Quote:
Originally Posted by zilfondel
^ The population of the US will increase by 33% by 2050, so you had better believe we're getting better transit. It's already started, with about 50 cities building light rail lines. Besides, NYC, Seattle, San Fran, are all building new subways.
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Where did you get that info? I highly doubt that SF is building a subway although they have been extending the BART. And Seattle certainly is not building a subway. They are buidling a lightrail line which is primarely at ground level with only a couple underground stations.
I think lightrail in general is the wrong direction to be expanding transit in this country. It is a toy compared to any real subway train or commuter railroad. Compare the Hudson-Bergen light rail's usefullness with the PATH trains and you'll know what I mean.
Cities ought to be buiding full scale train systems like they have in Chicago, Boston, etc.
Lightrail in the US can move about 10,000 people per hour per track using two minute headways.*
Full gauge subway/ elevated trains can move around 70,000-80,000 people per track per hour with three minute headways, but that can change depend on the legnth of trains.*
*Wiki