UBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" It’s here! At last! The light rail... kind of Sunday, February 28, 2010       14 Adar, 5770         Web JPost.com create JPOST.COM your Home Page       Jerusalem 13 °C fresh York 1 °C London 5 °C   Home | Headlines | Iranian Threat | Jewish World | idea | Trade | true Estate | Local Israel | Blogs | Arts & Culture | Français  | Classifieds  Israel | Middle East | International | Health & Sci-Tech | Features | go | Cafe Oleh | Magazine | Sports | Israel Guide | Subscribe | Services Archives JP Toolbar Christian World Youth Magazines RSS Feeds News Ticker More Services JPost Store Israel Hotels Vacation Rentals Philanthropy Green Israel Car Rentals Learn Hebrew JPost Mall Sderot Dove JP Travel Guide Links Purim E-cards Christian World Ten Tribes Advertise on JPost Media Kit לימוד אנגלית      Breaking News     JPost.com Christian In Israel Features   .large_body p, .large_body span { font-size: 18px; } .small_body p, .small_body span { font-size: 12px; } Photo by: Ariel Jerozolimski It’s here! At last! The light rail... kind of By RON FRIEDMAN 25/02/2010 22:45 2-km. night journey marks first trial ahead of 2011 opening. Talkbacks (1)   After years of suffering from the construction of the light rail, on Wednesday evening Jerusalem citizens could start to see the light at the stop of the tunnel. CityPass, the firm heading the construction and operation of the red line of the Jerusalem’s rapid transit system, drove a single carriage on a two kilometer journey for its first test- race of the tracks.Surrounded by technicians and engineers from the company and the municipality, as well as a throng of onlooking residents, the train left its depot at the foot of the French Hill at nine thirty in the evening and made its way slowly, to the first station on the route,come Ammunition Hill.The trial run marked the beginning of the testing and commissioning phase of the project. The tests are planned to hold space over the course of a year and be completed by April 7th 2011, when the trains will commence commercial operation.“This is a historic day for a project that has recognized many difficulties. The residents of Jerusalem deserve to appreciate this new transportation system that rose in the capital before any other city,” stated Yair Maayan, director-general of the Jerusalem municipality. “We will demand from CityPass the highest levels quality and will not spare a single detail, yet we judge it would be excellent if it could shorten the schedules. It would be a just gesture to the residents of the city who suffered so much throughout the construction.” Through the course of the year every centimeter of the 28-kilometer long track will be inspected thoroughly and every one of the 46 trams will be tested on the track multiple times at different speeds and carrying different loads.Motorists and pedestrians moving around the city will have to acquire used to sharing the streets with the trains. While in the beginning of the trial period the movement will be slow and local, as the months go by more and more trains will be riding on the tracks and at ever increasing speeds.In the last 45 days of the testing phase, the system will operate fully, halting at all the stops, receiving precedence at traffic lights and affecting the traffic, all without riders.“We are beginning to see the end. We will do everything so that the residents of Jerusalem receive a modern and efficient light rail like the ones that can be found in the finest cities in the world,” said CityPass CEO Yair Nave. “We require a tiny more patience, and most of all, caution, from the residents through the testing and commissioning phase.” CityPass was given an extension to delay commercial operations by eight months earlier this week when arbitrators ruled that it would not be able to complete the project in September, as was originally planned, since of state and municipal actions.       Rate this article         Talkback Add a Talkback describe Abuse Read all Talkbacks end Thank you for sending your comment. Your reply has been recieved. If selected for publication, it will appear on our site as soon as feasible. The JPost.com Team Close Add Talkback: Please enter a valid name Please enter a valid address Subject *Author   State Message (MAX 600 characters) 600 *Email ( Will not be released ) I wish to recieve updates and offers from JPost.com *I have read and accepted the Readers' Submissions policy Submit *Required fields 1. I will believe its up and running when it starts t(NT)

zionist forever2/26/201001:33   Send big little Print       Most Talkbacked UK interviews 'passport victims'Dubai Police chief Dahi Khalfam Tamim: We have DNA, fingerprints of hit team.Talkbacks (55)27/02/2010 08:08'Iran moves uranium above ground'Official: Teheran's odd move is akin to painting bull's-eye on stockpile.Talkbacks (44)27/02/2010 13:35IAF expands training for rapid refuelingExclusive: Long-range destinations like Iran would necessitate risky practice.Talkbacks (21)28/02/2010 03:47     citypass yair nave jerusalem traffic Yair Maayan light rail   Web JPost.com     JPosts Sites: The Jerusalem Report JPost Mall Philantropy Center Green Israel Jpost Edition Francaise Invest in Israel Christian World America's Voices Our Magazines Sites Of Interest: Car Rental Israel Car Rental in Israel Jpost Store Israel Hotels Vacation Apt. Rentals Sderot Dove KKL-JNF Learn hebrew Poalim Online BreitBart.com Maps of Israel Fundraising Ideas Web Hosting Providers Prom dresses & gowns Prom dresses Jovani Jerusalem Hotel Our Friends Services: JPost Toolbar JPost News Ticker JPost RSS feeds JPost Email Edition JP Subscriptions JPost Archives Learn English JPost Guides: Israel Guide Tour Guides Israel Attractions Information: About Us Feedback Staff E-mails Privacy Statement Copyright Media Kit Sitemap Terms of Use News Partners   About Us | Advertise with Us | Subscribe | Contact Us | RSS   © The Jerusalem Post 1995 - 2010 © 2010