Driverless high speed trains will save no money whatsoever. In fact, the costs and difficulties BART and others have already experienced with existing automation; indicate that the cost of total automation of high speed trains would far exceed the wages and benefits now paid to train operators. Besides, from an economic and business perspective, BART is already way over-automated.

Simpler designs, tricks like "married pairs", articulation, etc, will save scads of hardware; and thus will save scads of money on both capital and ongoing maintenance costs.

And if the strength of the new cars is beefed up as well, so as to be able to take the buff forces of being locomotive hauled at high speed; then they could just couple on a loco at "Bay Point", and keep on truckin' over non-electrified extensions. No need for yet another incompatible technology such as E-BART. Just plurp down the track - and go.

This plan also avoids the passenger hated and publicly unpopular idea of another transfer point; while the enormous costs of electrification, fencing and grade separation are still avoided for years to come on extensions to outlying areas (until they become truly warranted). Note that the weight saved by articulation or married pairs, would be available to beef up buff strength with no net weight gain.

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As to the fewer seats and more doors, that is an astonishingly stupid plan - its purpose being to save about 5-10 seconds time at downtown platforms, per train. But I would guess that each train will loose about 160 seats. At 24 trains per hour, that's 3840 seats lost per hour.

On the other side of the coin; the 240 total seconds saved would theoretically allow two more trains to be run per hour (employing two additional drivers - and using 20 more cars), gaining back 1080 seats. That is a net loss of 2760 seats per hour. Now, will there be place for the 2760 previously seated passenger to now stand. From the practical experience of a long time BART rider, this is not very likely (you must hold on somewhere), unless they expect us to get so chummy, as to not need to hold on - probably more chummy than the law, or good public morals, will allow.

So, for no significant net gain in capacity, and a much more unpleasant ride, they will actually increase driver salaries, and capital costs by at least 8 percent (2 extra drivers plus 20 extra cars). This is just one more example of politics overruling good business sense and engineering practices. The politicians that run BART, like virtually all politicians, never think thing through. NO! Never!

But wait, it gets worse! Except for close in areas (inner city), BART is in every practical respect, a suburban commuter railroad, and as such, it sells seats. At least that is what the suburban public is willing to buy. No one but no one, is going to be willing to ride 20 to 40 miles while standing, when they could be seated on any alternative.

Standing long distances is already a problem at BART - costing them much potential ridership. Indeed, I know of several BART employees that already won't ride long distances while standing - even on a pass. They commute seated - as they drive! It is absurd to expect paying passengers to do any different. BART is also completely ignoring the realities of their own market. Patronage will thus begin a long painful decline.

Moreover, not a dime of the 3.5 billion is currently available - from anywhere - for any purpose under heaven! Not only that, rail infrastructure is about at the bottom of the federal food chain anyway. What little is available will go to more "worthy" uses, such as buying votes for incumbents, most of which goes to much more personal voter bribes than a public works project.

That is just as well in this case, because those cars will each cost well more than 2-1/2 times the previous BART car purchase (only a dozen years ago), and still twice the current cost of a much more complex 4400 hp locomotive. The price must come down - sharply. Otherwise, this car purchase will be D.O.A.

Hopefully, BART will be forced instead to severely cut back this ridiculous plan and rebuild their existing fleet rather than replace it - purchasing only modest additions to the fleet. BTW; adding the center sill and frame needed for buff strength, will also solve the existing sagging problems; allowing perhaps another 30-40 years of service for what BART already has. A good alternate plan - even for a government run enterprise!

OPB