Bob 2,

Maybe it's time for RCTC to acquire some Omnitrans Arrow Stadler type FRA-Compliant DMU cars for more frequent service with lower maintenance and operating costs.

Perhaps during non rush hour periods?

Exeter Joe

[b][/b]BOB2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ghoul R Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > An Observer Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > 3 huh? if they extended the line to
> Winchester
> > the
> > > ridership would probably double! BOB2 and I
> > were
> > > discussing the Coachella Extension and he
> cites
> > > numerous surveys and I'm sure they are what
> > they
> > > are, I also think that similar surveys were
> > taken
> > > on the Perris extension. Problem is that they
> > seem
> > > to miss a common sense conclusion as to why
> and
> > > where people ride ie they listen to answers
> to
> > > questions by potential riders without full
> > concern
> > > over the validity of the answer. I know this
> is
> > > all public convenience but you would like to
> > see
> > > it at least cover operating costs.
> >
> > They could start by running trains from LA to
> > Perris on weekends so folks can visit the
> largest
> > railroad museum west of the mississippi river!
>
> It's too bad they never followed up with what was
> originally planned back in the mid 2000's after so
> many years of on-off-on again delays, and the cost
> spent on the rebuilding of the Perris line. It
> is indeed unfortunate, that Perris is not
> providing the high quality direct peak and off
> peak services to Orange and LA County, and weekend
> services on the Perris line, with a "usable"
> frequency of weekend service like on the San
> Bernardino and OC services.
>
> Unfortunately, the cost overruns and delays on the
> 91 project kept eating up the Riverside County
> sales taxes which were supposed to fund both
> projects, and left the RCTC with an inadequate
> operating budget to provide adequate service
> level, in the ensuing decade that had passed,
> since those plans back in 2007...
>
> Some of the biggest rail failures involve this
> problem, of building expensive rail
> infrastructure, then running it as a "part time"
> transportation service, as in the case of
> Perris... This is at least partially problem of
> the fact that big contractors, who could always
> use more "contracts", seem to always attend the
> fundraisers for politicians, and most commuters
> who could use more frequent and direct "service"
> generally don't...
>
> This "imbalance" in setting political "priorities"
> (money for reelection versus serving public need
> effectively and efficiently) is the main reason
> why we have a CAHSRA project that is among the
> most expensive in the world ever built, but that
> doesn't seem to be designed to meet very many of
> our actual observed transportation needs....