Great public service video Thom! I live in Long Beach Ca and have used the metro since day one of it's initial run, to go to work, for shopping and for touring. It has been a fabulous benefit. Every one deserves to have access to such a system. I will be writing to my representatives in D.C. for their support.
Great video Thom, it's really cool that you got to be invited to this. It's also nice to see our politicians taking an active interest in improving the rail system in the US, on both sides of the aisle.
It would be interesting to compare rural vs. urban support for passenger rail service, since despite them wanting the same thing, they may have considerably different reasons for or approaches to it.
I hope the law passes; we need it so much as a country. I've always wanted the Keystone Corridor to be upgraded from PGH to Philly and NYC and hopefully the Northeast Corridor gets upgraded too. I'm sure if Rep. Deluzio was put in charge of PRT here, it would get better.
They’ve wanted the line to Pittsburgh to be upgraded since the 1930s; I have heard it said that the PRR would have done it if not for WWII and maintaining their good record of paying dividends to shareholders (without interruption until 1946). The 1970s would also have been a good time for mainline electrification.
I admit I had that gut reaction about "yeah but..." so when you caught me and pointed out the possibility of hope... well it was nice. It's easy to feel doom and gloom, some hopeful positivity can go a long way and it's very appreciated. Makes me feel like yea... maybe just maybe this could actually happen.
Yes, indeed. My home state of Maine used to have beautiful fast interurbans. They were torn up and we were told that if you want to get someplace - drive. What a loss.
I’m from a Southern state that never had too many interurbans (GA), but I think they would serve many rural and suburban communities well until there is sufficient density for regular passenger equipment.
That has always been pretty weird for me. On a non-north american perspective, its weird to invest in two separate corridors. But I guess thats what happens when one sector (freight) is privatized and let loose.
Even if this bill doesn't pass, it's a really good sign that it's being talked about at all. American trains can be so much better and I hope in my lifetime I live to see a genuine High Speed Rail system in our great nation. Every American deserves to ride the train!
I know other laws have had the popular contracted name reused (multiple Civil Rights Acts and Authorization for Use of Military Force Acts), so perhaps it’s called the High-Speed Ground Transportation Act of 2029, hopefully with better success than in 1965.
Great video and a honor for you Thom! Passenger train stations need updating. The California Zephyr has stops that require 2 stops due to how short the platforms are. Showing how bad some of tracks are might help convince some to support this legislation
Even as a republican I feel this is a step in the right direction for rail travel and I hope more republicans realize that this is something that we need
Join VRE at an open house for the L’Enfant Station and Fourth Track Improvements Project on February 5 from 3:30 - 7 pm. Stop by 300 7th St SW (the WMATA building) to learn about plans for the station and share input on the preliminary designs.
MD resident here and frequent user of WMATA, Amtrak, and MARC- what can I do to support this legislation to make sure it actually gets passed?? beside the obvious writing to my congressman
As far as I know, electrification is good for freight trains too. After the Korean war, South Korean government priotized the electrifications of lines where heavy freight trains occupied most of the capacity. One of the reason of current US railway situation is that 4 railway companies do not care about any long term infrastructural investsments, even though it will eventually benefit them.
The problem in America is that about 90% of railroads across the country are owned by freight. Those freight companies don't often like passenger rail using their tracks and limit the trains that can operate on their tracks. Virginia rail has a plan called Transforming Rail in Virginia which plans to build more tracks to that VRE can add more service and ease congestion problems that VRE has having to share the tracks with Amtrak and CSX Freight trains that cause delays. I-95 traffic is very heavy even on weekends which is why need more VRE service all day to get cars off the highway. VRE's current service is too limited and not convenient for everyone's schedule. Unfortunately, VRE's ridership has not recovered from the 2020 pandemic. As you know, Virginia Rail has purchased the Manasas Line from Norfolk Southern. VRE was able to acquire a storage yard south of Alexandria
I want a separate "trainshed beautification program" fund for improvements to sites seen from passenger trains, specifically along the Northeast Corridor. Restore historic structures, frame regional landscapes, clean up industrial sites, erase graffiti, remove litter. Local cities and regions need to beautify the city scapes as seen by passengers passing though. Looking at a city as you pass through should make you want to return to visit and explore. Most towns think it's OK if passengers think the town is ugly and dangerous.
