THE TRUTH IS OUT. ^I don't think the Orange Line should be removed. Preferably, it would be returned to its original alignment down Washington St. Why would you reroute the E line for this purpose? There's no natural need for transit in the SW corridor; the only reason people use the Orange Line is because they lack heavy rail transit where they really live.
As long as transit is placed along existing corridors, the trains will go where people aren't. Nobody in his right mind lives beside a surface railroad track.
Check out the Orange Line in Charleston for further proof.
This miserable Orange Line alignment was decided with the "help" of phantasmagorical community consultation, but it turned out to be as wise as you'd get from a driveling idiot.
Why do we persist in trying to mine the people's wisdom for planning decisions?