RTD A- AND G-LINE WOES
Frustrations exhaust adjectives
Re: “Feds threaten RTD over A-line gate problems,” Nov. 30 news story
Notice: we are out of adjectives to describe the current situation with the A- and G-lines rail crossings. We ran out over a year ago.
As we approach the decision to sell these lines for scrap, I propose we salvage the experience with new additions to the English language: adjectives that can be thrown around in newspapers, in technobabble contract language, in courtrooms that host the legal pissing contests, and in regulatory threats.
Powerful new language tools like these might make dysfunction something to consider when entering into billion dollar agreements at our expense. Steve Eddy, Arvada
If the Federal Railroad Administration stops the A- and G-lines from running, those of us in the north will never see a rail line operating in Thornton. Janet Miller, Brighton
A jet airliner leaves New York for L.A. at the same time an airliner leaves L.A. for New York. They are traveling on the same line in oppo- site direction yet will not suffer a head-on collision ... because they’re flying at different altitudes. No brainer, right?
Now let’s talk about light rail or commuter rail, the new names for street cars or trolleys and the world champion of misnomers because they are not light. Light refers to the capacity not the weight. One of those trains weighs almost 150,000 pounds. So why in the name of crossing guards would you put trains and cars and pedestrians on the same grade? Let’s not forget to mention they’re ugly and very noisy.
Now let’s talk about monorail. Monorail hates crossing guards and doesn’t give a hoot about the rules of the road because they travel above grade and never ever collide with traffic or pedestrians. Never.
Every argument against monorail is dismissed with ease. It’s not some futuristic novelty. Germany has a monorail that has been operating since 1901. There are switches that have operated flawlessly every few minutes of everyday since 1964.
Every major street and interstate in the metropolitan area could have monorail going down the middle or along side, including downtown. Kelly Porter, Broomfield