I understand the need for trains. I like trains. I wish we used passenger trains far more here, and, with a country as vast as Canada, I can’t figure out why we don’t.
But.
There is a time and a place for trains, and rush hour is not that time when the place is the middle of a city. Yesterday, for the SECOND TIME THIS WEEK, I was stopped for a good 5-10 minutes by a train on my way home from work very close to 5:00 pm. Now, I understand the need for trains to run on time. I get it.
But.
There are two periods in the day, when automobile traffic is at its peak, that trains should not be running through the city. The train that I ran into crosses quite a few main routes along its line through the city’s south side. The one I keep running into trouble with crosses city streets on several occasions:34 st, 75 st, 86 st, 91 st, 97 st, and about 5 times along Gateway Boulevard access points. Now this would be fine at 8 pm, or something like that. But from 7:30 – 9 am and 4:30 – 6 pm, it causes problems. That’s only 3 hours, 1/8th of a day, where trains shouldn’t be filling city streets. It creates terrible backups, clogs interesections, and increases the risk of accidents. Not to mention, it contradicts the anti-idling movement that’s sweeping the nation. What’s worse than a 10-car lineup at a Tim Horton’s drive-thru? A 100-car lineup at a railroad crossing. There. Trains in rush hour = evil because they cause idling. No further proof needed.
Sure, maybe its just inconvenient and I’m attempting to justify the torrid pace of my lifestyle, but after all, this is the Rant of the Week, and this gets me a little hot under the proverbial collar. I need a nap.
