The possible future of Dane County commuter transportation was displayed Friday in a demonstration of a new rail train running between Madison and Middleton.
Advocates of commuter rail said they are enthusiastic about the prospects of the train, a self-propelled Diesel Multiple Unit made by Colorado Rail Company which, according to the company, has seating for up to 98 passengers and can travel up to 110 miles per hour.
Riders on Friday's demonstration run included Madison mayoral candidate Paul Soglin, who said he was impressed.
\Rail is going to be a solution to our traffic problems,"" Soglin said.
The train is just one part of a comprehensive plan proposed by Transport 2020, a Madison committee which commissioned a study conducted by the city of Madison, Dane County and the state Department of Transportation. The study concluded that traffic congestion in Madison is increasing with the continued growth of the city, according to Ald. Ken Golden, District 10, co-chair of Transport 2020.
""We will be experiencing congestion that's pretty significant here in the next 15 years,"" he said.
The train is projected to cost about $3 million, but Golden said Dane County needs to seek alternatives to the usual highway construction projects which he said are more costly over the long run.
""When people criticize the cost all I do is say look at the alternative costs,"" he said. ""What would two extra lanes on East Washington Avenue cost when it already cost $65 million just to do the existing road?""
A challenge facing the commuter rail advocates is the question of ridership. Golden said whenever commuter rails are instituted in a city, the projections of ridership are actually lower than the outcome.
Soglin said the reliability of the train was key to its success.
""The ability to prove you can provide a consistent reliable service is critical,"" Soglin said. ""It depends on the time of day the trains run, how frequently the trains run, and what kind of public transport there is to get them there.""
Soglin said the idea of a ""feeder"" system which provided transportation from downtown and other areas to the train stops is necessary to ensure ridership. He suggested a reliable small bus system as one possibility to promote ridership.
Golden said he hoped to get the project started in about five years.
