[milwaukee-electric] Re: National City Lines convictions.

[Gary Schnabl]

Detroit's traction fans here are trying to get two systems up and 
running: (1) a commuter-rail operation between Detroit's New Center (3 
miles north of Downtown) to/from Ann Arbor, using a mix of Amtrak-owned, 
Norfolk and Southern, and Canadian National preexisting tracks and (2) a 
3.4-mile streetcar up/down Woodward Avenue, considered to be its main 
drag--once upon a time.
For the commuter line, SEMCOG--a sort of think tank run by various 
community governments--back around 2005 came up with a 1-way per 
passenger operating cost of $146 per passenger. Just what amount of 
taxpayer subsidy might that entail?  Perhaps, $140 per passenger, 
one-way? That is just to cover operating costs--no capital cost or debt 
service.

Well, no doubt that proposal has been dying many deaths, but like cats, 
seem never to finally die. It is currently on yet another hold the past 
couple years--until somebody finds some money trees or something. Not 
even the Obamists bothered to lavish any stimuli loot upon it.

The streetcar plan is now close to an EIS phase. Fifty or so people will 
show up at a public meeting, and that is considered to be a big success, 
or at least so says the newspaper which is supportive. But the same 50 
LRT proponents always will show up at those sessions. BRT (or the status 
quo--do nothing) makes more sense, and isn't that pretty much the way 
Milwaukee will go instead of LRT? Three BRT lines: Greenfield, National, 
and Fondulac, if my memory holds?

Detroit's DDOT bus system is bleeding cash, and a recent national study 
showed that its operation was probably the most expensive in the nation 
per bus for drivers' and mechanics' salaries (much, much higher than 
average)--and also the poorest run at the same time. That is what 
happens after the spendthrift public sector tries to run a bus system. 
Detroit's transit is bleeding $ millions annually, even while cutting 
back service and dumping entire routes the past decade due to lousy 
ridership (although the DDOT proponents always say otherwise...), and 
now DDOT wants rail (err... streetcars) on top of all their nonsense!?

BTW, GM did not conspire to put Milwaukee's streetcars or trackless 
trolleys out of business. Milwaukee's locals decided to do that--all by 
themselves.


On 3/19/2011 3:12 PM, Louis Rugani wrote:
> Gary Schnabl writes:
>
> "Are there those still blaming GM et al. for the demise of traction?  ... But, come on! How serious could the conspiracy have been if the penalty meted out was $5000, plus $1 for every convicted person?"
>
> I stated facts. Those convictions followed lengthy court battles.  The tiny fines show the depth of the conspiracy. GM spent years and millions trying to overturn those convictions and its $5,000 fine. That tells me a lot.
>
> "Traction was doomed to failure as their cities became suburbanized."
>
> Traction is back and getting bigger each year.
>
> And nothing personal, Mr. Schnabl, but your following arguments below are fallacious and right out of the current anti-railers' songbook as sung by Randal OToole, Wendell Cox and Tom Rubin:
>
> "Traction may be cheaper to run, but their capital construction costs are very high per mile. Buses are not serial, meaning that if a bus breaks down enroute, the system does not. And buses can easily be rerouted in
> case a major (or minor) fire or traffic situation ties up the ROW for hours or days. There can be no real denying that. Plus, most or all of those traction systems were broke--or getting there. Time to let it go."
>
> Traction advocates, such as those who populate this list, will never "let it go", lest it happen again.
>
> =Lou=


-- 

Gary Schnabl
Southwest Detroit, two miles NORTH! of Canada--Windsor, that is...

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