Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P.
Streetcars are more of a romantic idea than a practical one. The need for rails embedded in streets makes them difficult to implement and awkward/dangerous for passengers to use since they enter/exit not at the curb, but in the street.
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Many cities have indeed found them quite practical. As per my post, modern systems do not load in the street but only on level platforms. And, as author Grether points out, it is the fixed route network that makes them easy to use and therefore attractive to riders. He notes that the cities that have adopted streetcars find that they support the urban development goal of increasing residential density in the city core. To use a Halifax example, a couple going out on the town from one of Mr. Reznick's high-end condos is unlikey to hop on a diesel bus but will very readily board a modern streetcar.
Here's video of the Seattle streetcar system:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w9OjL9rHbs
Note the businessperson talking about how quiet the streetcars are, even as she's being drowned out by the autos and trucks going by.