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The Queen Mary is an important City-owned asset and could be capable of generating much more in sales and hotel taxes -- important
revenue for Long Beach in today's fiscal climate. The ship is disadvantaged in two ways, however, and both could be eliminated if a
state-of-the-art transit system was available to move conventioneers, tourists and workers between the Convention Center, Aquarium,
other downtown hotels, Pine Avenue, the Metro Blue Line terminus (light rail to Los Angeles) and, perhaps, the Airport.
In 2008, the Save the Queen group understood that the ship was simply too difficult to reach from those venues where its visitors might
originate or its own guests needed to reach. A ship's guest without a car had only two choices -- an infrequent and slow Passport bus
shuttle or a costly taxi.
Save the Queen also planned to develop additional hotels on the ship's 50 acre parking area, using this valuable land for a much
grander return than parking fees. Ship visitors arriving by car would then need to park elsewhere and be shuttled to the property from
other parking in the downtown area.
An elevated transit system with minimal impact on already congested downtown streets is the answer for enhancing the ship's value,
and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is the technology which could deliver an inexpensive solution by operating on fixed guideways built
across either or both the Queensway and Ocean Avenue bridges -- the only access from the downtown to the Queen Mary. "Modern"
streetcars have been evaluated for this 2nd District area, but with their mass and wide turning radii, it's extremely doubtful that they can
maneuver over these bridges and through their tightly curved approaches. Slow and heavy streetcar technology also needs to share
traffic lanes and requires electric power delivered from obtrusive overhead "catenary" cabling.
The PRT transit model is analogous to a "horizontal elevator". Four-six passenger PRT vehicles are completely computerized and
driverless, providing a fast, exclusive, point-to-point ride for an individual, family or homogeneous group. On reaching a destination, the
vehicle waits for new riders, or is immediately sent empty to meet demand at a station elsewhere on the guideway. PRT should
average about 30mph in ordinary use, much faster than conventional transit. PRT doesn't operate on a fixed schedule, and rides don't
need to be shared as on a bus or light rail. PRT is fully electric, emission-free and can operate 24/7/365.
Unlike conventional transit, PRT thrives in Public/Private Partnerships -- for example, a Long Beach hotel might connect to the guideway
network by investing in its own station that could be built directly into the second floor of their structure. A big-box retailer might
participate in the same fashion to attract consumers to its store. Any private investor could even have its own branded vehicles.
Unheard of with ordinary transit, private investment then contributes to the cost of the system infrastructure.
City-owned stations and vehicle can be marketed for naming rights and external advertising, creating an additional revenue sources.
And, guideway can be engineered to mount solar panels for generation of electricity into the Southern California Edison grid for revenue,
offsetting vehicle consumption. "Green" PRT would not contribute to the Port area's emissions problems as it's entirely electric.
PRT could be also be funded via Measure R and NOT city funds, assisting in attracting a new developer for the Queen Mary as its
access and parking problems would be mitigated with this promising technology and an infrastructure which could link to existing City
parking assets. PRT in Long Beach would also become an attraction of its own, drawing visitors just as Anaheim's Disneyland
succeeds with its Monorail.
revenue for Long Beach in today's fiscal climate. The ship is disadvantaged in two ways, however, and both could be eliminated if a
state-of-the-art transit system was available to move conventioneers, tourists and workers between the Convention Center, Aquarium,
other downtown hotels, Pine Avenue, the Metro Blue Line terminus (light rail to Los Angeles) and, perhaps, the Airport.
In 2008, the Save the Queen group understood that the ship was simply too difficult to reach from those venues where its visitors might
originate or its own guests needed to reach. A ship's guest without a car had only two choices -- an infrequent and slow Passport bus
shuttle or a costly taxi.
Save the Queen also planned to develop additional hotels on the ship's 50 acre parking area, using this valuable land for a much
grander return than parking fees. Ship visitors arriving by car would then need to park elsewhere and be shuttled to the property from
other parking in the downtown area.
An elevated transit system with minimal impact on already congested downtown streets is the answer for enhancing the ship's value,
and Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) is the technology which could deliver an inexpensive solution by operating on fixed guideways built
across either or both the Queensway and Ocean Avenue bridges -- the only access from the downtown to the Queen Mary. "Modern"
streetcars have been evaluated for this 2nd District area, but with their mass and wide turning radii, it's extremely doubtful that they can
maneuver over these bridges and through their tightly curved approaches. Slow and heavy streetcar technology also needs to share
traffic lanes and requires electric power delivered from obtrusive overhead "catenary" cabling.
The PRT transit model is analogous to a "horizontal elevator". Four-six passenger PRT vehicles are completely computerized and
driverless, providing a fast, exclusive, point-to-point ride for an individual, family or homogeneous group. On reaching a destination, the
vehicle waits for new riders, or is immediately sent empty to meet demand at a station elsewhere on the guideway. PRT should
average about 30mph in ordinary use, much faster than conventional transit. PRT doesn't operate on a fixed schedule, and rides don't
need to be shared as on a bus or light rail. PRT is fully electric, emission-free and can operate 24/7/365.
Unlike conventional transit, PRT thrives in Public/Private Partnerships -- for example, a Long Beach hotel might connect to the guideway
network by investing in its own station that could be built directly into the second floor of their structure. A big-box retailer might
participate in the same fashion to attract consumers to its store. Any private investor could even have its own branded vehicles.
Unheard of with ordinary transit, private investment then contributes to the cost of the system infrastructure.
City-owned stations and vehicle can be marketed for naming rights and external advertising, creating an additional revenue sources.
