1.  does the rail look unstable to you?  it looks top heavy and it would tip over easily in the event of an earthquake...

2.  With all the curves and up and downs (since its built using the existing road layouts), how could we possibly expect it to reach high enough speeds to make it efficient and feasible? 

3.  Say the railcars fill up in Kapolei, and say it reaches maximum capacity of riders by the time it reaches Pearl City.  The folks in Pearl City will have to wait for the train to drop its load off in town, come back past them, to the start in Kapolei, then catch it the 2nd time it passes Pearl City to get to town, assuming the 2nd time isn't again packed with folks from Kapolei and Waipahu...  It's a 1 lane road.  The single rail system can only ensure that people move in 1 direction at any given time. 

Meanwhile, TheBus is making things much easier by offering an AllDay pass for only $5, effectively eliminating transfers and attracting riders.  Or a one way ride for $2.50  A major improvement if you ask me.    for TheBus

4. and then of course there is the awful ugliness of it...  peep the graffiti that is already on the artist rendering! lol

1. From the casual observer, yeah, they probably appear top heavy.  However, in this case, it's more about the torsional properties of the section than the center of mass.  If you look at freeways around the country, there are thousands built with similar sections called box girders.  Very common.  Earthquake forces also depend on the natural frequency of the structure.  Oahu in general isn't that high an EQ risk area.  Not like the Big Island.  Even then, the mechanism for EQs in Hawaii aren't the same as in say the west coast.  While EQs occur in Hawaii, they aren't that common.  And industry standard isn't to design to resist the worst case.  So when people say that a building is designed to be EQ proof, yeah, no such thing.  They are typically designing to a certain percentage of a projected maximum. 

2. Look at rail in other cities like SF, Seattle and Chicago.  They aren't going that fast.  Even in Japan.  I have no idea what the cars are capable of, but the curves (vertical or horizontal) aren't anything that I would think would matter.  At least from when I worked on the rail maintenance yard. . .

I want all of you to note that the first 3 stations were let out to contract quite a while ago and HD is just now building the first one in Waipahu. The second half of the rail has been let out to contract and they have not even started on it yet. If they are going to have to build their own precast yard like Kiewit did, it will be at least another year or two before they get started on the second half of the rail. And you think it is only up to $10 Billion now? Just wait. $15-$20 is not out of the question.

In my previous job, we competed for all of the initial projects and we actually were teamed up to work on the rail maintenance yard near Leeward CC.  I've been at my current job for almost 7 years now.  When I left the previous company, I think the maintenance yard was already completed design and starting construction. 

Yeah, but Dave, as a responsible citizen who willing makes whatever "contribution" is necessary for the "good of the people" (as determined by you-know-who), what possible better use could you put your hard-earned tax dollars to?

Boy you are grumpy this morning. I think you need another cup of coffee! 

But seriously your sarcasm is noted. Socialism doesn't work. That is why we are the state with the most debt as compared to GDP. That is not a statistic that I would be proud of. The good of the people? What about diverting a large amount of tax money from children's education this year in order to increase the D.O.E.'s bureaucracy? Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. Just raise the GET/VAT to 5% and make the rail tax permanent. Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. While we are at it let's increase property taxes so us retired seniors can't afford to live a simple life and might have to go back to work. Or how about those landlords who will have to raise the rents on everyone here in order to pay for the increase in property taxes? Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. We have the worst homeless problem in the U.S. So let's keep doing what we have been that we know doesn't work and just throw money at the problem while all of Ige's buddies get richer. Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people.

Boy, I am so fucking grumpy this morning. I am going to go get another cup of coffee.   

In my previous job, we competed for all of the initial projects and we actually were teamed up to work on the rail maintenance yard near Leeward CC.  I've been at my current job for almost 7 years now.  When I left the previous company, I think the maintenance yard was already completed design and starting construction.

I am currently contracted out to the local contractor who is teamed up with Kiewit to build the maintenance yard. The other day I heard that this contractor is still out there doing some work (probably minor in nature).

I am currently contracted out to the local contractor who is teamed up with Kiewit to build the maintenance yard. The other day I heard that this contractor is still out there doing some work (probably minor in nature).

"There is evidence for concern at this point. There are some obvious failures," said Panos Prevedouros, a frequent rail critic and a University of Hawaii civil engineering professor.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/28827333/large-cracks-develop-along-rail-line

Could the Honolulu rail project be delayed again?

That’s what the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is trying to figure out after a defect was found in rail cars.

The issue lies within aluminum beams that make up the structure of the rail cars. We’re told the manufacturer has stopped production and 27 rail cars could be affected.

http://khon2.com/2016/12/15/honolulus-rail-faces-possible-delay-after-defect-found-in-rail-cars/

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s board of directors wants a more thorough investigation of rail components — and answers about money — in the wake of several quality and safety-related flaws Always Investigating revealed earlier this year.

The board chair also shared details from the latest cost estimates for the full project, which now stand at $8.6 billion, up from $8.3 billion earlier this summer. The estimate also puts the finish date near December 2025, a pushback from 2024 at last budget.

We were first to report several tendons that hold the segments together had snapped, and that shims to level the track have begun to crack already. The mounting flaws pose more than just construction-related problems. Both the tendon system and the shims will have to be closely watched, maintained and replaced as needed for the life of the line.

http://khon2.com/2016/09/29/hart-wants-deeper-look-into-critical-rail-construction-problems/


 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/28827333/large-cracks-develop-along-rail-line


http://khon2.com/2016/12/15/honolulus-rail-faces-possible-delay-after-defect-found-in-rail-cars/


http://khon2.com/2016/09/29/hart-wants-deeper-look-into-critical-rail-construction-problems/


 

What's your point? This is business as usual in Hawaii! 

