This podcast episode explores the history and decline of public transit systems in North American cities, with a focus on the importance of efficient and convenient subways. It highlights examples such as the rise and fall of LA's red car system, the contrasting success of New York City's subway system, the challenges faced in developing the Second Avenue subway and subway systems in Atlanta and Detroit, the impact of racial segregation on public transportation networks, the withdrawal of white suburban neighborhoods from subway lines, and the development of the SkyTrain in Vancouver as a successful automated train system. The episode also touches on the challenges of converting subway systems to fully automated control.
