this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2024
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[–] TheBest@midwest.social 104 points 1 month ago (2 children)

"India is on the cusp of electrifying 100 percent of its rail lines, while China is nearing three-quarters of its network. Over 57 percent of the rail system in the European Union is electric. The US, which has historically prioritized personal cars over high-volume passenger trains, now can boast that it has two electric trains — and more on the way. "

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 35 points 1 month ago (9 children)

They must not be counting light rail which is electric.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_rail_in_the_United_States

"The United States, with its 27 systems (as counted by the Light Rail Transit Association), has a much larger number of "true" light rail systems (not including streetcar systems), by far, compared to any other country in the world (the next largest are Germany with 10 and Japan with 9).[1]

According to the American Public Transportation Association, of the roughly 30 cities with light rail systems in the United States, the light rail systems in six of them (Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), San Diego, and San Francisco) achieve more than 30 million unlinked passenger transits per year.[2]"

The problem with light rail here is excessive heat makes the overhead wire expand and when that happens, it sags causing the trains to have to slow down. :(

In the winter, the problem is snow and ice blocking the lines and the switches.

[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (4 children)

In Portland, the biggest problem light rail has are assholes parking on the tracks.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Or driving in front of the train!

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 11 points 4 weeks ago

Just hit the damn car. You're a god damned TRAIN!!! CHOO CHOO MOTHERFUCKER!!!

It's like Paul Heyman told Taz. "If anybody gets in your way, get em' outta your way!"

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago

Sounds like the trains need a cow catcher to help clear the tracks.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 2 points 4 weeks ago

Haha cowcatcher goes brrrrrrrrrrrr

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[–] Beaver@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Canada isn’t even on the podium :P

[–] LordPassionFruit@lemm.ee 2 points 1 month ago

Maybe we should reanimate John MacDonald. Not to be a politician or give him any legitimate power (for obvious reasons), just give him a bat and make him a CN lobbyist.

Surely we'd get our rail soon.

[–] SSJMarx@lemm.ee 48 points 4 weeks ago

electric trains are an over one hundred year old technology.

lol. lmao, even.

[–] RangerJosie@sffa.community 38 points 1 month ago (2 children)

No. We're not even on board with trains as a concept outside of the context of heavy freight shipping. The people are. But big oil spends a lot of bribe money to make sure you can't easily ride a train across the country.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I wouldn’t doubt Big Airline spends as well.

[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 month ago

Big freight train spends a lot on bribing too, to avoid needing to spend even more from being required to improve their services.

[–] Coldgoron@lemmy.world 35 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

I fucking wish. We’re 50 damn years from common sense.

[–] cmbabul@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago

You optimist!

[–] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 33 points 1 month ago (15 children)

I wish. The US is endlessly far behind on public transportation.

Talking to my own family members around the US, they only have eyes for their enormous gas guzzler pickup trucks that they use to run to the grocery store down the street.

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[–] ProxyZeus@lemmy.world 33 points 1 month ago (7 children)

I can't wait for the US to finally have decent public transport, I hate having to drive for everything

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 10 points 1 month ago

I live in a big city with public transport. It's great.

[–] undefined@links.hackliberty.org 7 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I’m always conflicted because I happen to have an LA Metro train close to me, but riding it is always scary because there are violent people, tweakers, creeps everywhere.

When I was in Mexico City recently the trains there weren’t as pretty and they were packed with people, but I didn’t see people tweaking out left and right (or at all). I actually very much enjoyed using their transit system.

Yeah, LA transit sucks, but it can be better. I wish I lived close to a line in my area (SLC), because every time I end up riding it, I enjoy it.

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[–] coffee_with_cream@sh.itjust.works 17 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Now that the US doesn't rely on auto manufacturing as its main industry, people are coming around on trains.

But, what's that rule about headlines ending in a question mark? 🤔

[–] dogslayeggs@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago (3 children)

No. The answer is always No.

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The propaganda does not land, wake me up when we have a semblance of decent rail.

[–] dogslayeggs@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

I hope your name is Rumplestiltskin, because it gonna be awhile.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

Today on Nightline, is Janice from makeup going to respond favorably to my persistent battery of raunchy pickup lines?

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

We actually have more light rail systems than any other country in the world. Those are all electric, but yeah heavy rail is all diesel still.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 month ago
[–] Stovetop@lemmy.world 15 points 1 month ago

If an article title is posed as a question, the answer is always no.

[–] crystalmerchant@lemmy.world 11 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

I don't understand this article. It talks as if these trains in California are the US' first electric trains.

Our light rail here in Portland OR is electric.

[–] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 4 weeks ago

And it's better implemented than LA's. Our system has stations in the middle of barren areas in many places. NIMBYism is a cancer in California.

[–] Liz@midwest.social 6 points 4 weeks ago

There's only one solution for the US. The world's fastest bullet train network. Anything less will not do.

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