TrickyRicky
Senior Member
Toronto's mass rail transit system is so small that it might be too early to think in this manner; however, one of the great things I think about the worlds great mass rail transit systems like London's or Tokyo's for example is redundancy. The power of a redundant system is that it is more like a network. Networks don't necessarily transport people from a to b the fastest but what they do is add reliability. Reliability is the key to behaviour modification. People want to get from a to b fast but they won't choose a fast a to b system if it is unreliable, most people will still just drive. A subway or urban rail rider in London or Tokyo knows that if the subway line is down they have an alternate route, they know that they can avoid certain lines at certain times of the day or avoid certain parts of the city if say a major sports game lets out etc. They have choice and flexibility.
So basically the argument I am making is along with any a to b arguments the DRL is probably Toronto's first major foray into creating a subway network. The existing Spadina / Yonge line loop is also a network but the stations are so closely spaced East-West that it isn't particularly powerful. Yes, we already have an overall transit network but it isn't the same psychologically.
So basically the argument I am making is along with any a to b arguments the DRL is probably Toronto's first major foray into creating a subway network. The existing Spadina / Yonge line loop is also a network but the stations are so closely spaced East-West that it isn't particularly powerful. Yes, we already have an overall transit network but it isn't the same psychologically.
