THE RAIL FANTISY

The Logical View ^ | 9/15/02 | MARK A SITY

[logic101.net]

The following was published in the local (Milwaukee) rag on 9/15/02, but I need to give some background information. There has been a push for light rail here for about a decade. Even though few want it, these people keep coming back again and again hoping to wear us down. They got a commuter rail experiment allowed during a major highway re-construction project, with dismal results. Now they wish to try the same experiment again, at taxpayer expense of course. Here is the letter:

THE RAIL FANTISY

Here we go again; rail to ease freeway congestion. Excuse me folks, but didn't we try that a couple of years ago during the I-94 re-construction? Wasn't it a flop? In fact as it turned out it would have been cheaper to buy each of the few commuters who rode it their own car, and we are talking Jaguar, not Civic here. Now the rail fanatics want $250 million to try it again! Enough already with the rail fantasy! We don't want it; too few people ride it to make it cost-effective, and those that do are just changing from a bus to a train. We tore out the trolleys decades ago for a reason; people were not riding them. What makes the rail fanatics think that things have changed? Heck; there are not enough people riding the bus system to make it self-supporting, and the bus system is a whole lot cheaper! Many of the suburbs have had referendums on light rail; yet Milwaukee won't allow one. Perhaps this is because our mayor is a rail fanatic and those suburbs that have had referendums have shot down rail 2 to 1? Will the rail fanatics ever just go away?

MARK A SITY
http://www.logic101.net/

[logic101.net]

I hope I gave enough background info about this local continual, persitant problem.

[07055]

I was in the Portland, OR area last week and decided to give the light rail a chance.

It took me 51 minutes to get downtown.

A day later, I drove downtown. It took me 20 minutes.

Why would I waste sixty minutes every day just to ride the train?

[Valin]

You're goona just love the choo choo train(toot toot)
We're getting one here in Mpls, goes from the Mall of America to downtown, It's goona but just wonderful danm near paradise on earth. And all for the low low price of 7.5 million.

[Incorrigible]

Submitted for your review.

[Valin]

Why? Well if you need to ask you need to be reeducated. It's for the childern, it helps save our mother the earth and our friends from the forest floor.
If you don't like love the choo choo train your evil.

[Jim Noble]

>>Why would I waste sixty minutes every day just to ride the train?<<

Because you are a caring person.

[Ditter]

Houston is getting a toy train too. Its going from the Medical Center to our new downtown stadium. The sick can now go to the ball game more easily. I have blocked how many millions of $ out of my head. The rationale is that it must start somewhere. I think he should start where the people are, but I am just a dumb twit, what do I know.

[hedgetrimmer]

Because when people no longer have their own transportation, they cannot move about at will. They can be more easily controlled and their destinations controlled. Soon there will be transportation villages in your city. High density housing will be built around train stops with shops on the ground floor of the building. The train will only take you to your work and home again. No side jaunts on your way home. No trips out to the countryside, which has been made into wilderness areas where no humans are allowed.

Nevermind people don't want to live this way. Many cities in california are only permitting high density housing to be build with the idea of the creation of transportation villages. They do not repair or upgrade the roads because they want you to think driving is miserable and think your confinement as a wage slave living in an area densely packed with your fellow wage slaves is a good thing.

They want you to think you are still living in a free country, when in fact they are re-consituting the Soviet Union under the blind eyes of the average American.

[Elkiejg]

I'm not going to try and convince you that alternate transportation to cars is needed because it appears your mind is made up. However I will tell you that I have lived in Baltimore, San Diego & Chicago and light rail/commuter rail is a wonderful alternate to traffic grid locks. Does it solve traffic messes on roads, not 100%. But it does give those of us who prefer not to sit on expressways in blocked traffic a choice. It's a proven fact that communities can NEVER build roads fast enough to accommodate the growing quantity of cars - before any new road is finished it's already at capacity.

At some future point, Americans will realize they have to begin loosening their tie to their cars. But we're not there yet. As much as I don't particularly like Europeans, I have to give them credit for their public transportation and the fact that so many make use of it.

