What is so great about light rail trains?

Question

In the Twin Cities they are planning an 11-mile light rail line which would cost over a billion dollars, which is $100 million per mile.

I think that bus-only roads would be a much better option:

-it would be cheaper, so they can build more miles with same amount of money

-buses are not limited to tracks

-buses can turn onto roads, so they can create more routes, which makes it accessible to more people

-they can sell rights to use them to private bus companies

-they can change routes when needed

-buses can stop faster than trains

-for less busy routes, they aren't using massive trains

-large diesel engines are more efficient than large electric motors (electric cars are only as efficient as they are because of their small size)

Answer 1

This question is, in fact, being posed and answered here in the UK where there are proponents of so called 'guided busways' and, in fact, one derelict heavy rail line (near the city of Cambridge) is being turned into such. (see http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transpo... for the official 'line' - no pun intended!) The advantage of this is that it is cheaper than reinstatement of heavy rail, or conversion to light rail. The downside is that it remains inflexible - out of town the buses cannot leave the guideway. It does not solve the problem of traffic congestion in the ancient city centre where the buses will terminate. Buses hold fewer people than a light rail train. However to have merely converted to light rail would have meant journeys ending a mile from the centre of the city and still the need for buses. I realise this doesn't answer your specific question on the Twin Cities, but gives some insight, I hope, to what is happening elsewhere.

Answer 2

HOld on.... trains are

quieter

smoother

can keep running in inclament weather, and you are talking about minneapolis...please im sure you know what inclament weather is...

trains are an INVESTMENT, as soon as a system is at a certain capacity they are actually more affordable than fixing and maintaining roads...

check this out, it may cost a billion to build a 12 mile rail line that will move people, but it will spur massive development and increase tax revenue...compare that same 12 mile rail line to a 12 mile oooh lets say 8-10 lane freeway, well that freeway will also cost 1 billion dollars, and when that freeway gets overcapacitated, it will cost another 1 billion dollars as opposed to adding another track, or maybe not even, but adding extra trains which would be much cheaper.

im sorry but the problem here is that you are simply looking at cost, and you dont realize that rail mass transit systems ARE investments.

buses are...

not smooth

will have trouble in inclament weather

can get stuck in traffic... or maybe they are not running in traffic, but what if a bus breaks down in its own lane, that holds up the buses behind it.  If a train breaks down, another engine can hook up to it and push it to the repair shed which to me sounds like a very TIMELY fashion. im out of breath

Answer 3

In New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, there are lightrails.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Line_...

RiverLine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson-Berg...

Hudson-Bergen Lightrail

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_City...

Newark City Subway

In New York and Westchester County, they're planning to introduce fast bus service to replace Limited Bus and it is called Bus Rapid Transit.

http://www.westchestergov.com/transporta...

In New York, Vision42 is planning to replace 42nd St Crosstown into lightrail/traffic free.

http://www.vision42.org/

Vision 42 think it could help easier boarding, and faster service, and gets green light.

Answer 4

100 million dollars per mile is pretty expensive! Is it underground? We need to know how many passengers are expected to use the trains in order to make a more knowledgeable opinion

Answer 5

Give me $50 million a mile and I'll break ground tomorrow.  

But this price tag you mention is undoubtedly for costs of the total system, including roadbed, but also including rolling stock, civil engineering, architects, surveyors, the people to do the construction, employees of the light rail line, as well any properties that may have to be acquired through outright purchase or via the amazing vehicle of eminent domain, which also costs money.

A good comptroller would also allow for the enevitable legal squabbles and the cost of litigation and any potential settlements arising from adjudication of the litigation.

But, some assumptions in your question don't quite ring true.

For one thing, train length can be tailored according to need by simply adding or removing cars from the consist.  So, on less traveled routes, you won't see six or eight cars with one person sitting in each go by.  

Actually, all electric locomotives are far more efficient than diesel electric.  The only reason the diesel prime mover is aboard is because you must take your electricity with you, as there is very little electricity available in large part, across the rail networks of the railroad companies.

I would bet that, had there been a crystal ball in existence when steam was finally supplanted by diesel electric, nearly all our rail network would be electrified.  But, who knew?  It's too late now.

Buses won't be used any more than now.  They are cramped and somewhat claustrophobic for many.

Urban mass transit is the only way out of highway grid lock, the unnecessary consumption of additional fuel and clearing the air.

Ridership will be there.  $7.50 a gallon for gasoline will take millions of people off the highway.  No one will be driving if one cannot afford to do so.  The real problem is, we cannot possibly have any viable alternatives in place once we reach this benchmark, thanks to our good friends at OPEC, because it isn't very distant into the future that this becomes reality.

And, construction costs will never be cheaper than today.  So, wait 5 more years, wind up having to build the thing anyway, only now it will cost $1.5 Billion and be even more years behind.

Besides.  Have you ever tried to drink a cup of hot coffee on a muni-bus?