Actually, whether he jests or not, he is right on. They could do worse!

A multiple articulated train would be kinda neat actually! And whether diesel or electric, probably cheaper to build and maintain too boot.

I am sure Mr Q's answer was merely flippant, but whats up with you?

Where did you get the idea anything has been decided. They last I heard was that they were hand wringing over something like the Colorado Rail Car (FRA compliant) or locomotive hauled trains. But those Colorado guys seem to be going belly-up.

If they are going to share tracks with a long haul pass through freights (to Willits is long haul enough), temporal separation would prove very impractical; as it only works well in very short terminal freight ops. Moreover, the only precedents for temporal separation involve terminal freight movements. This leaves the only lawful and practical option to be FRA compliant vehicles or loco hauled compliant cars.

Besides, compliant vehicles are far and away safer in general - anyway. Therefore, even though their stuff is very good, the Siemens cars just won't do in this application. Hopefully, SMART will find compliant DMUs, other than the colorado car, else it will be loco hauled.

And what the heck does BART have to do with it. Not a dime of Marin or Sonoma county taxes could ever go to BART (MTC or not), unless SMART contracted with BART to build or operate the line. Actually, San Mateo county did just that with the SF airport line. Santa Clara County's VTA is building a BART compatible line from Fremont via San Jose to Santa Clara, and has contracted for BART to operate it (owned by VTA, operated by BART).

BART could also manage or outright operate a loco hauled service for SMART, much as it is doing so for California's Capital Corridor Joint Powers Board. The state owns the cars and locomotives, the CCJPB provides the operating finances and contracts with BART for passenger service management and operations; while BART then subcontracts with Amtrak for train operation and passenger station services. Convoluted, but nevertheless working very well.

Maybe the reason for your perception that BART controls the MTC, is that they have attracted so many cooperative agreements with other agencies in the region. Or maybe they do get first rights (if they do) because they are in fact so much more efficient than any other transit agency in Northern California, having a 55% - 60% transportation operating ratio vs the 20% - 25% for the next runner up, or the 10% - 15% average; all the while carrying far more passengers far more miles than anywhere else west of the Appalachians, except for CTA and Metra in Chicago.

If you have that kind or record; then when you speak, people will listen !

And no -- I am not jesting.

So can we get back to enjoying Mr. Jacksich's pictures

OPB