Quote:
Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal
yes, not because I thought it was cutting edge humor; just the opposite. precisely *because* it is a cliche at this point is what makes it relevant. monorails are *still* a boondoggle, and the fact that people are still proposing them 30+ years after the Simpsons mocked them is what is funny.
|
Again, look at Japan's systems.
Monorails *are* valid tools in the transportation toolbox under certain conditions, they offer the speed of a metro but less capacity at a lower cost. They are great for one-off transit lines to serve a single destination or neighborhood, and poor for whole city-wide networks. They do not offer the flexibility to run at grade, and running them in tunnels is possible but very expensive.
They are not a panacea, clearly despite what some folks think. And they have to be planned with the bigger picture in mind, with strong connections to other modes and stations in good locations. US monorails are usually sponsored by corporations so they serve certain private property very well, and serve the broader city poorly. That isn't because the technology is bad, it's because corporate sponsorship is bad.