Nostr notes by Taras Grescoe 🚇

...and meditative travel experiences I've ever had. And guess ...

2026-10-30T20:16:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…ttvc
_________________________

...and meditative travel experiences I've ever had.

And guess what? Over great meals, and drinks in the Park Car, I had unhurried conversations with fellow passengers—none of them distracted by texts or calls.

The full story in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/trans-continental-time-travel/

Would you give up Wi-Fi and cellphones for four days of this? I ...

2026-10-30T20:14:44Z

Would you give up Wi-Fi and cellphones for four days of this?

I rode Via Rail's The Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto, a 4,406-kilometre odyssey over Rockies, prairies, and muskeg.

For most of the ride, we were off the grid, in 70-year-old railcars.

It was one of the most peaceful... 🧵

I took a ride on Via Rail's Canadian! I travelled 4,406 ...

2026-10-30T17:23:07Z

I took a ride on Via Rail's Canadian!

I travelled 4,406 kilometers in 3 days, 19 hours. And it was wonderful...

This year, I'm riding the rails across Canada, from Halifax, NS, to Carcross, YT.

The full story in this week’s HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/trans-continental-time-travel/

It's spooky discount time! 🚇🎃 Until Nov. 5, my ...

2026-10-30T14:17:46Z

It's spooky discount time! 🚇🎃

Until Nov. 5, my round-the-world public transport travelogue STRAPHANGER is on sale at Kobo and Amazon (Canada, UK, Australia) for just 99 cents/pence.

https://www.amazon.ca/Straphanger-Saving-Cities-Ourselves-Automobile/dp/B0HMFBXBWN/

You can read about my latest rail adventure—from Jasper, AB to ...

2026-10-30T13:05:31Z

You can read about my latest rail adventure—from Jasper, AB to Prince Rupert, BC—the old-fashioned way: in a glossy magazine!

RIDING THE RUPERT ROCKET is in the Nov/Dec issue of Canadian Geographic. Love the photography by my travel companion Guillaume Nolet!

Thoughts and hopes for those affected by the high-speed rail ...

2026-10-28T14:30:15Z

Thoughts and hopes for those affected by the high-speed rail tragedy in #Spain.

Such crashes are rare—passenger rail is an incredibly safe form of transport—but that doesn't diminish how traumatising they are when they do occur.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/28/spain-train-crash-toledo-europe-latest-news-updates

It made a LOT of stops along the way. Definitely not an express ...

2026-10-27T14:11:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…2pp5
_________________________

It made a LOT of stops along the way. Definitely not an express service.

On this day, Oct. 27, in 1856, a wood-fed locomotive with a huge ...

2026-10-27T14:09:47Z

On this day, Oct. 27, in 1856, a wood-fed locomotive with a huge sparkcatcher hauled 7 yellow passenger coaches at 50 km/h between Montreal and Toronto. It made 64 stops along the way.

Five months later, sleeping cars were introduced.

The Grand Trunk was Canada’s first mainline railway.

This is one of the most spectacular train rides in North America. ...

2026-10-26T13:28:54Z

This is one of the most spectacular train rides in North America.

I was one of the only passengers on the last train of the year out of Carcross on the White Pass & #Yukon Route.

Why does this isolated route exist (and continue to thrive)?

Full story here -> https://www.highspeed.blog/last-train-out-of-carcross/

There’s a station in Whitehorse, but only standard gauge tracks ...

2026-10-24T03:23:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…ayl8
_________________________

There’s a station in Whitehorse, but only standard gauge tracks are left (for the old municipal tramway). Fraser was the last stop on my northbound trip (the Carcross service stopped the day before). We de-trained and Customs officials boarded the bus that took us the rest of the way to Whitehorse.

Here's the last southbound train of the season, rolling into ...

2026-10-23T17:16:52Z

Here's the last southbound train of the season, rolling into Carcross, #Yukon. Just six of us got on. A mother grizzly was wandering the village, so the stationmaster lent me bear spray.

This week’s High Speed dispatch, on riding the White Pass & Yukon:

https://www.highspeed.blog/last-train-out-of-carcross/

Cities should think twice about letting tech companies test ...

2026-10-22T13:17:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…hj8z
_________________________

Cities should think twice about letting tech companies test driverless cars on their streets. And commentators need to stop treating the arrival as inevitable.

Since I wrote this post earlier this year, the troubling incidents have continued to accumulate:

https://www.highspeed.blog/waymo-trouble/

Waymo is planning to deploy 20,000 robotaxis in cities by 2027. ...

