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I agree, I hate subways. Not only that, but you can't even see anything out the windows. Except the tunnel walls. I'll take a streetcar ride any day over a subway ride.
same here. I prefer walking and biking because I want to be out in the sunshine and not feeling trapped in a dark tunnel. for longer distances I would take a streetcar if possible. I like the open-air type that used to be popular in cities in the early 20th century. those are really fun and retro. if they brought those back I bet they would be very popular, not just as a tourist attraction but as a regular form of urban transit. people can't resist going for a ride whenever they see one.
Why Rail?
Rail is NOT the most convenient. Rail is NOT the fastest. Rail is NOT the most glamorous. Rail is NOT the quietest (especially heavy cars).
BUT
Rail (steel wheel on steel rail) is the MOST efficient, frugal, durable, minimal resource consuming, less polluting, scalable form of land transport.
It has a 20:1 advantage in energy consumption. It has a 9:1 advantage in surface area consumed for right of way. It can scale upward in capacity by adding cars or shortening headway. It may even add a second tier - a double decker - to boost capacity. A suspended monorail car can safely traverse curves at far higher speed than other forms.
CAN
- Rail be made more convenient?
Certainly. Parallel development of rail routes and new development can boost convenience. Incorporating different modes to best suit passenger loads is another option. Newer signaling systems and moving block controls can dramatically reduce headways. In principle, automated rapid transit systems could reduce headways to as little as fractions of a second.
Adding support for broadband internet access would be appreciated.
- Rail be faster?
Certainly. Sustained top speed of rail is faster than the automobile. Average speed is dependent upon the distance between stops, so creating express routes and other work arounds can boost speed. (Passengers could pre-select destinations at their station, and a router could determine which approaching car should stop and pick them up).
- Rail be more glamorous?
Perhaps. One option is to incorporate a first class compartment, segregated from the rest.
- Rail be more quiet?
Yes. The PCC car of the 1930s was one example of successful noise abatement. Reducing the weight of the rolling stock would also reduce noise (at a minor loss of efficiency).
But you have not said anything about how Rail can be a driver for sustainable economic growth - something the US now needs very badly
Wealth is not prosperity. Prosperity is the creation, trade and enjoyment of surplus usable goods and services. Productive people are the real treasure - not money tokens, precious metals, nor jewels. Doing more with less so more can enjoy is the recipe for happiness. Doing less with more so few can enjoy is the recipe for misery.
So by reducing the resources consumed to move cargo and passengers, we inevitably boost prosperity and encourage economic growth.
Wealth is not prosperity. Prosperity is the creation, trade and enjoyment of surplus usable goods and services. Productive people are the real treasure...
I agree with that.
If people earn more, and the extra salary gets eaten up by higher gasoline prices, and more time sitting in traffic, are they any better off? No. But their taxes may rise.
America has less wealth generation than Hong Kong per capita. We also work fewer hours and enjoy a higher standard of living. Half our country doesn't live in public housing projects like is the case in Hong Kong since our real estate prices are a small fraction of those in HK and we have a much more even distribution of income. As Jet put it, Hong Kong is wealthier; America is more prosperous.
The street car was obviously a very important invention and revolutionized the way people got around cities. They were also very impressive machines that had the ability to move large numbers of people quickly. Something that a horse carriage could not do.
But over time they were replaced by better forms of transport. Primarily buses. Buses are usually faster, have a smoother ride, and do not require expensive infrastructure. Today most street cars are just relics of the past, an interesting way for tourists to get around on. I think this is really the only reason to have street cars. Every day commuters want transportation that can get them to their destination quickly and comfortably. And buses do that better than street cars.
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21st century Rail - - -
