Your opinions on the raised tracks through Downtown...

Do you think they are an obstacle to planning?
Do they add something to the area?
Do you think new raised/street level/sub level tracks could affordably be built and would some gov't assistance play into that scenario?

Just looking for thoughts. Dont know what to think about the tracks as they are, seems to be more of a barrier than anything right now. I guess one thing is that it provides a clear demarkation between Bricktown and Downtown. Can you think of any cities with the same situation, and what did they do?

BDM

If I understand you, street level rails imbeded in the streets are still used and still installed. Denver, Salt Lake City and Dallas all have them though they segregate the light rail from auto traffic. Dallas uses the old fashioned streetcar tracks on McKinney Ave that share space with regular cars and were installed as much as 10 years ago. There are probably other examples that I am not familiar with.

Personally, I like them. I like the effect of having different dimensions when walking around (say between the Ford Center/Myriad to Bricktown) -- it's not always flat ground, a few walls and buildings next to you. You have something above you, next to you, cars going by, and coming out of the tunnel to see Bricktown or Downtown is kind of cool.

Personally, I like them. I like the effect of having different dimensions when walking around (say between the Ford Center/Myriad to Bricktown) -- it's not always flat ground, a few walls and buildings next to you. You have something above you, next to you, cars going by, and coming out of the tunnel to see Bricktown or Downtown is kind of cool.

I agree. I think it adds character and interest to that area of Downtown and hasn't hindered development. Having the streets blocked occasionally by trains would be a bigger hinderance.

I would prefer that they were moved below grade. It would remove a visual barrier and reduce noise.

I guess you could do something interesting like this.

ShangralaFamilyFun.com - Shangrala's Wall Mural Art! (http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/wallart.html)

http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/2008/wall6.jpg

BigD Misey - those murals are cool. Something like that would be great painted on the rail viaduct. Here is another good one from the same artist. This is painted on a flat wall.

http://www.shangralafamilyfun.com/2008/wall1b.jpg

I'm positive I've discussed this before but the Mid-Corridor Trench of the Alameda Corridor in South Los Angeles was a $712 million dollar project that is 30 feet deep and 50 feet wide at 10 miles long.

Two problems. First, we don't have the business at the end of the line (the line through OKC is BNSF's gateway to the Gulf of Mexico to export grain whereas the end of the line in LA is a port for all kinds of consumer goodies arriving from Asia). Second, the trench in LA is shared by two companies--BNSF & Union Pacific.

Granted, if the line through downtown was put into a trench it wouldn't cost as much (of course inflation and construction prices are probably much different than when the Alameda Mid-Corridor Trench was awarded in 1998), but I think in LA it was a coordinated effort between UP & BNSF and the city of LA to alleviate 200 at grade crossings with the rail lines and essentially providing faster speeds to the railroads and no risk of collisions with vehicles at crossings. Better for both ends.

OKC would be much smaller, but at the same time, I just wouldn't see it working out. To the south of downtown, ODOT just got done building a new viaduct crossing over the soon to be new I-40. Do you realize how extreme the grade would be to get the necessary change in elevation between there and 30 feet below Reno Avenue? It wouldn't be possible and most likely worse than a mountain pass grade.

The scale of such a project here in Oklahoma City just isn't worthy. Plus, I enjoy what they've done with it--painting murals on the walls and making it look much more enjoyable than how it did in the 1980's. All they need to do now is paint that yellow fence or find something else to replace it.

OKC would be much smaller, but at the same time, I just wouldn't see it working out. To the south of downtown, ODOT just got done building a new viaduct crossing over the soon to be new I-40. Do you realize how extreme the grade would be to get the necessary change in elevation between there and 30 feet below Reno Avenue? It wouldn't be possible and most likely worse than a mountain pass grade.

Good point. The reality is we are stuck with what have, we just have to make the best of it.

A friend and I were hanging out near the Land Run sculptures and I noticed a convoy of solid yellow and solid gray Union Pacific passenger cars stopped on the tracks. There were no passengers on board but I did notice what looked like uniformed staff walking on the passenger cars. There were railroad officials getting on and off the train at the parking lot just south of Bass Pro. Does anyone know what the story on this is? The only passenger rail service that travels through here is the Amtrak Heartland Flyer. Am I correct?

A friend and I were hanging out near the Land Run sculptures and I noticed a convoy of solid yellow and solid gray Union Pacific passenger cars stopped on the tracks. There were no passengers on board but I did notice what looked like uniformed staff walking on the passenger cars. There were railroad officials getting on and off the train at the parking lot just south of Bass Pro. Does anyone know what the story on this is? The only passenger rail service that travels through here is the Amtrak Heartland Flyer. Am I correct?

Union Pacific maintains an Heritage Passenger Service fleet - kind of like a rolling tour of America. They are featured on the Travel Channel frequently. Maybe they made a stop in OKC or are scoping out a new route/tour.

The train was here to wine and dinne some of our state legislators, four cars were from the BNSF and the rest were the UP's. The train left last night on its way north.