2026-10-22T13:17:02Z

Waymo is planning to deploy 20,000 robotaxis in cities by 2027. Including Tokyo, London, Madrid, + Toronto.

In the US, Waymos have caused city-wide gridlock, been involved in 3 fatalities, blocked streetcars, buses, + secret service motorcades (+ killed at least one bodega cat).

That's not all 👇 🧵

https://gizmodo.com/waymo-reportedly-plans-to-put-20000-robotaxis-on-the-road-by-the-end-of-2027-2000828211

If you're a Canadian citizen, you can help out by signing the ...

2026-10-21T17:52:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…tqkt
_________________________

If you're a Canadian citizen, you can help out by signing the petition to restore regular passenger service (in the form of "The Bear Train") on the old Algoma Central line here:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7001

You can still ride the railway in Stompin’ Tom Connors’ ...

2026-10-21T17:51:42Z

You can still ride the railway in Stompin’ Tom Connors’ classic song Algoma Central 69!

I took the Agawa Canyon Tour Train north out of the Soo (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario), and man, was it a gorgeous ride.

🧵

Full story here: https://www.highspeed.blog/an-autumn-ride-on-the-algoma-central-railway/

Make way for the new "Mayor Pete," Hizzoner Pete Fry. ...

2026-10-20T19:07:44Z

Make way for the new "Mayor Pete," Hizzoner Pete Fry.

#Vancouver 's new mayor is the first in any major Canadian city to belong to the Green Party.

He might also be the first mayor to come out of the punk rock scene...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pete-fry-ken-sim-vancouver-mayoral-election-analysis-9.7385707

GOLDEN AGE OF RAIL! That's how Sean Duffy is spinning Dept. ...

2026-10-20T15:26:14Z

GOLDEN AGE OF RAIL!

That's how Sean Duffy is spinning Dept. of Transportation's investment in railroads.

Guess how much they're spending?

$2.3 billion.

These days, that might get you 2 miles of urban rail. Of course, almost all of the $ are going to basic upkeep of long-neglected infrastructure.

Pathetic.

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/golden-age-rail-trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-invests-over-23-billion

Thanks, Pete! Glad you liked it. (You may well be my first ...

2026-10-18T18:17:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…tegg
_________________________

Thanks, Pete! Glad you liked it. (You may well be my first customer on Kobo.)

Waymo is threatening to bring its “magic” to the streets of ...

2026-10-16T20:52:35Z

Waymo is threatening to bring its “magic” to the streets of #Canada ‘s cities.

Some #Toronto commentators are spinning its arrival as inevitable—and a net gain for the city.

I believe driverless robo-taxis are the opposite: a slow-motion disaster.

I explain why … 🧵

…in this HIGH SPEED dispatch. (RIP Kit Kat of SF) ...

2026-10-16T20:52:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…0w35
_________________________

…in this HIGH SPEED dispatch. (RIP Kit Kat of SF)

www.highspeed.blog/waymo-trouble/

The only way into the canyon is by rail, and the train runs just ...

2026-10-16T17:14:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…uflj
_________________________

The only way into the canyon is by rail, and the train runs just a few months a year. Photos, videos and first impressions from the ride, made possible by new High Speed subscribers (thank you!):

https://www.highspeed.blog/an-autumn-ride-on-the-algoma-central-railway/

A century ago, Group of Seven artists bunked in a railcar on ...

2026-10-16T17:13:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…7ej4
_________________________

A century ago, Group of Seven artists bunked in a railcar on Algoma Central sidings and painted this country. The landscapes they painted here still shape what we think “Canadian wilderness” looks like.

I'm just back from riding the Agawa Canyon Tour Train: 183 km ...

2026-10-16T17:13:13Z

I'm just back from riding the Agawa Canyon Tour Train: 183 km north from Sault Ste. Marie on the old Algoma Central line, into one of the most magical places in Canada.

Peak leaf-peeping season, with the maples blazing red and the birches a blinding yellow. 🚂🧵

(After the celebration: let’s talk about replacing the 1960s ...

2026-10-15T16:43:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…xkxr
_________________________

(After the celebration: let’s talk about replacing the 1960s rolling stock, and doing much-deferred maintenance on many, many stations.)

Bonne fête, #Montreal métro! You’re wearing your 60 years ...

