SF Bay Area - Worst Commutes in the NATION (Oakland: floors, light rail)

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Wash. DC has the same trains. I've never head anyone there saying they look antiquated.

I don't know about DC, but compared to Seattle, Denver, and LA, those trains look like dinosaurs. Unfortunately they'll be on BART tracks for another 50 years.

[Senno]

Those trains look ok from here in a post-modern old is new again way. (I think they kinda look a little like the old train at Disneyland, kinda Tomorrowlandish.)

Are you down on the trolleys of SF also?

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by Senno

Those trains look ok from here in a post-modern old is new again way. (I think they kinda look a little like the old train at Disneyland, kinda Tomorrowlandish.)

Are you down on the trolleys of SF also?

I'm definitely down with those. That's part of the charm. If they were ultra-sleek, modern, no one would ride them.

BART trains on the other hand are pretty much the opposite of old world charm.

[Senno]

I like my description of the trains in SF better.

[DocGoldstein]

The trolleys are more a tourist attraction than an actual congestion reliever or serious mass transit option (though some people may use it for that).

[Senno]

I know that. Just checking if you think they are old and ugly or something.

What's wrong with new is old again retro tomorrowlandish?

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by Senno

I know that. Just checking if you think they are old and ugly or something.

What's wrong with new is old again retro tomorrowlandish?

Are you trolling Senno?

This is an "old" charming symbol of S.F's golden era:


This is just "old":


See the difference?

[Senno]

Those trains look better from the front. /shrug

That appears to be a maintenance issue though.

Spoiler

/Docimpersonation: BART is broke.

Doc, I think you are pretty predictable response wise.

[Ruth4Truth]

Not fair to post a photo of one needing repair. Who ever looks at them from the rear, anyway? Show a comparable photo to the cable car.

Someone said Seattle and Denver had better light rail cars. This I gotta see. Seattle voters fought against each other for 40 years before someone finally got a partial light rail system in. BART was already in and running when Seattle was just beginning to consider light rail, and it always got voted down. Well, better late than never, I guess. I gotta see this Johnny-Come-Lately. Let's take a look at the design.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Not fair to post a photo of one needing repair. Who ever looks at them from the rear, anyway? Show a comparable photo to the cable car.

Someone said Seattle and Denver had better light rail cars. This I gotta see. Seattle voters fought against each other for 40 years before someone finally got a partial light rail system in. BART was already in and running when Seattle was just beginning to consider light rail, and it always got voted down. Well, better late than never, I guess. I gotta see this Johnny-Come-Lately. Let's take a look at the design.

Not really comparable, since BART is a heavy rail system with a relatively large distance between stations. The system is designed to run at much higher speeds and passenger loads than a light-rail, so it has to be kind of purposeful. That's why it surprises me sometimes to see trains running backwards (as above) with the flat unaerodynamic rear of the car facing the wind..