***The Official Rapid Rail Thread***

[rspann]

Chaguaramas, and during the eight years it will only get worse,so we might come outside and sit down in our cars and go no where. That is why I said we have to address the road network and the traffic first then deal with the mass transit.
On a different note ,you see how you have a car and use it to go to work? That is everybody's goal too,every young person wants a car for freedom and mobility. That is one thing thats not going to change,but if all the bottlenecks and lights are moved then we might be headed in the right direction.

Before the lights were moved in El Socorro and grand bazaar, there were 29 lights from Wallerfield to Westmoorings. Now there might be 5 less (and that is on a highway) .Count how much going East. The traffic we experience on mornings coming from south is often a back lash from the traffic building up going into POS like around sea Lots and the light to turn at the lighthouse.Tens of thousands of cars trying to fit into POS through a traffic light.What we expect?

[rspann]

j.o.e., read over what i said. I am not against the rail,but if it takes eight years ,what we going to do by the time?

[Slartibartfast]

The same thing we are doing right now.

[Habit7]

We know it is going to get worse. The govt along with planning for a LRT they are planning for major traffic optimisation.

Rapid Rail talks

Published on Oct 22, 2015, 11:50 am ASTBy \\\\\ Sue-Ann Wayow



PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley began discussions with the Inter-American Development Bank and the Standing Committee on Physical Infrastructure on Wednesday.

The hot topic was the mass transit system which was a promise of the People's National Movement (PNM) manifesto, now Government policy. It was also a hot topic during the recently concluded general election.

A news release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister stated the meeting was held at the Office of the Prime Minister, St. Clair, Port of Spain.

The mass transit system outlined by the Government includes construction of highways, ring roads, overpasses and interchanges in various parts of the country, construction of a fast ferry port in Toco and construction of a modern fishing port in Moruga.

The Standing Committee consists of Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Fitzgerald Hinds, Minister of Works and Transport, Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Development, Franklin Khan, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Marlene McDonald, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Orville London, Chief Secretary, Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister (Tobago) and several permanent secretaries.

The IDB was also represented by several officials.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151022 ... rail-talks

There is no reason why we can whistle and walk. Deal with corruption and mismanagement, deal with current traffic plans, deal with PTSC, and all other recommendations all while adding a mass transit infrastructure.

[RASC]

Looking forward to these developments!

[TriniAutoMart]

I still believe that a major part of traffic congestion in Port of Spain can be solved with the appropriate usage of Information and Communication Technology, coupled with real decentralisation.

[sMASH]

At my work, the dinosaurs flood the email inbox with a lot of website front page content. My inbox should be for important specific communication... Not cricket finals and bake sales. Each person is alloted a small chunk of server space for emails... So mine gets used up pretty quick especially when I am on leave and have to wade through the plethora of spam... From management!

Same problem here, too many people have to reach the same place at the same time.

Decentralization, coupled with it solutions, coupled with removal of fuel subsidies, coupled with bus lanes and photo ticketing, coupled with suburban low cost housing.

U get a lot of value and usage and optimization and efficiency and economization

... Lewee spend 40billion, while oil price going to remain low and inflation going to keep the power down.



Btw, the frequency of rail schedules would be less than that of water taxi. U snooze u loose... Or even just 5mins late. U can be early too, just that it full up, so u Hadda hop back in ur car cause a train that pulling 700 persons not going to have five of those on one route running every half hour.
How fuel wise feasible it would he to run the train 50% loaded? How mechanically ware and tare feasible it is to run it at lower than max?
With bus lanes u can have one leave every five minute , and if 50 persons to a bus, that's just 14 busses to replace the rail. If one bus shuts down, just bring out another, if one rail shuts down, just bring out an...

My concept is that of Australian road trains. A communications system that is flexible to the needs of the moment.


For north to south, u just need to expand the service and make a parkade at the hospital. U don't need a north sought rail with that expansion.
East/west corridor bus lanes.

Also at my work, people in the lower pay ranges who tend to live far, like an hour's drive away, tend to rent closer to pt Lisas, To save time and money.

