Quote Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto View Post
A commuter rail option--$3 million or so per mile on existing tracks, would cost less than any bus "rapid" transit project, achieve higher farebox recovery, and result in faster trip times.
There are a couple of problems with this, and they're huge.

1. Commuter rail has to use the tracks where they are. The location of the tracks doesn't allow for convenient service to most of the destinations you'd want to reach: Birmingham, Ferndale, New Center, Wayne State or downtown. Your $3 million on existing tracks balloons enormously if you have to start laying new track where none exists. If you're expecting people to walk a mile from the tracks to where they're going, or to wait an hour for the bus, you're dreaming.

2. The tracks are privately owned by the freight railway companies, and it is proving quite difficult to get permission to use them for passenger service beyond the existing [[Amtrak) use. SEMCOG has been trying, for many, many years, to get permission to implement the Detroit to Ann Arbor route. They have the trains, but still aren't able to operate the service, in large part because the freight railways don't want more passenger trains on their tracks.

If there were great destinations right near the railroad tracks then it would be a viable option. So the service would work great in Royal Oak, but pretty much noplace else that I can think of. That's why it hasn't been considered in detail.