Thread: OT: New Rail Speed Record

Spud,

yes that is what I meant..in europe they are not dead...here they are pratically, at least if you compare amount of service.

Take a look at a 1940 Official Guide, you could go nearly everywhere by train...

Thanks to the surge in imports (all via containers of course), the Big 7 US and Canadian freight railroads are doing very well. Just 10 years ago most big railroads were not sure if they were even making a profit on hauling containers. But, now the container people have no choice but to pay what the railroads charge. Thus big profits.
Well, the big railroads make a lot of money hauling coal, grain, and chemicals as well.

Thanks to the surge in imports (all via containers of course), the Big 7 US and Canadian freight railroads are doing very well. Just 10 years ago most big railroads were not sure if they were even making a profit on hauling containers. But, now the container people have no choice but to pay what the railroads charge. Thus big profits.
Well, the big railroads make a lot of money hauling coal, grain, and chemicals as well.

Thanks to the surge in imports (all via containers of course), the Big 7 US and Canadian freight railroads are doing very well. Just 10 years ago most big railroads were not sure if they were even making a profit on hauling containers. But, now the container people have no choice but to pay what the railroads charge. Thus big profits.
Well, the big railroads make a lot of money hauling coal, grain, and chemicals as well.

A couple of years ago I rode the TGV from Geneva to Paris and back. The train cruised at 320 KPH (200MPH) It was the most pleasant travel experience that I have ever had. I spent the extra $9.00 and went first class (that made the ticket $158.00) For that I got a leather arm chair and a picture window view of the French country side going by. The only time you were aware of the great speed was when the train was running along side of a four lane high speed road and it was obvious the train was going much faster than the cars. The train traveled the entire trip on its own fenced right of way.

A couple of years ago I rode the TGV from Geneva to Paris and back. The train cruised at 320 KPH (200MPH) It was the most pleasant travel experience that I have ever had. I spent the extra $9.00 and went first class (that made the ticket $158.00) For that I got a leather arm chair and a picture window view of the French country side going by. The only time you were aware of the great speed was when the train was running along side of a four lane high speed road and it was obvious the train was going much faster than the cars. The train traveled the entire trip on its own fenced right of way.

A couple of years ago I rode the TGV from Geneva to Paris and back. The train cruised at 320 KPH (200MPH) It was the most pleasant travel experience that I have ever had. I spent the extra $9.00 and went first class (that made the ticket $158.00) For that I got a leather arm chair and a picture window view of the French country side going by. The only time you were aware of the great speed was when the train was running along side of a four lane high speed road and it was obvious the train was going much faster than the cars. The train traveled the entire trip on its own fenced right of way.

trains would make so much sense, but it is a long jump from where we are to where many people would rely on them. If I want to got to NYC on business on the train, I would have to travel the night before, by plane that morning, or by car, 4 hours and either by car or plane be back that night, train means at least 1 overnight at NYC prices that is 250 bucks.
How about a business class bus? a step up from a greydog, a few bucks more, seems like no one is doing that.

trains would make so much sense, but it is a long jump from where we are to where many people would rely on them. If I want to got to NYC on business on the train, I would have to travel the night before, by plane that morning, or by car, 4 hours and either by car or plane be back that night, train means at least 1 overnight at NYC prices that is 250 bucks.
How about a business class bus? a step up from a greydog, a few bucks more, seems like no one is doing that.

trains would make so much sense, but it is a long jump from where we are to where many people would rely on them. If I want to got to NYC on business on the train, I would have to travel the night before, by plane that morning, or by car, 4 hours and either by car or plane be back that night, train means at least 1 overnight at NYC prices that is 250 bucks.
How about a business class bus? a step up from a greydog, a few bucks more, seems like no one is doing that.

posted this on the hsm site also, one of my favorite people that i'll never meet. a train surfer guy...he died of cancer the following year...
here is link
http://www.filecabi.net/video/trainleuc9.html

scott

posted this on the hsm site also, one of my favorite people that i'll never meet. a train surfer guy...he died of cancer the following year...
here is link
http://www.filecabi.net/video/trainleuc9.html

scott

posted this on the hsm site also, one of my favorite people that i'll never meet. a train surfer guy...he died of cancer the following year...
here is link
http://www.filecabi.net/video/trainleuc9.html

scott

I made the mistake of taking the Amtrak from Williamsburg to Baltimore.About a 3?hr. trip by car.I was meeting my wife,who was doing a show there.The train crawled on its belly through every little berg on the way.Very slow through richmond.And,we pulled off onto a siding at one point,for about 1/2 hr. to wait for a train going the other way to pass.I paid $$$$ for business class,which means free drinks.the conductor was a complete jerk about the number of Pepsis I had.I'm sure it wasn't $30.00 worth! Have a medical condition,require a lot of fluids.Well,NEVER AGAIN!!!They can go completely under for all I care.the only thing they seem to haul is coal to export,anyway.

