Old railroad tracks for buses/bikes. Why not light rail? (transit, between)

[peta2013]

Originally Posted by ron e wheels

Look at that boondogle of a train system you been financing in California first.

Well.... the high speed rail thing 100% agree. Boondoggle of epic proportions.

Some of the local light rail - pretty awesome. You have to remember that California is totally car oriented but somewhere along the line forgot to build enough roads. Then they allowed everything to build right up to the side of the highways. Literally no way to add capacity in many cities. Every time i drive down i75 I marvel at the huge shoulders and center median. So anyway, light rail has been a good plan for many communities.

[ron e wheels]

Yes, maybe in urban areas but it has shown not to be cost effective in the U.S. Major cities, yes, where owning a car is troublesome. Look at Amtrak, ill conceived for long routes, but they survive as a commuter train on the east cost. Poor use of our tax dollars.

California, what a joke. They regulated the rails right from under the project and now it will be a train to nowhere. It's not Bart and neer will be. Plus no U.S. manufacturer of railcars in the states. Pullman was the last car company to do so at such a lost they went out of business. No doubt Biden will throw money at it as a major infrastructure achievement.
San Fran, Chicago, and New York, I do not consider communities but major areas that can economically support such eventures. I understand that een the commuter line in Miami is haing problems. It truly is an economic and social isssue.

[jetgraphics]

One has to wonder, since steel wheel on steel rail is the most efficient form of land transportation - barring an engineering breakthrough.
It is more frugal, saves 95% on fuel, uses less surface area per unit of cargo / passenger, less toxic, lowest passenger death rate even in crashes (airlines can't say that!).
The worldwide tally for rail related deaths is often less than 10, whereas yearly automobile fatalities exceed 40,000 in the USA.

But taxpayers subsidize the 'death mobiles' and their roads, while taxing the snot out of private rail (or mismanaging public operated rail).

Methinks the automobile / petroleum / pavement hegemony will not tolerate any restoration of rail, and will sabotage every attempt. With all the fortunes involved, it makes sense to protect one's rice bowl.

[ron e wheels]

I understand the argument for passenger railcar, but safety statistics isn't much of an argument. More people drive and/or fly on thanksgiving then most passenger railcar utilize a year. The last of the great railcars built were the double decker Superliners. Safe, yes and built also as well as a tank (all stainless steel). Only private rail left is cargo and most do not make much of a profit.
Most logistics use centralized rail then unload to regional carriers. Americans desire the automobile because it's there last show of freedom.

[Marc Middleton]

Originally Posted by ron e wheels

I understand the argument for passenger railcar, but safety statistics isn't much of an argument. More people drive and/or fly on thanksgiving then most passenger railcar utilize a year. The last of the great railcars built were the double decker Superliners. Safe, yes and built also as well as a tank (all stainless steel). Only private rail left is cargo and most do not make much of a profit.
Most logistics use centralized rail then unload to regional carriers. Americans desire the automobile because it's there last show of freedom.

I'm excited to see the Brightline connect to Orlando in a couple years and Disney have their station from the airport to Downtown Disney (now disney springs). Connecting Tampa later in life is great. Too bad we can't do one from Broward to Naples. Make i-75 one lane on each side and use the middle for one long straight Rail track for high speed rail. Broward workers could live in Naples and buy up all those far east homes they are building!

[Uhthaya]

As long as they make good transit orientated development around it and make easy to get to the light rail by foot, I think it will be a good idea. The area along US 41 is already filled with traffic and is pretty dense with commercial development. If they can make thought area accessible by foot to the light rail line, there might be moderate rider ship numbers.

[jetgraphics]

IMHO, based on the expectation of population growth versus depletion of cheap and plentiful fuels, the situation merits an immediate transition to the most efficient form of land transport - steel wheel on steel rail. (Feel free to investigate all the known benefits)
Unfortunately, the government meddling has subsidized the most wasteful form of land transport - pneumatic tire on pavement - which enriched "the hegemony" (interests in automobiles, petroleum, pavement, tires, etc).
Despite the fact that rail reduces energy consumption by 90-95%, government funded / mismanaged rail loses money.
One might speculate that the hegemony actively encourages "boondoggles" (bad projects) to insure that no one will support a transition back to rail. . . and the resulting cut in their huge profits.
One solution is to abolish all government meddling - as in taxes and subsidies. Without meddling, the obvious cost discrepancies will favor rail over other forms of transport.
In closing, America needs to "get back on track" ASAP. Rebuilding lost rights of way and expanding rail corridors to accommodate fast trains as well as slow freight, is paramount to the economic health of the nation. You cannot expect to prosper when your transportation system sucks you dry, and cannot scale with the coming population increase.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by double6's

train travel is a good thing..less congestion on the roads..less pollution..new rail lines would be easy to lay down here in Florida..just not enough money for it I guess..I'd be all for it..

How's it working out in SE Florida? Massive cost overruns, deaths from trains, low ridership, massive kickbacks for politicians crony pals.

Besides, I dont see Naples to Ft. Myers as producing near the demand needed to cost justify it.

No thanks

[Practicallygrantpark]

Swfl is nowhere near dense enough for it. Most of the Region is underdeveloped and what is being built is designed around car travel almost exclusively. Also lol at car dependance being an expression of freedom. There are reasons we are one of the least happy wealthy nations in the world and the lifestyle created by car dependency is a big part of it.

[FoxyFats]

Originally Posted by Practicallygrantpark

Swfl is nowhere near dense enough for it. Most of the Region is underdeveloped and what is being built is designed around car travel almost exclusively. Also lol at car dependance being an expression of freedom. There are reasons we are one of the least happy wealthy nations in the world and the lifestyle created by car dependency is a big part of it.

Sounds like you're making a positive correlation between users of ineffective at times mass transit for the "collective" and individual choices, liberty and a level of personal happiness.


Sounds socialist to me, and marginally communistic.


No matter, OLD thread. We don't need or have a desire for light rail in SWFL...period.