But u want to spend 40b dollars to transport a receptionist and janitor from arima and grande to wuk in tong.

[bluesclues]

^^^ All paid for via indirect taxes and IOPs

Here the PNM wants you to pay for it via direct taxes

as long as they know every tax pnm implement there is only one way to get those taxes removed when no longer necessary.

vote them out.

[Redman]

I still believe that a major part of traffic congestion in Port of Spain can be solved with the appropriate usage of Information and Communication Technology, coupled with real decentralisation.

Agreed.

It's obvious that we can benefit from the simpler more agile quicker solutions all.present in other places.

We need to look at everything while developing a policy.

[EmilioA]

Thats really what you think is the reason for traffic?
Too much cars?
Based on some of your comments, which seem intelligent at times, i know you can come up with a better answer than that.

What is the reason for traffic then ?

[Habit7]

Thats really what you think is the reason for traffic?
Too much cars?
Based on some of your comments, which seem intelligent at times, i know you can come up with a better answer than that.

What is the reason for traffic then ?

[Slartibartfast]

Btw, the frequency of rail schedules would be less than that of water taxi. U snooze u loose... Or even just 5mins late. U can be early too, just that it full up, so u Hadda hop back in ur car cause a train that pulling 700 persons not going to have five of those on one route running every half hour.
How fuel wise feasible it would he to run the train 50% loaded? How mechanically ware and tare feasible it is to run it at lower than max?
With bus lanes u can have one leave every five minute , and if 50 persons to a bus, that's just 14 busses to replace the rail. If one bus shuts down, just bring out another, if one rail shuts down, just bring out an...

Can't they change the number of trolleys attached to the train by adding/removing them depending on needs? I thought that was one of the main features of trains. Also, to add one more water taxi to the water taxi route would be far more expensive than adding one more train to the rail route.

This means the rail system is more flexible and easier to upgrade. Also, what are the operating and maintenance costs compared to the water taxi?

Where did you hear that thing about the rapid rail schedules btw? I didn't see that posted anywhere. I may have missed it.

You made some good points otherwise though. The older generation too caught up with making up your hours in the office to even consider working efficiently. I don't know why there is so little use of video conferencing and allowing people to occasionally work from home. I understand a lot of jobs need you to be there during the work day (especially service oriented jobs) but a lot don't require you to be physically there most of the time.

[Dizzy28]

Chaguaramas, and during the eight years it will only get worse,so we might come outside and sit down in our cars and go no where. That is why I said we have to address the road network and the traffic first then deal with the mass transit.
On a different note ,you see how you have a car and use it to go to work? That is everybody's goal too,every young person wants a car for freedom and mobility. That is one thing thats not going to change,but if all the bottlenecks and lights are moved then we might be headed in the right direction.

You want to see that change? Let the Government remove all fuel subsidies, place back the restrictions/ban the importation on foreign used vehicles and increase taxes and duties on new cars and see how fast that goal harboured by young people be revaluated. Its only that way because despite what people in this country may think it is relatively easy and cheap to own a car compared to many developed countries.

[Slartibartfast]

Chaguaramas, and during the eight years it will only get worse,so we might come outside and sit down in our cars and go no where. That is why I said we have to address the road network and the traffic first then deal with the mass transit.
On a different note ,you see how you have a car and use it to go to work? That is everybody's goal too,every young person wants a car for freedom and mobility. That is one thing thats not going to change,but if all the bottlenecks and lights are moved then we might be headed in the right direction.

You want to see that change? Let the Government remove all fuel subsidies, place back the restrictions/ban the importation on foreign used vehicles and increase taxes and duties on new cars and see how fast that goal harboured by young people be revaluated. Its only that way because despite what people in this country may think it is relatively easy and cheap to own a car compared to many developed countries.

Ah yes... the forever flawed"reduce the amount of cars on the road by making it harder to get cars" argument. You will just end up with more old cars on the road.

The reason people want a car is because of all of the added benefits of owning a car. You can reduce the "added" benefits of owning a car by raising the benefits of not owning a car or reducing the benefits of owning a car. One of these options benefits the society whereas the other option just holds the society back. See if you can guess which is which.