2026-10-15T16:36:43Z

Bonne fête, #Montreal métro! You’re wearing your 60 years well. (I was out of town yesterday, but I’ll be riding the yellow and orange lines today.)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/stm-montreal-metro-9.7379506

To celebrate Godzilla Day (Nov. 3), Tokyo Metro has announced ...

2026-10-09T18:45:46Z

To celebrate Godzilla Day (Nov. 3), Tokyo Metro has announced it's making "Godzilla's Theme," from the 1954 movie, the official jingle of Hibiya Station.

(Stations have their own distinctive songs, played on the platform when trains depart.)

https://soranews24.com/2026/10/08/tokyo-train-station-will-play-godzilla-theme-song-as-new-departure-melody/

Démanteler le Canada, en encourageant l’Alberta et le Québec ...

2026-10-09T14:32:58Z

Démanteler le Canada, en encourageant l’Alberta et le Québec à faire sécession, c’est exactement ce que veulent les pires personnages qui soient : Trump et Musk.

Une vieille stratégie : diviser pour régner.

Pas question de jouer leur maudit jeu.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/elon-musk-loves-canadian-separatism-he-could-help-further-unite-our-country/article_684a96a8-7f37-401f-962b-3b63449c4bc7.html

All true, but none of these are actual LGVs.

2026-10-08T18:55:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…mp79
_________________________

All true, but none of these are actual LGVs.

Will their cynical strategy work? What does this mean if you live ...

2026-10-08T18:13:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…efnm
_________________________

Will their cynical strategy work? What does this mean if you live in #Quebec? I take a look in the latest HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/what-does-quebecs-new-government-have-against-trains/

So why is the PQ against it? Because it comes from #Ottawa. PSPP ...

2026-10-08T18:11:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…9yy8
_________________________

So why is the PQ against it? Because it comes from #Ottawa. PSPP wants the federal billions sent to Quebec with no strings attached. And with sovereignty stuck around 30%, they need to pick a fight to stir up support for a referendum to break up confederation.

Alto is popular: roughly two-thirds of Canadians support it, ...

2026-10-08T18:10:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…trz3
_________________________

Alto is popular: roughly two-thirds of Canadians support it, including 58% of Conservative voters and 65% of Quebecers. (More than support the PQ.) It would take a big bite out of the up to 94 short-haul flights a day in the Corridor, significantly reducing emissions.

Alto would be North America's first LGV: a dedicated ...

2026-10-08T18:09:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…xtef
_________________________

Alto would be North America's first LGV: a dedicated high-speed line, rather than trains contending with freight traffic on CN + CP tracks.

Trains going 300 km/h, up to 72 a day, linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.

Something to be proud of.

#Quebec’s incoming Parti Québécois government says it will ...

2026-10-08T18:08:24Z

#Quebec’s incoming Parti Québécois government says it will fight Alto, North America’s first true high-speed rail line.

Yes, the province with the most to gain from the all-electric train wants to stop this project dead in its tracks.

What's behind their stance? 🧵

If you want to live in a congested and irrelevant city 10 years ...

2026-10-06T14:41:40Z

If you want to live in a congested and irrelevant city 10 years from now—keep on building freeways to the suburbs.

If you want to live in a prosperous and livable city 10 years from now—invest in the best transit you can today.

#Quebec's new minority government: We want more highways, not ...

2026-10-06T14:09:18Z

#Quebec's new minority government: We want more highways, not green electric trains.

"PQ says it would block Quebec component of proposed Alto high-speed rail system.

"The dollars Ottawa has earmarked for train should instead be given to Quebec with no strings attached, to be used on roads..."

https://montrealgazette.com/quebec-elections/pq-st-pierre-plamondon-quebec-election-promises/

Run it, and we will ride. Amtrak's Borealis, running daily ...

2026-10-06T13:23:12Z

Run it, and we will ride.

Amtrak's Borealis, running daily between St. Paul and #Chicago, has become so popular they have to make the trains longer: a fourth passenger car will be added to trains starting this week.

https://www.startribune.com/borealis-train-hits-ridership-milestone-here-is-how-amtrak-is-responding/601895364

The PQ won’t build anything, except more highways. They will ...

2026-10-05T17:07:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…0xu6
_________________________

The PQ won’t build anything, except more highways. They will also spend hundreds of millions on a referendum, which less than 30 percent of Quebecers want. If you really care about social justice and the environment, vote Québec Solidaire or Parti Vert.

Still ahead: the Tshiuetin to Schefferville, Via Rail's train ...

