How great would a monorail or high speed train system be? (Providence: sales, credit card)

[Scagnetti]

How many times have you been stuck in 2 hour traffic when you're trying to get back to providence from narragansett in the summer time? Or stuck on 95 during the morning time commute? Imagine if there was a localized train system that ran the length of the state and had different routes with many stops that could get you anywhere in the state within minutes. You could catch a show at PPAC and then catch the train to newport to hit up their little downtown area. Then, you catch the train back home to woonsocket and it only takes 20 minutes, tops.
Yea, it would be costly initially BUT, think of all the jobs it will create. Think of how it will decrease traffic and gas/oil consumption. Most of us wouldnt even need cars, really, and because of that we would become an extremely cost-efficient state. Coincidentally DUIs and drunk driving will go down. I really can't think of any negatives related to this except for the cost of creation and maintenance but eventually I think the state will make that money back with the sales of metro-cards(just like NYC's). You could either pay per ride or buy week-long or month-long passes. Personally, in a state this small, I think this is long over due. And Im sure many other people have thought of this so in the past so I wonder why it hasn't come to fruition yet? Any thoughts on this?

[Hollytree]

Yes, it is long overdue. Our state used to have intrastate railroads, trollies, and coastwise ferries. Many of the railroad beds are now bike trails.

It's not as if your idea hasn't been thought of. However, between the automobile and oil lobbies that have dominated the country's politics for the past 30-50 years (starting with the interstate system that gutted Pawtucket and divided Providence in two), virtually the only major funding has been for highways.

RI doesn't have the funds needed to do any major infrastructure for itself and so is dependent on federal funds. RI has also been notorious for poor administration and misuse of funds it did get. And, as we all know, Amtrak has been crying for funds for decades and our rail system, such as it is, is now third world caliber.

Your other thread about Providence annexing surrounding towns would also probably be more viable if Providence had more money and resources to contribute to these towns. Since they're all struggling, I'm not sure how mutually beneficial it would be. However, I certainly am one of those people who think RI has far too many layers of governance for such a small area.

[GregW]

How about a system of guide ways (monorail, dual rail, whatever) that operated like elevators? Set it up so one to eight people enter the vehicle, insert a credit card and punch in a destination on a screen and it travels directly there. It could be elevated above the ground to avoid conflicts with cars and electrically operated to avoid noise. I think this would be well within the control capabilities of modern computers. Rhode Island, being a very compact state would be a good place for a prototype.

[GermanSpy]

I'm afraid you'll have to wait on such a system until those elevator style monorail cabins figure out how to jump over each other. Maybe the Sixflags operators might be interested in investing in your idea.