Jerusalem Light Rail LRV Testing & Construction Progress PHOTOS & VIDEO

[WMATAGMOAGH]

These photos were taken on June 3, 2010 near Ammunition Hill, which is where testing is currently taking place.  One two car train was being tested on the southbound/westbound track when I was there.  A single car train was parked on the other track.  Many workers were ensuring that no one tried to cross the intersection where the photos were taken before the train was moved.  Workers also were positioned at the end of the testing area to ensure that pedestrians, who do use the ROW to walk on (as you'll see in a later post), wouldn't get hit by the train.  Workers had no problem with my taking photographs, so long as I stayed 2 meters behind the fencing for safety's sake. 

I took photos and videos of both trains.













I don't think I can embed video on this message board, but you can see the video at http://www.orenstransitpage.com/otpisraelpics/jlemlightraillrv1avi.htm.

Photos of ROW construction progress to come...

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Here are photos of the Jerusalem Light Rail line right-of-way that I took on June 1 and June 3.  I've now photographed nearly every future station site along the line, as well as many sections in between stations.  For the ease of those of you on slower connections and so as to not inundate any one post with too many photos, there will be multiple posts.

The end of the line, literally.  This is the end of the tail tracks at the Pisgat Zeev end of the line, though there are already proposals to extend the line further north to Neve Yaakov.



Heil HaAvir, the northern terminal of the line:


Sderot Duchifat Station:


Pedestrians and others use the ROW as a sidewalk effectively.  After all, no trains are going to operate along these tracks any time soon.


Right-of-way in Pisgat Ze'ev with the street running to the left of the ROW:


Yekutiel Adam Station, I think the view of trains leaving and arriving at this station from the bridge at the west end of the station (see next photo) might be one of the best photo vantage points on the line, I couldn't get to this station though since it was blocked off entirely by construction fencing.


You can see the aforementioned bridge in this photo:


And again here with the station in the lower left:


French Hill Junction Station:



Watch out for kids playing on the tracks!!!


Sign warning people that the wires on this section of the LRV, which is where trains are being tested, is live:


View of the ROW on Sderot Bar Lev



ROW along the Old City Wall, near the New Gate.  As part of the light rail construction, the road was moved to a tunnel below the tracks, the original plan had been to have all the cars on the surface and the train in a tunnel (these 2 photos were taken in April):





More to come in part 2...

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Moving along into the center of Jerusalem...

Jaffa Road has been the main street in the new city of Jerusalem for many years.  However, this summer, it will close permanently to all motorized traffic (it is currently open to only buses and taxis due to the train construction) in order to test the infrastructure for the light rail, and the remaining part of the street will become a pedestrian walkway.  Light rail construction has been difficult for the businesses on this street, as pedestrian traffic has dropped precipitously and many shops have closed.

First, some "then and now" photos:

October 8, 2009:



May 12, 2010:


October 8, 2009:


April 2, 2010:


August 5, 2009:


April 2, 2010:


Others from along the Jaffa Road:










The trackways are covered with asphalt that can be removed to maintain bus service, as seen here:


And exemplified here:


The Central Bus Station is the large building in the background of the photo:




Light rail stop in front of the Central Bus Station:




More to come in Part 3...

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Here comes part 3 of the J'lem Light Rail construction photos, which will be the final part.

The "highlight" of the light rail construction is the "Strings Bridge", or Gesher HaMeitarim in Hebrew.  It is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge that will take trains over the busy and often congested intersection at the entrance to the city.  Additionally, the bridge has a walkway for pedestrians to use to get over the same intersection instead of crossing at grade, complete with an 8-10 foot high wall that will obstruct all views of the trains.

Ramp from the Central Bus Station area to the bridge:


View of the bridge from afar:



Up close:




On the walkway:







Continuing along Sderot Herzl towards Mount Herzl...

Haft Station:


The ROW construction here is very similar to how it is set up in Pisgat Ze'ev:




Denya Square Station:


Yefe Nof Station:




The line moves back into the roadway median:




Mount Herzl Station, the other end of the line:






Tail tracks where trains will relay, and like at the north end of the line, these continue for about 800 meters or so beyond the station.  There are preliminary plans to extend the line to Hadassah Hospital.


And that is it.  Lots more photos of the construction in the Jerusalem Light Rail Construction Photos section of my website: http://www.orenstransitpage.com/otpisraelpics/jlemlightrailconstruction.htm


Hope you enjoyed!

[WMAveteran]

Very comprehensive piece of photo-journalism.  Thank you.