By Tom Ryan, Kansas City Star Reader Advisory Panel

Mike Sanders presents a compelling and detailed design and study for, what’s being presented as a regional rapid rail (KCR3 as a possible acronym?) system. We can design and build this. But can we as a society change to use it?

Without calling this social engineering, what is the plan to help nudge us out of our car and onto a train?

We see trains often, usually freight ones hauling coal to local electric plants. We (im)patiently wait at crossings while those long monsters snake down the Missouri River Valley. We may have old tracks nearby. There’s a track down the back alley here between Walnut and Grand. But as for riding trains, our recent experience was probably at World’s of Fun or Branson. Those who have enjoyed the light rail experience in places like Portland, chime in here. This passenger rail culture certainly exists in Europe.

Do you think we can make changes in our personal transportation routine?

Can this”R3“system withstand a few years of lean times while we get used to the thing? Sustainability is a great buzzword that defies spreadsheet thinking sometimes. It’s about people.

Should Mike and his team just build a cool model of this in Union Station, for example? Could be fun...

How about a fun mock-up, proof-of-concept, on a quarter mile stretch?

For this plan to work and come to life, the engineers need to step aside, prepare for questions, but allow this discussion to occur without bells, whistles, and numbers. We need all of that, certainly.

It’s time to listen and sense the various aspects of social change required to turn naysayers into customers…sitting on a quiet, clean, safe train, reading the Kansas City Star on their wireless digital tablet reader.

Next stop…your neighborhood…