I wish I would have said that

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"The streetcar is an amusement park ride, and the antithesis of efficiency and mobility for the poor slobs in Portland who actually need the trains to run on time." And here is another gem: "The streetcar, everyone knows, is a real-estate development tool, not a transit option." [ Steve Duin: Closing the loop on the Portland Streetcar].

Mr. Duin took the pre-opening Eastside Streetcar ride that apparently wasn't very impressive. I live on the Streetcar line in the Pearl and one of its stop is nearly in front of one those apartments and a relatively high end restaurant that allegedly 'proves' the value of the Streetcar. It doesn't. 

People do not use the Streetcar to travel to restaurants or whatever. You are going to get into that car and travel to the restaurant - not get in the car and park near a Streetcar stop, take it to the restaurant and back, and travel back to your residence. 
The problem is as Mr. Duin points out is that the bus lines and Portlanders who need them are being sacrificed to promote the Streetcar. Need I point out that the Streetcar is a fixed rail mode of travel? With relative ease buses can be redirected to areas needing more service or buses can be increased when demand increases. 
Worse though is that the Eastside Streetcar has been foisted upon Portlanders by the likes of Charlie Hales. There is no redeeming value in that extension. It doesn't serve a need. There is no extant demand for that transit service, and it is unlikely there will be any demand in the future. But, if the demand develops buses will more than suffice. 
There is nothing unique about a streetcar that a bus line doesn't offer.