Light Rail coming to Honolulu

[gmat]

Wall Street Journal article on the Honolulu Rail;

Honolulu Hopeful Has No-Track Mind

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204131004577234461024281118.html

 

 

Honolulu City Mayor talks about the rail in his State Of The City Address.

Rail is 'the only viable option' for Oahu, Carlisle says in address

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/140208123.html?id=140208123

 

 

Honolulu Civil Beat on his speech.

Carlisle on Rail: 'We Need to Keep Moving Forward'

http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/02/23/14974-carlisle-on-rail-we-need-to-keep-moving-forward/

 

Yes2Rail updates;

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Cayetano vs Civil Beat Update: Mayoral Candidate Refuses To Talk with Investigative Journalist, Tells Reporter: ‘I Don’t Want You To Call Me Anymore’; Will Journalist Group File a Protest?

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Ex-Councilman: ‘Isolated Snapshot’ on Rail Views No Excuse To Abandon Years of Planning, Says Mayoral Candidate Is Encouraging Misinformation; Gas Prices Hit Historic Level for This Early in Year

 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Media Ignore Obvious Flaws in Rail Opinion Poll, Repeat GI-GO Results in Stories; Senator DKI Expects Attitudes To Change with Issues Debate

 

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Star-Advertiser Prints First Comprehensive Piece on Rail Construction as Project Readies for Phase One; LTE Forum: What HOT Lanes Are and Aren’t

 

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Week in Review: Poll Says Rail Support Has Fallen, But Flawed Question, Timing Erode Its Credibility; Call for Serious Transit Discussion Went Nowhere

http://yes2rail.blogspot.com/

 

Other news;

A City Council policy normally limits debt service to 20 percent of the annual operating budget

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=140117183

 

HNL Rail Transit (@HNL_RTD) on Twitter

http://twitter.com/#!/hnl_rtd

 

Article about the Hawaiian Railway.

All aboard;

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=139619213

 

Best wishes,.

Grant

[to2leo]

On a lighter side, I am just waiting for Hawaii Five-O to do an episode on the Light Rail since they did one on the super ferry already.

[gmat]

From The StarAdvertiser;

 

Rail needs more seats

As few as 64 riders can sit; 254 will have standing room only

 

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=141003623

 

Welcome to Mass transit. But perhaps you should also show the revenue figures/cost for cars with more seating versus cars with more standing room.

 

You must pay to view the rest of the article.

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

I notice there is a preoccupation in America with getting a seat when riding mass transit and commuter trains.  The question is, is this project intended to provide a commuter line (i.e. suburbs to CBD/employment centers and vice versa), or a system where people take shorter trips, like a streetcar?  The dynamics are different.

[Mudkip Orange]

Well, yeah, there's some long-ass commutes 'round these parts.

[gmat]

New chief for rail agency approved by HART board;

 

Daniel Grabauskas, the former head of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, was officially selected today to run Honolulu's $5.27 billion rail transit project in a unanimous vote by the board of directors of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/141123823.html?id=141123823

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[3railgreg]

Well, I hope they caulked the barrel, because Light Rail there is the largest pork project I have seen as of late. But hey what is 6 Billion these days....

[Mudkip Orange]

Well, I hope they caulked the barrel, because Light Rail there is the largest pork project I have seen as of late. But hey what is 6 Billion these days....

 

Hey, good question. What is $6B?

 

Let's check out the interest rates on TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities).

 

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=realyield

 

Whaddya know? Negative!

 

How 'bout the regular 5-year T-bill?

 

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/interest-rates/Pages/TextView.aspx?data=yield

 

Wow! 1.44% annualized! That's... less than inflation!

 

 

 

Yes, the economy is so bad, real interest rates on government debt are negative. With millions out of work, who'd like to be working, this is the PERFECT time to spend craploads on infrastructure projects that will employ construction guys, engineering guys, factory guys...

[gmat]

Haven't seen much to post for a while.

