First US made streetcar in years unveiled

Oregon Iron Works has produced the first American made streetcar since the 1960's. Portland has placed an order for six of the streetcars, while Tuscon, AZ has placed an order for seven more. I think this is a great move by the Oregon Iron Works, especially since now is a time when people are demanding green technologies and "Made in America" products.


After the closing of the GM plant in Janesville, all I hear on the news is how GM back stabbed us or how Janesville's economy is going to plummet, just basically feeling sorry for ourselves. Why don't we do something positive with the factory, did we really think that a large SUV assembly line would be economically viable in the future? Is it really that hard to think in the future in stead of in the now? We should follow Oregon's lead and start producing streetcars or commuter trains or even "high" speed trains. I'm sure Bombardier or Siemens would love to help us start a local manufactoring plant in Janesville, we have the work force all we need is the work.

Vacation

Hey Everybody,

I'm going on vacation for a week and a half. While I'm gone, be sure to check out The Infrastructurist and The Transport Politic. Both are very good sites for news on trains and infrastructure.

LaHood in Spain

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is finishing up a trip to Europe to examine their use of high speed rail. He vised the countries of Germany (Deutsch Bahn), France (SNCF), and Spain (Renfe). It's good to see that our leaders are looking to other countries to see how we should model our system, I would also like to point out that Ray LaHood is just following in Gov. Doyle's footsteps.

From my experiences in Germany and their train system, here is what I hope Mr.LaHood takes away from his trip to Europe:

1. The majority of passenger rail should be state run. This allows for more profitable routes to subsidize less popular routes, making sure that everyone and everyplace is included by the rail system. There is a great article over on the Transport Politic debating public versus private ownership, it can be found here.

2. Each country has there own engineering companies helping build the railways and the trains. Germany has Siemens and some parts of Bombardier, France has Alstom (all three produce trains), and Spain has ACS which builds the tracks. The U.S. needs its own rail company to build our equipment. Why can't GM build trains? The U.S. government now has a 60% stake in the company, so we'll see if that leads to anything. Although, initially we may have to purchase rail equipment from Europe just like Russia and China have done, since the European companies are so far ahead of the U.S. in rail technology.

3. High speed rail is going to need a lot more money. I'll just leave this one to a graph:

UW Madison Students Promoting Rail in Wisconsin

Found this article on the Wisconsin Radio Network. It's good to see students taking a proactive approach to encouraging rail in Wisconsin. The student group is called "WISPRIG Advance Public Transit", whose facebook page can be found here. WISPRIG stands for WISconsin Public Research Interest Group. Also, it is nice to see students advocating for rail since they are a significant portion of train ridership. Hopefully the federal government with send some of the $8 billion marked for rail to the Midwest to help fund this rail link, I haven't heard an exact date on this, but from what I hear it could be announced as early as late summer.

Go Student Rail Groups! The more talk the better.

Blueprint America: Road to the Future

On May 20th, PBS aired a documentary on the transportation infrastructure in the US. It highlighted the cities of Denver, Portland, and New York City. I was very impressed with the video, which can be found here. The documentary focused more on the mind set of transportation and less on the technical aspects. One of the questions of the documentary was, how do you combat sprawl? (Although I would have liked to see more on while sprawl is bad for us). In Denver, the city decided to build a highway or "belt-way" around the city. This helped lead Denver to be, at one point, the third most congested city in America with many days deemed too polluted to be outside. Portland chose a different route. Instead of building an expressway through town, they decided to put the money towards transit including light rail and biking. Now Portland is one of the most attractive places to live in the U.S.

All in all, I highly recommend watching it.

Couple notes:
-Oregon Iron Works is building the first street car in America in over many decades
-I believe Denver is slowing turning itself around with investments in light rail

NPR on Trains

On the recommendation of my mom, I listened to a segment from NPR Wisconsin on the future of trains in America. The first half of the segment is a talk with Phillip Longman, Schwartz Senior Fellow, New America Foundation. Author, “The Next Progressive Era: A Blueprint for Broad Prosperity.” He talked about putting more freight on trains and how there are issues in Chicago (watch the video below from PBS on the issues in Chicago). The second half of the segment was a talk with Simon Montague, Director of Corporate Communications, Eurostar high-speed passenger train in the UK and Europe. He discusses how high speed rail in Europe is competing well with the planes and roads.

A link to the talk is here, and I suggest watching this picture slide show of HSR from Flickr while listening to the talk.

Why should you care about infastructure?

As I have mentioned before, PBS is doing a brilliant series called "Blueprint America" which looks at the different aspects (esp. cost and needs) of the infrastructure of America. A nice video explaining what they are doing can be found here.

On May 20th at 9pm (central time), PBS will air a documentary called "Road to the Future." If it is anything like the previous segments for blueprint America, it will be a good, informative show. From the preview it looks like it will emphasize on the effects of urban sprawl and how we can handle it.

Exams are over

Sorry for the break, but I just finished my third year at Boston University. Now I'll be able to update this blog more often. But first, I have a engine static test for the BU rocket team to deal with. So, I'll talk to you all after that.

