Super Trains made the cover of the latest issue of Popular Mechanics. As populations swell, oil prices rise, and car and air traffic become increasingly impractical, more people are looking to mass transportation as a solution.
Light rail and subways work great for short trips in and around a city. However, the U.S. still doesn’t offer a viable alternative to airplanes for high-speed, longer distance journeys (excluding, perhaps, the Acela). And air travel is still relatively inexpensive (not counting the huge environmental costs associated with flying).
There are two technologies currently in use for high-speed rail: the steel-wheel bullet trains, capable of about 200mph, and the maglev trains, which can run at about 300mph. Steel-wheel trains are powered by overhead electrical lines, and run on tracks. The maglev trains use magnetic force to make the train cars float above the tracks, eliminating mechanical friction.
There are steel-wheel trains running throughout Europe and Asia, as well as a couple of shorter lines working with maglev technology (like the 20-mile route between Shanghai and Pudong International Airport).
In the U.S., where mass transit in general and trains in particular are woefully underfunded, the mission to get practical, efficient transportation will face the same old stumbling blocks. We’ve built a sprawling society that covets individual space more than anything: even if it means sitting in our cars in gridlock and each wasting 40 hours per year stuck in traffic, poisoning our air, and making our planet uninhabitable.
There are eleven existing U.S. railway lines currently upgrading to high-speed steel-wheel rail: in southern California, the Pacific northwest, Texas, Chicago, and throughout the eastern seaboard. They’ll each face political and financial battles along the way, but it’s great news that high-speed trains are finally being recognized as our best travel option for medium-distance trips.
Comparison of a 400-mile trip, from Popular Mechanics:
High-Speed Rail
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Amtrak (Diesel)
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Travel time: 2 hours, 54 minutes (maglev); 4 hours, 35 minutes (steel-wheel) |
Travel time: 7 hours, 5 minutes |
Airplane
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Car
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Travel time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (including 1-hour check-in time) |
Travel time: 7 hours, 6 minutes |
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I’m pretty sure the NYC krypto lock is called so b/c that’s the only lock that’s strong enough not to be cut. As such, Kryptonite will extend their anti-theft insurance ONLY for that one lock in NYC.
All of their other locks have insurance in every other US city (SF might be an exception too tho)
We’ll be opening a Bike Station in Minneapolis this spring. The Minneapolis bike station will be located on a major regional commuter trail at a major regional employment center a few blocks outside of downtown with a high frequency transit connection to downtown. If it’s successful the city plans to build a bike station downtown.
The capitol costs for the project are being provided by a federal grant, county funds, city funds and some gifts from a couple of local corporations without naming rights.