Congratulations to you. What a opportunity. I have great concerns with what's going to be happening with the new(Hate) Administration. Greetings from San Diego.🌴
Replacing old diesel locomotives with lightweight DMUs for example the double decker Stadler KISS (many states use double decker loco pulled) or single decker FLIRT while electrifying would be game changer. It will cut down travel time due to quick acceleration, they're more fuel efficient because they don't have lot of dead weight and the diesel generators can be removed once the line is electrified. The top speed of these units is pretty good, if the tack allows 120-125mph it can achieve it.
Cool opportunity for you! From a local perspective, NC wants passenger service to Wilmington and Asheville. I would ride that. Electrification would be good. Also I’m for HSR between Atlanta all the way to DC, and restarting the CHI-FL line through Nashville and Atlanta. Both would benefit our access to different Amtrak routes from Charlotte. I’d also wish from more runs per day, especially to help serve cities with only nighttime departures currently. My one Amtrak trip, boarded at 3am (1am schedule with 2 hour delay)!
Before the pandemic, congress required all railroads to install a safety system called PTC - Positive Train Control which can prevent derailments/collisions
I think this is a great idea and something that can benefit all Americans as well as visitors from Europe and Asia. If we can spend $1.3 trillion with the Infrastructure Law, I don't see why we can't spend $200 billion to transform the rail network once more. Fingers crossed this gets passed and signed into law
For those concerned about the new administration, President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy have shown interest in high-speed rail projects (except for California High Speed Rail). Trump has also made infrastructure improvement and deregulation a priority which can be beneficial for future rail projects. I believe Trump will be more on the pro-rail side than most Republicans have been so I wouldn't worry too much about him.
He did grow up in New York. I wouldn't be surprised if he was surprisingly pro-transit. I just hope Elon doesn't put a wrench in it as he did in California.
what would i do? (this is before i watched the video) I think having more connections to medium cities would be nice, such as Greenbay WI. Im not as interested in full high speed rail as i think we need more any speed rail. However it would be nice seeing existing routes being upgraded to 110 mph instead of 79 in most places. Purchasing more ROW as well and being back conrail
why is their so many freight rails? This is because is in the 1950s and 1960s, the US government invested money in building highways and bridges, not rails. As a result, freight grabbed all the railroad tracks and many passenger rails were shut down
Rail funding needs to be a part of a comprehensive funding package. Rural states will want money for roads since they do not benefit from electricitation and grade cross improvements, and MA Senators will have to give on highway and bridge funding to Mountain West states.
Bravo Representative Deluzio and Senator Markey! Utah has a pretty good train system and lots of Republicans, let’s get them onboard. Trains shouldn’t be a partisan political issue.
The problem isn’t the bill passing the Senate; 19 GOP Senators crossed over and supported Biden’s Infrastructure Bill. The problem is the House; only two GOP members voted in favor of infrastructure in 2021 (Fitzpatrick (PA) and Smith (NJ))…and they likely did so because they’re in swing districts which would benefit from it, and because it passing was a given already. Now? With the current GOP House Leadership? The Speaker likely won’t even let it get to the floor.
My congressional district has been consistently Democratic since 1875, but has a relatively conservative representative and a PVI of +3. I don’t know if he would support it because of the generally rural character of the district, and probably very little concern for passenger rail outside of Columbus, Macon, and perhaps Albany (the only major cities in the district, and even then only Albany is entirely within it). But if promises to extend trains to those cities and a few intermediate ones (Americus and Fort Valley chiefly) help him or some other 2026 nominee on either party win that election, it could do a lot to aid a very underserved part of the country.
Did you go there on a weekend? The train was quite empty. The last time I was in the Washington DC Metro it was crowded on the weekend but that was back in the 1990s.
@Thom-TRA Well being from my old hometown of NYC no wonder. After all it is crowded on most subway lines. I am a New Yorker who grew up in NYC during the Mad Men era of the 1960s and life then was quite different from today. True story...When we moved to Richmond Hill, Queens in April 1964 I had trouble sleeping because even during the midnight hours there was always a subway train running every half hour and there was a garbage collection train that collected garbage from the dumpsters at each station. This particular line was the Broadway Jamaica line that was elevated from Brooklyn to Queens and ran above the streets..The garbage train used 4 retired subway cars with 3 flatcars that the dumpsters were rolled in to.
I would definitely have even freight rail 100 percent electrified. More environmentally friendly. Which system would you prefer? Pentographs or third rails?