WSJ article on high speed rail in Spain

In today's Wall Street Journal, there is an article about the AVE system in Spain, which is the high speed rail system. It discusses the recent success of the train lines and how the most recent line, Madrid to Barcelona, has with in a year, captured more than fifty percent of the travel between the two cities (the fifty going to cars and airplanes).

Also mentioned is how President Obama has made comparisons of the US to Spain. Spain has recently made a huge investment in high speed rail to try and surpass France and Germany, and at the pace they are going they will. Another country that is trying to become a world leader in high speed rail is China, which is looking to surpass Japan.

The article is one of a few articles I have read that don't discount high speed rail as a "train enthusiast fantasy" that will cost too much. The WSJ writer Thomas Catan does a good job of describing the problems and successes of high speed rail in Spain.

I believe that in order to get a real high speed rail system (none of this 110 mph stuff, but 200 mph) an investment on the order of $100 billion is needed. Unfortunately, that will probably not happen soon as some people still think that trains are just a waste of money (Sen. McCain I'm talking to you).

Picture from the article:

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

I'm on Boat

This picture of the ICE-TD on a boat going from Denmark to Germany:


Reminded me of this (heads up: this is the uncensored video):

Letter sent to LaHood from Doyle and others

I found out through The Transport Politic that Doyle, along with other governors from the Midwest and the mayor of Chicago, sent a letter to the secretary of the Department of Transportation Ray LaHood showing their support for a Midwest regional intercity rail system. This system would be a hub and spoke system, with the hub being Chicago. Some of the spokes would go to:
-St. Louis
-St. Paul/Minneapolis (this would go through Madison, WI)
-Detroit (and then on to Pontiac, MI)
-Indianapolis
-Cleveland

However, the governors have suggested three branches that would be the priority of the Midwest Regional Rail:
-Chicago to St. Louis
-Chicago to Pontiac through Detroit
and, last but not least
-Chicago to Madison!

The governors say that they would need around $3.5 billion of the stimulus money (which probably won't happen, as California is in a good position to get $4 billion of the $8 billion available). Though they probably wont get what they ask for, this is a good step to creating a Midwest Rail system and shows the support throughout the Midwest for such a system to exist. Click here for the pdf of the letter.

Here is a pic included in the letter, showing the three lines:


P.S. I need to mention this:
BU is Nation Champions in Men's Hockey!!!!
GO BU!! (and as always BC Sucks!)

Wired and Wireless

Two things I think would improve rail travel in the U.S.: Electric powered trains and Wireless internet.

Using overhead wires to power trains allows for trains to take the energy the create when breaking and put it back onto the power grid. When a diesel train breaks, it lets the energy dissipate as heat to the outside atmosphere. This is basically letting energy disappear into thin air. The biggest problem I forsee with installing this is the aesthetics. I know there are many people out there who would object to the look of overhead wires, but I counter that with, wouldn't you rather have no emission from trains in your city than diesel?

As for wireless internet, it is something rail has an advantage over car and plane. Of those three, rail is the only one that has the capacity to allow for wireless internet access to its travelers. I know, in the US, Amtrak and the Boston commuter rail lines are experimenting with wireless internet on its trains. Here is a video of the new wireless internet system in the Thalys train network in Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands:

If they build it, they will come, but what will they be riding in?

So if the line from Chicago to Madison is built, what train sets will be used? Will it be a continuation of what Amtrak runs on the Hiawatha line? Or is this a time to introduce a new, more attractive, rail car to the line?

First up, what is used by Amtrak right now:

The locomotive is a GE Genesis which pulls a hand full of comet rail cars.



*Note that the locomotive is an older version of the current one used. Also, this photo was taken from here.

Now, I know this is standard Amtrak, but who says that this new rail service will be under Amtrak or needs to use the same rail stock?

So, I have compiled a list of different diesel trains that might contend for this route:

My first choice should not come as a surprise to those who know me. If I had my way, the train arriving in Madison would be an ICE-TD, made by Bombardier. This train currently runs to Berlin-Copenhagen route (the one with the boat ferry pictured below). This train is able to run up to speeds of 200 kph or 125 mph. This means that train is fast enough to meet the 110 mph goal. Also, having ridden in this train I can speak to how comfortable this train is. On the downside, it's service history is not the best.



*This picture was taken by me when taking the train from Copenhagen to Berlin (and then transferring on to Dresden). It is in a car ferry that goes from Denmark to Germany.

Keeping on the topic of German trains, another option is the RegioSwinger. This train is like the ICE TD in that it is deisel and it tilts. However its top speed is only 160 kph or 100 mph. However, this is another train that I have taken in Germany and can vouch for it being a nice comfortable ride. I took this train from Dresden to Freiberg on the Dresden-Nürnberg line.



*Note that this train's destination is actually Leipzig and the photo was taken from here.

Another one of my favorite trains is the Bombardier Talent class of trains. However, its top speed is only 140 kph or 87 mph. But just for the heck of it here is a picture of it:



This train would be best served running more regional routes in Wisconsin, such as (these are just ideas) Green Bay - Wausau - Eau Claire - Minneapolis or Madison - Appleton - Green Bay or Madison -Janesville - Beloit - Rockford.

