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Ok, but as has been stated, they use cheaper and simpler technology as well as less materials. Just go back to the website and read up on the rail and then view the other projects.
I could not find one city that is currently using the MegaRail concept. I'm not saying it wouldn't work, just wondering why no one has used it or even thought about using a lighter material in a monorail before. Seems to me that would be one of the first things I would think about when designing a monorail, elevated train.
Again, as I've stated before, MegaRail is promising to build this without taxpayer support. While that is a good thing for taxpayers, users on the other hand will have to pay more. Do you think a few thousand users a day is going to pay for the design, land purchase, licenses and fees, material and construction while only charging 1 or 2 bucks a person??
Don't forget you have operating costs, like electricity, personnel, insurance after the thing gets started.
This company will need to show a profit to it's backers, or it will be belly up in no time. And nobody wants to wait 50 years before this thing is paid off.
The concept of a MegaRail is the best idea yet though. We just will have to understand that it won't be cheap even with lighter materials. You always get what you paid for.
You need to do more research and come back here with actual numbers, such as how many people will really use it. How much will it cost to build and operate. How much will a ticket cost. Also show us where other systems like the MegaRail or any monorail is working in a city like ours.
Once you researched that (maybe on their website), come back and we may take this more seriously.
I'm looking forward to the added bus service to Simpsonville. I live in Fountain Inn and work 3 blocks from the bus station downtown so I'd be happy to take the bus every day I don't have evening plans, probably 3-4 days a week.
As far as the MegaRail, I'd like to see something like that succeed here but I'm skeptical. Does anyone know the cost of Charlotte's light rail system and how that's doing?
I do use Greenlink (formerly GTA), but very infrequently. The reasons: route frequency, hours of operation, and coverage. Greyhound is different beast and doesn't meet my needs even if I wanted to rid it.
The thing I was getting at was understanding why buses are avoided over light rail.
Unfortunately, Time is a premium in my world. Comfort/safety and not having to deal with riff-raff are more of a priority today.
Again, where is the money for this dream of yours? Would you be willing to put your life savings into the light rail idea? You have no idea what the cost would be to obtain the ROW for this rail and then to purchase land for all the parking lots you will need. If case you have not looked, we as a country, are broke.
First of all...go to the site and get a little more informed about it. They use simple/cheap technology that takes up less space, and would go above streets so ROW is not an issue. As for parking lots, there's likely already areas that could be used for that or improved for little cost.
Oh, and it's amazing you think we can't find the money to get something done. The reason we are 'broke' is over spending and spending in the wrong areas. Divert a few million from on of the areas they're currently spending billions and you have your answer.
That company has never actually built anything, it's all a concept on paper. They've been around since 1997 and still are working on prototypes and concept vehicles.
Not only does their product not exist yet, but they have no proof that it can be profitable.
Actually they have already done some real field testing and built full size models and have been testing multiple parts of the system. I believe the only thing they're really waiting on is sealing a contract with parties interested.
That's exactly it though...it is broken...very broken. Clemson Blvd, Haywood Rd, Laurens Rd, Woodruff Rd, and other roads already have or are quickly becoming traffic problems. You can't widen the roads, and even if the room was available, where is the money? There are areas that could alleviate traffic, but also due to costs of widening and improving roads, even if they did get approval, it would likely be a decade or more before we saw completion.
Public transportation is something we can deal with now and get work going within a year or two. I don't think we can just sit and wait around. Eventually we will have something happen that's been shown with roads once they get over capacity...they completely shut down.
I agree with you....but you are trying to convince a culture of people who are set in their ways. Money is one thing but changing attitudes that have been around SC for years is a completely different story. Before money is even discussed for funding the attitudes about public transportation must change.
It will be an up hill battle trying to teach old SC dogs new tricks!
I agree with you....but you are trying to convince a culture of people who are set in their ways. Money is one thing but changing attitudes that have been around SC for years is a completely different story. Before money is even discussed for funding the attitudes about public transportation must change.
It will be an up hill battle trying to teach old SC dogs new tricks!
Agreed. It's something that will happen eventually. The stuck in their ways crowd losses people each day from old age, different people move here, and the children start thinking for themselves. The problem is, whoever, that we don't have time to wait for anyone to change their preconseved notions.
It's not about necessarily changing their ways, it's about providing reliable service to those who currently have none. We have a large number of older people who either already can't drive or who are heading that way. We can't just expect their families, churchs, or good citizens to get them where they need or want to go...they should be able to do that regardless, and public transit could do it at a cheaper cost, something they need on a fixed budget.
Then you also have visitors who are here who might not have brought a car or who aren't familiar with the area and don't have gps/smart phone. There's also kids under 16 who can't drive yet, but can go about on their own and don't have reliable transport. And then there's a lot of people who just flat out can't afford a car, it's out of service, or simply don't own one.
I would think even close minded people could see beyond their own circumstances. And it's not about providing something for everyone at now expense...if you pay, you ride, but it only matters if it's actually available for use...
And as people have said 'you should make use of what we already have'. Well that's not a good option either for a lot of people. I don't want to wait an hour for a bus...I don't want to have to be on the last bus in before 6 or 8 pm. I don't want to be stuck at home certain days because nothin is running. When you're faced with limited options then it's not quite as appealing anymore. I'm sorry, but sometimes change just has to preclude use.
After all...how many people are going to give up the car when the alternative is severly lacking...
For those of you who are not aware.......The Carolina Piedmont Railroad operates a line from Laurens up to roughly Frankies Fun Park in Mauldin where it spurs off to the GE plant. This is the railroad all of you see going though Ft Inn, Simpsonville, and Mauldin. The line continues up just shy of downtown Greenville but is abandoned and out of service at this time. This line used to run into downtown Greenville and then north to Travelers Rest.....otherwise known as The Swap Rabbit or Greenville and Northern. The track needs alot of work over most of that abandoned section, however new track work and a new girder bridge over woodruff rd near Laurens rd have already been completed. Long story short, most of the infrastructure for a light rain system is already in place. One issue certainly is the fact that I see no way to get the line from roughly E. Washington at Laurens Rd the rest of the way into downtown, as the old ROW seems to have been sold off and built upon. You can say the population doesnt support such a system at this time, but that would be extremely short-sighted of you based on the growth the area has seen over the last 20 years.
First of all...go to the site and get a little more informed about it. They use simple/cheap technology that takes up less space, and would go above streets so ROW is not an issue. As for parking lots, there's likely already areas that could be used for that or improved for little cost.
Oh, and it's amazing you think we can't find the money to get something done. The reason we are 'broke' is over spending and spending in the wrong areas. Divert a few million from on of the areas they're currently spending billions and you have your answer.
So where would the support beams to support the rails be? If you can not hang it from a sky hook it will require the purchase of land. As far as parking goes, it is a premium. Land is a premium. A one acre parking lot would cost somewhere near $500K near this dream rail of yours.
So where would the support beams to support the rails be? If you can not hang it from a sky hook it will require the purchase of land. As far as parking goes, it is a premium. Land is a premium. A one acre parking lot would cost somewhere near $500K near this dream rail of yours.
On the side of the road...and don't try and bring up purchasing land there because the area immediately surrounding the road is usuable by the government. And what's your point on the parking? In the grand scheme of things that is pocket change.
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The rail line is already in place