I made the mistake of taking the Amtrak from Williamsburg to Baltimore.About a 3?hr. trip by car.I was meeting my wife,who was doing a show there.The train crawled on its belly through every little berg on the way.Very slow through richmond.And,we pulled off onto a siding at one point,for about 1/2 hr. to wait for a train going the other way to pass.I paid $$$$ for business class,which means free drinks.the conductor was a complete jerk about the number of Pepsis I had.I'm sure it wasn't $30.00 worth! Have a medical condition,require a lot of fluids.Well,NEVER AGAIN!!!They can go completely under for all I care.the only thing they seem to haul is coal to export,anyway.

I made the mistake of taking the Amtrak from Williamsburg to Baltimore.About a 3?hr. trip by car.I was meeting my wife,who was doing a show there.The train crawled on its belly through every little berg on the way.Very slow through richmond.And,we pulled off onto a siding at one point,for about 1/2 hr. to wait for a train going the other way to pass.I paid $$$$ for business class,which means free drinks.the conductor was a complete jerk about the number of Pepsis I had.I'm sure it wasn't $30.00 worth! Have a medical condition,require a lot of fluids.Well,NEVER AGAIN!!!They can go completely under for all I care.the only thing they seem to haul is coal to export,anyway.

America should be the ideal country for rail travel.Lots of people spread out in a large country. Only reasons I can think of why rail travel isn't utilized is:

1) Rail companies and governement need to work together for the common good of society and invest/develop modern infrastructure.Similar to how everyone banded together for the space program.

I get the impression that many folk see rail transport as sort of a working class mode of transport and something to be avoided.Stations look forlorn and 'dead'.People probably don't want to get out of their cushy SUV/Cars and travel with the masses.

A network of car-trains would do wonders.Imagine driving your car onto a train in Chicago then driving off in Los Angeles or Miami.

I also wonder if the big car companies and big oil conspire to hold back rail transport.

America should be the ideal country for rail travel.Lots of people spread out in a large country. Only reasons I can think of why rail travel isn't utilized is:

1) Rail companies and governement need to work together for the common good of society and invest/develop modern infrastructure.Similar to how everyone banded together for the space program.

I get the impression that many folk see rail transport as sort of a working class mode of transport and something to be avoided.Stations look forlorn and 'dead'.People probably don't want to get out of their cushy SUV/Cars and travel with the masses.

A network of car-trains would do wonders.Imagine driving your car onto a train in Chicago then driving off in Los Angeles or Miami.

I also wonder if the big car companies and big oil conspire to hold back rail transport.

America should be the ideal country for rail travel.Lots of people spread out in a large country. Only reasons I can think of why rail travel isn't utilized is:

1) Rail companies and governement need to work together for the common good of society and invest/develop modern infrastructure.Similar to how everyone banded together for the space program.

I get the impression that many folk see rail transport as sort of a working class mode of transport and something to be avoided.Stations look forlorn and 'dead'.People probably don't want to get out of their cushy SUV/Cars and travel with the masses.

A network of car-trains would do wonders.Imagine driving your car onto a train in Chicago then driving off in Los Angeles or Miami.

I also wonder if the big car companies and big oil conspire to hold back rail transport.

Everywhere the trains are frequent, comfortable, and fast, there is a dirty little secret- The Government PAYS!.

Freight can be profitable, but commuter, and even high speed passenger, is heavily subsidised everywhere in the world.
If we want decent train service, we have to pay for it- and since nobody wants to pay $500 a ticket, that means government subsidies or outright government railroads, one or the other.

This is a decision a country as a whole makes- and we have made a decision not to pay for trains.

Some of this makes sense, of course- in places like Montana or North Dakota, commuter trains every half hour would be silly, and cars and trucks are often a better choice.
But in dense urban areas, like LA, which is the densest city in the country, it makes sense to subsidise trains- less pollution, less accidents, less time spent commuting, and urban planning around train lines can channel growth.
Portland Oregon has been successful in this, rezoning neighborhoods along its new light rail line, and seeing residential and business neighborhoods grow.

I just know that in countries that have good train service, its easier and quicker than driving, most of the time. Not that you wouldnt want a car too, you just wouldnt need to drive it much.

In japan,you buy a ticket that tells you where to stand on the platform, down to the minute, and, at that minute, a door opens up right in front of your painted number, and you get on, and your reserved seat is right there.

In europe, there are several grades of trains, some fast, some slow, but all pretty usauble- I have made lots of trips by train in europe that would be impossible here. Here, trains take twice as long as driving- there, its quicker, and, considering they have 6 dollar a gallon gas, usually cheaper.

Again, though- this is because of economy wide government decisions on taxes, subsidies, and planning.
We make those decisions as well, we just decide not to put our money in trains. Instead, we build roads, or airports, or keep our gas taxes low. We bail out Chrysler, they bail out the train company.