>Uh huh. And how do you think commuter rail service was restored to Santa Fe, NM? SOME of the >public must have accepted the notion that trains on formerly underused tracks within the City of >Santa Fe must be OK.
>
>The news media probably hasn't interviewed the "right" people. I would imagine there are some >people in Santa Fe who are upset with all the additional noise and vibrations. The questions is, >have they been tracked down and interviewed?

That, plus a chunk of the line was relocated to the median of a freeway so the NIMBYs and BANANAs in the most "sensitive" area didn't have much to complain about. Commuter trains, also, are often seen as a more "upscale" transit mode hence less likely to attract riffraff: they don't run as often as light rail would be likely to, generally cost more to ride, and have more ticket checkers.

For the traditional view regarding light rail, search on "loot rail". Funny thing though - some of the people that fight hardest against it use it once it becomes available (happened that way in Folsom). Also, it's not just rail trails that bring out the opposition; some city council critters got their careers messed up in a town I lived in by supporting use of a couple of flood control channel service roads as bike/ped trails (shortcuts through long blocks).