I did not put that sentence together very well. What I meant was I knew some NWP equipment was sent south where it would not have been compatible if 1200 volts.

On the other hand I do recall that recently a BART guy complained in the media about 1000vdc as introducing some safety issues. I mean BART could have gone to 3000 volts.

Bechtel had promised exotic and hated the idea of being an "interurban". But in the end they did not have the stones to go with monorail or a French rubber-tyred subway. It would have been quieter and more Jetsons. I suspect they were also influenced by transplanted New Yorkers who wanted to recreate here the gritty Gotham they missed.