Pantographs seem to be the more practical for long-distance, and almost every electric rail transport system seems to generally have that (instead of metros/subways for some reason). And if electrification of the mainline network is working well for India, it might for us also.
200b isn’t nearly enough. It should be trillions…. Not to mention the fact that it’s 200, billion over years, not even per year that’s not nearly enough to established an extensive high speed rail network.
As much as I support the idea, I know from spending my entire adult life as a rail passenger advocate and professional railroader that we are going to be lucky to have Amtrak and most commuter operations limp along and survive the MAGA onslaught of the next four years. The single biggest change that could make any of the proposed improvements happen is the nationalization and public ownership of most railroad rights-of-way to be operated on an open access basis, as is done in much of Europe. Of course that is the ultimately difficult task in our political climate.
They shouldn't make a large investment in outdated systems that have at-grade crossings. All future projects need to separate freight and passenger systems.
The (freight) railroads themselves don't like at-grade crossings and do make an effort to get rid of them. However, at some point a bridge/overpass/tunnel would be needed and it is difficult to get the public monies (and sometimes even support) for the construction of such. That said, there can be news stories about people being hit by trains and you'd think the trains are scurrying about, striking people sitting on their porches, walking in the grocery story or otherwise just going about their day and suddenly, out of nowhere, a train shows up to run over them. Oh... totally non-train stuff: Before the "Dirksen Senate Office Building" was renamed for named for ol' Everett, it was just the "Senate Office Building" or "the SOB".
You should ask him if he’s serious about it or if he’s just pretending to get public support lol. Unfortunately, I don’t really believe. They are that serious. Will believe when I see it
What would I do? Where to start 😂😂 High speed rail of 300-350 km/h. Medium high speed linking those connections of 250km/h. Regional trains 200 km/h. Ultra high speed maglev Japanese 500km/h for longer distance or higher capacity routes. Like cross country. Also WAY faster transport of fresh produce. high speed cargo (only for fresh lightweight things).
I used to be much more interested and optimistic about legislation like the All Aboard Act. While “Trains Are Awesome” suggests that Americans are passionate about revitalizing and expanding train travel in the United States, I believe that many Americans are-let’s say-uninformed about its potential benefits for them, the economy, and the environment. Americans are deeply attached to their cars, and most legislators prioritize expanding roads and highways. Furthermore, the incoming administration’s emphasis on coal, oil, and gas does not align well with the prospects of electrified rail transport. Until I witness tangible progress, I remain skeptical about the feasibility of such a change.
So the statistics of increased train usage, agencies shattering records, and news articles of bipartisan local politicians working together to bring back rail to their communities aren’t tangible enough for you? I never said it would be easy. The work starts with us. We have to educate and advocate. But with a pessimistic attitude like that, yes it’s DOA.
Maybe it will take another oil crisis before enough minds are changed. I don’t want that, but looking at how the world is going right now I wouldn’t consider it unreasonable to expect.
Let’s say against all logic of vote counting the act passes. Trump will veto it immediately if only because improving passenger rail is considered a biden positive.
The act is doa. All of the funding not spent is going away. Not only will the feds pull all funding they will rule against passenger rail in every case that involves freight.
@@Thom-TRA The power of congress has been eroding over the years. President Musk and VP Trump are hard at work to shift more power to the executive branch. I just have to assume all the appointments to the DOT, FRA and FTA will be anti passenger rail. With ONLY 11 days into this administration I sadly doubt I'll be wrong.
definitely we need more Amtrak trains....we don't need super trains like those in China or Japan....USA wasn't designed to train rails....Americans love their four-wheelers....all i want to to make safety on rails
YOU Don't speak for everyone you self entitled Narcissist!! Other countries would Spit in your face just for saying that!! We have NO Excuse to not have HSR in this country! you can Move if you don't like it!
@FerromexGEVO That has got to be the Most stupid thing I could have EVER Heard!! Japan would laugh so hard at you! They have had ZERO Fatalities on their rail network! HSR is the SAFEST Form of ground transportation ever!
Great public service video Thom! I live in Long Beach Ca and have used the metro since day one of it's initial run, to go to work, for shopping and for touring. It has been a fabulous benefit. Every one deserves to have access to such a system. I will be writing to my representatives in D.C. for their support.
Thank you!!
