RAILWAYIST

Railways to be in focus on Bloomberg TV Monday!

2010-03-01T15:49:00Z

Monday morning, 1st of March: Bloombers TV host Betty Liu said that RAILS & ENERGY will be in focus today.

Could there be a remote possibility that Railways & Energy efficiency have some kind of role to play in the USA?

Are the 'THIRSTY FIFTY' considering an 'IRON ROAD re-connect'?

The broadcast is supposed to be at 2:00 PM EST/14:00 HR today - Rail Minister Lord Warren Buffett & Financial Disaster Mis-Manager Henry Paulson will be hosted by Betty Liu at the Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

A MUST SEE! "Blueprint for America: Beyond the Motor City" Hosted by Commodore Vanderbilt IV.

2010-02-08T20:22:00Z

10:00 P.M. EST your local 'PUBLIC TV Station'.

PBS News Hour might give some pre-show coverage---check it out---a 1st class un-biased news show hosted by Jim Lehrer, USMC (retired).

Wait until after the show before comments, unless u-got a time machine!

'RAIL-ISM' is the key word for the economic survival & future of the USA...

The 'THIRSTY FIFTY STATES' must look to the 'IRON ROAD' for efficiency...

"WHO'S WHO in HSR STREAMLINING"

2009-12-30T00:36:00Z

A 'short' preview of the 'streamliner/dreamliner/ultra-ultra-speed inter&intra-city & express-transcontinental US railways of today:

Pullman-Standard/Hughes Tool Company/Alstom-Sub-Sonic Railway Labs (P-S/HTC/Alstom-SSRL)kept this technology 'hush-hush' until the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition of 1947.

The public was thrilled with the promise of luxurious railway travel at variable - velocities from 5mph for inter/intra-urban trams/streetcars up to sub sonic speeds depending upon the distance between origins & destinations, corridors of travel, the traffic density and frequency of stops. Local and higher density areas with multiple stops would keep speeds between 70 - 200 MPH. Express trains with ---0--- grade crossings would travel between 80 - 400 MPH. SONIC BOOMS would not occur as a simple courtesy to those up there in their aeroplanes...also, the locomotive engineers in their 50,000 HorsepowerPower-GG/Alstom-2000's wouldn't want to scare any motorists as they slurped and chugged along the 'Interstates and Free(lunch)ways'. Wow---Just last month over the Arizonatopia skies of anti-rail Senator John MacCaine, the pilots of a Southwest-Pacific flight complained about the sudden upward lurch of their Ford Quadra-Turbine Aeroblimp as a 'Sub-Sonic Amtracker-ultra-trans-continental' accidentally precipitated a 'sonic-boom' !

Welcome aboard you enthusiastic travelers! For the revolution in passenger transportation---inaugurated when Pullman-Standard/Hughes Sub-Sonic Ralway Labs, in conjunction with AMERICA'S PROGRESSIVE RAILROADS, formulated the principles of light weight, speed & safety, efficiency & economy of materials---has had no less profound an effect on comfort than on construction. Even at the highest speeds are made safe...silent...and free from vibration, you can sip a brimming cup of coffee without spilling a drop!

New structures embodying the latest alloys/carbon fibres and methods of fabrication, articulation, draft gears, trucks, air & magnetic brakes, vestibule closures, disappearing steps, head & rear end electric power, new types of hush-couplers, HVAC, fastidiously appointed powder rooms for the ladies,fully reclining chairs in coach with soft pillows, meals served at your reserved seat or you can join fellow travelers in the grill or dining car, just head to the observation car's quiet reading corners, easy chairs, radio, 2-way video-telefons, Wi-Fi, on board movies-on-demand---all at your fingertips---these and many other mechanical and technological triumphs found on all streamlined P-S/HTC/Alstom-SSRL passenger carriages were made possible through the research inagurated or inspired by this company.

You won't spill any hot coffee on your laps riding in these passenger carriages!

Midwest High Speed Rail Association EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mr. Richard Harnish...

2009-10-05T23:03:00Z

...to speak live Wednesday, the 7th of October on the "Detroit Today" WDET FM local Public Radio Show between 1:00 - 3:00 PM.

Go online to www.wdetfm.org if you are out of the broadcast area between 13.00-15.00 HR.GMT.

CASUAL/FAST-FOOD themed restaurant & dining railway cars could generate revenue...

2009-09-27T06:03:00Z

Why not consider outfitting restaurant/dining railcars for use by these popular casual dining and fast food chains: McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Arbys, Sonic, Applebees, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, Red Lobster, Dennys, IHOP, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Little Ceasars, Taco Bell, etc.

