I rode a new bullet train at the Vancouver World’s Fair in 1986. It was a straight track, down and back. I don’t remember much about it but I do remember that my mom was really impressed
@rprebel to be fair to Amtrak they’re operating in a political climate that treats mass transit as a welfare program. Until there is mass support for rail initiatives in this country we’re only ever going to have second rate rail systems.
@jbartus Infrastructure improvements take time – longer than most political terms. If I approve this, I won’t be the one getting all the credit. So fuck you.
@jbartus we ensured Amtrak would be eternally delayed at the beginning (I think Nixon did this) by telling railroads they no longer had to carry passengers (at the time I believe a requirement of their local monopolies) but had to take Amtrak at 2nd priority to their own freight traffic.
@zippyus Amtrak was basically created to ensure that passenger travel by rail would even continue to exist in this country, so I can forgive that transgression, but it’s the attitude towards all forms of mass transit that I take issue with.
I took the Eurostar from London to Paris, but it was back before the high speed line extended all the way to London. Still a lot of fun. I’ve never taken anything more than commuter rail in the U.S., though.
I’ve ridden several. If you want a smooth ride from A to B, the Japanese win, but I prefer the European trains I’ve been on. You can feel the speed. Haven’t been on Acela, yet, but I have plans to take my uncle next year.
Batteries? My childhood train set had a big black transformer that you could pretend to arc weld with, zap ants, power electromagnets cobbled out of nails and wire, and other cool stuff, while the train and tracks sat in the box. Those were the good old days, when parents left their kids to run amok.
@macromeh I’m pretty sure the train for sale today runs on batteries…
I had my share of toys they wouldn’t consider selling nowadays. I still have my steam engine, which is a little pressurized scalding bomb, but I’d hook it to my Erector set. Also, my chemistry set actually had cool chemicals!
I was on the Channel Tunnel train en route from Paris to London when the twin towers were struck in 2001. Very surreal experience.
Does faster than LA traffic count as “high speed”?
I rode a new bullet train at the Vancouver World’s Fair in 1986. It was a straight track, down and back. I don’t remember much about it but I do remember that my mom was really impressed
TGV in France, from Lyon to Paris and then back a few days later. Very smooth, like riding on a cloud. The complete and total opposite of Amtrak.
@rprebel to be fair to Amtrak they’re operating in a political climate that treats mass transit as a welfare program. Until there is mass support for rail initiatives in this country we’re only ever going to have second rate rail systems.
@jbartus
They (EU) have mass transit.
We have monster SUVs and Duallys.
And RVs bigger than many houses.
And different distances, population densities, citizen prefs, and road systems.
I would like to see the political will to move on this in a sane and, as nearly as possible, a fiscally responsible manner.
I would also like to win the lottery. Without buying a ticket.
Hmmmm.
@jbartus Infrastructure improvements take time – longer than most political terms. If I approve this, I won’t be the one getting all the credit. So fuck you.
That’s politics here.
@narfcake
Oh, yeah!
@jbartus we ensured Amtrak would be eternally delayed at the beginning (I think Nixon did this) by telling railroads they no longer had to carry passengers (at the time I believe a requirement of their local monopolies) but had to take Amtrak at 2nd priority to their own freight traffic.
@zippyus Amtrak was basically created to ensure that passenger travel by rail would even continue to exist in this country, so I can forgive that transgression, but it’s the attitude towards all forms of mass transit that I take issue with.
I haven’t even ridden the Zephyr yet.
(obligatory)
@mfladd
Yes, dear.
We know.
The Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen high-speed railway south of Shanghai. 300 kph.
Well, something was speeding.
What was it?
Wait a min
Who was it?
Hmmmmm.
Ain’t sayin’ no more.
Trouble ahead, trouble behind, And you know that notion just crossed my mind.
I went to Six Flags today and went on a roller coaster that went faster than most US trains.
I took the Eurostar from London to Paris, but it was back before the high speed line extended all the way to London. Still a lot of fun. I’ve never taken anything more than commuter rail in the U.S., though.
I’ve ridden several. If you want a smooth ride from A to B, the Japanese win, but I prefer the European trains I’ve been on. You can feel the speed. Haven’t been on Acela, yet, but I have plans to take my uncle next year.
/youtube Casey Jones
Beijing to Fujian
@12liny
Jealous.
Maybe if I somehow add extra batteries to the toy train set for sale today, I can pretend I’m on a ‘High Speed Train’.
Batteries? My childhood train set had a big black transformer that you could pretend to arc weld with, zap ants, power electromagnets cobbled out of nails and wire, and other cool stuff, while the train and tracks sat in the box. Those were the good old days, when parents left their kids to run amok.
@macromeh Decades before the Easy Bake ovens, miniature ovens were marketed for kids. They could bake at 500-600 degrees … what could go wrong?
And then there were Jarts …
/image jarts
/image lawn darts
@narfcake I still have Jarts.
@macromeh I’m pretty sure the train for sale today runs on batteries…
I had my share of toys they wouldn’t consider selling nowadays. I still have my steam engine, which is a little pressurized scalding bomb, but I’d hook it to my Erector set. Also, my chemistry set actually had cool chemicals!