Great video Thom, it's really cool that you got to be invited to this. It's also nice to see our politicians taking an active interest in improving the rail system in the US, on both sides of the aisle.
It would be interesting to compare rural vs. urban support for passenger rail service, since despite them wanting the same thing, they may have considerably different reasons for or approaches to it.
I hope the law passes; we need it so much as a country. I've always wanted the Keystone Corridor to be upgraded from PGH to Philly and NYC and hopefully the Northeast Corridor gets upgraded too. I'm sure if Rep. Deluzio was put in charge of PRT here, it would get better.
They’ve wanted the line to Pittsburgh to be upgraded since the 1930s; I have heard it said that the PRR would have done it if not for WWII and maintaining their good record of paying dividends to shareholders (without interruption until 1946).
The 1970s would also have been a good time for mainline electrification.
I admit I had that gut reaction about "yeah but..." so when you caught me and pointed out the possibility of hope... well it was nice. It's easy to feel doom and gloom, some hopeful positivity can go a long way and it's very appreciated. Makes me feel like yea... maybe just maybe this could actually happen.
Trust me it was my first instinct too
I would bring back interurbans, even if it takes me an eternity.
I will be right there with you
Yes, indeed. My home state of Maine used to have beautiful fast interurbans. They were torn up and we were told that if you want to get someplace - drive. What a loss.
I’m from a Southern state that never had too many interurbans (GA), but I think they would serve many rural and suburban communities well until there is sufficient density for regular passenger equipment.
When VRE built the station in Woodbridge, VA they eliminated a railroad crossing by building a bridge above the tracks for cars to go over
3:22 I have not expected Alan there! I hope that Alan will make a video about this too
He’s a great guy, it was awesome to
get to know him
What I'd do is separate passenger trains from freight trains.. Do that it'll be night n day difference.
Good point
How about we double all put pasanger deck Over the freight cars
@@AMPProf I don't know if this would work but I love the picture it creates in my head.
@@ValhalQcoholicI believe CaHSR is using that model in some areas with freight at grade and high speed rail on a viaduct.
That has always been pretty weird for me. On a non-north american perspective, its weird to invest in two separate corridors. But I guess thats what happens when one sector (freight) is privatized and let loose.
I sjupport the all aboard act. Thanks, Thom for this great presentation
Well done Thom! This video was wonderful, and much appreciated.
Even if this bill doesn't pass, it's a really good sign that it's being talked about at all. American trains can be so much better and I hope in my lifetime I live to see a genuine High Speed Rail system in our great nation. Every American deserves to ride the train!
Good point
Can't wait for the Train Go Fast Act in 2029
Zoom zoom
I know other laws have had the popular contracted name reused (multiple Civil Rights Acts and Authorization for Use of Military Force Acts), so perhaps it’s called the High-Speed Ground Transportation Act of 2029, hopefully with better success than in 1965.
Awesome video. Definitely hopeful news for the future
Thank you!
Great video and a honor for you Thom!
Passenger train stations need updating. The California Zephyr has stops that require 2 stops due to how short the platforms are.
Showing how bad some of tracks are might help convince some to support this legislation
I remember that! And yes, it was a great honor
Even as a republican I feel this is a step in the right direction for rail travel and I hope more republicans realize that this is something that we need
Hopefully it will receive broad bipartisan support
Here's hoping the Republicans in Congress agree with you
That makes you a REAL Republican, the anti rail twats are fakes all the way.
The fact that this could be a reality in this country is amazing. Gotta take those steps somehow!
Goes to show ya there’s always hope somewhere
@@ArtisticHH57 that's all we can do sometimes
Join VRE at an open house for the L’Enfant Station and Fourth Track Improvements Project on February 5 from 3:30 - 7 pm. Stop by 300 7th St SW (the WMATA building) to learn about plans for the station and share input on the preliminary designs.
Thanks for this tip!
MD resident here and frequent user of WMATA, Amtrak, and MARC- what can I do to support this legislation to make sure it actually gets passed?? beside the obvious writing to my congressman
Spread the word! Make trains look as awesome as they are to everyone you know
@@Thom-TRA will do!
As far as I know, electrification is good for freight trains too. After the Korean war, South Korean government priotized the electrifications of lines where heavy freight trains occupied most of the capacity. One of the reason of current US railway situation is that 4 railway companies do not care about any long term infrastructural investsments, even though it will eventually benefit them.
