As someone who commutes daily on Metro's Redline, I can tell you that when they have to do single tracking (i.e. there is a problem with another train and they have to single track around it), it causes extremely large delays and frustrates the heck out of riders. I can't imagine having to knowingly deal with it daily. I'd probably not use the service. This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard and I can't believe they want that to be part of the plan for the Redline in Baltimore. One of the main reasons the light rail in Baltimore wasn't used widely initially was because several large sections were single track, forcing trains to wait and making it a very undesirable transportation method to get to and from downtown. You'd think the city/state would have learned their lesson.

I understand and agree with the housekeeping effort. Unfortunately, I feel that labeling non-LPA supporters as "Red Line foes" will be conflated and co-opted by TPTB supporters as "transit foes"

Nate Payer
TRAC

COMMENT: Generally I like to let the discussion flow unimpeded by the moderator, but I'm going to jump in here to make one point:

Nobody wants single-tracking, not the MTA, not potential riders, not Red Line foes. Nobody is choosing to single-track out of stupidity or because they're unaware of the problems it presents.

Single-tracking is a very unpleasant choice, made because there was no other way to make the numbers work to fit within the rigid federal guidelines. You can disagree with the decision and say the cut renders the Red Line useless or unsafe. But it should be understood that the decision-makers were faced with an existential choice: Take an unwanted cut and build a system, or scrap the Red Line as now conceived. (Granted there was other choices, but I don't think downtown surface rail would have flown, and there were technical reasons to tunnel at Cooks Lane.)

My take is that everyone involved in the planning hopes to be able to walk back that decision at some future date though the addition of a second bore. My understanding is that the portal at Cooks Lane will be built with capacity for a second bore, so that a future double-tracking could be undertaken without shutting down the line.

If the MTA wanted the 'numbers' to work and not have to single track why didn't they just make up some other numbers that say the steel for the tracks will be cheaper. I mean if they can imagine up more riders overnight why not that?

Or does the MTA just exist to ensure that effective mass transit in the Baltimore Region will never come to pass....

Although the MTA adamantly insists upon the "existential" nature of the single-tracking decision, it was really a matter of setting state priorities. Federal funding is not an absolute necessity to build a major transit project--it merely makes it cheaper for the local agency. If the state wants to build a real transit system, it can find the money to do so, be it by spending less on highways or raising taxes. We do not have to settle for a second rate system simply because the federal government will only fund such a system; we have to choose whether we are willing to invest to build a first class system or would rather build a second class system at lower cost. And we must keep in mind that cities around the world that we claim to be competing with are building first class transit systems. Those who insist on penny-pinching today are merely fighting to keep our city's antiquated infrastructure insufficient to attract businesses and workers.

This is a second rate idea. This isn't rapid transportation. It is a cheap alternative. Why does Baltimore always have to settle second rate ideas. I am tired of being a second rate city. Atlanta has grown from a town to a city because of it's transit system. An effective transit system is makes a big difference. Politicians won't even be riding the thing. I know most of them don't really care.

The redline is a way to get the citizans around town, but me personally, I own a home on Cooks Lane. Tell me why they did not buy us out. Does the City understand what we will face during and after construction? Rats have always been a problems at train stations. We are having a problem with rats already trying to get them cleaned up. What if there is a collision under our homes. I went to these meetings and really doesn't matter what we the commuitity thinks, the Gov and his folks are going to get their way. We have to cotinue to boycott and have our voices know. We must stand up for this 4C redline or fall for what they are doing in our community they don't visit.