To OPB, please don't take my words out of context. I stated: " So what if they're not FRA compliant, there won't be many freights to dodge anyways." I was referring to the solution used by the Sprinter DMU's between Oceanside & Escondido, CA., where the local freights only run at night, after the commuter runs are over. I am not advocating anything that is unsafe, only what can work right here & right now.
Joe Magruder brings up an important point regarding the costs of a few DMU's being higher per car than a conventional locomotive hauled train; yet DMU's can be more practical for smaller applications and smaller budgets.
As a former resident of Car Crazy SoCal ( 30 + years ), I always believed that no transit system could make commuters give up their precious cars, yet Metrolink has done a credible job of doing just that. Portland,OR., with a similar metro population to SLC, has done an excellent job with their light rail system. It's do - able, but as OPB has noted, the right people in the right places have to make intelligent choices for long term results.