<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">Well done Michael re: <a href="http://news.therecord.com/article/764421">http://news.therecord.com/article/764421 . </a> towards helping to justify an LRT. But unfortunately you overlooked the fact that the current LRT design is grossly inadequate. To be more truthful, the story should have been written differently with the headline, "At very, very great cost light rail system might help the region avoid a few potential problems but not help with other very serious problems".</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">And I must commend also the very well-intentioned group that you are involved with, TriTAG (Tri-city Transportation Action Group, <a href="http://www.tritag.ca/)">http://www.tritag.ca/)</a>, for its continuing efforts to "sell" LRT to the community. But -- to elaborate on my above concerns -- I am disappointed that TriTAG doesn't seem to realize (insufficient technological knowledge and related avoidance of searching for enhancing technologies?) that the current LRT system design at least unnecessarily costs too much and greatly underperform. Especially it would not sufficiently attract the middle class from their cars so as to help minimize the rapidly developing road congestion. </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">So now we have to help make the LRT system design much more cost-effective -- which would at least require the inclusion of Cambridge. If done well, we would bring most of the many doubters -- and those concerned with Cambridge's unfair and LRT system-impairing exclusion -- on-board and likely create a <b>World exemplar</b>! </div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">I only wish that TriTAG had the insight & innovative courage to <b>behind-the-scenes </b>participate in this very necessary creative process -- which your President Tim Molling disparages as just "nit-picking" (in irrational fear of loss of LRT project momentum as happened in Ottawa?).</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">My investigative analysis -- and development of potential innovative enhancements -- indicates that to proceed with the current LRT system design would lead to an unnecessarily very costly, mediocre and negatively disruptive result! <b>Openness to mostly proven rail technologies -- including taking advantage of now available <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Ultra-Batteries<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">-- could help achieve a more acceptable yet timely design. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Ultra-Batteries: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">an ultra-capacitor/battery combination that uses carbon and the cheaper and safer [re. fires, electric shock, etc.] metal, lead; see</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "> <a href="http://www.furukawadenchi.co.jp/english/rd/nt_ultra.htm">http://www.furukawadenchi.co.jp/english/rd/nt_ultra.htm</a> & <a href="http://www.csiro.au/science/Ultra-Battery.html)">http://www.csiro.au/science/Ultra-Battery.html)</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">I hope to have the latest version of my long-evolving LRT Report available soon to explain more specifically what I am now suggesting.</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">Note: the developing potential of energy storage technologies is illustrated by the research of University of Waterloo Professor Linda Nazar whose battery research <b>focuses on lithium-based batteries</b> such as lithium-ion and her new lithium-sulphur battery, viz. <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/next-generation-battey-lithium-sulphur/11926/">http://www.gizmag.com/next-generation-battey-lithium-sulphur/11926/</a> & <a href="http://enterpriseresilienceblog.typepad.com/enterprise_resilience_man/2010/06/the-future-of-lithium.html">http://enterpriseresilienceblog.typepad.com/enterprise_resilience_man/2010/06/the-future-of-lithium.html</a></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; ">Robert</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><b>Robert Milligan</b> is a member of Transport Action Ontario (formerly Transport 2000). He has a BSc in math-physics. a Graduate Diploma in Education and has completed many other courses including ones in industrial engineering, operations research and environmental health. He was a high school teacher, business systems analyst and environmental health analyst. Much of his time in retirement is now given freely to public projects, especially those with significant environmental and health features.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Times New Roman'"><br></font></div></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br></div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#144FAE"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br></span></font><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></body></html>