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@Pelham1861:
You seem to be reading what you want to see, rather than what is actually written in this post. That's unfortunate.

It is patently false to suggest Loudoun Couty had for four decades been a partner with METRO.

First off, no one ever said that Loudoun County has worked with WMATA for four decades. It would be false to say that, and I didn't say it.

However, the Silver Line has been talked about by regional leaders since before Metro opened. And in the most recent attempt at building the Silver Line, Loudoun has been a partner.

And let me suggest again, it is up to they and their voters (taxpayers) whether they are in or out.

GGW always argues for the blackmail route on funding rather than facts.

You're correct. It should be entirely up to Loudoun citizens to determine whether they're in or out. I agree completely.

But those citizens need to be making an informed decision, which is part of what this article encourages. And additionally, they don't deserve a free ride on the backs of Fairfax taxpayers. So if they're out, maybe they should pay more for the privilege of parking.

Talking about what happens if Loudoun drops out is something we have to do as a region, since that's precisely what they're threatening to do.

But that doesn't mean I am or anyone else is making a value judgement about whether they should stay in or out.

We also learned this past week that the new cars could not even be tested if they were in fact ready from the manufacturer...because planning for the testing track is behind schedule.

Actually, that's not what we learned. The test track is behind schedule, yes.

But Metro can still test the 7000-series trains when they arrive. They managed to test and accept the 5000-series and 6000-series without the commissioning facility, and those were far larger orders than the first 64 cars for the Silver Line.

Metro needs the commissioning facility to avoid disruption to Green Line riders and also to accept the large number of cars that are parts of the rest of the car order. And since that's behind schedule due to the tsunami in Japan, it won't matter that the test track is late.

But the test track's lateness will not really affect the Silver Line. What will affect it is the lateness of the 7000-series cars, and that was beyond Metro's control.

METRO can always expand to Loudoun in the future if necessary...maybe now is not the time.

Maybe you're right. Maybe now is not the time. That is a decision that Loudoun will have to make.

But it's not like a light switch. They can't just turn it on. If they back out now, they will likely be delaying Metro for decades.

If that's what they want, that's fine by me. But I'm not sure the electorate realizes that they're making a pretty final decision to save a few dollars now.

And if they do decide to join later, it will certainly be more expensive than it is today.

I'm very sorry that you think our reporting is substandard. We do the best we can with an all-volunteer workforce. Nonetheless, I'm happy that despite your disagreement, you still stop by to contribute to the discussion.

by Matt Johnson on Jun 25, 2012 2:22 pm • link • report