 

HART unveils first rail column in East Kapolei. Must pay to view the article.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=158345755

 

Completion of first rail transit structure in Kapolei unveiled. Includes video.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/18747762/completion-of-first-rail-transit-structure-unveiled

 

Roughly 700 columns are planned to go up along the 20-mile route. Includes video.

http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/Roughly-700-columns-are-planned-to-go-up-along-the-20-mile-route/-/8905354/14759186/-/dgk9fjz/-/index.html

 

Best wishes,

Grant

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

Hey, if Hitachi actually buys AnsaldoBreda, this project, through a strange turn of events, has potential to be a win for nikkeikigyou (Japanese business abroad).

[gmat]

After a long break, noticed this in the StarAdvertiser;

Rail cost outlook creeps up

The project is still within its budget despite a $160 million increase in design and construction figures.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=164987946

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[bikkuri bahn]

Some recent news regarding the supplier for the light rail project:

 

Credit rating slips for owner of rail company

Nov 19, 2012 (Menafn - The Honolulu Star-Advertiser - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --The Italian parent company of one of the largest contractors working on the Honolulu rail project now has a credit rating just above junk-bond status, and officials with the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation want assurances that that won't affect the 5.26 billion project.

 

A report by Fitch Ratings on Thursday noted that Italian defense and aerospace company Finmeccanica SpA is struggling with large amounts of debt and reductions in defense spending in its primary markets, which include Europe and the United States.

 

Concerns about Finmeccanica's financial condition last year prompted HART to delay awarding the contract to Ansaldo Honolulu, but the city eventually finalized the agreement.

 

HART Executive Director Daniel Grabauskas said the latest news about Finmeccanica is not expected to effect the city's project.

 

"HART continues to work closely with contractor Ansaldo Honolulu Joint Venture on design work for the rail project's core systems contract, which includes the train cars and train control center," Grabauskas said in a written statement.

 

Moody's Investors Service last month lowered its rating for Finmeccanica to Baa3, which is also one notch above junk-bond status. Moody's cited concerns about Finmeccanica's debt as well as a weak European economic environment and reductions in international defense spending.

 

The Fitch rating report cited concerns about delays in Finmeccanica's restructuring plans, an effort that may include selling the company's energy division and transportation operations.

 

Published reports indicate Finmeccanica has been in talks with Hitachi Ltd. of Japan about the sale of AnsaldoBreda and Ansaldo STS but has not announced a deal to sell either company.

 

http://www.menafn.com/menafn/edce3ebd-bcfc-47a1-8d6c-38ce49154aa3/Credit-rating-slips-for-owner-of-rail-company?src=main

[bikkuri bahn]

More regarding Ansaldo Breda:

 

Honolulu Officials Praise Ansaldo Rail Deal as Washington Metro Dumps the Cash Strapped Italian Company for Kawasaki

One of the most controversial decisions by the city’s rail authority was to award a contract to build the elevated steel on steel rail trains to the financially troubled Italian company Ansaldo.

The city’s HART CEO Dan Grabauskas maintained in a University of Hawaii student forum this week that the company was the best choice to design, build, operate and maintain Oahu’s $5.2 billion system.

But the Washington DC Metro operators have a different take. Their Ansaldo rail cars have been plagued with brake, lighting and air conditioning problems.

A Washington Post article on April 9 said the transit agency has decided to replace the Ansaldo rail cars at a cost of $889 million years ahead of schedule.

In addition, the DC Metro will contract with Kawasaki to provide the new rail cars, instead of having the Ansaldo’s failing cars repaired or refurbished.

According to the Washington Post, Metro board member Tom Downs called the Ansaldo rail cars a “fleet full of dogs,” and he maintained the chronic breakdowns were “killing” the agency.

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/honolulu-officials-praise-ansaldo-rail-deal-as-washington-metro-dumps-the-cash-strapped-italian-company-for-kawasaki/123

Edited April 14, 2013 by bikkuri bahn