oh get this, over here (west coast), freight trains have priority over passenger trains! So passenger trains can be very late, waiting on a side track for the 2 mile long freight trains to go by!
oh get this, over here (west coast), freight trains have priority over passenger trains! So passenger trains can be very late, waiting on a side track for the 2 mile long freight trains to go by!
Unfortunately here in the US (unlike Europe) we either never built or tore up most of our rail lines..... so you can't get to out of the way places at all for the most place and even for the bigger cities it is inconvenient. Granted our cities and towns are waaaay more spread out than most European ones are, and that make it inherently more difficult to provide effective service, but we certainly could be better.
I've looked at taking the train down to California or out to Las Vegas before and it would take several days... sometimes it would be faster to just drive because of the odd hours that the trains run, the limited routes and the infrequency of the connections. For some things it still is nice. I've take the train from Seattle to Portland before and it still is (or at least was... can't imagine with the price of gas that it still isn't) cheaper and nicer than driving.
I will comment here since....have been in a carless/car-free household last quarter century and more. :)
One doesn't realize how huge Canada (and the U.S.) are until looking into rail and bus travel, limited options. VIA train lines for passengers are incredibly limited now. The greatest frequency of trains on a regular basis is the line in Southern Ontario and Quebec, between Windsor Ontario and Montreal.
Of course there are even more limited options for bike transport by train in Canada and U.S., ...ie. not every train time line. Due to limited vacation time, I have taken the train with bike several times between Toronto and Kingston; Toronto and Montreal; and Toronto andTuro, Nova Scotia. But I have also biked without train/sag wagon, from Toronto to Cornwall Ontario. It is strange that a Canadian passenger rail line, doesn't even run through Canada's capital city, Ottawa.
My partner has made use of the Amtrak train with his bike, I believe in the Chicago area, also somewhere from middle of the Southwest U.S. to Sacremento.
I looked into the Amtrak options between Vancouver, BC and Portland. Too long.
It is very true that freight trains take precedence in scheduling..since that's where the rail companies make serious money. When my partner was a contracts manager for an oil firm, part of his job included negotiating huge dollar deals and bulk raw materials purchase/transport (in metric tonnes) to be transported by rail, ship worldwide. The freight lines in North America, are run efficiently...those in supply chain management and raw materials transportation know this.
A subject of ongoing debate in Metro Vancouver area...is the need to extend the Skytrain(aboveground commuter train) to the suburbs where the population base has exploded in the past few years.
At least some of them are turning into bike paths :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Eden
www.railtrails.org
Psst!Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
The train does go to Ottawa from both Montreal and Brockville... You can check out the Google map on Via's web site: http://www.viarail.ca/trains/en_trai_tous.html
It is not quite part of the Quebec-Windsor corridor because Ottawa is a pretty significant detour North...
I tried going to Portland by train recently. The schedules for Vancouver-Seattle and Seattle-Portland don't match and you either have to overnight in Seattle or take a but to Seattle (organized by Amtrak) and then the train to Portland. Not a very interesting option unfortunately :( But it's also a long drive...
Indeed - if we hadn't torn up most of our light and heavy rail around here we would not have the Interurban trails, both in the north and south parts of the sound or the Burke Gilman trail, or the John Wayne Pioneer trail that goes nearly all of the way across the state and into Idaho or the new gravel trail over in the east Sammamish area, or even be discussing another trail that would go from Renton to Snohomish to meet up with the Centennial trail...... I could go on... we do have a lot of rail trails around here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
Of course if we'd kept it, we might not be waiting for and spending multiple, multiple millions our current light rail project.... Personally I like the proposed idea that there is room for both! The right of way on the east side could be used for new light rail to link Renton-Bellevue-Everett and still have space for a bike trail that runs parallel
Well, I tell you--as late as Amtrak always is, you should get to Albany the day before and you'll probably have only a couple hours layover for the next day's train! :p:p:pQuote:
Originally Posted by Jolt
Karen
You're right Grog...and I only know the Windsor-Montreal corridor rail line stops. Not the other to Ottawa.
yea, the European rail system is quite impressive.
What does bemuse me is the number of people I know personally who want to avoid the subway, light rapid rail local train, etc. But could help themselves since they are living on a tight budget.
One thing for certain public transit, buses and trains does expose you directly to a broader set of society...face to face/ body odour to body odour. :o