High Speed Rail, which one????

Hi All,

Well, it seems that the subject of High Speed Rail (HSR) has been 'out there' for a while and is starting to make ground - to somewhere, heaven only knows.

HSR or Bullet Trains are quite successful in various parts of the world in various forms. There is the steel-wheels-on-steel-rails (SWOSR) version, there is the Maglev version and in some cases 120mph is being called HSR.

A lot of hoopla is being thrown around in all cases. Specifically the states of California and Florida are really fledging around with the idea of HSR.

There are also some that say that HSR is more expensive than SWOSR and others that claim quite the opposite. Each situation has it's own factors but can we at least talk common ground based on the right-of-way (ROW) already beig owned by the person/agency/organization that wants to plan a HSR operation?

I have always preferred the Maglev approach based on what I see in the Southern California area. Basically train vs. pedistrian or vs. vehicle is very common, way too common for my liking. So, guess what could reduce or eliminate such activity, getting the ROW spearated from vehicle/pedistrian traffic. Why not?

There is even one forward thinking well established businessman in the San Diego area which has proposed a Maglev between the San Diego Airport and the Los Angeles Airport. The plan has fallen on deaf ears although it sure has it's merits.

So, as a country, where should we go? What should be the goal? What technology should we use?

If you happen to have some real facts on this subject, feel free to email us at: ltt {AT] letstalktrains.us. We are interested.

In the meantime, if you are reading this before the August 2, 2009 LTT show, consider joining in on the conversation. Also, if you are not already a part of our eList, just click on Free Subscription and get the weekly updates on the show content.

In the meantime, be sure to have fun 'out there' and above all, be safe!

EngineerRichard
Lets Talk Trains

Metrolink / Gloendale - It Is Finally Over

Hello all,

Well after 3 1/2 hours of deliberation in the sentencing phase of the trial, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison without the possibiliry of parole. That comes from the guilty verdicts for 11 murders and the guilty verdict for special circumstances.

As you may guess from my ongoing editorial comments, I am disappointed. Murder 11 people, send over 180 to the hospital and you can stil live yourself. Bit of a stretch in my book.

Another issue on this subject came up last week. Seems Metrolink contracts to the Los Angeles County Sherrif (LASO) for providing secutity along the right-of-way. Guess who thinks the LASO is responsible for not doing its' job. Yea, Metrolink filed suit against the LASO for not carrying out its' duties.

Now since we are going nutts with lawsuites, and since LASO lost one of its' own, Why doesn't LASO sue Metrolink for operating in Push Mode with a less sturdy and safe vehicle at the point. Oh yea, no cow-catcher to help out passengers either, much less the engineer / hogger.

My only hope is that someone, somewhere will learn from this so that it is NOT repeated ever again.

As irony would have it, the episode of Law and Order depecting this tragedy rotated through TNT TV last week. Once in the evening and once the next day. The original airing of this episode was just about 6 months after the incident so most of what is in the episode is only based on the initial happening.

I want to let the families of those involved by this disaster know that every contact I have had as host of the Lets Talk Trains show is truly supportive of you and wishes you well. I realize that like me, you may be dissappointed in the final outcome and I do not know how to identify with that. I can only imagine what you must be feeling. If there is anything the show or myself can do to help out, please feel free to let us know. You are in the prayers of myself and the listeners. Go in peace.

There you have it. I had to wait a couple of hours before posting this after I read the Los Angeles Times article that is being passed around to be better calmed to write this blog. Tomorrow is another day.

Onward and Upward. All Aboard!!

EngineerRichard

We start yet aother year!

Hello All,

Thanks for checking out the long lost blog for Lets Talk Trains.

Well, 6 years ago C.J. and I started what we thought would be a lot of fun and lo and behold, here we are. C.J. is 'out there' somewhere playing engineer for Amtrak and I am still hosting the show every week. Amazing how things work out.

We have seen a few co-hosts come and go and I appreciate every one that has tried to wing it! It is not easy for sure but some poeple have tried it and done pretty good. Of course there is always the listenership. Speaking of listenership, it has been a steady climb for all this time.

Some things we have accomplished over the years are:
Multiple websites / changes
Adding MP3 to the available listening modes
Adding an automated eMail list
Adding an online Chat room during show hours Thanks for Nathan!
Adding this Blog (now I need to post to it!)
Adding a (sometimes) Survey page
Having the show be International (Belfast Tom, Tim Fischer, host of The Great Train show in Australia, and others in Europe
Having guests of significant RR organizations (FRA, UP, BNSF, AAR, FRA and more)
Continuing to include RR museums and operations

With over 5,000 listeners a month checking in to listen to the show, I could not be more pleased.

I also want to acknowledge the 'regulars': Conductor Larry, Monon George, The Amazing Chris Guenzler, The Official Caller Ken, Alene (LTT MP Detecter), and the crew at World Talk Radiio (Joe, Anthony, Paul, Ruben and more). If I forgot anyone special it is not my fault, it is my aging mind which seems to be lost at times.

One of the most important achievements on the plate is to make the show totally portable. That is have the ability to take the show on the road with all of the capabilities of being in the studio. Having phone lines is one of the biggest hurdles in doing this. Getting the show streamed from a remote site is relativly easy but does need significant hardware to make it happen. Although one survey indicated that a video feed was not that big of a deal, I do want to have that ability in addition to the audio feed.

The other 'biggie' is to set up an RSS Feed / PodCast for the show. Right now we are making MP3's available in the archives and they are slowly increasing in numbers compared to the Windows Media files. The big hurdle here is how to add this and not add a significant workload to the overall scheme of things.

For those of you who are wondering what it takes to make a show happen, it takes mainly a lot of patience. Getting folks lined up and agree to a show date can be lots of fun! it is about 60 hours a month to put the show together, do the show, process and post the show. There are also monitary implications to having the show come off somewhat smoothly. Between the nice new eList and file storage (with a reliable International server) actual costs are running just shy of $200/month. The more we can do without incurring costs or added labor the better.

In the meantime, this whole effort has been a bag of fun and it is all due to the listenership to which I am greatful. Whodathunk 6 years ago we would be this far down the rails so to speak? I know I did not.

So, Thanks to one and all for sticking around and helping to make the show a huge success. I do appreciate it and look forward to at least 6 more years.

I also am making a commitment to posting a blog at least twice montth so be sure to check back now and then.

Thanks! Enjoy yourself 'out there' and be sure to stay safe!

EngineerRichard