Quote:
Originally Posted by SFBruin
I agree that commuter rail's potential in the US is untapped, but I think that it has to do more with bad routing than it does with limited schedules.
The main reason that I haven't taken commuter rail in Seattle, so far, is that it seems to go weird places (it goes along the beach I think), and the nearest station isn't particularly easy to get to.
If it were more accessible, and went to more destinations, then I think I might take it more.
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Excellent point about commuter rail routing. Ever wondered why it is routed so poorly, especially Sounder trains towards Everett? Grades are the answer, long freight trains do not like steep grades, rarely over 2%, and that is where most commuter trains run on, freight tracks or abandoned freight tracks. Meanwhile, cars, buses, and trucks can easily handle 6% to 10%, and even higher grades. The Link light rail trains heading north tunnel through granite hills to head north to closely parallel I-5 and they can easily handle 6% grades.