No NJ Transit trains?
Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
21–30 of 316 posts
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#22Looking at the speed of the trains is a bit depressing. USA had so much potential to built the best high-speed railway network...
Most of the states are too big to be economical. I think the biggest disappointment with US rail is that it doesn't get enough trucks off the highway. There should be no reason for trucks to venture more than a couple hundred miles from the nearest rail terminal. Not only is it wasteful, but it's more dangerous having trucks driving across the entire country.
Even in the densest areas of the country (NYC metro area), it's abysmal by developed world.
I got caught in probably the 2nd worst traffic driving to/from my parents (70mi away) this weekend I've had in 20 years. And yet it was still about 30min faster, each way, than if I took Metro North.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#23Looking at the speed of the trains is a bit depressing. USA had so much potential to built the best high-speed railway network...
Speed would be nice, but speed is not the problem. If the trains just ran on time, 50mph would be just fine. The problem with Amtrak is frequent multiple-hour delays that stack up. The schedule is totally unpredictable.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#24No NJ Transit trains?
I'm currently on the wait-list for the API. Took me 2 days to even figure out how to register.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#25Very cool. Why are NJ Transit trains unreported?
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#26Looking at the speed of the trains is a bit depressing. USA had so much potential to built the best high-speed railway network...
Speed would be nice, but speed is not the problem. If the trains just ran on time, 50mph would be just fine. The problem with Amtrak is frequent multiple-hour delays that stack up. The schedule is totally unpredictable.
High-speed rail typically excels when it can get you somewhere in a few hours because you wouldn't want to hop on a plane for that. At 50 mph, that gets you…basically nowhere. If you're doing 200 then you can cross most states in that time.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#27Wow, I don't know why I thought there would be... Way, way more trains active at a given time.
I suppose I overestimated passenger rail popularity in this country.. I knew it wasn't relatively huge, but there's several hundred miles in some cases between trains.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#28This is so cool! I just happen to post my own project about train maps in HN like an hour ago! Coincidence...??? I think not!
Because I was curious (and others may be as well): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38434010
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#29I didn't know there was a trans-Canadian railroad. Did anyone try it?
I took it around 5-6 years ago when I was moving to Vancouver from the east coast. It was a great way to see the country and meet some other travellers - such a strange travel option attracts some interesting folks!
The highlight though is the Jasper-Vancouver leg going through the Rockies - if you don’t have 3 days to burn that’s a good choice. Rocky Mountaineer line goes through there as well iirc.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#30Wow, I don't know why I thought there would be... Way, way more trains active at a given time. I suppose I overestimated passenger rail popularity in this country.. I knew it wasn't relatively huge, but there's several hundred miles in some cases between trains.
The passenger rail coverage [edit: service] in most of North America is basically pathetic, for systemic reasons.