Public transit
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Public transit, also known as public transport or mass transit, refers to the practice of moving passengers in large numbers. A typical trip using public transit is scheduled on a fixed route and is charged a fee. It, when combined with walking, cycling, use of scooters, rollerblading, roller skating, and skateboarding, is cars' worst enemy.
Typical examples of public transit include buses, trams, trains, metros, ferries, other boats and ships, aerial lifts, airplanes, and helicopters. However, trains and other rail-based modes of transport are usually seen as superior compared to the others.
Oddball tiny trains
According to Jeremy Zorek, a good public transit system needs its oddball tiny train. Here are a few examples:
- In Princeton, New Jersey, the Princeton Branch diverges from the Northeast Corridor at Princeton Junction for 4.3 km (2.7 mi) towards Princeton University—the shortest scheduled commuter rail service in the United States. It is popularly nicknamed the "Dinky" and uses a pair of Arrow III electric multiple units.
- In Chicago, the CTA "L"'s Yellow Line runs 7.6 km (4.6 mi) from Howard through southern Evanston and into the Dempster Terminal in Skokie, making one intermediate stop also in Skokie. It is the only "L" line not to run through The Loop, as well as the only one that is fully accessible.
- In Los Angeles lies a funicular railway known as Angels Flight. It reaches a length of 91 m (298 ft) and a maximum height of 29 m (96 ft). Throughout its history, it has operated on two different sites. The first operated from 1901 to 1969, when it was closed for redevelopment. The second opened in 1996, and since then, it had plenty of issues which caused a series of closures. It most recently opened in 2017.