Quote:
Originally Posted by mfastx
That's because there's only one line and the region doesn't have much coverage. The more you build, the more increasing returns you'll have. If you build light rail, you're severely capping the ridership potential of the system.
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Why? Light rail trains can run in multiple units, so these trains can be as long as heavy rail trains. They are usually just as wide as just as tall, so their capacity could be the same per train.
The only physical attributes that make them different at all is how they pick up their electricity, heavy rail usually using third rail while light rail usually using overhead catenary.
So it's how they are operated that causes system capacity differences. With light rail having stations at grade in central business districts, station platform lengths, and therefore train lengths, are usually limited to city block lengths, 300 to 400 feet. Heavy rail operation off grade, under or above grade, train lengths are not limited to city block sizes. But light rail trains can operate off grade too. So I repeat again, light rail trains can be as long as heavy rail trains, and can have the same system capacity.