2026-10-05T14:57:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…g074
_________________________

Still ahead: the Tshiuetin to Schefferville, Via Rail's train from Winnipeg to Churchill, the Algoma Central out of Sault Ste. Marie, and more.

But my book advance barely covers two months of living expenses. And this is an awfully big country…

So here's my ask: if 100 readers become paid subscribers to my newsletter, High Speed, I figure I can get to the end of steel.

Details here 👇

https://www.highspeed.blog/i-need-your-help-to-get-to-the-end-of-steel/

Why do it? I'm writing a book for House of Anansi, ...

2026-10-05T14:56:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…4hpg
_________________________

Why do it? I'm writing a book for House of Anansi, tentatively subtitled "Twelve Trains that Explain Canada."

The more I ride, the more I see how railways shaped this country: its frontiers, its art, its character, and lately, the survival of remote First Nations communities.

This year I pledged to ride every passenger train in Canada, from ...

2026-10-05T14:54:44Z

This year I pledged to ride every passenger train in Canada, from the White Pass & Yukon out of Carcross to The Ocean, calling at Halifax.

I'm about 60% of the way there! But the research money is about to run out.

A thread on how you can help me reach the end of steel 🧵🚆

Election day in #Quebec ! It's a weird time in #Canada. ...

2026-10-05T14:11:36Z

Election day in #Quebec !

It's a weird time in #Canada. Federal Liberals are pushing through major projects in the name of national security.

The only one that will reduce fossil fuels is the electric Alto high-speed rail

Remember: the Parti Québécois wants to kill it.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/high-speed-train-pq-toronto-quebec-city-9.7228219

Railways, by their nature, are more fuel-efficient than almost ...

2026-10-02T15:22:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…yg45
_________________________

Railways, by their nature, are more fuel-efficient than almost any other form of transport.

But North America is way behind Europe and Asia in what really works: electrification.

More on what really works in the latest HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/when-the-railway-isnt-the-green-way/

The side of this Via Rail locomotive says "Un choix ...

2026-10-02T15:20:20Z

The side of this Via Rail locomotive says "Un choix vert": the green choice.

On the Montreal–Toronto run, it is: 55 kg of CO₂ per passenger by train, vs. 186 by plane.

But ride The Canadian to Vancouver and you emit 1.6× more than if you'd flown.

Here's why 👇

https://www.highspeed.blog/when-the-railway-isnt-the-green-way/

Danielle Smith, the premier of #Alberta, has gotten support from ...

2026-10-01T13:23:09Z

Danielle Smith, the premier of #Alberta, has gotten support from #Canada 's federal government for a #Calgary - #Edmonton high-speed railway.

In fact, she seems to be a real-life railfan.

With her husband, she ran a restaurant in a retired railcar in High River.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/danielle-smith-restaurant-selling-1.6877048

Found this quote in Donald MacKay's authoritative The ...

2026-09-30T20:20:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…uf52
_________________________

Found this quote in Donald MacKay's authoritative The People's Railway: A History of Canadian National.

(MacKay wrote it in the past tense—I've shifted it to the present, because it's as true of the 1990s as it is today.)

"Compared with cars, railways are relatively non-polluting. ...

2026-09-30T20:18:19Z

"Compared with cars, railways are relatively non-polluting. They are safer, for there are years when highways claim thousands of lives, and there are no fatalities on railways at all. They are efficient users of land, and demonstrably the most efficient movers of masses of people."

🧵

THIS JUST IN: At this rate, #Alberta might get high-speed rail ...

2026-09-30T13:09:04Z

THIS JUST IN: At this rate, #Alberta might get high-speed rail before central Canada!

Mark Carney announces his government is adding a rail link between Edmonton and Calgary to his list of Major Projects to be fast-tracked (so to speak).

https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/high-speed/ottawa-and-alberta-announce-collaboration-on-calgary-edmonton-high-speed-plan/

We're definitely overdue for a revival! I chase down ...

2026-09-28T13:13:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…keds
_________________________

We're definitely overdue for a revival!

I chase down #Alberta's passenger rail ghosts in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/the-twilight-zones-of-passenger-rail/

...including the Via Rail station at the foot of the Calgary ...

2026-09-28T13:12:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…l25f
_________________________

...including the Via Rail station at the foot of the Calgary Tower.

Until 1985, the two cities were linked by Via Rail's Dayliner ...

2026-09-28T13:11:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…jx7k
_________________________

Until 1985, the two cities were linked by Via Rail's Dayliner RDC, which could do the run in 3 hours.

