Here are two other videos about the Link Light Rail Extensions to the east side of the Lake Washington.
Month / July 2021
LINK Light Rail Flyover Videos (for 2024 Routes)
Consider this a *bookmark* post for quick links to these two Sound Transit flyover videos of the LINK Light Rail spine extensions north and south. I did make a few comments/notes about both of these animations below the videos.
This first flyover is the route heading south to Federal Way from the existing Angle Lake Station.
The auto traffic shown in videos kind of cracks me up, because it isn’t going to get better any time soon. It will likely be as bad as it is or get worse in the coming years – it’s literally how it works. So forget that free flowing traffic you see around the light rail lines. That traffic, when you’re on the light rail, will as often as it flows smoothly will be backed up all the way to downtown Seattle and probably south to Federal Way! Take that as a thing to smirk about as you enjoy that freely moving light rail trip to Federal Way in the future, it should be pretty nice!
Another thing about this entire light rail project is how much of the project actually ends up being “road and automobile” spending. The entire project should be renamed “Something something automobile enablement and a small rail transit project” to be more accurate. The hundreds and hundreds of millions for parking garages, road rebuilds, intersection rebuilds, new lights and new configurations just to make it easy to *drive* to the transit is mind boggling. But alas, in ole auto-dependent, non-walking, non-transit using America it is indeed what a city often has to do to encourage ridership from the suburban communities. I’m all here for that, it’s just sad we have to subsidize suburban ridership so much when there’s more than enough expansion opportunities inside the existing city urban areas that still need service!
I’m also curious, and articles will be forthcoming as these open up, about how the compounding ridership of each stop will end up creating an extremely packed ridership situation on the stop further in toward the city. Eventually, branch lines are seriously going to be needed to sprout off of the main trunk! In the meantime, it’s gonna be a great improvement!
Bike Collection & Gear: All-City Macho Man Disc, AKA “Pop Rocket”
I picked up an All-City Macho Man just a few weeks before I got the Space Horse Disc built at Back Alley Bike Repair here in Seattle! From here on though, I’m going to call the bike by it’s now given name of Pop Rocket.
The Pop Rocket has traveled with me to well over a dozen cities over the last few years. Except for the fenders, everything on this bike started out stock.
Specifications
- Headset: Cane Creek 10 series
- Stem: Salsa Guide, 1-1/8th threadless, 31.8 clamp
- Handlebar: Salsa Cowbell 3, 31.8Tape Black
- Shift/Brake lever Shimano 105
- Brake: Hayes CX-Expert, 160mm rotors
- Front Derailleur: Shimano CX70 31.8 with 28.6 shim
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105, short cage
- Crankset: FSA Gossamer 46/36t
- Bottom Bracket: FSA MegaExo
- Seatpost: FSA SL280, 27.2
- Saddle: Brooks England B17
- Cassette: Shimano Tiagra 12-28
- Chain: KMC X-10
- Hubs: Formula DC20/22 6 bolt 32 hole
- Rims: Alex Black Dragon 32 hole
- Tires: Continental Gatorskins 700×35
NOTE: As with the past bike posts, no sponsors, just informational. To check out the Macho Man from All-City check out the link here.
Bike Collection & Gear: All-City Space Horse Disc
This is my main ride for almost everything. I’ve got larger tires on for smooth riding in bumpy ole’ Seattle. Good gearing. A reliable and comfortable seat. Solid additional parts like Chris King Hubs, etc.
I have been through short rides, heavy rides, slogs, and distances of over 100 miles a day on this bike. It rides like a dream, and quick to respond, and solid for heavy loads. Combined with my Bill Trailer from Surly and it can carry a formidable multi-hundred pound load without much strain at all!
Specifications
- Frame: All-City Space Horse Disc w/ fork and gruppo.
- Shifter: SRAM Apex 2x
- Brakes: Yokozuna Motor Cable/Hydraulic
- Rear DER SRAM Apex WiFli (32t max)
- Front DER SRAM Apex
- Crankset Arms: SRAM Apex 50/34 w/ Rings
- BB GXP
- Cassette 10-speed 11-32t
- Headset Chris King R45, sotto vocce blk
- Rims Pacenti CL25
- Hubs Front Shutter Precision PD-8, Dyno/ISO
- Hubs Rear Chris King R45D blk
- Spokes Front/Rear DT Swiss Revolution
- Nipples Gold w/ ano/green accent
- Tires: Compass Cycles Barlow Pass 38m
- Tape/Grips Fizik Green to beautifully match the frame.
- Saddle: Brooks Cambium C15, black
- Pedals: Shimano XT PD-M8020 Trail Pedals
- Fenders: Planet Bikes ALX black)
- Cages: One bottle, one Salsa “Anything Cage”
- Front Rack: Jandd Lowrider
- Back Rack: MSW Pork Chop
- Lights: Front B & M Luxos U
- Lights: Rear B & M
- Charger/USB Charger w/ Luxos U
- Power Switch w/ USB Charger on Dyno/Light Configuration
Over the years I’ve gotten a new dyno replacement, and changed the cassettes to different gearing. Otherwise all pieces are still in place after a solid 35k miles so far! BOOM!
NOTE: Again, not sponsored by anybody to write this. Just doing to to document the gear I use in case anybody is interested. To check out the Space Horse Disc hit up the product page.
Bike Collection & Gear: Surly Bill Trailer
This is the first set of a few short posts I’m writing up detailing the bike gear and rides I currently use on an almost daily basis. This first, part gear and *part* bike, is the Surly Bill Trailer. I purchased this trailer a few years ago and have, over the years I’ve owned it done some of the following.
- Moved from a location in Seattle to another location in Seattle. It took about 9 loads but it got done.
- In Portland moved from downtown in the Ladd Apartment tower downtown to Precott & Interstate Avenue. Another moving adventure of about 4 loads.
- Ikea pickups, ranging from a mere ~30 pounds to almost 260 pounds for the biggest load I picked up. Which, at Ikea, considering much of the stuff is pretty light, 260 pounds is a lot of furniture to assemble!
- More MMRs (Midnight Myster Rides), other party rides during pedalpalooza, and related events than I can even count a this point.
- About 15-20 different trips to and from the office with computer gear, music gear, and other related things like guitars and whatever as sometimes I want something at the office, and sometimes I want something back at home – or elsewhere.
All in all, it’s been a few tons of actual weight carried to and from all at a mere price of about ~$900 for the trailer, and it still had years, if not a solid decade or more of life to go!
Specifications
- Long Bed
- 16″ Wheels
- Gray
- 300 lbs load
- 37 lbs weight
- 63″ x 24″ (length x width)
- 16″ load height
Note: I am not sponsored or paid by any of these related companies. I’m merely writing these up out of interest and a desire to log what I use for reference. For more information check out Surly’s link on the trailer.
Transit Sleuth 