance or time from the "S Curve", a simple sensor circuit in the track (completed by the axle of the streetcar) would trigger the "yellow" and then "red" phases of the traffic lights at both ends of the S Curve.
All automobile traffic at both ends of the S Curve would be completely stopped by red traffic signal phases. Then, a "Streetcar Only" green phase pathway would be lit, permitting only streetcars to travel through the two S Curve intersections.
If you wanted to get just a little complex, the red phases at "north and south" ends of the S Curve could be delayed a few seconds apart, permitting the standing automobile traffic contained within the S Curve to "drain out" before the streetcar enters the S Curve.
For example, relative to auto traffic travelling "north" (as per the map on your website) on City Park Av, the red phase stopping auto traffic at the south end of the S Curve would occur first. The green phase at the north end of the S Curve would continue a few seconds longer, allowing time for autos in the north bound lanes of City Park Av inside the S Curve to drain out.
Similarly, traffic travelling south along City Park Av would be red phased first at the north end of the S Curve, the green phase for south bound autos at the south end of the S Curve would continue a few seconds longer, permitting autos in the S Curve travelling south to drain out,
For that matter, the traffic light phasing triggered by the streetcars could be further simplified:
1. At the southern end of the S Curve intersection, for autos travelling on City Park Av
Northbound lanes- Red Phase (prevents northbound auto traffic from entering S Curve )
Southbound lanes- Green Phase (permits "drainage" of southbound autos from S Curve)
For Canal "Dog Leg" (South End of S Curve)
Eastbound lanes- "Streetcar Only" Left turn City Park into Canal
Westbound lanes- "Streetcar Only" Right Turn from Canal into City Park Av
2. At the northern end of the S Curve intersection, for autos travelling on City Park Av
Northbound lanes- Green phase (permits "drainage" of northbound autos from S Curve)
Southbound lanes- Red Phase (prevents southbound auto traffic from entering S Curve)
For Canal "Dog Leg" (north end of S Curve)
Eastbound lanes- "Streetcar Only" right turn from Canal Terminal into City Park Av
Westbound lanes- "Streetcar Only" left turn from City Park Av into Canal Terminal
***
It's no surprise that I got a response of this depth. I've no doubt that RTA has considered a lot of these factors (RTA aren't amateurs when it comes to streetcars, either), but maybe there's something new for them in here as well. While the depth of the analysis didn't surprise me, I was surprised that Bob thought the Canal Blvd. extension could be safe. I wrote back a reply, with the simple question, "so, this can be done safely?" Here's his response:
***reply***
Hi Ed,
Yes, in my opinion, it certainly CAN be done safely.
I also recommend, at least in the beginning (until commuting motorists on City Park Av get used to it), well publicized, high- profile, traffic enforcement at these 2 key intersections.
This could include both N.O.P.D. traffic control officers observing these intersections for the first couple of weeks of operation, and then by video cameras installed at both intersections.
The way the "red light cameras" work here in NYC, they automatically record the license plate of any motorist blowing through red lights.
About three days later, they get a $115 ticket in the mail. The "red light cameras" work very well, we've had them for about 15 years or so.
Around here though, the City's concept is to keep the cameras hidden, so they can use them as a way to raise money. In N.O. however, I suggest the presence of these particular cameras be well publicized as a "deterrent".
I would even put up signs at the two intersections: "Motorists- Obey Traffic Lights- You Are Being Video Recorded".
***
We can debate the pros and cons of traffic cameras, of course, but the reality is that they've come to the area. They're up in Jefferson Parish now, most notably at the intersection of Clearview and Vets.
Thanks again to Bob and BHRA for this great analysis. Go throw something in their tip jar, please!
