Quote:
Originally Posted by Cirrus
I think if DART were being built today, it'd be DMU instead of light rail. We're seeing more and more DMU in the DFW built instead of LRT, because DMU is a more natural technology for the regional rail-like service that DART puts out. There's nothing wrong with that. Light rail was just the wrong type of train.
Put DMUs everywhere DART goes now, and use the money saved to build a smaller network of trams in the core city doing what light rail is really intended to do. That would've been a neat system IMO.
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Back in the early 1990s, DART did buy just about all the DMUs that were available at the time, RDCs, and put them on the TRE line towards Fort Worth, establishing an hourly, then eventually, a half hourly service frequencies. There were no other DMUs in the USA, and as it is, the RDCs DART bought came from Canada. There's only so much service you can provide with 13 RDCs.
Presently, DART has 163 SLRVs on its light rail lines. About 150 more units than RDCs available in 1990s. Find another reason!
At the time, the rail public transit favorite ice cream flavor was light rail. Portland, Sacramento, San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles, and St. Louis had, or were building light rail transit lines in the USA, Calgary and Edmonton in Canada did likewise. Why pick solely upon DART?