Thousands of people visit these places every day---so why not have passenger dining railcar 'themed' versions of the same restaurants---people 'like' these chain restaurants---and return to them often. Travelers could -'go-green'- and still enjoy their favorite foods on a train instead of 'slurpin gazzoline' while idling at a drive-thru window.

The restaurants could pay an advertising fee to, and share the revenues with AMTRAK, giving it an additional source of revenue. The chains mentioned generate large revenues and taxes from their roadside locations, and pay close to $70,000 per parking space paving/maintenance, plus the land aquisition, construction, electrical, water/sanitary hook up, utilities, taxes, insurance, security etc. A railcar version wouldn't have as many fixed costs since the railroad would maintain the equipment as part of its rolling stock.

ENJOY YOUR FAVORITE CASUAL & FAST-FOOD, while 'GOING-GREEN' on 'AMERICAS HIGH-SPEED AMTRAK TRAINS!'

Why not?

INDIANAPOLIS interurban electric streetcar traction terminal was world's largest & busiest...

2009-09-27T04:08:00Z

The INDIANAPOLIS traction terminal opened in 1904 and within a decade more than 500 electric passenger and freight trolley cars arrived and departed daily. A passenger tally of 7 million passengers a year passed through the Indianapolis terminal giving it the status of largest and busiest in the world!

By 1914 the electric interurban trolley/streetcar/tram system "had won a place as an important part of the United States transportation system. There were 18,000 miles of interurban track in the country, almost half of it concentrated in the Middle West states, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Massachussetts, and Texas, in that order also had very considerable additional mileage. An immense sum of money, perhaps a billion dollars, was invested in interurban properties. In many cities the great sheds were so bustling with activity that they quite matched the Union Stations of their main line steam railroad rivals." The interurban was often preffered for medium and shorter trips, for here it usually offered faster or more frequent service", in comparison to the main line steam railroads.

By 1918 the interurban system "had 44,800 miles of track, employed 295,000 people, and toted passengers at the rate of 11.3 billion annually."

It is apparent that the interurbans and main line railroads were competing for a portion of the same customers, with the interurbans being more local by catering to the daily commuter/errand/leisure traveler.

What would the passenger and freight railway system look like today if the interurban and railroad companies merged and were able to weather the competition from the obvious other modes? What do you think would result after combining a 45,000 mile interurban network and a 300 thousand mile mail line railway network? It might closely resemble 'today's proposals from every corner for high-speed-dreams/plans/strategies/ -costing trillions and many years to just get started'...

Quoted: TROLLEY CAR TREASURY. A Century of American Streetcars---Cable Cars, Interurbans & Trolleys---with over 300 nostalgic photographs.

Coyright 1956 by Frank Rowsome. Jr., & Stephen D. Maguire. Library of Congress Catalog #: 56-11054

Stay tuned for the October OPEC summitt, great family entertainment!

MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION to be dismanteled & shipped by rail...

2009-09-24T21:24:00Z

Heard over the wire that the abandoned Michigan Central Railway Station in Detroit might be dismanteled in large chunks and shipped by rail to Manhattan and re-constructed on the former site of Pennsylvania Station that was demolished in the 1960's for an entertainment arena.

The massive Detroit Station is the most suited structure to match the grandeur of Pennsylvania Station and after its re-construction on the NYC site will house on its upper floors the new 'American International Railway University', the 'American International Railway Library & Bookstore', the 'American International Railway & Transport - TV (RAIL-TV) broadcast centre, and the 'USMRS' - 'United States Military Railroad Service public relations & recruitment office'.

Trains get a full page cover story in the Detroit Free Press!

2009-09-21T01:02:00Z

Detroit Free Press

Sunday, Sept 30, 2009 pg 27A:

CAN SPEED SELL TRAIN TRAVEL?

By: Free Press Lansing Bureau Chief Chris Christoff: Tel# 517-372-8660- email: cchristoff@freepress.com web site : www.freep.com

The Detroit Free Press has rarerly given more than a few sentences or puny little paragraphs relating to public transport or railways, but times are changing real fast since the election of pro-railway President Obama, Vice President Biden and Transport Secretary LaHood.

