Best "small" rail system (people, cons, downtown, size)
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Outside of the the top 10 cities which have the best rail system graded on
1) usefulness of destinations
2) Ridership
3) Integrating into the greater Transit system
4) reliability/ upkeep
When many people think of rail systems, they only consider heavy rail and light rail. However, commuter rail and intercity rail are also forms of rail transit. Portland clearly has the best light rail system of the cities listed, but there is no commuter rail or rapid transit. Baltimore has both of these in addition to frequent Amtrak service to many Northeastern points and daily service to Southeastern and Midwestern points. Seattle and Portland have equivalent intercity rail service and both lack subways. Seattle does have a commuter rail system, but it is small and runs during rush hours only, which is not enough to match the large light rail system in Portland. Minneapolis/St. Paul falls behind Seattle because it's sole commuter rail line serves no major points and it has only one daily Amtrak train in each direction. Although it is certainly lacking in many ways, this commuter rail line is enough to lift Minneapolis/St. Paul over St. Louis despite the more frequent Amtrak service there. Because of the comparable size of their light rail systems, the more frequent Amtrak service in St. Louis is enough to make its system preferable to that of Pittsburgh. Although Pittsburgh has the same number of Amtrak frequencies as Cleveland, all of the Amtrak trains in Cleveland stop in the middle of the night where they do not in Pittsburgh. Cleveland's Lakefront light rail line also shuts down early and opens late, dropping it to the bottom of my list.
1. Baltimore
2. Portland
3. Seattle
4. Minneapolis/St. Paul
5. St. Louis
6. Pittsburgh
7. Cleveland
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Seattle has the closest one to a big city metro system as their light rail has a number subway stations through the city's core. Seattle has been a latecomer in the rail networks, but they have a big plans locked in for a full build out through the city and the suburbs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by brianpmcdonnell17
Seattle and Portland have equivalent intercity rail service and both lack subways.
All of the the light rail stations in Seattle between Chinatown/Int'l District and through downtown, Capital Hill, and the U District are all subway. Beacon Hill station is subway station as well. They are adding a second subway line through the core of the city as well.
Seattle has the closest one to a big city metro system as their light rail has a number subway stations through the city's core. Seattle has been a latecomer in the rail networks, but they have a big plans locked in for a full build out through the city and the suburbs.
All of the the light rail stations in Seattle between Chinatown/Int'l District and through downtown, Capital Hill, and the U District are all subway. Beacon Hill station is subway station as well. They are adding a second subway line through the core of the city as well.
St. Louis' system has a lot of subways too, no street running sections. Seattle is not unique in that regard. In fact, I think all of these cities besides Minneapolis/St. Paul has subways. I believe even Minneapolis' system has stations that are below grade though.
Even though Seattle is light rail it is mostly grade-separated, either underground (subway) or elevated. And it has by far the most ambitious expansion plan of any of these systems. For right now I'd say Portland but in 10 years it will be Seattle, no doubt.
Location: Watching half my country turn into Gilead
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Baltimore, easily. Besides Amtrak service at Penn Station (far busier than any other city on this list), it has the fastest commuter rail line in the country (MARC's Penn Line). It has a subway line, a light rail system, Amtrak/Acela service, and a very comprehensive and fast commuter rail system that serves it, its suburbs, and DC.
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