And, guideway can be engineered to mount solar panels for generation of electricity into the Southern California Edison grid for revenue,
offsetting vehicle consumption. "Green" PRT would not contribute to the Port area's emissions problems as it's entirely electric.
PRT could be also be funded via Measure R and NOT city funds, assisting in attracting a new developer for the Queen Mary as its
access and parking problems would be mitigated with this promising technology and an infrastructure which could link to existing City
parking assets. PRT in Long Beach would also become an attraction of its own, drawing visitors just as Anaheim's Disneyland
succeeds with its Monorail.
| Example Downtown Long Beach PRT alignments |
| Example Long Beach PRT alignments to service the Airport, Cal State Long Beach, city medical facilities |
| Queen Mary |
Recent News, Links
Queen Mary Changes Course; New Management Firm Takes Helm Long Beach Business Journal (Stacy Clements 8/25/09)
New Management May Signal Light At Queen Long Beach Grunion Gazette 9/9/09
LB Council takes on Streetcar study, feasibility review Everything Long Beach Blog 11/10/09
Debunking Portland Website takes on the real value of streetcar-focused transit and "TOD"
Debunking Portland Randal O'Toule's (Cato Institute) provocative piece on the real "success" of the Portland streetcar system
HDR Streetcar Study $69k study presented to City Council 11/17/09
Our Pitch As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Our PowerPoint As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Scanned PowerPoint slides from HDR As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Desire for streetcars gets a look in Long Beach Long Beach Press-Telegram story (Paul Eakins) 11/21/09
A love affair with trolleys Long Beach Press-Telegram Editorial 11/23/09
US Streetcar Systems Selected Operating Data, 2007 Compiled from government statistics by T. A. Rubin
Note average of average speeds = 6.5 mph
Note average passenger load = 6.6 persons
Oregonian: City should widen Oregon 99W from five lanes to seven lanes than favor adding light rail to combat congestion
Serious light rail incident on newly opened Phoenix light rail 05 December 2009
"Crash marks the 51st time a light rail train has been hit this year"
Houston: The Wham-Bam-Tram 3/18/04
11 crashes/track mile/year, 20x national average, aka the "Streetcar Named Disaster"
Long Beach blogger comments on Streetcar Study 08 December 2009
A Streetcar Named Monorail LBPost.com, 12/14/09
Ticket To Ride: Transportation Experts Consider Alternatives To Automobiles Long Beach Business Journal, 12/21/09
Phoenix/Tempe: Valley light rail system observes first anniversary 12/24/09
Note 51 accidents in 52 weeks, 3mph average speed, service cuts being considered
Another Blue Line fatality LA Times, 12/27/09
Developers Put Off Study of Long Beach Monorail LA Times story from 1989
The Rail Scam -- Fox Business' John Stossel on the EXTRAORDINARY costs of rail 1/21/10
Queen Mary managers talk about planned improvements to ship LBPT, 2/2/10
Randal O'Toule's (Cato Institute) Presentation on Streetcars and TOD in Portland
Queen Mary is getting a long-overdue makeover LA Times, 3/3/10
Our new page arguing against outmoded, expensive and dangerous "Light" Rail Systems
Queen Mary Changes Course; New Management Firm Takes Helm Long Beach Business Journal (Stacy Clements 8/25/09)
New Management May Signal Light At Queen Long Beach Grunion Gazette 9/9/09
LB Council takes on Streetcar study, feasibility review Everything Long Beach Blog 11/10/09
Debunking Portland Website takes on the real value of streetcar-focused transit and "TOD"
Debunking Portland Randal O'Toule's (Cato Institute) provocative piece on the real "success" of the Portland streetcar system
HDR Streetcar Study $69k study presented to City Council 11/17/09
Our Pitch As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Our PowerPoint As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Scanned PowerPoint slides from HDR As presented to the LB City Council 11/17/09
Desire for streetcars gets a look in Long Beach Long Beach Press-Telegram story (Paul Eakins) 11/21/09
A love affair with trolleys Long Beach Press-Telegram Editorial 11/23/09
US Streetcar Systems Selected Operating Data, 2007 Compiled from government statistics by T. A. Rubin
Note average of average speeds = 6.5 mph
Note average passenger load = 6.6 persons
Oregonian: City should widen Oregon 99W from five lanes to seven lanes than favor adding light rail to combat congestion
Serious light rail incident on newly opened Phoenix light rail 05 December 2009
"Crash marks the 51st time a light rail train has been hit this year"
Houston: The Wham-Bam-Tram 3/18/04
11 crashes/track mile/year, 20x national average, aka the "Streetcar Named Disaster"
Long Beach blogger comments on Streetcar Study 08 December 2009
A Streetcar Named Monorail LBPost.com, 12/14/09
Ticket To Ride: Transportation Experts Consider Alternatives To Automobiles Long Beach Business Journal, 12/21/09
Phoenix/Tempe: Valley light rail system observes first anniversary 12/24/09
Note 51 accidents in 52 weeks, 3mph average speed, service cuts being considered
Another Blue Line fatality LA Times, 12/27/09
Developers Put Off Study of Long Beach Monorail LA Times story from 1989
The Rail Scam -- Fox Business' John Stossel on the EXTRAORDINARY costs of rail 1/21/10
Queen Mary managers talk about planned improvements to ship LBPT, 2/2/10
Randal O'Toule's (Cato Institute) Presentation on Streetcars and TOD in Portland
Queen Mary is getting a long-overdue makeover LA Times, 3/3/10
Our new page arguing against outmoded, expensive and dangerous "Light" Rail Systems
| LBCC |
