Why Light Rail?

Lawned R-o-W on a Dutch tramway.

Lawned R-o-W on a Dutch tramway.

Why Light rail?
This question has been asked over and over again by those who only know our MALM (SkyTrain) light-metro system. After 40 years of non stop rah-rah, propaganda by the federal and provincial governments, civic governments and bureaucracies; and the various groups made up of, what I call, the “SkyTrain Lobby”, Light-Rail, locally has been given an extremely bad rap.
Today, over 550 transit systems operating around the world can be called light rail; an almost universal transit system that can carry customer flows greatly exceeding 20,000 persons per hour per direction, yet economically carry customer flows under 2,000 pphpd on lightly used routes.

Light Rail is not a streetcar, rather it is a streetcar or tram that can operate as:

1. A streetcar, operating in mixed traffic.

A Toronto streetcar operating on-street.

A Toronto streetcar operating on-street.

 2. As light rail, operating on a dedicated or reserved rights-of-way.

A Paris tram operating on a lawned dedicated R-oW.

A Paris tram operating on a lawned dedicated R-o-W.

3. As a light-metro, operating on a segregated viaduct and/or subway.

Over 90% of Seattles LRT operates as a light metro, either in a subway or on viaducts.

Over 90% of Seattle’s LRT operates as a light metro, either in a subway or on viaducts.

4. As a passenger rail train (TramTrain), operating on the mainline railways.

TramTrain in the country

 5. Trams can carry freight.

A freight tram in Dresden.

A freight tram in Dresden.

 6. Can operate popular tourist services.

Restaurant trams have proven very popular

Restaurant trams have proven very popular 

 

 7. Bistro trams offer light refreshments on longer journeys.

Bistro trams improves the customers experience.

Bistro trams improves the customers experience.

 8. Can be festive.

A Christmas tram in Prague.

A Christmas tram in Prague.

And all this can operate on one light rail route!
The following is from the Light Rail Transit Association.
Light rail helps fight congestion
A proven ability to attract drivers from their cars. Typically 20 percent of the peak-hour passengers on a light rail system transferred from car.
Light rail reduces congestion on the routes it serves. In Manchester, traffic flows on key routes into central Manchester reduced by up to 10 per cent at peak times.
Introducing light rail increases overall patronage of public transport. In Nottingham there were “Initial indications that the public transport market has increased by over 20 per cent.”
Measures to control car use are simplified when people have a high-quality alternative.
Light rail systems lead to less traffic pollution and fewer road accidents.
Light rail frees up road space for walking or cycling, and reduces the need for town centre car parking.
{Source PTEG report “What Light Rail can do for cities.”

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