Step 9:
CONCLUSIONS
EACH HOUR 25,200 people could make 10-mile long trips (the Valley Connections projects a ridership of 60,000 per DAY).
|
COST ESTIMATE for the Mini Robot Kiddy Train system: |
||
| 1. |
70 miles of track and automatic
vehicle controlled switches. |
= $70 million |
| 2. | 70 miles of elevated structure. | = $70 million |
| 3. |
5,000 Mini Robot Kiddy
Train vehicles. |
= $25 million |
|
TOTAL |
= $165 million | |
SUMMARY OF ADVANTAGES:
- Convenience of 4 times as many stations
- On-Demand = No waiting for the BIG train to arrive
- Non-stop = 47% faster speeds (OFFLINE Stations)
- 12% of the cost of light rail (saves $1.185 billion)
- Higher hourly capacity
Footnotes:
As was stated on the first page of the Quick Photo tour, it is a mistake for a city government to think it can attain a large hourly transit capacity by utilizing old fashioned concepts of moving large groups of people together. Indeed, a hundred years ago it was the best way to attack the problem. However, in the last twenty years many new technologies have become available which can be combined in new ways to improve transit capability at much lower budget levels.
The TIME is way past due for transit people to start using the awesome sensing and control power of computers in transit. Transit people need to start seriously start studying and applying what is going on everyday in modern factories. Low cost, automated PERSONALIZED transit is both obvious and inevitable!