But they wouldn't sell condos
If Portland's transportation priorities are so "green," why doesn't it scrap its goofy streetcar and mystery train fantasies and buy a fleet of these? They sure sound better than all those creaky, stinky, aging buses that Tri-Met is currently running all over town.
| Posted at 12:43 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (9)
Not weird enough.
Posted by mk | September 2, 2011 1:25 PM
I'm pretty sure that after a few weeks in service, even these electric buses would be stinky.
Posted by Pom Mon | September 2, 2011 1:29 PM
With what the streetcars and street trains are going to cost to build and operate at a massive loss, I wouldn't be surprised if the plan wasn't to simply to eliminate all the evil motor vehicles from the fleet to help pay for the whole mess.
You know, "Feel free to take our train that runs only when we say it will, goes only where we say it'll go, and will cost what we say it'll cost you, or feel free to walk, or bike. Come again and thank you for visiting Portland."
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | September 2, 2011 1:45 PM
The title says it all.
Posted by MJ | September 2, 2011 4:23 PM
The big selling point for building trains is that they are so green and that we will be prepared for peak oil when the world will fall apart and the only way we will be able to get around will be by foot, bike or train. In other words, the planners cannot seem to think beyond what they already see and know and imagine any new technology into the future. They are led by condo hucksters who would use any excuse to relieve us of our last dime for the cause.
Posted by Nolo | September 2, 2011 4:37 PM
If the world really does fall apart I don't expect to see many or any trains running and would probably stay off them anyways just because they're so vulnerable. What I'll wish I had was a motorcycle.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | September 2, 2011 4:42 PM
You'd think Portland would have a hand in that, being how much more attractive they are than a typical all-electric trolleybus (with those ugly overhead wires and all...)
Oh, MAX and Streetcar has them too? But they just have a SINGLE wire; trolleybuses have TWO wires and that's what makes them ugly! TWO WIRES!
Posted by Erik H. | September 2, 2011 7:39 PM
Why? Because TPTB don't want buses. They want trains. Trains are cool. They give you something to brag about at confabs with other SimCity players--uh, I mean, city planners.
Never mind that bus schedules can be changed when the numbers of commuters in various neighborhoods change. Never one that one broken-down bus doesn't stop all traffic on that route the way a broken-down train does. Buses aren't cool. Not even electric buses.
Posted by Mark | September 3, 2011 12:50 PM
You gotta belong to the church of rail to understand why buses are just not part of gods wish for mankind!
Posted by Al M | September 3, 2011 5:23 PM