Quote:
Originally Posted by suburbia
Only knowing the value propositions of the different technologies at a superficial level, the counter question also comes to mind. Is there any reasoning / benefit for a high floor design?
Comparisons for safety, speed, cost?
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The benefit of high floor itself is truthfully relatively minor - increased interior capacity due to the cabin not having to fit around the wheel wells. I would also imagine the design is simpler so would be cheaper and easier to maintain, but that is speculation.
However the true disadvantage we have is that because the system has always been envisioned as a low floor 'streetcar style' LRT, we never considered that we could instead have a proper automated system (which would probably be high floor).
In stage 1 of the Green Line there is
literally no advantage to the vehicles being low floor. None whatsoever. Yet because that was decided arbitrarily years ago, the line has been compromised to reflect it. Stage 1 is almost entirely grade separated, with the 6 or so road crossings being fairly minor to grade separate. If the city had taken a step back once the route had been decided to rethink, they could have seen that the option was available to change the technology to a grade separated, high floor automated system which would give us lower operating costs, a safer, more reliable system and eliminate any BS union disputes down the road. Not having to pay drivers for 30 years and not having the countless collisions the grade crossings cause would likely pay for any increase in cost.
You might say that while stage 1 is easy to grade separate, the future stages won't be, but that is only true for the in street running section down Centre St. However, anyone who has taken a minute to look at this route in the slightest detail will realise that running it down the middle of that road is a terrible idea that should be avoided anyway.
But sadly, this ship has sailed and we are stuck with a line that will never live up to its full potential.