synonymouse Wrote:
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> The solution to San Rafael is a viaduct over the
> downtown one-way streets parallel to the freeway.
>
> Aerial platforms, eliminating the need for any
> million dollar transit center relocation.

Once again, designing not to the people, but in this case to the existing train depot. Can't move the depot, so let's restrict the train capacity instead???

Granted there is also the desire to have the station in downtown San Rafael, but take away the demand to have the existing depot serve the trains and you could move the station to the north (combined with closing down the 5th Avenue crossing or Mission Avenue) to alleviate the train length issue. Heck, you could close 4th Avenue and retain the existing location.

Or, move the depot south a couple blocks alongside Francisco Boulevard north of Irwin Street and you get over 500 feet of track - room for six cars (or locomotive plus five cars). Between Irwin and Rice is over 960 feet - 11 cars. But, since we have to use the old depot (which is a completely unnecessary demand) we lose out on those opportunities, and we're stuck with three high-level car trains - thanks to high platforms we can't use low floor cars.