In 1990, Brian Mulroney killed off VIA Rail service to #Calgary.

But the stations are still there...

#Alberta used to be a great place to take a train! The ...

2026-09-28T13:10:33Z

#Alberta used to be a great place to take a train!

The country's fastest steam locomotive, CPR's Jubilee, topped out at 112.5 mph. That's 181 km/h—still faster than any train in #Canada in 2026.

Jubilee locomotives were used on the Chinook route, to link #Edmonton and #Calgary.

🧵

#Alberta genuinely needs passenger rail—most urgently to link ...

2026-09-23T13:33:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…gsmz
_________________________

#Alberta genuinely needs passenger rail—most urgently to link Edmonton and Calgary.

But most of the schemes that make headlines are about enriching entrepreneurs.

When what is really needed is affordable, efficient, and sustainable transportation for Albertans.

"When the Guardian sent a reporter on the bus on a June ...

2026-09-23T13:32:52Z

"When the Guardian sent a reporter on the bus on a June morning, it was stationary for 40 out of 108 minutes it took to reach Oxford Circus."

Transit in #London should be getting more efficient. Instead, automobile traffic, + lack of priority, is slowing everyone down.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2026/sep/23/london-buses-in-terminal-decline-why-public-transport-in-global-cities-is-slowing-to-a-crawl-visualised

Could passenger trains come back to #Alberta? Proposal for a ...

2026-09-22T14:29:52Z

Could passenger trains come back to #Alberta?

Proposal for a train from the Calgary airport to #Banff.

I like the sound of a "Grand Central Station" on #Calgary's 9th Ave. S.E.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-passenger-rail-backers-file-calgary-to-banff-proposal-with-alberta/

The view out my window right now. Happily sidelined in the heart ...

2026-09-16T01:37:50Z

The view out my window right now. Happily sidelined in the heart of Canadian railway history in Field, British Columbia. (That’s Mount Stephen in the background.) #trains #railway

Railway corridor, or bike path? I was torn about the best use of ...

2026-09-09T17:27:47Z

Railway corridor, or bike path?

I was torn about the best use of this old Canadian Pacific line, which I rode between Wakefield and Chelsea, in rural #Quebec.

But don't get me wrong—I love cycling these old railway lines!

The question is, can rails and trails co-exist? I take a look in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/do-we-have-to-choose-between-rails-and-trails/

Limiting speeds is a great move in a country that was already ...

2026-09-09T13:53:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…s3ps
_________________________

Limiting speeds is a great move in a country that was already knocking it out of the park when it comes to taming car traffic in cities.

How does #Japan do it? (The answer is hidden in plain sight.) I dig deeper in this HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/whats-missing-from-this-picture/

#Japan decided to do something about the 300 children and elderly ...

2026-09-09T13:16:53Z

#Japan decided to do something about the 300 children and elderly people killed on streets where the speed limit was 60 km/h (37 mph).

As of Sep. 1, 2026, speeds are cut to 30 km/h on 870,000 km of road—70 percent of the standard road network.

#backtoschool

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/02/japan-new-speed-limit-30kmh-narrow-city-streets

“We assume that car use is an incompressible liquid that must ...

2026-09-05T13:09:29Z

“We assume that car use is an incompressible liquid that must be routed somewhere. But it’s more more like a gas that fills whatever space it is given.”

—Ian Lockwood, Harvard Loeb Fellow, transport planner.

Here's the study, full of shocking stats (1.67M deaths—1 in ...

2026-08-31T19:36:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…mmsv
_________________________

Here's the study, full of shocking stats (1.67M deaths—1 in 34—a year globally now caused by motor vehicles) from Journal of Transport Geography:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692324000267

Since their invention, cars + automobility have killed 60–80 ...

2026-08-31T19:34:08Z

Since their invention, cars + automobility have killed 60–80 million people worldwide, + injured at least 2 billion.

(All deaths in WW2: 78 million)

There are now 1.6B motor vehicles in the world.

Why that's way too many:

https://www.highspeed.blog/there-are-too-many-damn-cars/

If you're on a bus in #Berlin, you're probably in the ...

2026-08-31T14:24:17Z

If you're on a bus in #Berlin, you're probably in the west. If you're on a tram, you're likely in the east.

Why?

It all goes back to the Cold War.

I ride the newest-born tram line, the M-10, to untangle a great transit metropolis's tangled history in this High Speed blog:

https://www.highspeed.blog/straphangers-in-berlin/

“Massively overpotent” being a good thing for the ...

