But the limitations and drawbacks of BART are substantial:
- Cannot run express trains
- Trains lack amenities important to long distance riders who commute more than 15 miles each way:
- Restrooms
- Electrical outlets
- Tables for laptops
- Eating and drinking are prohibited on BART trains.
- BART is powered by a live ground level “third rail,” which requires total grade separation to prevent pedestrians from contacting the dangerous high-voltage third rail. This also means a huge up-front cost before a single BART train can run, whereas, with conventional rail, communities have the option of pursuing grade-separations with trains running in the meantime.
- The BART system was custom designed to be different from other train systems, and is incompatible with those systems:
- All BART trains must be custom-produced, thus limiting the number of vendors and greatly increasing the cost. Conventional rail systems like Caltrain, on the other hand, are able to purchase equipment already designed for other systems.
- Only BART trains can run on BART tracks. Conventional rail like Amtrak, ACE and Caltrain can run on each other’s tracks. In Southern California, commuter Metrolink trains share tracks with long distance Amtrak trains. That means fewer transfers and more convenient travel options for riders. Service can incrementally improve as infrastructure and funding allows.
Because of the high capital and operating cost of BART, its
competitive advantage is not serving the outer suburbs or provide inter-regional service. Its urban subway technology should rather be reserved for high density urban environment. Washington Metro, which built at about the same time as BART, carries twice as much riders as BART because its covers the DC urban core better than BART in San Francisco.[...]