Why Does Practically Everyone in the US Hate Light Rail?

[Volobjectitarian]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Why in the world would I put someone on ignore .... for a simple post on transit? Pretty narrow minded and extremely thin-skinned.

I merely saw too costly and broken down as if it doesn't work. But it DOES WORK in many cities with heavy rail especially and suburban Amtrak-like commuter trains having there own tight of way. I certainly am not going to argue light-rail is merely a cheap bur inferior alternative, too many times..... but it is just that. Or nothing gets built.

AmTrak loses money every year, and pretty much always has. As for the "it DOES WORK in many cities" comment, just look at the below image and let one simple fact soak in - almost all metro systems lose money, every ride, every day, every year.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by moneill

Living in the south for the last 21 years I've never heard anyone complain about public transit because of the tax burden. It's all about keeping folks 'out'..

I'm sure that has nothing to do with large crime rate increases that often (not always) happen when light rail stops go into a neighborhood. If most people aren't going to benefit from rail, even though they're forced to pay for it through higher taxes and have to suffer through higher crime rates (real and perceived) why would they support it?

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-ph...ht-rail?page=2

Theft and Similar Crimes Jump More Than 50 Percent Near Santa Monica Expo Line

[moneill]

Originally Posted by Haakon

I'm sure that has nothing to do with large crime rate increases that often (not always) happen when light rail stops go into a neighborhood. If most people aren't going to benefit from rail, even though they're forced to pay for it through higher taxes and have to suffer through higher crime rates (real and perceived) why would they support it?

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-ph...ht-rail?page=2

Theft and Similar Crimes Jump More Than 50 Percent Near Santa Monica Expo Line

But it is uncertain to what extent the new train extension contributed to the hike in the number of reported crimes, which does not include incidents reported on the trains or on train platforms that are handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, police officials said.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by Haakon

I'm sure that has nothing to do with large crime rate increases that often (not always) happen when light rail stops go into a neighborhood. If most people aren't going to benefit from rail, even though they're forced to pay for it through higher taxes and have to suffer through higher crime rates (real and perceived) why would they support it?

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-ph...ht-rail?page=2

Theft and Similar Crimes Jump More Than 50 Percent Near Santa Monica Expo Line

People connect public transit with crime. A lot of the people who use public transportation are poor, minority and like it or not the statistics show those areas were said people live tend to be infested with crime. Middle class people in America have long avoided and isolated themselves from those communities and refuse to subject themselves to thier crime. Given the demographics and sociological issues in America we are unlikely to see any real interest in public transit for regular folks. New York City is really the only exception to Americans dedication to private transportation.

Long distance train travel? Maybe IF and only if we had high speed trains that connected the country better than Amtrak. I believe Americans would use it if it connected the country better and was faster. Train travel is more comfortable than air travel, Europeans and Asians have it good with bullet trains. What we have now is almost unusable unless you live in the Northeast. Want to go from DC to Boston? Easy. Want to go from Atlanta to Detroit? Too bad. Nashville to Minneapolis? Can’t. At the very least the rail system should follow the major interstate routes Ike I 40, I 70 etc. If you live in the South like I do Amtrak does very little for you. Same for the Midwest or the Mountain west. It just does not service enough places and even if it does it is too slow.