Here is a brief summary of 3 articles and a Q+A column: "Here's a look at issues of improving passneger train travel in the United States" that you will see in the Free Press story:

In "Can speed sell train travel" a comparison is made between speed upgrades with diesel power -vs- high speed with electric motors. In the left column a "proposed upgrade for the 'Michigan Wolverine' to 110 m.p.h."- powered by a GE Genisis p42DC---cutting travel time from 51/2hrs to 31/2/ hours for the Detroit-Chicago run---acheived by lenghtening side tracks so that freight trains can wait for faster & shorter Amtrak trains. In the right column "how to go 150 m.p.h." -possibly making the Chicago-Detroit in approx 2hrs - powered by Acela P42DC tilting electric trains on new parallel tracks laid on concrete ties in each direction with no grade crossings accomplished with tunnels and bridges.

Next two articles: " State seeks $830 million to upgrade rails" & "Train riders want fast, cheap, hassle-free trips"

Maybe the time has come for newspapers around the country, like the Detroit Free Press, to have a weekly "RAILWAY COLUMN" with articles and advice from Progressiverailroadings professional writing staff.

Super-Speed Transcontinental ElectroDomeLiners to have solar panels on railcar roofs...

2009-09-16T18:28:00Z

To further increase the efficiency of the 'Super-Speed Electroliner Transcontinental Fleet', high efficiency photovoltaic solar collectors will be installed on the roofs of the passenger & sleeping carriages, dining, lounge coaches, observation, baggage, crew/staff, business-class/office/wifi suite equipped, and mail cars to provide supplemental piping hot water for the showers and galley.

Along the railway network will be large phased-arrays of solar collectors and windmill farms. Solar furnaces will operate in geographic areas of maximum sun to power the water boilers of electric mini-rail-power-plants to supplement the grid. Since most of the power grid is primarily atomic & coal powered with supplemental hydro, any increase in efficiency is a positive step. Bio & regular diesel powered locomotives and self propelled railcars are a necessary mix within the rail-transport grid primarily for areas outside of the power grid and are required as back up for possible powerfailure scenarios.

Enjoy comortable reclining chairs in the restful and roomy lounge coaches---these airy, spacious cars are scientifically and tastefully designed for maximum comfort for you, our most important traveler in long distance. Each recliner is individually controlled, may be adjusted for full lumbar back support and a full reclining position, and wifi internet access is available in the comfort of your seat...All seats are reserved.

US & Canadian Sports Teams to travel by newly designed rail-carraiges...

2009-09-15T00:50:00Z

Sports teams from the USA and Canada have decided to be responsible citizens by reducing their colossal consumption of fuel and reduce their jet-setting carbon footprints, since they are public figures with considerable influence over the greater public. Due to the surplus of idle locomotives and freight cars, Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer sports teams will purchase locomotives and convert box cars into team equipment storage/locker box cars, single level sleeper carriages with various configurations of private suites, single and double decker bunk cars, formal dining cars, combination buffet-team/crew dining cars and combination kitchen/galley cars/ food storage reefer cars converted to an articulated unit and shower/tank cars coupled with water hose connections. Team paint schemes will decorate the locomotives and carriages. Full time professional railroad crews will man the trains. NASCAR & FORMULA 1 racing crews will have their 'million dollar' vehicles transported by auto-train rail-cars to the various racing circuits.

Media Production Companies ABC-Sports, CBC-Sports, CBS-Sports, ESPN-Sports, FOX-Sports, NBC-Sports and other traveling media will convert boxcars into mobile sattellite cars, transfer/work caboose cars coupled to a generator-power cars to run the computer/technical suites and video equipment with recharging modules.

Additional fleets of LUXURY RATED passenger coaches, dining, bar & smoking cigar/bar car and sleeping carriages orders will be placed with PULLMAN===BUD Railcarsystems LLC.

The Sports Travel Logistics Division will route teams according to the most fuel-efficient schedules. Spur lines will connect to the stadium rail terminals and the larger terminals, stations and depots in the railway network that also serves the light rail/tram-train, trolley/streetcar stops for commuters and stadium attendees.

Millions of new jobs in the new US High Speed Railways...Here's a partial list:

2009-09-09T12:27:00Z

Bloomberg TV had economist Mr. Rohaytn on saying that a full infrastructure rebuilding in the USA would easily create 5,000,000 - five million or so jobs! Railroad reconstruction could easily have more than a quarter of the jobs...