2026-08-29T19:11:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…dnjd
_________________________

“Massively overpotent” being a good thing for the transit-users of #Berlin.

I noticed something weird about rail transit in #Berlin. I almost ...

2026-08-28T20:11:20Z

I noticed something weird about rail transit in #Berlin.

I almost always found a seat on the U- + S-Bahn. Trains often run under capacity.

As one scholar put it, the system is "massively overpotent."

My notes on being a straphanger in this transit metropolis:

https://www.highspeed.blog/straphangers-in-berlin/

"If there are trains, Americans will ride them." In ...

2026-08-28T13:01:35Z

"If there are trains, Americans will ride them."

In FY2026, 23.9 million people rode Amtrak trains, 6% more than one year ago.

Gas is expensive, commuting by car is dangerous and tedious. People love trains—when they get a chance to try them.

https://frontiergroup.org/articles/americans-want-more-trains-amtrak-sees-record-ridership/

There’s something weird about rail transit in #Berlin. I almost ...

2026-08-26T18:50:59Z

There’s something weird about rail transit in #Berlin.

I almost always found a seat on the U- and S-Bahn.

Compared to #London #Paris #NYC , trains here still run under capacity—even at rush hour.

Here are my notes on being a straphanger in this great transit metropolis:

https://www.highspeed.blog/straphangers-in-berlin/

Good point, changed to "requires"; of course, water is ...

2026-08-26T15:23:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…wwst
_________________________

Good point, changed to "requires"; of course, water is never permanently "consumed"

Apparently the issue is whether you count all the retail space in ...

2026-08-26T15:08:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…f47h
_________________________

Apparently the issue is whether you count all the retail space in the Berlin station, which is half mall, half terminus

Not talking about the water to cool servers, but the water needed ...

2026-08-26T15:06:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…g2vj
_________________________

Not talking about the water to cool servers, but the water needed to power electricity generation, which has increased massively b/c of demands of AI data centers

I've heard Ezra Klein, other commentators saying, correctly, ...

2026-08-26T14:32:05Z

I've heard Ezra Klein, other commentators saying, correctly, that data centers don't use inordinate amounts of water to cool servers.

But AI centers indirectly drive water use—the electricity they need consumes water.

How much? A shocking 3.4 *trillion* gallons of freshwater across 7 states.

https://www.latitudemedia.com/news/data-centers-hidden-water-footprint-is-linked-to-the-grid/

As I say in the newsletter, it was the largest when it was ...

2026-08-26T13:10:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…3xqd
_________________________

As I say in the newsletter, it was the largest when it was completed in 2006; it seems the Leipzig station expansion, from 2013 and 2018, made that station larger...

I walked into #Berlin ‘s Hauptbahnhof, and my jaw dropped. A ...

2026-08-25T20:39:36Z

I walked into #Berlin ‘s Hauptbahnhof, and my jaw dropped.

A lot has changed since I last spent any time riding the U-Bahn, S-Bahn and tram network.

I bought a 72-hour Berlin WelcomeCard, and here’s what I saw:

https://www.highspeed.blog/straphangers-in-berlin/

How does Waymo, and the whole idea of autonomous vehicles taking ...

2026-08-20T13:32:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…mmkx
_________________________

How does Waymo, and the whole idea of autonomous vehicles taking over the streets of our cities, stink?

Let me count the ways...

Here's my HIGH SPEED newsletter post:

https://www.highspeed.blog/waymo-trouble/

San Francisco Should Not Give Free Curb Space to Waymo -OpEd I ...

2026-08-20T13:04:20Z

San Francisco Should Not Give Free Curb Space to Waymo -OpEd

I agree.

Public street space is precious. Why should one private, for-profit company be allotted free curb space used by public transit vehicles and tax-paying citizens?

https://sf.streetsblog.org/2026/08/18/op-ed-san-francisco-should-not-give-free-curb-space-to-waymo

Love this! In Tilburg, #Holland, local residents have installed a ...

2026-08-19T14:02:41Z

Love this!

In Tilburg, #Holland, local residents have installed a hand-cranked ferry so they can get their bicycles across an historic canal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDm3itmrrgk&time_continue=3&source_ve_path=NzY3NTg&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.core77.com%2F

Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Drake have blood on their hands. The ...

2026-08-18T13:10:11Z

Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Drake have blood on their hands.

The US is so auto-dependent (and distracted) that the day a big album drops, traffic fatalities go up 15% nationwide.