[Dizzy28]

Chaguaramas, and during the eight years it will only get worse,so we might come outside and sit down in our cars and go no where. That is why I said we have to address the road network and the traffic first then deal with the mass transit.
On a different note ,you see how you have a car and use it to go to work? That is everybody's goal too,every young person wants a car for freedom and mobility. That is one thing thats not going to change,but if all the bottlenecks and lights are moved then we might be headed in the right direction.

You want to see that change? Let the Government remove all fuel subsidies, place back the restrictions/ban the importation on foreign used vehicles and increase taxes and duties on new cars and see how fast that goal harboured by young people be revaluated. Its only that way because despite what people in this country may think it is relatively easy and cheap to own a car compared to many developed countries.

Ah yes... the forever flawed"reduce the amount of cars on the road by making it harder to get cars" argument. You will just end up with more old cars on the road.
Why would we end up with more old cars. Legislation can also be put in place to have junk and clunk off the road as well, or maybe if current legislation with regards to inspections were followed we would have road worthy albeit old cars on the roads

The reason people want a car is because of all of the added benefits of owning a car. You can reduce the "added" benefits of owning a car by raising the benefits of not owning a car or reducing the benefits of owning a car. One of these options benefits the society whereas the other option just holds the society back. See if you can guess which is which.
Your opinion is duly noted

[drchaos]

Car ownership is not the problem and is something we all aspire towards just like home ownership. Owning a car should not be punished. What should be taxed is how and when you use your car, congestion charges, stop the fuel subsides and actually apply VAT to that fuel cost. I think we should also toll the damn highways.
This will also get people to actually want to use a rapid rail system/mass transport system.

If they government think they so smart and want to raise taxes on new cars then it will drop the new car sales and affect their tax income.

[Trinispougla]

Car ownership is a BIG part of the problem. Trinidad has the highest car ownership per capita in the world. Hence we have one of the highest carbon footprints and the traffic mess we have now. Belgium, has eleven times the population of TT. Yet, in addition to paying 41 percent or their salaries in taxes, has some of the lowest car ownership in the world. They either walk or use the train. This 41 percent goes to free healthcare, free schooling etc. The bigger part of the problem is crime. In Trinidad, it is simply not safe to travel to certain parts of this country, hence the necessity of owning a car. That s the real issue. If there are five people in a household, and everyone owns a car, then you will have a problem

[drchaos]

I see what you did there ...

[Trinispougla]

Perfect example. Mauritius, with almost the same population, currently has selected a contractor for a light rail system, as of 2014. With heavily urbanized, INDUSTRIALIZED countries such as ourselves, trains are the best options.

[Dizzy28]

Car ownership is not the problem and is something we all aspire towards just like home ownership. Owning a car should not be punished. What should be taxed is how and when you use your car, congestion charges, stop the fuel subsides and actually apply VAT to that fuel cost. I think we should also toll the damn highways.
This will also get people to actually want to use a rapid rail system/mass transport system.

If they government think they so smart and want to raise taxes on new cars then it will drop the new car sales and affect their tax income.

The loss of tax income may be preferable to the massive outflow of valuable foreign exchange to Japan and Korea.
For the period Jan to June 2014 we imported approximately TT$777million in products from Japan whilst exporting only TT$116m in goods.
In that same period for Korea we imported TT$431m and exported TT$295m (thanks mainly to DRI and LNG).
Wanna guess what are the largest items of import from both those countries???

[Trinispougla]

Car ownership is not the problem and is something we all aspire towards just like home ownership. Owning a car should not be punished. What should be taxed is how and when you use your car, congestion charges, stop the fuel subsides and actually apply VAT to that fuel cost. I think we should also toll the damn highways.
This will also get people to actually want to use a rapid rail system/mass transport system.

If they government think they so smart and want to raise taxes on new cars then it will drop the new car sales and affect their tax income.

The loss of tax income may be preferable to the massive outflow of valuable foreign exchange to Japan and Korea.
For the period Jan to June 2014 we imported approximately TT$777million in products from Japan whilst exporting only TT$116m in goods.
In that same period for Korea we imported TT$431m and exported TT$295m (thanks mainly to DRI and LNG).
Wanna guess what are the largest items of import from both those countries???

