And of course here in the People's Republic of Austin, Texas the same social engineering clones are hell bent on putting in light rail even though the voters voted against it in a referendum. So much for one's vote and Democracy.
Cheers Baron Carter -----Original Message----- From: Wizard of OS [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, 08 July, 2002 10:16 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:20887] Re: (Off-topic) Public transportation actually Tram is a worse solution than Bus! I suppose tu build a subway is too late?? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Elwell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 5:09 PM Subject: [USMA:20886] Re: (Off-topic) Public transportation > At 08:22 PM 7 July 2002 -0600, Carl Sorenson wrote: > >... Salt Lake City has a new TRAX light-rail > >system that has been used very heavily (by all socioeconomic classes). It > >was finished within budget, ahead of schedule, and it is being used more > >than was predicted. TRAX is very popular and many extensions are being > >planned. > > I'm sorry, Carl, but there is another view of Salt Lake City's new light rail: > > (1) It would be difficult to pick a WORSE use for a free transit corridor > in a moderate-sized city. The light rail corridor could much more > effectively have been turned into a high-speed mass transit route (i.e., > high-speed two-lane road for buses and vans). Rail provides fixed locations > only: people have to take the bus to a transfer point, get on the light > rail, then get off and (often) transfer to another bus to get to their > location. Rail does not allow one vehicle to pass while another one loads. > Rail does not allow for shifting economic centers. The whole corridor is > wasted when the trains are not running. And electric rail is many times as > expensive to construct as road. > > (2) It is heavily used during a few peak commuting periods. Otherwise you > have 50,000 kg strings of rail cars hauling a dozen or so people. This is > NOT efficient. The back of my office abuts the light rail line -- every > morning and evening I see cars full, the rest of the day and weekends they > are largely empty. > > (3) It has contributed to the destruction of downtown Salt Lake City. > Downtown is a ghost town most evenings and weekends. Many shops have closed > and there is a glut of unused office space (occupancy is about 65%). This > is because (a) public transit is far less convenient than a private car, > particularly if you are hauling packages or kids around, or need to go when > the rail isn't running, and (b) they used light rail as an excuse to get > rid of many of the too few parking spaces that existed, making it even more > miserable to try and go to the center of the city in a car. (As you may > know, Carl, Rocky has put parking into the middle of Broadway to try and > make it easier for people to actually come to his ghost town). > > (4) It certainly is NOT used by "all socioeconomic classes," to any > significant degree. It is used by individuals going to work downtown, and > couples going downtown for evening entertainment. Most people who value > their time to any degree avoid it at all costs. The 21st South station is > perhaps 100 meters from my office. Of 48 employees, I know of only one who > uses light rail with any regularity, and most have never even been on it. > > (5) It is an outrageously expensive system. The UTA itself has published > figures showing that each ride is subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of > $16. Since the ride only costs $1.25, light rail is hardly an economic > success. How many people would ride it if they had to pay the full $17 or so? > > Light rail is the product of arrogant, self-annointed "planners" who hate > cars. Since the vast majority of people prefer the convenience and privacy > of their own car, these "planners" have accomplished nothing but waste > billions of dollars and destroy downtown Salt Lake City. > > Some "planning." > > > Jim Elwell, CAMS > Electrical Engineer > Industrial manufacturing manager > Salt Lake City, Utah, USA > www.qsicorp.com >
