By the Tracks

Posted: June 22, 2019 | Author: Sebastian Sievert | Filed under: USkO | Tags: HART, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, rail, railcar, train |5 Comments

The futuristic, driverless light-rail car we toured today stood in stark contrast to the narrow-gauge trains we visited and sketched in our event of April 2018 at the Hawaiian Railway Society! Instead of sugar cane and cattle, it is now commuters (up to 800 per train) that will travel along the Ewa plains. Introducing us to this totally novel mode of transportation (for the islands), the friendly and knowledgeable staff from HART (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation) and Hitachi (the train manufacturer) went out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and left no questions unanswered at this morning’s “community train day”. The HART facilities next to Leeward Community College were open to the public, who could learn about the project’s status and experience firsthand one of the rainbow-adorned railcars. We sketched all aspects of it, including the wheel mechanism, interior (sporting bicycle and surfboard racks!), and sleek exterior. Sheltered in a tent kindly set up for us by HART, show-and-tell featured challenging perspectives, a certain sketch-worthy, mustachioed participant, and – for once – no chickens, cats, or birds.

Thank you, Lena Kamae, for hosting us!

As always, don’t forget to check out our sketches on Flickr and upload your own!

Make sure to stay tuned for our next event!

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5 Comments on “By the Tracks”

Ruth Ann Howden says:

June 23, 2019 at 15:09

Hi, I used to be able to see your sketches but flckr made me re-register and then got message by invitation only. I am in Honolulu occasionally, now live on Moloka’i, am still interested in what you’re doing, and still on your mailing list. Can you add me to view?

Mahalo, ra RuthAnn Howden Rahowden@gmail.com

“It’s better to have questions you can’t answer, than answers you can’t question.” Y.N. Harari

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- Sebastian Sievert says:
  
  June 23, 2019 at 17:03
  
  Hello Ruth Ann!
  Sorry to hear about the Flickr issue – how strange. I’ll be in touch with you via email to make sure this is fixed. Hope to sketch with you again when you are on Oahu!
  -Sebastian
  
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Leonie Andrews says:

June 25, 2019 at 02:50

This theme must be ‘in the air’, our Urban Sketchers Canberra group sketched our new light rail system a month ago (although ours come with drivers). Iam familiarvwith Singapore’s driverless trains. They seem to work very well.

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- Sebastian Sievert says:
  
  June 30, 2019 at 23:38
  
  Hi Leonie,
  
  What a coincidence! I saw a few photos of the Canberra sketchers drawing while riding the rail. Neat!
  
  Maybe USk should have an annual “Sketch a Train Day”. :)
  
  Sebastian
  
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  - Leonie Andrews says:
    
    July 1, 2019 at 21:34
    
    Possibly easier than sketch a chicken!
    
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