This very revealing line explains why they (and American transit planning in general) failed: "CTDOT is requesting that all customers making optional trips, to change their plans so there is room on trains for customers to get home."
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What else? Abandon locomotives in favor of multiple units! This means you either: - fit existing 2~4 car trains better onto platforms (because no more engine), or - replace engine with another passenger car, and run 3~5 car trains the same length as the loco-hauled 2~4s
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Moreover, switching to MUs means less wear on tracks, much shorter braking distances (good for safety!), and much better acceleration = shorter travel times = higher potential frequency!
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Now, one last point...the high ridership this past weekend, as I already said, was because all trips were free. When fares are actually charged, ridership is bound to be lower. Why worry about "fareless" crowding levels if the line will normally charge fares? Well...
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...the fact is that there are TWO ways passengers are "charged" to use the line. One is in money, of course, but the other is TIME--specifically, wait time! The reason ridership will be lower when fares are being charged is because *the waiting time is rarely worth the price*
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It works like this: Long waits + no fares = high ridership potential Long waits + fares = low ridership potential Short waits + fares = high ridership potential
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But accepting this reality, and planning for it, means taking for granted that PEOPLE WANT TO TRAVEL, that travel is something you are trying to encourage more of, whether for "necessary" purposes or not. It means thinking WAY bigger than 10k daily riders--don't limit yourselves!
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Induced demand is very real: where you make a desirable thing easier to access, you get more people using it. For highways, this is a problem, because *highways slow down as they approach capacity.* But trains--if they have good doors and interiors, lol--don't have this problem!
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Increase frequency. Increase capacity. See just how many people really DO want to use trains! We already know they love traveling--our clogged highways speak to that! How will they like a mode which stays on schedule even when it's packed?
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One thing is clear, at least: the assumption that Americans just aren't interested in taking trains is dead. Give us the smallest incentive and we're all over them! What Americans hate are BAD trains: make them great and they will ride!
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All told, I'm very glad that the
@hartfordline was built at all. It's a wonderful step forward from the paltry Amtrak service that previously existed. But it remains a small step, too timid for the demands of the people who want to use it, and handicapped by outdated assumptions!Show this thread -
It's time now to start thinking about how to further develop the line--time to start thinking about a future, not very far off at all, when daily ridership at Hartford Station alone exceeds the 10,000 that the entire line carried on opening day! This is the
#TrainTwitter way!Show this thread -
BE AMBITIOUS - SEEK EXCELLENCE Overturn people's idea of what "commuter rail" is! THIS COULD BE US!pic.twitter.com/OQJI4a7yR2
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End of conversation
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