[MHGinTN]

When you post a thread here at FR, the world has access to it. Please, try to correct spelling before posting. [If the spelling was incorrect in the original, use the appropriate signifying notation.]

[Benson_Carter]

I can't take your position seriously since you fail to even spell "fantasy" correctly.

sorry.

[dark_lord]

Rail works in some places, not in others. In the Chicago area it works very well. But that is because the commuter railnet in Chicagoland radiates out like the spokes on a wheel. Suburbanites can drive 5 minutes to the train station, park, ride the train downtown, and then catch a water taxi (in the warm half of the year), or bus or taxi or walk the rest of the way to the office.

Does it take longer than driving? Depends on the day. On a nice day with no traffic accidents, yes. On a wet or snowy day, or when some gravel truck rolls over on a feeder ramp, no.

Does it cost more? No, it costs less. Parking downtown is quite expensive. Factor in the wear and tear on your car and taking the train is cheaper, or worst case doing train/taxi it is break even.

The nice thing is, you sit on the train in the morning and read the paper, or take out your laptop and process a bunch of email that you will then send when you get in.

Of course, if someone doesn't work downtown and has to go from suburb to suburb, or go to one of the outlying towns, or lives in the city and has to commute to a suburb, then this option is not for them. But the road congestion is reduced by the population that does ride the trains.

[goo goo g'joob]

Please, try to correct spelling before posting.

Do you wear those little half glasses like my 5th grade English teacher?

[logic101.net]

One mis-spelled word, and the whole post is void for you? Excuse me, but I think you have some "issues" you need to work out!

MARK A SITY

[bigeasy_70118]

Hey the Monorail put the towns of Ogdenville, Brockway and North Haverbrook on the map.

Mono means one and rail means rail. Now that concludes our intensive three week training session.

[bigeasy_70118]

Hey the Monorail put the towns of Ogdenville, Brockway and North Haverbrook on the map.

Mono means one and rail means rail. Now that concludes our intensive three week training session.

[js1138]

Why would I waste sixty minutes every day just to ride the train?

Did you try it at rush hour? I used to ride the train to work in downtown Chicago, and had the reverse experience. I think it depends on population density. The older cities that built up huge downtowns before WWII benefit most from light rail.

On the other hand, density makes fatter targets for terorists.

[logic101.net]

Yes, in some areas; like NYC rail is a good option. Chicago; well let's just say as a truck driver who is often stuck in morning traffic in that town, the trains don't seem to get filled up when I look into them. However; I conceed that at times rail is a better option for those in the burbs that work in downtown Chicago. Yet, we are not talking about Chicago; but rather Milwaukee. Our traffic problems are not as severe as yours are. Our busses run mostly empty most of the time. Rail would only take riders from a much cheaper bus system and cost billions (yes, with a "B") to install. A bus stop can be built for a few hundred dollars, while a trin station takes many many thousands. Plus when you add the cost of the property that must be bought and demolished in order to put in the rails we are talking about alot of money!

MARK A SITY

[mj1234]

First-I am from Minneapolis..the 6 mile of rail is going
to cost closer to a BILLION (not 7.5 mil). This light rail
thing has been tried in other metro areas (ALL LOSE
MONEY)because it is NOT about improving transportation!!
There will be a Union running the trains--There will be construction jobs--forever! there will be an increase in taxes. Light rail is about--MONEY-JOBS-TAXES- by the way
stuck here in minnesota for a billion dollars I can fix their road problems--get a map--The transportation Dept.
has purposefully made choke points on the metro highway grid
so that Mpls & St. paul do not lose to the suburbs.--They
are having a hell of time though--because Minnesota has soooo much land- buisnesses and people are able to move easily -to another home.So They Make a light rail system--TAX ALL of Minnesota send the TAX revenue to the core cities.We
are now doomed in Minnesota --I guess Milwaukee is next-nice
Demorat town-needs more union jobs.

[logic101.net]

Most Portland residents have been trying to shut down light rail since it is not cost-effective and not ridden. Yet, magically it keeps growing; as does the tax bill. I did some research on the Portland situation a while back. Once it starts, just like any liberal program, it just keeps growing and growing and growing! This is why many of us here are trying to keep it from finding good soil!

MARK A SITY