G.E. Equipped PCCs/transit ridership

[Fred W. Schneider III]

I can understand why Roy King (Senior) had such an interest in electric railways
... the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Niles Pullmans were brand new in
1908 and attracted his attention.  It was a growth industry.  He had as much
reason to study the WB&A, Capital Traction, WRECO, Washington-Virginia Railway,
and so forth as the kids today have for appreciating an Airbus 300 or a cell
phone.

What puzzles me is why there are so many people today so insanely devoted to a
business that is gasping its last breath?  More than one seems too many?  I
guess the truth is, we are all older men trying to remember the toys of our
youth.  But why are we creating so many new railway systems?  Can there be any
reason other than a place for a political hack to hang a plaque on which is
emblazoned his or her name?  All that expense for 2.005 percent of the
commuters?

Of course these are all rhetorical questions.

HRBran99 at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 07/19/2000 10:30:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> j_swindler at hotmail.com writes:
>
> << read Passenger Transport, published by
>  the American Public Transit Association.  They recently reported that
>  transit ridership has been increasing in recent years, and is back to the
>  levels experienced in the early 1960s. >>
>
> >From "Transit Fact Book," by APTA, 1999:
>
> 1960 -- 9.4 billion trips on public transit -- 13% of all trips (auto and
> transit)
> 1965 -- 8.3 billion trips on public transit --   9% of all trips (auto and
> transit)
> 1995 -- 7.0 billion trips on public transit --   2% of all trips (auto and
> transit)
> 1997 -- 7.4 billion trips on public transit --   2.005% of all trips (auto &
> transit)
>
> A slight increase, but not near the number of total transit trips and very
> far away from the percentage of auto vs. transit trips.
>
> Transit is on a decline which will never end. The glory days ended some time
> ago. Unless some catastrophic event takes place (crude oil supply depletes;
> widespread war; total economic collapse, etc.) public transit will never be
> the same as it was even 25 years ago.
>
> HrB