Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have to admit after checking out their trains on the Red line Dallas's DART does seem to move at a pretty good clip out in the suburbs. Even though it has a lot of street crossings there are crossing guards at those streets so the train doesn't slow down. I still think MARTA is a little faster and compared to MARTA the trains are smaller however, this could affect the rush hour capacity and I thought MARTA's trains were a bit noisy till I heard the ruckus from these things.
Yeah. I guess the point I was making is that its 6 one way and half-a-dozen the other. They both move really fast and get you where you need to go.
Those are all great shots and I'm glad to see some old stomping grounds like the East Atlanta Village FM and the Sweet Auburn festival, but still most of the "Urban" feel to these videos and areas is due to a convergence of people because of an event. Those places don't have the day-in day-out pedestrian traffic and feel that most cities have that I consider truly urban. When I lived in Atlanta I rarely used MARTA and drove almost everywhere I went.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great system and it's good to see a sunbelt city that has a mass transit system as extensive as Atlanta's. Although, the few times I used it I felt a bit isolated upon arrival at my station. I felt relegated to destinations along the line and felt that I couldn't stray too far away from them without a sense of dread and inconvenience. It's a pain to ride it and then have to find a way to get to your destination when that destination is 5 miles from the station. It's not fun to walk that far in any city, much less in Atlanta's hot and humid climate. I did it once and never did it again because I was drenched in sweat.
Im just curious dv1033, have you ever ridden DART? Except for downtown where it serves as a street car, it travels at the same speed as any heavy rail ive ridden. I think you might be thinking its like the Metro in Houston, which travels a bit slower.
From DART:
DART Kinkisharyo Light Rail Technical Information
TriMet Max Siemens SD-600 Technical Information in italics
Type: DE, articulated – MUx4
DE, Double articulated – MUx4 (Stations max MUx2)
Fleet Size: 95 vehicles
52 vehicles
Height: 12 feet, 6 inches
11.7 feet
Width: 8 feet, 10 inches
8 feet, 8 1/2 inches
Length: 92 feet, 8 inches
92 feet
Weight: 107,000 pounds
109,000 pounds
Passengers: 160 passengers, 76 seated
261 (Crush load), 72 seated
Speed: Top speed: 65 miles per hour
Average speed: 25-35 miles per hour
Couldn't find MARTA's heavy rail speed but some information stating heavy rail averages 40-50 MPH. And yes I have rode DART and MARTA and MARTA seemed faster but perception isn't always the same as reality.
Couldn't find MARTA's heavy rail speed but some information stating heavy rail averages 40-50 MPH. And yes I have rode DART and MARTA and MARTA seemed faster but perception isn't always the same as reality.
There really is not a big different between light rail and Heavy rail. Both are effective.
There really is not a big different between light rail and Heavy rail. Both are effective.
Except that light rail most often carries less riders, more slowly, over shorter distances. There is a hierarchy of transit with a distinction among the various types of modes. For example: bus<BRT<LRT<heavy rail<commuter/regional rail. Both are effective depending on the implementation on how well they are connected to their surroundings.
Overall Atlanta MARTA for years had a superior transit system. It was the model of southern mass transit. Now Dallas DART is posied to become the largest in the southern U.S. and expansion plans are very impressive. DART has even pressured Fort Worth Transportation Authority to start rolling out tracks. Fort Worth responded with plans for a light rail and street car system. DFW residents have been pressuring for a mass transit system for years and so far results are very encouraging.
Except that light rail most often carries less riders, more slowly, over shorter distances. There is a hierarchy of transit with a distinction among the various types of modes. For example: bus<BRT<LRT<heavy rail<commuter/regional rail. Both are effective depending on the implementation on how well they are connected to their surroundings.
I really couldn't tell you differents between the two to tell you the truth. I googled both and they looked the same to me. You are correct Heavy rail goes a little faster than light rail. Light rail has advantages its more flexible, and can mix with other traffic on streets. Its ran off electricity and does a better job of getting to the population and can make more frequent stops like a bus can.
I really couldn't tell you differents between the two to tell you the truth. I googled both and they looked the same to me. You are correct Heavy rail goes a little faster than light rail. Light rail has advantages its more flexible, and can mix with other traffic on streets. Its ran off electricity and does a better job of getting to the population and can make more frequent stops like a bus can.
The thing about Atlanta is the fact that it already has heavy rail. In the future, it will have Light rail with the Belt-line and the street car in the inner city. Atlanta will have it all. The only thing it lacks is getting this stuff outside of 285.
I really couldn't tell you differents between the two to tell you the truth. I googled both and they looked the same to me. You are correct Heavy rail goes a little faster than light rail. Light rail has advantages its more flexible, and can mix with other traffic on streets. Its ran off electricity and does a better job of getting to the population and can make more frequent stops like a bus can.
Trust me, they aren't. They are as different as El Paso and Beaumont. Heavy Rail's speed is more consistent due to the stations being a little bit more far than between each other. Not to mention that they carry alot more people than Light Rail.
I really couldn't tell you differents between the two to tell you the truth. I googled both and they looked the same to me. You are correct Heavy rail goes a little faster than light rail. Light rail has advantages its more flexible, and can mix with other traffic on streets. Its ran off electricity and does a better job of getting to the population and can make more frequent stops like a bus can.
Last edited by Galounger; 09-22-2009 at 02:58 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You are correct Heavy rail goes a little faster than light rail. Light rail has advantages its more flexible, and can mix with other traffic on streets. Its ran off electricity and does a better job of getting to the population and can make more frequent stops like a bus can.
