Informed but opinionated commentary and analysis on urban transportation topics from the Secret Worldwide Transit Cabal. Names have been omitted to protect the guilty.

Our Mission: Monkeywrench the Anti-Transit Forces

 
Moskovskiy Metropolitena imeni V. I. Lenina

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"Truth passes through three phases: 1) It is ridiculed. 2) It is violently opposed. 3) It is accepted as self-evident." Albert Schopenhouer. In the United States, rail is currently passing through Phase Two.


From the Cabalmaster:

An FOC turned us on to the following excerpt regarding plans for expansion of the Moscow Metro. Author is Yuri Popov; source is "Moscow Metro Projects for the Future" on the Moscow page of the metroPlanet website www.metropla.net/eu/mos/moskva.htm

"The most controversial project among the new rail modes is a "monorail" system, which in reality is just an automated guideway transit (AGT) system very similar to AGT systems found in many north-american airports. This project finds fierce resistance from both the public and transit planning organizations, but nevertheless is proceeding at huge pace. Some sources quote personal interest of current mayor [Yurii] Luzhkov, who intends to patent this technology in Russia (with all the resulting financial benefits). Most of the controversy arises from the fact that taxpayer money is being spent on a low-passenger-volume transportation system in a city with the busiest subway system in the world and clear need for high-passenger-volume transit. Moreover, a streetcar line exactly along the route of "monorail" system was planned for many decades, and this line would connect three of the busiest streetcar routes (11, 17, 27). A streetcar link would be of similar passenger-volume capacity, but would provide a connection between the two independent streetcar systems in Moscow, allowing greater flexibility in managing streetcars and possible routing destinations. In spite of all the above, the AGT system will most likely be completed by the end of 2003, the next mayor elections. The route will link two metro stations "Timiryazevskaya" (line 9) and "VDNH" (line 6) with four intermediate stops. Many agree that this will be one of the most wasteful transit projects in Moscow history."

The full article is at www.metropla.net/eu/mos/mos-projects.htm

(And no, Your Favorite Transit Pundits are not going to add our own monorail disclaimer, because the opinions above are those of the writer – not us!)

By the way, the full formal title of the Moscow Metro has apparently not been changed, and remains “Moskovskiy Metropolitena imeni V. I. Lenina,” literally “Moscow Metro named for V.I. Lenin.” However, the Revolution Man is not mentioned on tickets and passes, which are lettered simply, “Moskovskiy Metropoliten.”

posted by The Cabalmaster, Master of All Transit-dom 8/27/2003 09:10:00 PM