Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Will Jerusalem Residents Finally Get Their Light Rail AND Ride On It, Too?

16 of the Fifth Month 5771

Has the wait of Jerusalem residents for light rail service to begin finally come to an end?

(Translated from Hebrew)

Arutz 7: The First Stage Trips Will Be Free
Trips on the light rail will be free in the first stage of operation. "The decision was accepted out of a desire to be oft benefit to Jerusalem residents as a period of adjustment."

Uzi Barukh, 16 Menahem Av 5771

Citipass, the company holding the tender for the Jerusalem light rail, will begin operations this Friday. During the first phase trains will operate in a trial run structure with passengers....

(Tip Credit: Cosmic X in Jerusalem)

I guess we will find out on Friday.

Be prepared for a total revamping of the Jerusalem bus lines, to reduce the traffic on Agrippas Street and elsewhere. The new bus lines are already listed on the newly posted maps at each light rail station.

Most buses will carry passengers only as far as the nearest light rail station, encouraging light rail travel, and reducing the number of buses running parallel to the light rail.

It does not appear that neighborhoods which are far from stations, such as Har-Nof, Har Homah, Gilo, and Ramot, will be significantly impacted.

Meanwhile...
IsraelNN.com: Israel on Track to Change Transportation Map with Trains
The Transport Ministry has mapped plans to revolutionize the country with new train tracks in the Galilee and Tel Aviv suburbs.

Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, 16 Menahem Av 5771

The Transportation Ministry has mapped plans to revolutionize the country with new train tracks in the Galilee and Tel Aviv suburbs, moves that also may help solve housing problems....
This piece seems to have significance, only due to claims by Transportation Minister Yisra'el Ka"tz that train service will improve the housing situation. Actually, this is just a confirmation of previously announced plans for lines connecting...
Akko with Karmiel and Qiriyath Shemona
Haifa with Afula, Beth Sha'an, and possibly into Jordan
Ashqelon with Be'er Sheva, through Ofakim, Netivoth, and S'deroth
Be'er Sheva with Arad, and a separate line to Eilat
Hetzliya with Ra'anana and K'far Saba, completing a loop through Petah Tiqwah to Tel-Aviv
High speed service between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv via Modi'in and Ben-Gurion Airport is expected sometime around the year 2016.

For now, I will settle for getting to the Shuq and the center of Jerusalem by light rail.

See you on Friday!

5 comments:

Chana said...

"Ka"tz"? This spelling is red!cul0us. As to the actual use of the light rail by the public, I'll believe it when I see it.

Esser Agaroth said...

Chana, thanks for writing.

WHy is it ridiculous?

It's an acronym, just the names Sege"l, Maz"o, and Maz"a.

It's an additional clarification, as well as something to prompt Jews, who don't know, to ask what it is.

Many Jews think that Rashi is a real first name. Thus I spell it Rash"i, if not RaSh"I. Also Ramba"m, Rashb"a, Rashb"i, etc.

We do agree on one thing. I'll believe that the train is running when I see it.

;-)

Chana said...

Standard English spelling does not include quotation marks to indicate acronyms, particularly in names. We do not spell our last name "Siege"l, and neither does anyone else. Acronyms are indicted with a period in English.

The attempt to "transliterate" from Hebrew to English is willfully obscurantist. You may think you're being more accurate, but for anyone who does not already know Hebrew, spellings like "Qiryat Gat" only make things more difficult. As for those of us who already know Hebrew, write it in Hebrew already.

Esser Agaroth said...

The "Q" is the same letter as the "Qoof."

Just because Ashkenazim do not differential between כ and ק, and between letters with and without a daggesh does not make it correct, even if "everybody's doing it."

I don't mind the criticism of my transliteration. What I do mind is when Ashkenzim (so that doesn't necessarily mean you) get all bent out of shape when shatter their illusions that Moshe Rabbeinu ztz"l pronounced ת without a daggesh as "S."

Guess what? The Israel Gov't also using a "Q" for ק, so it's hardly a חידוש. ie. Petah Tiqwah.

I am raising awareness to the fact that each letter has a different sound, except ס and ש-sin (See RaSa"G and Ibn Ezra, & Ya"Be"Tz among others on differential pronunciation)

I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

I would gladly write everything in Hebrew, but as you alluded to, not every Jew would understand. :-(

Thanks again for taking the time to write.

Cosmic X said...

Thanks for the mention.

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