Yup: drivers are fumbling to stream, rather than paying attention to the road.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/17/health/album-streaming-traffic-deaths

Ride it while you can! VIA Rail is gradually replacing the ...

2026-08-17T13:25:15Z

Ride it while you can!

VIA Rail is gradually replacing the glorious stainless-steel Budd cars it runs on The Canadian.

I rode 2,737 miles, from Vancouver to Toronto, and fell in love with the smooth-riding mid-century streamliners.

Read more in my Nat Geo feature:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/disconnect-on-this-nostalgic-canadian-train-trip

I rode VIA Rail’s Canadian 2,737 miles, from #Vancouver to ...

2026-08-14T14:09:19Z

I rode VIA Rail’s Canadian 2,737 miles, from #Vancouver to #Toronto. It was like time travel: no wi-fi, very little cell service, 1950s rolling stock, and a soothing return to the lost art of conversation with strangers.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/disconnect-on-this-nostalgic-canadian-train-trip

Can’t come soon enough! Getting to the airport in Canada’s ...

2026-08-13T22:28:39Z

Can’t come soon enough! Getting to the airport in Canada’s 2nd largest city is a time- and money-wasting slog.

This week the first trains are being tested on the REM light-metro line to #Montréal ‘s Trudeau airport. Should be in full revenue service by 2027.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/grand-montreal/2026-08-13/rem/les-essais-debutent-sur-la-branche-vers-l-aeroport-montreal-trudeau.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=threads&utm_campaign=accueil

A model—so no passengers aboard.

2026-08-12T03:42:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…dfkx
_________________________

A model—so no passengers aboard.

0 to 799 km/h in 5.3 seconds! A 2,447-pound magnetic levitation ...

2026-08-11T21:00:29Z

0 to 799 km/h in 5.3 seconds!

A 2,447-pound magnetic levitation vehicle has accelerated from rest to 497 miles per hour in only 5.3 seconds on a 0.62 miles (one kilometer) test track at Donghu Laboratory in China’s Hubei province.

https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/china-maglev-speed-record

We got a compartment for 6 for the price of 4 tickets last month

2026-08-05T18:09:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…vfvw
_________________________

We got a compartment for 6 for the price of 4 tickets last month

...Nightjet and European Sleeper, there's been a real ...

2026-08-05T15:07:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…t69c
_________________________

...Nightjet and European Sleeper, there's been a real revival.

Our family of 4 bought tickets on the Nightjet to #Berlin last month.

Here's how it went:

https://www.highspeed.blog/all-aboard-the-nightjet-to-berlin/

Now that you mention it, I remember there being no power in the ...

2026-08-05T14:56:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…rea6
_________________________

Now that you mention it, I remember there being no power in the Park Car! Do you know when the Cavalier left Toronto? And when did it stop running for good?

This is astonishing! Here's a map of all the overnight ...

2026-08-05T14:54:39Z

This is astonishing!

Here's a map of all the overnight (sleeper) trains you can now take in Europe. So many in eastern and central Europe. (Few, however, out of #France and none in #Spain, #Portugal.)

https://back-on-track.eu/night-train-map/

Before 2020, routes were disappearing. Thanks to...

🧵

Taking an overnight train means you save money on a hotel room, ...

2026-08-05T13:07:20Z

Taking an overnight train means you save money on a hotel room, and your carbon emissions are a fraction of doing the same trip by car or plane.

But are sleeper trains practical for a family of 4?

We gave the Nightjet to #Berlin a test.

The whole story here: https://www.highspeed.blog/all-aboard-the-nightjet-to-berlin/

Deutsche Bahn in the black, for the first time in 7 years; profit ...

2026-07-30T19:06:40Z

Deutsche Bahn in the black, for the first time in 7 years; profit improves by €650 million to €415 million in 2026.

Now maybe they can get to work on running their trains on time...

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-deutsche-bahn-returns-to-profit/live-78168639

THIS JUST IN: In #Canada, federal government announces almost $2B ...

2026-07-29T15:22:52Z

THIS JUST IN: In #Canada, federal government announces almost $2B for 45 new battery-diesel Via Rail passenger locomotives

The hybrid locos, first in North America, will be built by #Switzerland 's Stadler.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/via-rail-newbattery-diesel-locomotives-9.7288814

Cable cars: Not just for ski vacations. In La Paz, Medellín, and ...

2026-07-29T13:16:02Z

Cable cars: Not just for ski vacations.