There are hundreds of railway occupations, a few of which are listed alphabetically below. The occupations named embrace nine-tenths of all railway employees:

accountant, advertising & marketing agent, agricultural agent, apprentice, architect, assistant engineer, atomic energy specialist engineer, attorney, auditor, baggage agent, baggerman, blacksmith, block operator, bogie and wheel inspector, boilermaker, bookkeper, brakeman, bricklayer, bridge engineer, building engineer, buyer, caboose porter, call boy, cantenary electrical line installer and maintenance tech, car accountant, car checker, car distributor, car repairer, carpenter, cashier, chainman, checker, chef, chemist-fuel systems engineer(synthetic coal based & bio fuels), chief clerk, chief dispatcher, chief engineer, claim adjuster, claim agent, clerk, coal handler, commercial agent, commissary clerk, comptroller, communications specialists, computer specialists-software engineers-installers-maintenance tech, conductor, cook, coppersmith, craneman, crossing watchman, dispatcher, division engineer, draftsman, drawbridge operator, editor for employee and passenger travel magazines, electrical engineer, electrical worker, electrician, executive officer, expressman, firefighting batallion-firefighter-car foreman & crew, flagman, foreman, freight agent, freight handler, gang foreman, gateman, general freight agent, general manager, general passenger agent, hoisting engineer, hostess, hostler, hospital car medical staff, helicopter pilot & rail siding pad staff, industrial agent, inspector, instrumentman, investigator, ironworker, janitor, laborer, land agent, leverman, lineman, locomotive engineer, locomotive fireman, machine operator, machinist, mail handler, mow engineer & crew, mason, master mechanic, mechanical engineer, messenger, military railroad support staff, molder, motive power systems engineer & specialist, motorman, nurse-stewardess, office boy, oiler, painter, passenger agent, pattern maker, paymaster, plasterer, plumber, policeman, porter, power grid via-computer analyst & monitor, president, railroad presidential train staff, public-relations rep., pumper, purchasing agent, rate clerk, riveter, roadmaster, rodman, rules examiner, roundhouse supervisor & support crew, safety inspector, sandman, sat-com-satellite down/uplink engineer-installer & maintenance tech, solar panel installer & maintenance tech, secretary, sectionman, sheet metal worker, shop apprentice, shop foreman, signalman & signal maintainer, station agent, stationmaster, station librarian & staff , railway education bureau retail bookseller & staff, station day care staff, stationary engineer, stationary fireman, stationer, statistician, stenographer, steward, stewardess, storekeeper, superintendent, supervisor, surgeon, subway engineer & staff, switchboard operator, switchman, switchtender, tax agent, telegraphy engineer & staff, telephoner, telephony engineer & staff, teletype operator, ticket agent, ticket seller, timekeeper, tinner, towerman, track apprentice, track foreman, track repairman, track walker, traffic agent, train announcer, train auditor, trainmaster, train maid, trainman, transitman, treasurer, trucker, television internal network specialists, transportation corps & support staff, tunnel engineer, typist, upholsterer, vice president, waiter, warehouse supervisor & staff, watchman, water tender, water tower builder-installer & maintenence crew, windmill builder-installer & maintenance crew, webmaster-internet traffic, welder, yard clerk, yard foreman, yardmaster.

President of the United States of America Presidental train sets & support staff. Due to time constraints of the President, multiple 'state of the art' 'President of the United States Trains' will be available in key cities, the president will fly in -if- time constrained -or- travel via the high speed network if a more leisurely pace will be allowed.

California Fire Fighting Railway & Water Tower Network:

2009-09-02T17:26:00Z

Based on the ferocious fires that are engulfing the Los Angeles area, the most suitable approach to dealing with future fires -could- shape up something like this:

Million gallon+ water towers primarily located 'above' fire prone populated areas and secondarily in frequently visited parklands. Self-propelled 'Fireproofed' Rail-Fire- Cars would be strategically placed along tracks with concrete ties, all wooden ties to be replaced. 30, 40, 54 and 65 foot 'Funnel-Flow' type tanker cars with various capacities ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 gallons of water quipped with water-cannon able to pump up to 10,000 gallons per minute fed by 2+1/2 inch fire-proof stainless steel wrapped mesh hoses. The rail-fire-cars would access water via gravity feed from the water towers via railside hydrants, with road sidings and crossings access for fire department pumper trucks. The rail-siding accessable, water-cannon equipped water tower facilities would also be a staging, communications and safety areas for the firefighters and their vehicles, fire-bunkers for fire fighting personell could be situated at some of the hydrants. Even though air support is totally inadequate and very costly for the present situation, as has been exhibited in the past, air power is still a vital component in the fire battlefield.

My brother and his family in La Brea could see the nightmarish infierno to the North from their porch last night !

Any more ideas or suggestions?