I need anything to take a train to where I want to go, whether for business or travel.
Well done, Thom!
Thank you!
The problem in America is that about 90% of railroads across the country are owned by freight. Those freight companies don't often like passenger rail using their tracks and limit the trains that can operate on their tracks. Virginia rail has a plan called Transforming Rail in Virginia which plans to build more tracks to that VRE can add more service and ease congestion problems that VRE has having to share the tracks with Amtrak and CSX Freight trains that cause delays. I-95 traffic is very heavy even on weekends which is why need more VRE service all day to get cars off the highway. VRE's current service is too limited and not convenient for everyone's schedule. Unfortunately, VRE's ridership has not recovered from the 2020 pandemic. As you know, Virginia Rail has purchased the Manasas Line from Norfolk Southern. VRE was able to acquire a storage yard south of Alexandria
You’re living the dream.
I want a separate "trainshed beautification program" fund for improvements to sites seen from passenger trains, specifically along the Northeast Corridor. Restore historic structures, frame regional landscapes, clean up industrial sites, erase graffiti, remove litter. Local cities and regions need to beautify the city scapes as seen by passengers passing though. Looking at a city as you pass through should make you want to return to visit and explore. Most towns think it's OK if passengers think the town is ugly and dangerous.
This is a great point honestly. Bring back the old Penn Station!
Congratulations to you. What a opportunity. I have great concerns with what's going to be happening with the new(Hate) Administration. Greetings from San Diego.🌴
Wow. An excellent report. Thanks for the information.
Thank you!
Replacing old diesel locomotives with lightweight DMUs for example the double decker Stadler KISS (many states use double decker loco pulled) or single decker FLIRT while electrifying would be game changer. It will cut down travel time due to quick acceleration, they're more fuel efficient because they don't have lot of dead weight and the diesel generators can be removed once the line is electrified. The top speed of these units is pretty good, if the tack allows 120-125mph it can achieve it.
Great ideas!
Thanks!
Thank you!
Something else that I would do is develop more comprehensive architectural and urban planning guidelines to go with the rail and address urban sprawl
I enjoyed that video👍👍
Iam happy to hear this that Congress is coming up with the funding to do this we need this 👍😁
Make sure to contact your representatives!
@@Thom-TRA oh yes I will do that
They’re not, this will never pass. It’s like a 10/10 bill but this will never make it through the senate under trump.
@ryan225360 yes you are right
Alan Fisher being in this video is the TRA equivalent of Ben Stiller being in an episode of Phineas and Ferb
Lol
Cool opportunity for you! From a local perspective, NC wants passenger service to Wilmington and Asheville. I would ride that. Electrification would be good. Also I’m for HSR between Atlanta all the way to DC, and restarting the CHI-FL line through Nashville and Atlanta. Both would benefit our access to different Amtrak routes from Charlotte. I’d also wish from more runs per day, especially to help serve cities with only nighttime departures currently. My one Amtrak trip, boarded at 3am (1am schedule with 2 hour delay)!
A southeast corridor from DC to Atlanta is such an obvious thing we need to do!!
I love this video!
I’ve always loved your videos because I live in the dmv too!
DMV represent
Before the pandemic, congress required all railroads to install a safety system called PTC - Positive Train Control which can prevent derailments/collisions
My IQ always goes up a point with each of your videos.
Hahaha
One can only hope.
I think this is a great idea and something that can benefit all Americans as well as visitors from Europe and Asia. If we can spend $1.3 trillion with the Infrastructure Law, I don't see why we can't spend $200 billion to transform the rail network once more. Fingers crossed this gets passed and signed into law
For those concerned about the new administration, President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy have shown interest in high-speed rail projects (except for California High Speed Rail). Trump has also made infrastructure improvement and deregulation a priority which can be beneficial for future rail projects. I believe Trump will be more on the pro-rail side than most Republicans have been so I wouldn't worry too much about him.
He did grow up in New York. I wouldn't be surprised if he was surprisingly pro-transit. I just hope Elon doesn't put a wrench in it as he did in California.
Thanks for the perspective!
I’m still waiting for the big Elon falling out. Hoping it makes him irrelevant for good.
