Traffic Density Data For N. American & European LRT Systems

"...No clear-cut distinctions can be made among “tramway,” “light railway,” “light rail transit” and “other railways.” This is true in particular of Switzerland (and also of Japan). No such distinctions can be applied uniformly to different countries. The authors chose to present all available data rather than attempt arbitrary classifications. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District line between Chicago and South Bend, the “South Shore Line,” has few remaining “light rail” characteristics. However, the authors chose to include it for its history as the “last surviving U.S. interurban.”"Ironically, most of the light railway systems with the lowest relative traffic densities are in Switzerland, a nation considered to have the best, and most successful, public transit network in the Western world (e.g., excluding Asia, former Communist countries, and the "Third World"). An additional irony is that most Swiss light railways have far better farebox cost recovery--in the range of 80%-100%--than almost all other North American or other European tramway, light rail, and light railway systems with much higher traffic densities."

Thanks to Michael D. Setty