The American High Speed Passenger & Freight Railway System---

2009-08-26T04:27:00Z

"AHSP & FRS---by far the largest nuclear/clean-coal/solar/windmill/electrical network of railroads in the world---close to half a million miles---represents one of the greatest civil, geo-technical, mechanical, electrical and transport technology achievements in the history of mankind. Thousands of the most ingenious minds of the modern age and millions of workers have contributed to the creation, development and operation of this vast and energy efficient mass transportation system".

"About four and a quarter million men and women are required to operate the railroads of the United States, including the Railway Express Agency, United States Railway Post Office, Pullman Company, Railway-Satellite-Communications & Super-Computer-Centre and The United States Military Railway Service. They live by and for the railroad which gives them their livelihood. Their habits are governed by the 'co-ordinated universal time' railroad clock".

"The AHSP & FRS never closes down. It runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. While the world sleeps, thousands of the new GG-5 to GG-10 series, BUDD LINNEAR INDUCTED 3000-SERIES, EMD-SUPER SPEEDS, GE-ATOMICS, TXGV's & AXGV's - 10,000 - 25,000 horsepower electric high-speed-luxury passenger, express, mail, military and freight trains are speeding through the night, to and from thousands of busy terminals, stations and depots, performing their essential task moving the nation's commerce commerce and carrying passengers and cargo safely and comfortably upon their myriad errands".

"Night workers as well as day workers are required to man these trains, to operate the stations, signals, telegraph instruments, computers, web cams and satellite links, to protect the tracks and crossings, to turn the switches and to keep the locomotives and cars in top notch condition. Thus, at all hours of the day and night, workers are coming on and and going off duty, connected by the quarter million mile inter-urban and intra-urban tram networks that connect the terminals, stations and depots to city centres and aerodromes without a moment's interruption in railway operations".

"When we visit a large railway terminal or station with its busy restaurants, hotel, meeting suites, retail and entertainment facilities, passenger and freight trains hurrying in and out, and the tireless electric switch-engines shifting cars and making up trains, we wonder how it is possible for the railroads to operate without confusion. And when we reflect that this is but one of the many terminals, stations or depots in the United States and that many thousands of trains are on the rails day and night, every day of the year, we are impressed not only by the magnitude but also by the intricate and complex character of railway operations".

quoted in part: ASSOCIATION OF HIGH SPEED AMERICAN RAILROADS 2051

While we have been napping the last 50 years...China laid track!

2009-08-12T12:58:00Z

China's 80,000km rail network will soon be expanded another 30,000km and will soon have the world's largest high-speed railway network by 2012!

According to the MOR - Ministry of Railways: "Chinese Railways will undergo an historic change by 2012". Not only will the rail network reach 110,000km, but the proportion of double-track and electrified lines will both exceed 50% for the first time. By 2020 more than 80% of the traffic will be operated by electric traction and the EMU will become the main equipment for passenger services." 804 passenger stations will be open by 2012.

Cover story: "Leading Light' "China set to take high-speed top spot". International Railway Journal Editor-in-Chief David Briginshaw wrote the eye-opening story "China builds worlds' largest HS network" go to www.railjournal.com for the complete article.

Read it before commencing with the same old remarks---wake up and smell the coffee...or is it oolong tea?

Chicago Museum of Science & Industry RAILROAD exhibit a must see!

2009-08-05T07:47:00Z

"All Aboard the Silver Streak" invites you to go back in time---to May 26, 1934---as a passenger on the MINT CONDITION PIONEER ZEPHYR. You won't want to miss this record-breaking 'ride' from Denver to Chicago. On your 20-minute guided tour, you will explore the baggage, smoking, passenger, observation and diesel powered engine room of the Pioneer Zephyr locomotive unit. You can also view the engineers cab, supplemented by computer assisted interaction that allows you to 'drive' the Pioneer Zephyr." www.msichicago.org

The newsreel from 1934 that flashed the story about the worlds fastest articulated train is oddly similar to the TGV video shown on the www.alstom.com/transport website. The Pioneer Zephyr was paced from the air by a propeller driven aircraft with a mounted movie camera, the TGV was paced by a jet with a mounted video cam!

The USA had high-speed-rail over 75 years ago!

A complete and fully operational US Railway Post Office car is an integral part of the Pioneer Zephyr train.

The Transportation Gallery has the New York Central Railroad's Empire State Express locomotive #999, the first locomotive to move at over 100mph!

The Great Train Story model railroad is a HO scale rail journey from Chicago to Seattle.