![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Image](http://www.elevator-world.com/gif/wupper1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.elevator-world.com/gif/wupper4.jpg)
![Image](http://www.trainweb.org/subwaymark/transit/Germany/Wuppertal/wup-mr03.jpg)
![Image](http://www.trainweb.org/subwaymark/transit/Germany/Wuppertal/wup-mr12.jpg)
This is the suspended monorail in Wuppertal, Germany. So sweet....
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
I was looking at some info regarding the Metrolink in St. Louis, according to the website i was looking at they said region wide transit was up 40% since early 90's (which doesn't contradict what you are saying, since it very well might be that within the political boundaries of the City of St. Louis transit use has declined, but then again they have been losing population also). It also pointed out that 79 percent of new metro link riders were new to transit as a whole (while the remaining 21 percent came from previous bus riders) so although they may be boosting numbers by cutting bus lines, the majority of their new riders aren't from buses. All this info (and more) was at the Citizens for Modern Transit webiste at http://www.cmt-stl.org. Of course they are rail supporters so who knows if there's a bias in the numbers.ignatius wrote:BTW, STL numbers are $12K-$15K per actual rider and they have been killing feeder bus service to support light rail. Overall city wide transit usage is also down significantly since early 1990's in STL, despite high LRT usage.
I think we're heading in the right direction with commuter rail from the burbs and multiple rapid bus lines in the core. LRT will need to be below $10K per rider to work in KC according to the study. BRT may be a starter transition to LRT in the future.
No, monorail is not easier to sell to the public. The reason is simple, it costs a lot more than light rail. The money is the main deciding factor in a project like this, and with monorail costing double what light rail costs, it would be much more unlikely for the public to support it. Just look at the trouble Seattle has had with their recent expansion of their monorail system.ComandanteCero wrote:HOWEVER, wouldn't monorail be easier to sell to the public since it would have less of a footprint than light rail? Perhaps making the eminent domain threat less of an issue? My understanding is that this was a major no no for a lot of people in the 2002 vote. I don't know much about this aspect, maybe somebody else does and could offer an answer.....