Just as long as you don't want to go to Canada 😒🙄
what would i do? (this is before i watched the video) I think having more connections to medium cities would be nice, such as Greenbay WI. Im not as interested in full high speed rail as i think we need more any speed rail. However it would be nice seeing existing routes being upgraded to 110 mph instead of 79 in most places. Purchasing more ROW as well and being back conrail
wow!!!
why is their so many freight rails? This is because is in the 1950s and 1960s, the US government invested money in building highways and bridges, not rails. As a result, freight grabbed all the railroad tracks and many passenger rails were shut down
Good video, Thom.
Thanks so much!
Rail funding needs to be a part of a comprehensive funding package. Rural states will want money for roads since they do not benefit from electricitation and grade cross improvements, and MA Senators will have to give on highway and bridge funding to Mountain West states.
Bravo Representative Deluzio and Senator Markey! Utah has a pretty good train system and lots of Republicans, let’s get them onboard. Trains shouldn’t be a partisan political issue.
Yes, Utah is a great example!
Excellent!
Here’s hoping this can be bipartisan
The problem isn’t the bill passing the Senate; 19 GOP Senators crossed over and supported Biden’s Infrastructure Bill. The problem is the House; only two GOP members voted in favor of infrastructure in 2021 (Fitzpatrick (PA) and Smith (NJ))…and they likely did so because they’re in swing districts which would benefit from it, and because it passing was a given already. Now? With the current GOP House Leadership? The Speaker likely won’t even let it get to the floor.
My congressional district has been consistently Democratic since 1875, but has a relatively conservative representative and a PVI of +3. I don’t know if he would support it because of the generally rural character of the district, and probably very little concern for passenger rail outside of Columbus, Macon, and perhaps Albany (the only major cities in the district, and even then only Albany is entirely within it). But if promises to extend trains to those cities and a few intermediate ones (Americus and Fort Valley chiefly) help him or some other 2026 nominee on either party win that election, it could do a lot to aid a very underserved part of the country.
Did you go there on a weekend? The train was quite empty. The last time I was in the Washington DC Metro it was crowded on the weekend but that was back in the 1990s.
No it was in the middle of a weekday at the back end of the train
@Thom-TRA Well being from my old hometown of NYC no wonder. After all it is crowded on most subway lines. I am a New Yorker who grew up in NYC during the Mad Men era of the 1960s and life then was quite different from today. True story...When we moved to Richmond Hill, Queens in April 1964 I had trouble sleeping because even during the midnight hours there was always a subway train running every half hour and there was a garbage collection train that collected garbage from the dumpsters at each station. This particular line was the Broadway Jamaica line that was elevated from Brooklyn to Queens and ran above the streets..The garbage train used 4 retired subway cars with 3 flatcars that the dumpsters were rolled in to.
I would definitely have even freight rail 100 percent electrified. More environmentally friendly. Which system would you prefer? Pentographs or third rails?
In an ideal world yes
Pantographs seem to be the more practical for long-distance, and almost every electric rail transport system seems to generally have that (instead of metros/subways for some reason).
And if electrification of the mainline network is working well for India, it might for us also.
Good @@DiamondKingStudios
I don't think CSX wants to electricity the tracks in Virginia that VRE & Amtrak uses
NS would have been worse if not for the Manassas Line purchase.
Quickly, 2Decke Bottom Modular cassette, Top Pasanger Aerostyle.
Long: Bottom for Freight or Modular passenger cars, top deck Passenger rail
200b isn’t nearly enough. It should be trillions…. Not to mention the fact that it’s 200, billion over years, not even per year that’s not nearly enough to established an extensive high speed rail network.
I love your dc videos
Lots more coming!
HELLOOOOO
4:22 Is she recording video vertically?!?! Lock her up!!! 😂
For the TikTok they banned lol
As much as I support the idea, I know from spending my entire adult life as a rail passenger advocate and professional railroader that we are going to be lucky to have Amtrak and most commuter operations limp along and survive the MAGA onslaught of the next four years. The single biggest change that could make any of the proposed improvements happen is the nationalization and public ownership of most railroad rights-of-way to be operated on an open access basis, as is done in much of Europe. Of course that is the ultimately difficult task in our political climate.
I think that’s why it’s good they’re pushing this now instead of waiting for when they have a chance at power again
@@Thom-TRATruth might be that the Democrats work better in opposition compared to when they run the government, sadly. Our generation needs an FDR.
They shouldn't make a large investment in outdated systems that have at-grade crossings. All future projects need to separate freight and passenger systems.
