Quote:
Originally Posted by OhioGuy
North of Denver it's all commuter rail while south of Denver it's all light rail. I'm guessing most of the denser population centers in the Denver metro area are concentrated from the city southward?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EngiNerd
There has also been issues with safety regarding the use of LRT's on tracks that will run adjacent to freight tracks. Several of the northern Fast Track lines run in existing freight corridors, and the concern is that if a freight train were to derail, a light rail car wouldn't be able to stand up to the impact, thus the need for heavier rail cars like the DMU or EMU.
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-East Line to Denver International Airport (DIA) was reduced down to two choices in the EIS. The two finalists were Light Rail (LRT) and Electric Multiple Units (EMU - electric commuter rail). Two main factors lead the study to select EMU over LRT.
a.) Part of the line would run parallel to freight tracks and freight rail companies said they would no longer allow LRT along freight lines (because of some accident in another city in which they were sued).
b.) Also, being a line to the airport, it was decided that EMU cars provided the most room for luggage. EMU is also faster, traveling up to 85Mph to light rail's 55-65Mph max speed.
-North Metro Line was also seriously considered for LRT. However, it's alignment also followed freight rail and so LRT would not be allowed. Also it's lower projected ridership than other lines influenced DMU as more cost effective over EMU. Another factor is the possibility of this line being extended north to Greeley. DMU would be the favorite choice for such an extension (far to long of an extension for a LRT line).
-Northwest Corridor was studied for light rail, but determined to be too long a route to be financially feasible (41 mile route). It was also considered for rail up the US-36 medium, but grades exceeded 3% - too much for DMU. The existing freight rail route increased the travel time for the route by quite a bit. A compromise to to operate DMU service in existing freight ROW and also construct a full BRT line up the US-36 Medium to Boulder, Colorado - was agreed upon.
-Gold Line was supposed to be a Light Rail Line. At the 11th hour, freight rail companies said they would not approve LRT along the freight rail ROW where this project was planned to run. After an extensive last minute partial-EIS and community debate over alternatives - which included:
a.) A new alignment not along freight to allow LRT.
b.) Making the line a streetcar line down 38th Street.
c.) Existing ROW, DMU line
d.) existing ROW, EMU line
They decided on leaving the line in the same proposed alignment along the freight line and using EMU instead of LRT. The community most favored this compromise and the EIS showed it to be feasible.