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Re: Two articles in this morning's edition of Fairview Fanny
Author: synonymouse
Date: 03-09-2009 - 14:06
BART cars do feature bulging sides, presumably required by the monocoque construction. Similar to an aluminum beer can - that's why they crinkled. London Tube cars do have a highly rounded cross section to accommodate a small bore tunnel.
DC and Atlanta didn't buy into broad gauge because they correctly recognized that the putative technical advantages were miniscule by comparison to the loss of interchange and other benefits of standardization. There is no perfect gauge, therefore it is wise to go with the one everybody else is using. Internationally broad gauge is on the way out not on the way in.
BART's cover story on broad gauge is that it was needed to insure stability in heavy winds. I wonder how the BART mindset would handle the double-deck configuration that is popular in some quarters. I guess you would need at least the Erie Railroads 6 foot gauge.
If you actually ride BART you will find it a mixed bag. It functions but no better than any other heavy subway system and sadly it is very rough for being so technologically pretentious. It is really noisy, both inside and out. I mean really noisy to the point you have to shout to have a conversation. BART hyped "duorail" but delivered 19th century technology with some minor technical refinements. And NYC's IRT had four tracks.
Everything always costs more in the Bay Area because it has too much money. Charge what the market will bear. We will have to wait to see who is perceived as richer, Silicon Valley or Seattle.
DC and Atlanta didn't buy into broad gauge because they correctly recognized that the putative technical advantages were miniscule by comparison to the loss of interchange and other benefits of standardization. There is no perfect gauge, therefore it is wise to go with the one everybody else is using. Internationally broad gauge is on the way out not on the way in.
BART's cover story on broad gauge is that it was needed to insure stability in heavy winds. I wonder how the BART mindset would handle the double-deck configuration that is popular in some quarters. I guess you would need at least the Erie Railroads 6 foot gauge.
If you actually ride BART you will find it a mixed bag. It functions but no better than any other heavy subway system and sadly it is very rough for being so technologically pretentious. It is really noisy, both inside and out. I mean really noisy to the point you have to shout to have a conversation. BART hyped "duorail" but delivered 19th century technology with some minor technical refinements. And NYC's IRT had four tracks.
Everything always costs more in the Bay Area because it has too much money. Charge what the market will bear. We will have to wait to see who is perceived as richer, Silicon Valley or Seattle.