They discussed the crossing safety program at length in this video…
The (freight) railroads themselves don't like at-grade crossings and do make an effort to get rid of them. However, at some point a bridge/overpass/tunnel would be needed and it is difficult to get the public monies (and sometimes even support) for the construction of such. That said, there can be news stories about people being hit by trains and you'd think the trains are scurrying about, striking people sitting on their porches, walking in the grocery story or otherwise just going about their day and suddenly, out of nowhere, a train shows up to run over them.
Oh... totally non-train stuff: Before the "Dirksen Senate Office Building" was renamed for named for ol' Everett, it was just the "Senate Office Building" or "the SOB".
That is not good when freight trains or Amtraks block a rai road crossing intersection. They should not stop trains there
You should ask him if he’s serious about it or if he’s just pretending to get public support lol. Unfortunately, I don’t really believe. They are that serious. Will believe when I see it
What would I do? Where to start 😂😂 High speed rail of 300-350 km/h. Medium high speed linking those connections of 250km/h. Regional trains 200 km/h. Ultra high speed maglev Japanese 500km/h for longer distance or higher capacity routes. Like cross country. Also WAY faster transport of fresh produce. high speed cargo (only for fresh lightweight things).
How do you proposed funding and NIMBY issues of city residents not wanting their land seized for right of ways?
I used to be much more interested and optimistic about legislation like the All Aboard Act. While “Trains Are Awesome” suggests that Americans are passionate about revitalizing and expanding train travel in the United States, I believe that many Americans are-let’s say-uninformed about its potential benefits for them, the economy, and the environment. Americans are deeply attached to their cars, and most legislators prioritize expanding roads and highways. Furthermore, the incoming administration’s emphasis on coal, oil, and gas does not align well with the prospects of electrified rail transport. Until I witness tangible progress, I remain skeptical about the feasibility of such a change.
So the statistics of increased train usage, agencies shattering records, and news articles of bipartisan local politicians working together to bring back rail to their communities aren’t tangible enough for you?
I never said it would be easy. The work starts with us. We have to educate and advocate. But with a pessimistic attitude like that, yes it’s DOA.
Yeah, I understand that. But then you end up with something like Atlanta.
Maybe it will take another oil crisis before enough minds are changed. I don’t want that, but looking at how the world is going right now I wouldn’t consider it unreasonable to expect.
When electrification finally happens, I'm going to miss those diesels. I now have a renewed appreciation for GEVO's.
There will always be a place for diesel
I’m sure. This focused on rail yards and high-intensity corridors.
electric rail lines? how shocking
Heloooooooooooooooo 0:39
Let’s say against all logic of vote counting the act passes. Trump will veto it immediately if only because improving passenger rail is considered a biden positive.
The act is doa. All of the funding not spent is going away. Not only will the feds pull all funding they will rule against passenger rail in every case that involves freight.
Power of the purse is with Congress not the executive branch. A separation of powers that has been laser-focused on in recent events.
@@Thom-TRA The power of congress has been eroding over the years. President Musk and VP Trump are hard at work to shift more power to the executive branch. I just have to assume all the appointments to the DOT, FRA and FTA will be anti passenger rail. With ONLY 11 days into this administration I sadly doubt I'll be wrong.
Yep, Musk and his goons over at d.o.g.e will take back all of the already approved funding as well as all future projects.
@@Thom-TRAbut trump is issuing E.O.s to reduce/cancel any projects that biden approved.
The act is as dead as the concept of Impoundment will be when the SCOTUS eventually rules.
First
definitely we need more Amtrak trains....we don't need super trains like those in China or Japan....USA wasn't designed to train rails....Americans love their four-wheelers....all i want to to make safety on rails
America was quite literally built by trains. Cars came later.
high speed rail is stupid we dont need it
We’re all entitled to have wrong opinions if we want to
YOU Don't speak for everyone you self entitled Narcissist!! Other countries would Spit in your face just for saying that!! We have NO Excuse to not have HSR in this country! you can Move if you don't like it!
@ theres a higher chance of getting hit and dying horifically and derailments
HSR in key sectors would be even more efficient than either auto or plane traffic. Read studies on the missing middle of transportation.
@FerromexGEVO That has got to be the Most stupid thing I could have EVER Heard!! Japan would laugh so hard at you! They have had ZERO Fatalities on their rail network! HSR is the SAFEST Form of ground transportation ever!