In a message to WES LEATHEROCK dated 08-24-97 DON DELLMANN wrote:
 DD> Here in Beertown the mayor is pushing for a light rail system that is
 DD> very short and goes virtually nowhere.  A popular argument is that
 DD> it's  needed for people who don't have cars.  The amount of money
 DD> required to build and operate it for ONE year will pay for a good used
 DD> car for every individual in the county over the age of 16 who doesn't
 DD> own one.
 That's the same logic that the Southern Pacific used in the
 1970s when they wanted to get rid of the commuter rail service
 that they had run since the beginning of the century -- they
 would buy enough new 12-passenger vans to seat all the folks
 that commuted by rail and then they would dump the rail service
 (The CEO, Ben Biaggini, hated passenger service anyhow).
 The public refused.  So the SP sold the line to the public at
 some inflated price.  The multi-county Joint Powers Board
 contracted first with the SP and then with AMTRAK to run the
 line, put enough money into new equipment and track upgrading to
 make a difference, and the service is well-used and still
 well-liked and ridership has doubled since the SP days.
 As I tell both my employees and my clients -- all it takes is
 committment.
 === PMK ===
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