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Ahhh, but as originally stated, this isn't about reach. It's about safety, cleanliness and punctuality.
99 percent of people who poopoo the LA subway have NEVER once ridden it.
Because it truly is the one and only bad ass way to get Downtown, Hollywood, and Pasadena etc.
The one caveat? The Blue Line to Long Beach. Fuhgedaboutit.
The Metro Blue Line from DT LA to Long Beach is light rail, not heavy rail. I agree that it can get pretty grimy on there though. When I lived in SoCal, I witnessed a quite a few fights and drunkards on that train line. The Gold Line to Pasadena and East LA is light rail too.
The Red and Purple lines are the only heavy rail lines in LA for now and I do agree they're relatively efficient and reliable, but considering the few stops (compared to your average East Coast/Chicago heavy rail system) the lines have now, they better!
DC's metro used to be known for its reliability and punctuality, but those days are long gone. Deferred maintenance on a 40 year old system really screwed that system up and issues related to that have only been addressed over the past few years. And it took a deadly derailment back in 2009 for them to even pretend to give a damn about the issues throughout the system. Also, when Metro was initially planned and designed, it was supposed to be for suburbanites to commute into DT DC. No one had any idea that DC would regentrify the way it did or that Northern VA suburbs would have major job centers too. That put a lot of strain on the system and the Silver Line has good intentions connecting Reston and Tysons to DC, BUT running the Silver line along with the Blue and Orange Lines wasn't the best idea to me. But it was the cheapest option I guess...
LA has basically one subway line, in a metro of 18 million people. That alone would disqualify it, IMO.
And LA's one subway line doesn't have particularly unusual characteristics. It isn't like it's cleaner/more reliable/nicer than other subway lines around the world constructed in the same era.
As someone earlier noted, the thrust of the thread is not the "best" or largest HRT, but the most reliable. This eliminates NYC, for while New York's subway is extensive and fast, esp with expresses, it hardly reliable. I can't remember how many delays, single tracking, slow zones, closed lines/substitute lines and closed stations I've had to endure on the subway over the years, and I've never lived in New York. It's an awesome network, but it's also old and creaky, too... Ditto Chicago's L.
As someone earlier noted, the thrust of the thread is not the "best" or largest HRT, but the most reliable. This eliminates NYC, for while New York's subway is extensive and fast, esp with expresses, it hardly reliable. I can't remember how many delays, single tracking, slow zones, closed lines/substitute lines and closed stations I've had to endure on the subway over the years, and I've never lived in New York. It's an awesome network, but it's also old and creaky, too... Ditto Chicago's L.
So what's the answer? It's not DC and it's not Boston.
If you're willing to veer from the provided list (e.g., Los Angeles), I'll nominate Montreal and Toronto.
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
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The best heavy rail systems in the country remain NYC Subway, CTA, DC Metro, Bart, and MBTA. Reliability by default however, would have to go to NYC in my opinion it's light years ahead of any system in the US.
As someone earlier noted, the thrust of the thread is not the "best" or largest HRT, but the most reliable. This eliminates NYC, for while New York's subway is extensive and fast, esp with expresses, it hardly reliable. I can't remember how many delays, single tracking, slow zones, closed lines/substitute lines and closed stations I've had to endure on the subway over the years, and I've never lived in New York. It's an awesome network, but it's also old and creaky, too... Ditto Chicago's L.
I don't see how NYC's rail system is somehow less reliable than any other U.S. city's rail system.
No other U.S. city even has 10% of the ridership of NYC. Obviously if millions and millions of people are riding NYC's system, and not even 10% are riding any other U.S. system, the system is, on a relative basis, somewhat more reliable, or people wouldn't be using it so much on a daily basis. Ridership is a rough proxy for reliability.
Location: Watching half my country turn into Gilead
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheProf
As someone earlier noted, the thrust of the thread is not the "best" or largest HRT, but the most reliable. This eliminates NYC, for while New York's subway is extensive and fast, esp with expresses, it hardly reliable. I can't remember how many delays, single tracking, slow zones, closed lines/substitute lines and closed stations I've had to endure on the subway over the years, and I've never lived in New York. It's an awesome network, but it's also old and creaky, too... Ditto Chicago's L.
New York City's HRT is leaps and bounds above any other city in this country, including in terms of reliability. It is one of the few global cities in the world that has true 24/7 service--and not just during weekends. There's so many stations/lines that if there is a hiccup or construction of some kind, it's always an easy option to use another line. When I lived there, I was a daily rider of the 1. There was weekend construction that shut the 1 line down for about 50 blocks. Solution? I walked three blocks and took the A instead.
Speaking as someone who has lived in New York, delays aren't terribly frequent, and when they do happen, they're usually not deal breakers (i.e. 15-20 minutes). NYC HRT might not be the Hong Kong MTR (what I personally consider the best subway I've ever ridden on) in terms of reliability, cleanliness or modernity, but it is still reliable, 24/7 and more extensive than that system. So while it is technologically behind the big boys globally, it has that card to play of offering the most stations, good coverage and 24/7 service to at least make the global conversation. Frankly, I can't think of any other HRT in this country that is more reliable and also makes the global conversation.
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