Nice project. It looks like there are a couple of map layers? Because if you look at Truckee, California (near Reno), it looks like you have two text blocks trying to both show Truckee.
Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
191–200 of 316 posts
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#192Earlier quoted context omitted.
High speed rail between San Francisco and Los Angeles isn't economically viable. California HSR will cost at least $30 billion to construct and California's own estimates claim it will cost $700-$874 million per year to operate.[1] Around four million passengers fly between SF and LA every year. Assuming every single one of them takes the train instead of flying, you're looking at $175-$218 per ticket just to pay for…
To make this a fair comparison you need to look at the average price per ticket, not the “starting at” price, and include the government subsidies of airports/security/atc/ etc that enable this system. I would also add in a cost for carbon. I realize that’s more controversial but it seems like we will have to pay to remove co2 at some point. I don’t know what the numbers look like when you do that. Regardless, I do a…
Also that Shinkansen trip was about $250 and worth every penny. Didn’t even need rideshare or taxi.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#193Really cool idea. Would be neat to also be able to click railways as well. I think openrailwaymap provides some cool details like owner, max speed, electrification.
I also noticed the map makes it look like the trains are travelling slightly south of the track. It seems to converge once you zoom in though, so I think the data is probably accurate, but somehow the map is distorting things.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#194Earlier quoted context omitted.
Assuming this is all true, what then makes the Japanese Shinkansen economically viable?
I expect one of the biggest factors is population density. California has a land area of 165,000mi^2. Japan has a land area of 145,000mi^2. California population is 39M. Japan population is 125M.
Most of the people in CA are in the bottom left. No need for bullet train to Arcata. Though to Vegas would probably be profitable.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#195It's sad that even great potential routes like SF->LA aren't accessible by train, and we don't seem to have the state capacity to build HSR there. I was just in Japan, and took the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto, which is a similar distance as SF to LA. That train: - runs every 10 minutes -- if you miss one, just take the next one! - takes 2.5 hours travel time - starts and ends in city centers on both ends. - has be…
High speed rail between San Francisco and Los Angeles isn't economically viable. California HSR will cost at least $30 billion to construct and California's own estimates claim it will cost $700-$874 million per year to operate.[1] Around four million passengers fly between SF and LA every year. Assuming every single one of them takes the train instead of flying, you're looking at $175-$218 per ticket just to pay for…
> Even including the time it takes to get to/from the airport and get through security, flying is faster.
I highly doubt that, since you have to board 20 minutes before take off, plus the time it takes to get through security, as well as getting to the airport which won't be in the city center.
The current airfare also doesn't include any sort of fee to ease the ecological impact of burning jet fuel.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#196Earlier quoted context omitted.
Funny how trains are expected to be profitable from day 1, but you can drive a car from SF to LA and not pay a cent for the highway infra that costs billions to build and upkeep. Also, in what world can you reliably get from central LA/SF to LAX/SFO and through checkin & TSA in 45 min each?
I didn't say anything about roads, but it's not true that roads are unprofitable. Roads are paid for by fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees. California's gas taxes raise $8 billion per year. The state's registration and licensing fees collect another $12 billion per year. The state spends $18 billion per year on Caltrans, meaning that vehicles provide $2 billion in revenue for other state programs. BART takes 30…
So in your best case scenario, it's taken you 2.5 hours to get to LAX, how long from there to LA itself? What if you checked bags and need to wait for them to show up? (Not a thing on trains, just take your suitcase with you.)
Also, your best case scenario of 1 hour from SF to plane is hysterically optimistic. BART headways are 20 minutes in theory and often delayed in practice. If you have bags to check, that'll chew up another 15 min easy. TSA is 15 min on a good day but many days are bad. Gates close 15 minutes before departure, so you need to get through TSA another 15 min earlier so you can walk to your gate. I would leave at least two hours before my flight, and most airlines recommend arriving at the airport two hours before.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#197Earlier quoted context omitted.
Acela isn't HSR, and Metroliner which came before had travel times from NYC to DC as low as 2.5 hours. Acela does the same trip in 3.5 hours. Metroliner lowered trip times primarily through faster acceleration.
> Acela does the same trip in 3.5 hours. I just rode it last week, and it actually took 3 hours, not 3.5. Most of the NEC corridor from DC to NYC has a speed limit of 125mph; from NYC to New Haven, it's generally 70mph (!), from New Haven thence to about Kingston generally 90mph, and from there to Boston it's mostly 150mph. Given the density of the corridor, Amtrak should be trying for 150-220mph speed limits, but ev…
Could cut it probably but this isn't a private company we are talking about here. The regulations and grifting would be massive, especially in New York which is quite like California with their wastefulness: half to the garbage can, half to their pockets, maybe a cent or two for the actual rails.
So maybe it'd be a few billion at least. Not to say they shouldn't try. But I expect it'll be over budget and behind schedule, it would never happen like Brightline where they broke ground ASAP and just kept building until it was done.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#198Earlier quoted context omitted.
Assuming this is all true, what then makes the Japanese Shinkansen economically viable?
Many people who ride it have one of various train passes that reduce the cost, or have a plan with work that covers it. I usually use a JR pass, it's pretty expensive without it.
Unfortunately the JR pass literally doubled in price in Oct 2023, it's now 50,000 yen for 7 days and makes no sense unless you're planning to speedrun the length of Japan and back.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#199It would be neat if you could include the West Coast Express trains in Vancouver that are part of Translink. They're weekday commuter rail trains.
Re: Show HN: Trains.fyi – a live map of passenger trains in the US and Canada
#200Is there something like this project but for cargo trains?