(02-10-2019, 12:12 PM)TJBender Wrote:

(02-10-2019, 09:26 AM)MalabarJag Wrote: The Sunrail commuter rail in the Orlando area charges $2 (plus an additional $2 if you cross a county line, go figure). The fare not only doesn't cover the cost of the train, it doesn't even cover the cost of collecting the fare. It also causes significant traffic problems at some of the crossings.

Rail is only a viable means of transport if it's introduced early enough in a city's development that you can put stations in places that make sense for commuters and the metropolitan area spreads out evenly enough to make rail easier than driving. That's why cities like New York, London and Atlanta have some of the world's best subway/rail networks, and why the Jacksonville Skyway, Phoenix's light rail and, presumably, the Sunrail are massive wastes of taxpayer dollars.

MARTA did not carry passengers until 1979.
Miami's metro rail system is even newer than that.

New systems in developed suburban areas will be underutilized until new high-density housing is built near the stations.

You see this in Miami, you swe it in Atlanta, and you will see it in Orlando.

It allows those metro areas to hold more workers without getting more road traffic.

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