Another reason 19th century transportation was replaced in the 20th century. 
If the weather gets icy, the trains stop because of frozen switches. Crime is rampant and losses huge because the “honer system” is easily flouted. If an accident occurs, the entire system has to be bypassed and riders shuttled with buses. Now we learn that because of the hot weather this week, it may cause tracks to expand and power feed lines to sag, so the trains are going to run 10 MPH slower.
Metro wants everyone to travel on this fragile system. One of the dirty secrets is that rather than being “green” and “sustainable” it is a huge electricity hog, generated by coal, hydroelectric, and natural gas fired generators. Wind power accounts for only a fraction of the power on the grid and of course must be backed up by the aforementioned sources.
Until Metro enforces fares, the trains will also be a magnet for crime as evidenced by the 56% increase in service calls around the Clackamas Town Center since the opening of the new line five months ago. Metro also has no way of knowing how much it loses in fares, because it has no way to compare actual ridership to fares collected.
The whole system is a train wreck (pun intended), plunging the Metro area further in debt, while reducing bus routes, the backbone of any cities transportation plan that truly serves those that have no alternatives. If you still don’t think the planners are out of touch with reality Metro’s JPACT committee just voted to allocate (H/T Max Redline) 75% of the $20-24 million in federal Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Plan dollars on tap to bicycle paths and walking trails. So only 25% of that money is for actual roads, you know, those things out in front of your house that allow trucks to deliver food and services, and people to drive to work so that society can exist and in turn subsidise boondoggles like the MAX train.
