Atlantic City (Light or Mono Rail)

A branch off of a post in the NJT section. My initial idea was converting the NJT rail line from Heavy to Light Rail and running the service directly to Casinos. Of course such a rail system could be done several ways. In Vegas as well as disney there is a monorail system. Such an implementation could also make rail service in the city convenient.

blockss wrote:A branch off of a post in the NJT section. My initial idea was converting the NJT rail line from Heavy to Light Rail and running the service directly to Casinos. Of course such a rail system could be done several ways. In Vegas as well as disney there is a monorail system. Such an implementation could also make rail service in the city convenient.

Would it not also substantially increase running time given the maximum speeds of equipment. The service would also not be permitted to operate into Philadelphia, thus requiring a change of trains.

Not to mention the SRNJ wouldn't like it too much.

Also, nobody will ride LRT for most likely longer than 40 miles. The length of the "River LINE" is stretching things just a tad.

Mentioning Vegas' monorail is a bit of a canard. Nobody rides a monorail all the way to Los Angeles or any other major city over great distances.

I think an Atlantic City Light Rail is a great idea, however it would be a local transportation option. It should go no further than the Atlantic City Airport at Ponoma, North from Brigantine through the Marina section to the Boardwalk strip, down through Ventor, Margate and into Ocean City.

Noone has yet answered what limits the speed of a light rail. If they were to put a larger engine into one of these vehicles so it could operate at 70 MPH, would it cease to be a light rail. What is the reason that a light rail can share track with traffic on the street. Is it just weight?
To my understanding, the AC line has it's own dedicated track in 30th street station(but I'm not %100 sure about this because I don't live there). If it has it's own track, what limits it from operating like the light rail in Baltimore does to Penn Station?

To my understanding, the AC line has it's own dedicated track in 30th street station

Where did you glean this "understanding" from? The trains run on the Northeast Corridor from Frankford Junction into 30th Street; it shares the Amtrak platforms on the lower level. No dedicated tracks whatsoever; otherwise how could Amtrak have used the line a decade ago?

No one has yet answered what limits the speed of a light rail

Construction, gearing, voltage (if electrified). They would not be comfortable at speeds above 60 mph. They are not designed for long-haul travel.

What is the reason that a light rail can share track with traffic on the street. Is it just weight?

Due to short car length and tight turning radii, such operation is facilitated. Even such operation is not 100 percent desirable, since the vehicles must obey traffic signals, operate at the speed limits of traffic, even get caught in traffic. Certainly after traveling 62 miles, nobody's going to put up with stop-go operation at the terminus. And since the AC line currently hosts full four-to-five-car trains (each car 85 feet long, with 100 seats or so), a "light rail" would be a degradation of service.

Light rail doesn't make sense, at least on the segment from 30th to AC, or even say Cherry Hill to AC. The stations are far enough apart that heavy diesel service works very well. Any why redo something that already works?

But, I think your question really comes from wanting light rail within the city of AC. To that end, I say that is a noble effort. Certainly, the casinos could foot some or all of the bill, much like the situation in Vegas. However, I just don't think that AC has the critical mass that Vegas does. Anyone who has been to Vegas knows that the casinos are right next to each other along one concentrated strip and the traffic is horrendous, making some sort of rail solution a no brainer. Both of those situations do not exist in AC.

But, I think your question really comes from wanting light rail within the city of AC

Unfortunately, it doesn't.

Now that's an idea that has been bandied about here and there; one such idea employed the use of former Newark Subway PCCs, but I have no idea whether or not there are still enough of those left at Grove Street to make such a service feasible.

alewifebp wrote:Anyone who has been to Vegas knows that the casinos are right next to each other along one concentrated strip and the traffic is horrendous, making some sort of rail solution a no brainer. Both of those situations do not exist in AC.

The Jitney Ops would go crazy too...I think those guys are independent owners & operators. They would go crazy if light rail would compete with their lucrative bus routes.

Perhaps they ought to pitch in and become independent operators of such a light rail system then...? If people flock to the jitneys, even more people would find a trolley attractive.

I think a monorail is an excellent idea. The Disney World monorail travels near 55 mph I believe, and the AirTRAIN JFK can go almost 65mph if I recall correctly.

Not only would this have a more friendly appearance to visitors to AC, it would be clean, quiet, and comfortable for both passengers and those that live in the surrounding neighborhoods. I would imagine that constructing two beams to carry the trains would be a lot less expensive than constructing new heavy rail, especially given that it would be above the ground, no need to worry about interference with streets or highways.

Mentioning Vegas' monorail is a bit of a canard. Nobody rides a monorail all the way to Los Angeles or any other major city over great distances.

No, but if you made it an attractive option they would. Price, speed, scheduling, comfort...they can all be adjusted no matter what mode is used.

The Disney World monorail travels near 55 mph I believe, and the AirTRAIN JFK can go almost 65mph if I recall correctly

JFK Airtrain's not a monorail; EWR Airtrain is, and I couldn't tell you how fast it's supposed to be able to go...

arrow wrote:I think a monorail is an excellent idea. The Disney World monorail travels near 55 mph I believe, and the AirTRAIN JFK can go almost 65mph if I recall correctly.

Not only would this have a more friendly appearance to visitors to AC, it would be clean, quiet, and comfortable for both passengers and those that live in the surrounding neighborhoods. I would imagine that constructing two beams to carry the trains would be a lot less expensive than constructing new heavy rail, especially given that it would be above the ground, no need to worry about interference with streets or highways.

Mentioning Vegas' monorail is a bit of a canard. Nobody rides a monorail all the way to Los Angeles or any other major city over great distances.

No, but if you made it an attractive option they would. Price, speed, scheduling, comfort...they can all be adjusted no matter what mode is used.

One issue that would arise is that some liberal interests challenge monorails in a city such as AC as an attempt by the elite to separate themselves from the population at large, since they do not operate at ground level as do buses and light rail vehicles.

The big attraction to monorail was alays going to be 'lower costs', but Las Vegas has shown that isn't the case.

As for the AC line, it looks dead on straight in places, is there really any reason it's only 80mph, besides the occasional grade crossing and physical condition of the track?