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Light rail works great if you have very high population density and the trains run above or below traffic. Cities like Tokyo, New York or London would be in big trouble without it.

I am familiar with new light rail systems in two cities. San Jose, CA and Portland, OR. First, neither one has anywhere near the population density of Tokyo, New York, or London. The trains are empty most of the time.

Secondly, the trains run at grade level. There are accidents with cars, and the trains tie up traffic, an effect the article did not mention, but which is very detrimental.

The incredible costs of these systems have produced nothing but more traffic congestion. Less than 1/3 the money spent, if directed toward new traffic lanes, would have made life much easier. But, this is not the politically correct solution.

The rail promo teams relentlessly wine, dine & stuff cash in poli-pockets, that the only reason.

I've seen it up close working with a media contractor for them.

Gobbels could learn from them.

Yep, it's pretty much a fiasco here in the Seattle-Tacoma area too. We've spent billions on it already and all we have is about 1 mile of track in downtown Tacoma running on the surface and congesting traffic.

I have lived in Japan though and the light rail system there is superb. There are three things that it has going for it there that are not present on any west coast mass transit system. In Tokyo the train is faster, cheaper and safer than going by car so people use it. Here in the states it is none of those things and because of that light rail will continue to be a dismal failure most everywhere it is tried.