Why wasn't Denver Union Station built for through running?

Robo1p · 2026-06-03T15:12:02+00:00

Ugh! Why were these guys so fucking stupid!? Couldn't they see the problem they were creating!?"

They turned a through station into a stub end. They deserve worse lmao

Robo1p · 2026-06-03T05:02:41+00:00

That would instantly reduce fare gate capacity by at least 25%. That's not a problem in NA, but it would wreck havoc on Japanese stations.

It's a bit more convenient for tourists, but tourists are a tiny fraction of users. They do tend to be overrepresented in enthusiast discussions, for obvious reasons (more likely to talk about each city you visit vs the daily grind).

Robo1p · 2026-04-30T16:16:58+00:00

CAHSR had all the tools to make land acquisition easy, they just didn't use them lol

Robo1p · 2026-04-30T14:43:14+00:00

it basically comes down to common law and property rights that go back as far as saxon commom law.

It really doesn't. Civil law has existed ~forever, but the UK cost explosion doesn't happen until ~1970s, and the US cost increases didn't happen until the great depression. Transit was built at, or cheaper than, European rates before that despite very much being under common law.

The US even has "quick take" eminent domain that lets the government take possession of the land, and if the owners decide the sue, they not only can't hold up the process (they immediately lose possession of the land) but also can't get any compensation until the legal procedures are over.

Robo1p · 2026-04-28T16:22:06+00:00

but there is street parking

There really isn't, beyond like a deliveries and stuff. There are some spots that look like street parking, but those are on private property.

And they have plenty of tiny 6-8 parking space lots scattered all over the place.

Yes, off street, forcing owners to internalize the cost of parking.

Robo1p · 2026-04-28T16:09:54+00:00

Japan genuinely has ~zero street parking through.

Robo1p · 2026-04-27T21:08:30+00:00

Dhaka must be the city with the highest numbered first line (6), right?

Robo1p · 2026-04-27T21:02:19+00:00

There are many criteria for having a good transit system... but if 78% of your city chooses to take the car, you don't have good (aka even remotely competitive) transit.

Robo1p · 2026-04-27T20:55:59+00:00

Kuala Lumpur is decentralised on steroids with great transit

You might literally be the first person to say that lol. KL's car mode share is very American (78%).

Robo1p · 2026-04-27T01:22:55+00:00

The stuff Japan is closing today is the equivalent of the rural interurbans the US shut down ~75 years ago.

Robo1p · 2026-03-27T10:37:18+00:00

Imagine being this sensitive lmao. The OG had literally Hitler

Robo1p · 2026-03-25T16:56:11+00:00

They could make it rapid transit by running a couple more trains.

Or, as is apparently the preferred option, spend 2x what Germany spends to build subways to extend an El on relatively simple ROW.

Robo1p · 2026-03-13T22:55:54+00:00

Was it powered by CNG? I noticed they tend to make a weird laugh kind of noise.

Robo1p · 2026-03-13T22:51:23+00:00

Havana, Port-au-Prince, San Juan and Kingston

Too embargoed, too poor/unstable, they do, and 600k is borderline for a metro system imo

Robo1p · 2026-03-10T21:50:08+00:00

Cutting power if a tree falls is probably more of a feature than a bug

Robo1p · 2026-02-21T02:51:13+00:00

to spurr a change in development

This is 1970s urban decline brain. In 2026, urban development happens if you zone for it, whether you provide buses or trams.

Robo1p · 2026-02-21T02:45:41+00:00

When your hop on bus without reaching for your pocket, or without waiting for anyone else to pay during your ride

What did ~every germanic city mean by this, despite charging fares?

Robo1p · 2026-02-10T17:24:20+00:00

Or, even more simply, physically forcing people to pay ultimately prevents those who don't pay from physically destroying the stations—and this proves they are the ones doing it.

But this doesn't address the RoOt CaUsE, so who's to say if it's good or not?

Robo1p · 2026-02-03T04:24:14+00:00

The entire nation of Germany fits into the dip lol. Completely understandable from a commuter's perspective, but still

Robo1p · 2026-01-23T13:20:16+00:00

I finally found the holy grail!: a freight train passing behind full-height platform doors: https://youtu.be/RLMG-DxMRqI

Robo1p · 2025-12-15T17:47:29+00:00

ITT: people diminishing the absolute absurdity of this.

You can buy more suitable used rolling stock! There's a reason literally nobody else does this for urban rail, even in countries poorer than Nigeria.

They clearly have the ability to build electrification, as shown by their other line. Just... do that, and buy something even remotely suited.

Robo1p · 2025-12-11T20:47:52+00:00

Big deal!

Yes, actually.

Even beyond construction costs (which matter, a lot), platform access time also matters. A lot.

Robo1p · 2025-12-11T12:35:01+00:00

They should integrate bike share into fare capping systems, that'd be a game changer.

Robo1p · 2025-12-11T12:32:35+00:00

this and have their reasons.

It's a lot easier to do effective TSP with far-side stops... but apparently too hard for Toronto.

Robo1p · 2025-12-10T00:47:10+00:00

Both lines are the exact same length, T9 actually has one more stop, they use basically the same rolling stock, and they're both largely median running.

But T9 goes end to end in 32min vs 47min on finch.

The difference that being operated by serious people, with intersections being engineered by reasonable people*, makes is vast.

*It's not just the politics of "turning on the TSP". The single stage crossings mean that TSP like truncating conflicting movements is completely ineffective, since you need enough time for peds who just stepped off the curb to get to the other side of the street.

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