Boy you are grumpy this morning. I think you need another cup of coffee! 

But seriously your sarcasm is noted. Socialism doesn't work. That is why we are the state with the most debt as compared to GDP. That is not a statistic that I would be proud of. The good of the people? What about diverting a large amount of tax money from children's education this year in order to increase the D.O.E.'s bureaucracy? Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. Just raise the GET/VAT to 5% and make the rail tax permanent. Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. While we are at it let's increase property taxes so us retired seniors can't afford to live a simple life and might have to go back to work. Or how about those landlords who will have to raise the rents on everyone here in order to pay for the increase in property taxes? Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people. We have the worst homeless problem in the U.S. So let's keep doing what we have been that we know doesn't work and just throw money at the problem while all of Ige's buddies get richer. Yeah, I'm all for the good of the people.

Boy, I am so fucking grumpy this morning. I am going to go get another cup of coffee.   

I'm all for that.  At least for the next 20 years. . . I keed, I keed.

I am currently contracted out to the local contractor who is teamed up with Kiewit to build the maintenance yard. The other day I heard that this contractor is still out there doing some work (probably minor in nature).

Gotta keep the contract open.  That way they can keep amending it to add stuff to work on.   

What's your point? This is business as usual in Hawaii! 

I made my point:   

I thought it was apparent!   

I made my point:   

I thought it was apparent!   

I was being sarcastic. Your point is well taken or should I say documented. 

Panos Prevedouros, a frequent rail critic and a University of Hawaii civil engineering professor

He's mostly knowledgeable, I'll give him that.  That said, he knows enough about structural engineering to be dangerous and mostly spins things out of proportion, which is typical of politicians.

Cracking in concrete construction is nothing new.  If anyone can produce concrete that doesn't crack, they will be richer than the King of Indonesia. . . Yeah, some of that stuff is disturbing and if properly contracted, the contractor should be taking care of that without additional cost.  The reality is that they will roll that cost into other change orders, which is really where HART and others are failing.  That said, it is really tough business to negotiate that stuff, but not impossible. 

One thing with the rail is that it is super visible to the public.  Thousands drive by it every day and see everything.  You should see what kinds of flaws that occur in typical building construction and ends up being covered up with some spackle (essentially). 

I was never for the rail in the current version.  That said, I see a lot of attacks on things that the contractors are actually doing ok on, like the actual construction.

Boy you are grumpy this morning. I think you need another cup of coffee! 

Boy, I am so fucking grumpy this morning. I am going to go get another cup of coffee.   

I'm like Trump, I don't drink coffee (or alcohol... no wonder the libtards think he's mentally ill!). Anyone who's paying attention to what's going on, especially in the political realm of Hawaii or the U.S. (everywhere else as well, really) and isn't at least mildly indignant, if not outraged by the lying, cheating, stealing crony-enriching (substantial percentage of) politicians is in denial. Or whatever you want to call looking through rose-colored glasses. But hey, it's all good! 

Gotta keep the contract open.  That way they can keep amending it to add stuff to work on.   

All the contractors here know how to work the system. And they get away with it. 

All the contractors here know how to work the system. And they get away with it. 

Sad to say, it's not just the contractors. . . Many times that can't be done without at least some complicity (maybe ignorantly inadvertent complicity) from the contract administrator. 

Sad to say, it's not just the contractors. . . Many times that can't be done without at least some complicity (maybe ignorantly inadvertent complicity) from the contract administrator.

I don't usually work up at that level. But that is quite sad.

I'm like Trump, I don't drink coffee (or alcohol... no wonder the libtards think he's mentally ill!).

Booze is good in moderation.

On a side note still 100% for the rail.  I hope it works and am perfectly fine paying a bit more taxes to get it finished. 

Booze is good in moderation.

Let me just take a wild guess... 97% of internists and psychiatrists and psychologists agree the booze is good in moderation? Wonder if that claim will generate 191 replies and 2,583 views like the same percentage claim for AGW? 

Let me just take a wild guess... 97% of internists and psychiatrists and psychologists agree the booze is good in moderation? Wonder if that claim will generate 191 replies and 2,583 views like the same percentage claim for AGW? 

Don't leave out "I'm 100% for the rail".

is that 100% regardless of total cost, including construction, maintenance and improvements?  Even if it does nothing to alleviate traffic on island?  Even if the rest of our infrastructure is going to hell (ala California's dam)??

Don't leave out "I'm 100% for the rail".

is that 100% regardless of total cost, including construction, maintenance and improvements?  Even if it does nothing to alleviate traffic on island?  Even if the rest of our infrastructure is going to hell (ala California's dam)??

You forgot the lack of pothole repair here in Hawaii:

You forgot the lack of pothole repair here in Hawaii:

Part of "infrastructure -- roads". 

Don't leave out "I'm 100% for the rail".

is that 100% regardless of total cost, including construction, maintenance and improvements?  Even if it does nothing to alleviate traffic on island?  Even if the rest of our infrastructure is going to hell (ala California's dam)??

Hey, don't bring California into it... they've spent $25 BILLION A YEAR for "social services" (aka "welfare") for illegal aliens, which they harbor as a "sanctuary state". That $50 million cost to reinforce the Oroville dam a decade ago when the potential problems were verified and made public is now likely over $200 million, not to mention the "inconvenience" of 200,000 people having had to evacuate their homes and jobs for days... it's like a race to see which government entity can do the stupidest most wasteful thing.