OT Amtrak train derails, dangles over interstate in Washington

Fuck! It's all government has left me!
Once I rode the Southern Pacific, now the Amtrak. Once I had Employer self-risk healthcare, now the VA. I am please Obama at least left me with the VA though.
You have to see the bright side, even when it's hard to find.

 

uh, one of your poems would work well here barf.
Perhaps a take off of Woody Guthrie or...

 

http://komonews.com/news/local/lake...eadly-accidents-from-high-speed-train-service

fwiw, I don't really see the merit in this. Amtrak shares tracks with local transit companies (NJ Transit/Septa/etc) all the time on the east coast. But a chilling prediction nonetheless.

 

One of my Techs was caught up in that. I'm glad she left her house earlier otherwise who knows what would've happened.

 

Final destination

 

Holy crap...


The mayor of Lakewood believes it is just a matter of time before these high speed trains kill someone.
He asked the DOT presenters to do better. Mayor Don Anderson said grade separations – such as overpasses – should be included to keep trains away from cars and pedestrians.

“Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens,” Anderson said.

 

It's not that. It's the "upgrades". They should've laid new track.

 

I am not getting this either.

 

Apparently, the overpasses weren't upgraded. That's what I'm getting from that quote.

 

It sucks. Train is one of the best (and safest) forms of travel.

The vividness effect will be real for awhile, just like with any other "rare travel" accident. My thoughts go to all the people hurt or worse... I just hope people realize how -rare- this is. I'm actually taking a cross-country train trip in May. I have no fear in traveling by train (I've taken the train almost a dozen times in the last 10 years. From here to LA, Chicago, Lousiana, Texas, etc) and it's always been safe.

But, on the other notes - yes, there should be a "cap" on speed of trains. Time shouldn't be of concern with trains. It's about enjoying the scenery and experience.

 

Protect freeways! Baloney.
At these speeds and higher, vehicles riding gravity contact rails are just the wrong technology .
Need a free bore tube to just accelerate the vehicle down the tube with magnetic induction field much like a carrier catapult. Totally constrained with in the field and tube. Good for maybe 500 mph.

 

I have ridden the Amtrak from Seattle to Eugene. Great ride, much more enjoyable than a friggin airplane with the airport hassle. But! Those tracks are crap! Need to be fixed to even support 60 mph. The rails themselves are alright, the support bed is poor in many places.

 

Honestly, the train is the best way to slow the world down and take time for yourself and relax... so the notion to speed that up (which will be purely for business so that people will think to take the train for commute between say seattle and portland) is silly. I like taking my time through Montana/Dakota/Minnesota etc. Let me see these places.

 

No problem here. Just run a speed the track bed can support- a safety factor, say 15%.

 

I often book stops on my ticket for that reason...and I have family along the route to visit..breaks the trip up really well...great stagger those trips

 

Had a memorable ride from Wyoming to Portland in 93 or 94.

Memorable for two things. We got stuck for about 8 hours in the mountains because snow had covered the tracks 10 feet deep..(mini avalanche?)

And..... I was sitting with this beeee yuuuu tiful. I MEAN beautiful 250 lb blond girl. Just gorgeous face and a round body. We talked for hours and flirted and I thought about seeing if she'd sneak into the bathroom with me to fool around.

I figured we'd get stuck so I didn't try anything.