We’ve expressed our fair share of skepticism over the years about light rail, given all the cost overruns, the overlap with Metro bus service and the recent noise problems. But after taking the train into work today, I have to say: If you’re lucky enough to live within easy walking distance of a station, it makes for one fine commute.Number one: It’s fast. It took less than 15 minutes to get from the Columbia City to the Pioneer Square stations–a good 10 or 15 minutes less than busses take. Number two: It’s cool, literally, due to air conditioning. Many busses have no such thing. Number three: There’s lots of room. Now I know, this might not be the best thing from a cost efficiency standpoint. Why spend billions of dollars for light rail if the riders aren’t there (or would prefer to use the bus, which may take them closer to their homes)? But for those of us who do ride the trains, it means we’re spared that claustrophobic feeling that crowded buses provoke, not to mention the experience of standing next to sweaty strangers holding bags that jut into your abdomen.

It’s also worthy of note that you can actually hear the PA system that announces the next stations (impossible on New York City subways, at least when I lived there in the ’80s). Moreover, the route is a pleasant mix of tunnels (Beacon Hill’s being the coolest, with its enlarged playing cards that flash by) and above-ground tracks that let in light and some interesting vistas (like when you climb to Beacon Hill from SODO). Still to be worked out: How do you pay for the damn thing? The machines selling tickets and new Orca cards that allow for multiple trips are far from intuitive. To load up the cards with money, you have to click on something called an “e-purse.” If you’re using Orca cards, you have to remember to tap them on designated machines both when you get onto a train and when you get off. Otherwise, you’ll be charged as if you travelled the entire line, even if you just went a couple stations, which is cheaper. That’s bound to happen, often. It’s even more complicated to buy monthly passes. Two Sound Transit staffers located at the Pioneer Square station today weren’t quite sure how the passes worked. (Can you use them to go anywhere on the line, or just between particular stations of your choosing? The staffers thought the latter, but couldn’t say for certain.)Another open question: How do you get bikes on the train? Sound Transit pamphlets say you can load ’em up, which could offer a solution to a lot of people who live to too far from the stations to walk. Apparently, there are straps for holding the bikes. Further investigation is required.