Why don't we have more trains?

[whitemansion1998]

I'm using MRT a lot and have traveled to other countries with a similar system. I kept seeing people getting squeezed during the rush hour.

It's stressing.
Uncomfortable.
And smelly too.

So, why don't we have more trains or car trains? In the grand scheme of a city budget, I think two or three more cars per train isn't that expensive?

CMIIW

 

[zoomzoom]

I'm not a city planner expert but I believe it has something to do with "induced demand".

- Government adds more train
- People realized there are more trains
- More people use trains
- Trains getting crowded
- Repeat

 

[alexander_the_ok]

Pretty much induced demand. The solution is to build a different form of public transport system. But we all know that it's expensive. So, in a matured city, it's usually more about optimization than building more lines.

 

[whitemansion1998]

Wow. I really didn't know that. I guess you learn something everyday.

I guess government can force companies to distribute the rush hour evenly so everyone won't be jam packed when riding a train. Just some suggestion.

 

[nozart]

Wow. I really didn't know that. I guess you learn something everyday.

I guess government can force companies to distribute the rush hour evenly so everyone won't be jam packed when riding a train. Just some suggestion.

That's a cool idea, but it's hard to control when people go to work or school. Maybe they could offer incentives like cheaper fares during off-peak hours to spread out the crowds. I think some countries did this but with electricity cost.

 

[Philipkee]

I think you can’t just add more trains just like that

You have more trains, you bring more people faster to their destinations. But the issue is people need time to exit the gantry. If the trains keep coming, there will overcrowding at the stations and it can become very dangerous

As it is, some of the key interchanges experience jams and sometimes the train delay because there is congestion

Also you can have more trains but it’s all on that one line to that one station

And of cos induced demand. More trains, more people will come - this might be the govt objective. I think the solution should be more lines