> In article <13b18vh6kfklj3b@corp.supernews.com>, "Baxter"
> baxcode.com> wrote:
>

>> Since the Streetcar operates mostly in Fareless Square I'm not sure we
>> have
>> good ridership statistics, but there are plenty of sources to show that
>> rail
>> is cheaper per passenger-mile than bus -- why would the Portland
>> Streetcar
>> be an exception?

>
>
> + Much smaller cars than are typically in use in most other rail
> applications. In Europe, you would never see such small, uneconomical
> cars in use. They would have at least 3 or 4 articulated sections. This
> cuts down on the maintenance costs per passenger, as well as the labor
> costs per passenger.

>
> + The cars have no ability for MU operation, so they must always operate
> as single cars. The stations also do not have the ability to accept
> multiple car trains. Thus, there is no ability to reduce labor costs or
> transport masses of people at one time by operating a multiple car train.

>
> In short, the line is a combination of the worst of bus operations (small
> passenger capacity that has little opportunity for expanding to longer
> consists and reducing labor costs, no signal pre-emption, operation mixed
> with regular auto traffic and congestion) with the worst of rail
> operations (high capital costs, little flexibility, follow the leader type
> operation with no express service). About the only thing that was done
> right is the level boarding, which is currently happening on bus route #14
> Hawthorne at the improved bus platforms, so even here in Portland we have
> bus routes that are doing just as good if not better than what the
> streetcar is doing.
>