Dumplings and Teriyaki sauce?

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Car ownership is not the problem and is something we all aspire towards just like home ownership. Owning a car should not be punished. What should be taxed is how and when you use your car, congestion charges, stop the fuel subsides and actually apply VAT to that fuel cost. I think we should also toll the damn highways.
This will also get people to actually want to use a rapid rail system/mass transport system.

If they government think they so smart and want to raise taxes on new cars then it will drop the new car sales and affect their tax income.

The loss of tax income may be preferable to the massive outflow of valuable foreign exchange to Japan and Korea.
For the period Jan to June 2014 we imported approximately TT$777million in products from Japan whilst exporting only TT$116m in goods.
In that same period for Korea we imported TT$431m and exported TT$295m (thanks mainly to DRI and LNG).
Wanna guess what are the largest items of import from both those countries???

Dumplings and Teriyaki sauce?

sushi and cellphones?

[Dizzy28]

Top 10 Imports by HS Code are almost all car related for both of them

Japan
OTHER CARS 1000-1500CC SPARK IGN.
CARS>1800<2000CC SPARK IGN.
OTHER DUMPERS G.V.W.>5<=20 TONNES
OTHER DUMPERS G.V.W<5 TONNES
C.K.D.CARS 1500-1800CC SPARK IGN.
CARS>2000<3000CC SPARK IGN.
MACHINERY WITH 360 REVOLVING STRUCT
OTHER CARS>2500 CC, COMPRESSION IGN.
DIESEL BUSES COACHES <21 PERSONS
R.M.V PISTON ENGINES >1000CC

Korea
C.K.D.CARS 1500-1800CC SPARK IGN.
CARS>1800<2000CC SPARK IGN.
OTHER CARS 2000-2500CC COMPRESSION IGN.
OTHER DUMPERS G.V.W<5 TONNES
OTHER CARS 1000-1500CC SPARK IGN.
OTHER DUMPERS G.V.W.>5<=20 TONNES
LEAD-ACID STARTING PISTON ENG.
OTHER CARS 1500-2000CC COMPRESSION IGN.
CARS>2000<3000CC SPARK IGN.
TYRES FOR MOTOR CARS

[pete]

Curious, where did you get that data? Is there somewhere you can put in a commodity code and see how many items for the year are imported?

[drchaos]

Some people on trinituner want to make car ownership harder?
MADNESS! BLASPHEMY!
Also what else you want to do with all that foreign exchange?
can't spend it on local goods ... so why not spend it on foreign goods

[Trinispougla]

@pete, what could a tiny like trinidad, with the most amount of cars in the world possibly import from korea and japan

[Slartibartfast]

Why would we end up with more old cars. Legislation can also be put in place to have junk and clunk off the road as well, or maybe if current legislation with regards to inspections were followed we would have road worthy albeit old cars on the roads

The roadworthyness of the cars isn't the problem causing congestion on the roads. People going to still want cars and going to get whatever they can afford.

Let me ask you this Dizzy, if the taxes on cars were raised and fuel prices increased would you sell you vehicles and use only public transport from now on?

[Dizzy28]

Why would we end up with more old cars. Legislation can also be put in place to have junk and clunk off the road as well, or maybe if current legislation with regards to inspections were followed we would have road worthy albeit old cars on the roads

The roadworthyness of the cars isn't the problem causing congestion on the roads. People going to still want cars and going to get whatever they can afford.

Let me ask you this Dizzy, if the taxes on cars were raised and fuel prices increased would you sell you vehicles and use only public transport from now on?

Not now.........but if there was a very good integrated transport option available as major European cities have[trains, trams, buses] then maybe yes.

[pete]

@pete, what could a tiny like trinidad, with the most amount of cars in the world possibly import from korea and japan

I'm genuinely interested in how to access the data to find out about some other products.

[Allergic2BunnyEars]

Think of the cool movie scenes we could shoot locally with a rapid rail. Can't have car chase scenes cuz too much traffic.