streetcars

Failing the Intelligence Test 0
- December 21, 2012
Garl Boyd Latham, of the Texas Association of Railroad Passengers, predicts that San Antonians will be “pleased by streetcars once they are running.” His response to the Antiplanner’s op ed critiquing the city’s streetcar plan basically amounts to, “don’t confuse me with the facts; I know what I believe.” To be precise, Latham says, “An […]
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Streetcars as an Intelligence Test 0
- December 4, 2012
The Antiplanner spent much of last week in San Antonio releasing a review of the city’s plans for a downtown streetcar. The trip turned out to be a lot more hectic (and with a lot less Internet access) than I expected, which is why I made so few posts last week. Sometimes I wonder if […]
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The Nigerian Streetcar Scam 0
- June 1, 2012
Yesterday, the MacIver Institute published the Antiplanner’s study of a proposed streetcar line in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In response, I received the following intriguing email. Dearly Beloved, I know this letter will come as a surprise to you, but I hope you will read it in detail. My name is Chuck Hails, and I am the […]
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PolitiFact Gets the Facts Wrong 0
- April 5, 2012
Charlie Hales is the Portland city commissioner who admitted that rail transit doesn’t lead to economic development, so he demanded that the city subsidize such development. Then, he persuaded the rest of the city council to build a streetcar line, subsidized development along that line, and proudly proclaimed that streetcars led to economic development. He […]
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Remember When Transit Used to Be Efficient?0
- December 6, 2011
Arlington County, Virginia wants to spend $261 million building a streetcar line that, just four years ago, was expected to cost $100 million less. The streetcar’s costs are now expected to average $50 million a mile. That’s quite literally insane. When San Diego built the first modern light-rail line, which opened in 1981, it cost […]
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American Know-How: Get Less for More 0
- July 22, 2011
Three years ago, Oregon politicians managed to get an earmark for an Oregon company to manufacture streetcars. Now it turns out those streetcars are–surprise!–more expensive than anticipated as well as delayed by at least five months. For the original price of six cars, the company will make just five. Not to worry, says company president […]
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