In La Paz, Medellín, and a half dozen cities in #France, they're being used as robust forms of urban transit.

I gave #Paris 's C1, Europe's newest (and longest) aerial tram, a test drive, and here's what I discovered:

https://www.highspeed.blog/up-where-the-air-is-clear/

Can a cable car be a legit form of urban transit? I took a ride ...

2026-07-28T13:57:43Z

Can a cable car be a legit form of urban transit?

I took a ride on Europe's newest, and longest, aerial tramway, the C1 in #Paris, to find out.

(In the video: we're overflying both a national highway and a high-speed rail line, and heading for a métro station.)

More in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/up-where-the-air-is-clear/

I took a ride on #Paris 's Ligne C1, Europe’s newest, and ...

2026-07-27T17:36:25Z

I took a ride on #Paris 's Ligne C1, Europe’s newest, and longest, urban cable car line.

I was impressed!

I write about the downsides and (multiple) upsides of aerial tramways as public transport in this week's HIGH SPEED dispatch

#transit #france🇫🇷

https://www.highspeed.blog/up-where-the-air-is-clear/

I reveal where you can crash in retired (and beautifully ...

2026-07-15T17:20:06Z

I reveal where you can crash in retired (and beautifully renovated) railcars across #Canada in my latest Globe and Mail travel feature.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/travel/article-overnight-stay-railway-museum-smiths-falls/

"They come with heated floors, onboard digital display ...

2026-06-24T18:11:30Z

"They come with heated floors, onboard digital display screens, air conditioning and improved accessibility."

#Calgary is getting new CTrain light-rail vehicles, replacing U2 trains that date to...1980s.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-transit-trains-lrt-9.7246467

Interesting: a combined VIA Rail-Alto station for #Kingston ...

2026-06-23T13:02:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…89c3
_________________________

Interesting: a combined VIA Rail-Alto station for #Kingston Ontario is on the table.

To be clear, the actual alignment won't be announced until fall 2026.

THIS JUST IN: Transport Minister announces #Canada 's Alto ...

2026-06-22T14:24:06Z

THIS JUST IN: Transport Minister announces #Canada 's Alto High-Speed Rail route, still in planning, may now dip south to stop in Kingston, #Ontario.

Kingston region (pop. 172,000) is on the current VIA Rail line between #Montreal and #Toronto.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/alto-route-change-kingston-9.7244054kingston-9.7244054

NEW STUDY reveals innate human tendency to veer left + walk ...

2026-06-19T13:36:54Z

NEW STUDY reveals innate human tendency to veer left + walk counterclockwise, defying previous theories on handedness.

"Within mere seconds of initiating movement, an astonishing 80 percent of crowd was actively moving in a counterclockwise rotation."

https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/news/counterclockwise-bias-new-study-reveals-why-humans-veer-left-walking

"The Wilshire subway took 46 years. Future projects should ...

2026-06-17T13:24:29Z

"The Wilshire subway took 46 years. Future projects should skip decades of objections."

Los Angeles subway extension cost $900 million a mile. Pro-transit, low-NIMBY #Spain built #Madrid metro extension for $110M/mile.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-06-16/wilshire-subway-california-transit-construction-delays#:~:text=took%2046%20years.-,Future%20projects%20should%20skip%20the%20decades%20of%20objections,at%20Wilshire%20and%20Fairfax%2C%20above

Ever seen one of these on a railway bridge, and wondered why ...

2026-06-15T12:54:08Z

Ever seen one of these on a railway bridge, and wondered why there was a narrower track inside the standard gauge track?

Funny story. The "Jordan Rail" was invented in Canada, by Oswald F. Jordan. If a train derails over a river, the inner rail catches the wheel flanges, preventing a deadly plunge.

Then it's not a priority, is it? "The Martinez Ferrada ...

2026-06-12T21:11:31Z

Then it's not a priority, is it?

"The Martinez Ferrada administration intends to make improving safety on Parc Ave. a priority — just not yet."

More foot-dragging—typical of Ensemble #Montréal, who achieve nothing, slowly.

https://montrealgazette.com/news/parc-ave-overall-will-come-after-public-consultation-mayor-says/

The service was suspended in 2025, but, good news: this year, ...

2026-06-12T13:30:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…v5s8
_________________________

The service was suspended in 2025, but, good news: this year, it's back, running from June to November. #Quebec #trains

You can read more in my High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/a-ride-on-a-tortillard-from-quebec-city-to-la-malbaie/