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  1. Tlcooper44

    Bid Up questions and experiences

    Get the Amtrak app if you have a smartphone - your ticket will be upgraded automatically. Otherwise, I’m sure any evidence of a successful bid (email print out) will work. The conductors have the updated manifest and are aware of your correct seat. Your own word is probably enough…
  2. Tlcooper44

    Crescent discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024

    Always book with Amtrak directly.
  3. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains West!

    To me, the issues that plague the Avelias are an order of magnitude greater than those that plagued ALc-42s - though the NEC quite complex.
  4. Tlcooper44

    Crescent discussion 2023 Q4 - 2024

    I’ll be on the Crescent this June 9th. Does the train have its dining car back? Anything I should know about dining (or anything else) on the crescent? I’m alighting at Gainesville GA. With a little research, it seems to be an average (crappy) car dependent town, but has anyone had luck with...
  5. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains West!

    Hard to imagine anyone would go with Alstom at this point, whether that is deserved or not….
  6. Tlcooper44

    Japan railway firm pushes Maglev plan to 2034 or later

    This does seem like a Gadgetbahn. Somehow though, in the hands of the Japanese, there is an inherent trust, however small, that a breakthrough is possible. Agreed however. Bringing the Tokaido Line up to 220 would seem to be a much better use of cash. The speed of the line, however, seems to...
  7. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains West!

    Found some reading from the International Union of Railways: https://www.uic.org/com/enews/nr/596-high-speed/article/the-definition-of-high-speed-rail?page=thickbox_enews If someone finds something better, I’d love to see
  8. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains West!

    By international standards no. The problem is, what constitutes true HSR is fickle, especially in America. I think it’s widely agreed upon that Acela is not true HSR but HrSR. The Acela only reaches 150 for short stretches, and the average speed is quite low. Given that LA to Vegas will reach...
  9. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains West!

    Considering what people regularly pay to travel aboard the Acela, what BL allegedly will charge for what will probably be a nicer product seems pretty reasonable.
  10. Tlcooper44

    Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H1

    Acela served on plastic plates for the majority of COVID times - much like LD traditional dining. I understand they are different products - that's really neither here nor there. Given what tickets cost on LD trains, and that dining is a significantly more important aspect of that trip and...
  11. Tlcooper44

    Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H1

    Any particular reason why Acela gets real plates and silverware but LD trains aren't doing that yet (unless there is new information to me).
  12. Tlcooper44

    Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H1

    Not sure if this is the right place to post this since the re-organization but: I took a round trip to NYC the past couple days from BOS and experienced Acela first dining. Wow. The last trip I took was in the fall (before that in 2022). What a massive improvement in quality of food - for...
  13. Tlcooper44

    MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) discussion

    Boy I really like Eng. it’s never good to place too much faith in one person, especially with a set of problems as big as the T, but it really seems like he knows what he’s doing. I especially appreciated his enthusiasm to meet with planners early - to me, this is critical at making p...
  14. Tlcooper44

    AS Flight1282: Another Boeing 737 MAX crisis

    In Doha, we walked down stairs from a 777 at a remote stand. Must be quite a sight to walk down from a 747.
  15. Tlcooper44

    The joys of driving

    I think my enjoyment, in general, of cars, and driving them, would go up if it wasn’t forced upon us. Objectively speaking, cars are hella awesome. There’s no denying that driving a super nice German or Italian car (or in this case, a Tesla or electric equivalent) when it is a true choice, and...
  16. Tlcooper44

    Brightline Trains Florida discussion 2024 H1

    If this doesn't merit an entirely separate thread, I understand, but I figured it was worth a try. Its hard to discuss BL Florida without touching up the hundreds of grade crossings between Miami and Coco. Whenever I look at a map of the BL route, I see so much redundancy. Sometimes there are...
  17. Tlcooper44

    Electric and Hybrid road vehicles

    I’m actually quite fed up with this false narrative that most people prefer cars all the time and that that number is increasing. It’s completely lacks evidence, and beyond North America, where cars are pushed upon us because of antiquated and draconian land use policies, it’s untrue. In Europe...
  18. Tlcooper44

    Electric and Hybrid road vehicles

    Not sure I agree that Asia is somehow experiencing a massive modal shift away from public transit to cars. The rule of price + time is universal. People will generally take the fastest and cheapest travel to their destination, regardless of who they have to travel with. This shift you claim is...
  19. Tlcooper44

    NH Native

    Ugh, don't hold your breath. But I guess I'm a pessimist when it comes to transportation change in this country. Welcome from just across the border anyhow! AU is filled with endlessly knowledgeable people when it comes to rail!
  20. Tlcooper44

    MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) discussion

    Perhaps you've heard or read otherwise (please say if you have), but I though MA was currently rather flush with cash, especially since new tax measures implemented last year.
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