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From: mangoe@mimsy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.railroad
Subject: Re: Rapid Transit Systems
Message-ID: <4335@mimsy.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Nov-86 00:28:02 EST
Article-I.D.: mimsy.4335
Posted: Wed Nov 19 00:28:02 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Nov-86 07:25:56 EST
References: <1031@husc2.UUCP>
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Organization: University of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Sci.
Lines: 34

I can't provide raw numbers, but I can explain some of the rationale behind
the Washington Metro.

Metro construction is entirely at the mercy of federal funding, local
routing disputes, and delivery of new cars by Breda.  It is true that the
poorest areas are not well-served by Metro.  This is largely a result of
Prince Georges County's refusal to settle down and decide where the Green
line will go, holding up construction for years.  On top of that, there is
absolutely no way that fares can pay for construction.

My experience suggests that travel time tends to be comparable to that of a
car, provided you already have a place to park when you get there.  The
Metro loses completely when the destination can be reached by circling the
city, however.  This is the one thing that really shows how dated the design
is.  Bus service is subject to the whims of traffic and is therefore at
least as slow as taking the car.  From a cost point of view, the Metro wins
completely if you can walk to the station; if you have to park your car,
things get more complicated.  Right now there is more demand for parking
spaces at most metro stations than there is parking; rates do tend to be
lower out of town, though.

Unfortunately the system is quite subject to choke points.  We don't have
too many problems with equipment failures, but people falling on the tracks
(or jumping) really ties things up.  Fares are somewhat steep, but so is
parking, and they were always steep on the busses too.  As for the pricing
out of the poor, I don't see it happening; a far more important factor in
keeping the system clean is that you can't live on the metro; it closes
every night.  And there are lots of metro cops.

Even at the current fares there is enough traffic to saturate the system
during peak rush hour.  (YOU should see what it looks like on the 4th of
July!!!!)  Someone apparently thinks it worth the money.

C. Wingate