AC Line converted to light rail equals:
- No more service to Philadelphia (where to, Camden?)
- Slower speeds (down from 80 mph, to 60 max if you're lucky)
- No bathrooms on trains
- Less comfortable ride
- FRA time-share waivers that would restrict freight ops
- Large capital expenditure to convert high platforms to low
- Higher overhead what with different company operating LRT service
- No union representation for motormen
IIRC, though, there was a mix-up in semantics; what was really meant was that NJT and state politicians were looking to convert the AC line to FRA DMU operation as opposed to operating short trains with a large locomotive.