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12-01-2010, 02:45 PM
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Location: Washington D.C.
12,951 posts, read 14,237,520 times
Reputation: 3671
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What would you say are the top 5 cleanest, most extensive, and most used subways and light rail systems in the U.S.?
I would say
1. New York: Very dirty but most extensive and highest ridership by a mile
2. D.C.: Very clean and only other system than New York to have over a million daily riders
3. Chicago: Very dirty but is a clear third to New York and D.C. for ridership with over 600,000 riders daily
4. San Francisco: Bart and light rail is very clean. It may have lower ridership than Boston's subway and light rail but definitely is way more extensive
5. Boston: High ridership and most efficient subway light rail combination system
6. Philadelphia: High ridership on subway and light rail lines
7. Atlanta: Not very extensive system but heavy rail is faster than light rail so Atlanta gets the nod here over L.A.'s small subway even thought they have light rail
8. L.A.: Nice system but needs major expansions for a city this size
9. Portland: Best light rail only system of any city
10. Baltimore: Decent subway line plus a light rail combination
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12-01-2010, 02:48 PM
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Location: Washington D.C.
12,951 posts, read 14,237,520 times
Reputation: 3671
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(Here are the most recent Q2 2010 ridership number for subway heavy rail systems in the U.S.)
Rank.............System...................Largest city served.......Average Weekday ridership.....Route length
1...........New York City Subway........New York City..................7,922,600................... .....229 mi
2...........WMATA Metrorail...............Washington, D.C...............1,044,400....................... .106.3 mi
3............CTA 'L'.............................Chicago........... ...............684,500...........................1 07.5 mi
4............MBTA..............................Bos ton............................496,200............ ...............38 mi
5............BART...............................Ba y Area........................347,700............... ............104 mi
6............SEPTA.............................Phi ladelphia.....................327,200............. ..............25 mi
7.............PATH..............................Ne w York City.................251,000...................... .....13.8 mi
8.............MARTA............................Atl anta...........................246,000............ ...............47.6 mi
9......LA County Metro Rail................Los Angeles....................155,500................ ...........17.4 mi
10..........Metrorail..........................Mia mi.............................61,200............. ...............22 mi
11...Baltimore Metro Subway............Baltimore....................... .54,700............................15.5 mi
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12-01-2010, 02:49 PM
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Location: On the Rails in Northern NJ
12,380 posts, read 25,849,667 times
Reputation: 4560
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We already had 2 threads about this not even a few weeks ago....
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12-01-2010, 02:51 PM
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1,728 posts, read 4,536,767 times
Reputation: 486
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Keep in mind that DC's METRO serves the suburbs too. Except for a few Maryland commuter trains, there isn't much commuter rail.
Chicago has a huge commuter rail network called METRA separate from the CTA. NY metro also has NJ Transit, Port Authority, and MTA commuter trains.
Boston's T and Philly's SEPTA function as both subways and commuter rail.
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12-01-2010, 02:54 PM
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Location: Washington D.C.
12,951 posts, read 14,237,520 times
Reputation: 3671
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey
We already had 2 threads about this not even a few weeks ago....
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I thought that was about the cities with the best public transportation which included things like buses and regular commuter trains? This thread is about true urban city life such as subways and light rail systems only. |
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12-01-2010, 02:54 PM
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Location: The City
22,402 posts, read 36,862,967 times
Reputation: 7925
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You forgot PATCO and the light rails for Philly not to mention regional rail
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12-01-2010, 02:57 PM
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Location: Washington D.C.
12,951 posts, read 14,237,520 times
Reputation: 3671
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chitown85
Keep in mind that DC's METRO serves the suburbs too. Except for a few Maryland commuter trains, there isn't much commuter rail.
Chicago has a huge commuter rail network called METRA separate from the CTA. NY metro also has NJ Transit, Port Authority, and MTA commuter trains.
Boston's T and Philly's SEPTA function as both subways and commuter rail.
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D.C.'s metrorail has higher daily ridership than all of Chicago's systems put together. That's not even including D.C.'s commuter rail lines in VA and MD. And Boston isn't even close.
1. Washington D.C. Metro Subway ridership: 1,044,400 (106 miles long)
2a. Chicago "L" Train Metro: 684,500 (107.5 miles long)
2b. Chicago Metra Commuter train: 304,700 (495 miles long)
Washington D.C. Metro Subway alone: 1,044,400 (106 miles long)
Chicago Entire Rail Network: 989,200 (602.3 miles long)
Chicago doesn't even have higher rail ridership than D.C.'s subway when you total every form of rail in the whole Chicago region which covers 602 miles of rail line.
Last edited by MDAllstar; 12-01-2010 at 03:18 PM..
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12-01-2010, 02:57 PM
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759 posts, read 1,884,512 times
Reputation: 379
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I'm mystified at the description of the NYC subway (and even the Chicago L) as "very dirty".
Is there really a difference in relative cleanliness with other systems? I have never noticed a difference. I rode the Washington Metro for three summers in college, and while much more modern, didn't seem any cleaner to me.
It seems totally irrelevent to ridership anyways; below such critical issues as "number of pieces of artwork" or "color of seats".
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12-01-2010, 03:00 PM
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759 posts, read 1,884,512 times
Reputation: 379
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MDAllstar
D.C.'s metrorail has higher daily ridership than all of Chicago's systems put together. That's not even including D.C.'s commuter rail lines in VA and MD. And Boston isn't even close.
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DC's rail network has higher ridership than Chicago's rail network, BUT Chicago has more public transit users.
Rail is only one mode of transit.
And it's true that the DC numbers are a bit misleading, because the DC area does not have very comprehensive commuter rail, commuter bus, or regular bus service.
Therefore, many of the riders in other cities that would be counted in these mode totals are counted in the DC Metro totals. |
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12-01-2010, 03:00 PM
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Location: On the Rails in Northern NJ
12,380 posts, read 25,849,667 times
Reputation: 4560
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