Another train that looks a lot a like the Talent is the Desiro class of trains made by Siemens. Also, they are currently in use in the US in California for the Sprinter trains. Here is a pic of the Desiro in Germany:



There is just ONE BIG ISSUE with these trains. It is that according to FRA (Federal Railway Administration) these trains are too light to run on freight lines. That means, as the law now stands, these trains would have to run on dedicated "light" rail lines or not be allowed to operate. (Note: I'm not sure what the ICE TD is classified as)

Two trains that might be allowed are the Accela trains from the Northeast Corridor or the X2000 from Sweden.



This a picture of the Acela Express just south of downtown Boston. The major issue with using this train is that it requires overhead electrical wires. These are more environmentally friendly than diesel power systems. Also, most other countries use the overhead wire system.



This is a picture of me in front of a X2000 train is Sundsvall, Sweden. This train is also electrically powered. Also in the background is the train I was transferring to, a Regina train, destination Ostersund, Sweden.

I feel that it would be beneficial to convert US rail lines to an all electrical system. But that's a topic for another time...

California High Speed Rail

A great youtube clip on the high speed rail proposal in California. I really like how they discuss some of the engineering aspects of high speed rail.

Enjoy:

Interesting video from Chicago

Today I came across this video from WTTW Chicago discussing the rail stimulus and where it would go in Chicago. Since this video is from Chicago it mainly discusses the Chicago-St. Louis corridor, but it does mention how Chicago would be a hub for a Midwest *high* speed rail network.

Using Chicago as the center of a Midwest train system would be ideal for developing any type of rail service in the Midwest. As the video discusses, train times have DECREASED over the years, not increased. Though we have more efficient trains and ..., well that's it compared to years ago, it is easy to see that the lack of investing in rail is coming back to haunt us.

Building a new infrastructure won't be easy and it won't be cheap. But we need to start somewhere, otherwise things like traffic jams, air traffic delays, and land lost to enormous highways and airports will get much, much worse.

Umm...What?

I think the people on the other side of Lake Michigan are smoking something funny.

I recently came across an article about a proposed maglev (magnetically levitated) train system that would connect Detroit and Lansing, Michigan. Now this from a quick glance does not sound too outrageous as plans have been on and off for years about a maglev train from LA to Las Vegas (I believe the best choice is steel on steel rail). Then I read the article...

Here are some of the promises from the company planning this system:
-All $2.3 billion is privately funded
-Detroit auto makers will make the cars
-The system will be powered by solar and hydrogen power
-Money will be made from the excess electricity produced by the system.

All I can do is laugh and say "keep dreaming". There are much more cost effective (and not so outlandish) ways to go about this. Wouldn't a normal commuter train work just fine?

Well, at least they have the right idea of using rail.

Oh, yeah and the Michigan government seems to be taking this seriously by holding task force meetings and the like.

Here's a pic:



All I can say is WTF?

Wisconsin is on the Map!

Well, it is the map over at the transport politic.

Also recent reports from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin State Journal, and a few other blogs have noted that the rail link between Madison and Milwaukee is one of the farthest along as far as planning and environmental studies. This, in essence, means that this rail corridor is one of the most likely to get funding from the stimulus bill.

The trains from Madison to Milwaukee would then continue on to Chicago (via Racine/Kenosha) and expand the current Hiawatha service (which runs from Chicago to Milwaukee). Plans are for there to be 6 round trips a day between Madison and Chicago.

As far as funding goes, Gov. Doyle is requesting around $500 million to completely cover the cost of the Milwaukee-Madison corridor (I do not know if the operating cost is included in this figure).

Future plans for this rail line include extending the line to Minneapolis/St. Paul. This would greatly increase the access between the two cities, seeing as there is just one train a day between two of the largest cities in the Midwest.

Also, other future plans call for trains to go to Green Bay from Milwaukee.

Below is a map (courtesy of the TransportPolitic) of the proposed and current service:



Side note:
Other top contenders, in my opinion, for the rail stimulus bill are:
-California High Speed Rail Project
-Chicago-St. Louis corridor upgrades
-Seattle-Portland Corridor
-Extension of the Northeast corridor to North Carolina
-A corridor in Ohio connecting Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland

Governor Doyle in Spain

Way back at the beginning of March, Governor Doyle visited Spain to learn about/discuss high speed rail. More specifically he was interested in discussing high speed train manufacturing and use ideas from Spain to help the Wisconsin industry. This story was reported on by NPR and has a radio segment as well.

I believe that Spain is a decent model for how Wisconsin and the United States should build and implement our high speed train system. Though most of Spain and Europe have an overall higher population density. areas in California, the northeast, and even parts of the Midwest have high enough population densities to support (ie turn a profit) high speed rail.

Another note in the radio segment is on regional rail. I would love to see regional rail in Wisconsin. Being able to take a train to Milwaukee or Chicago would be great. Also, maybe one day having a train to Janesville, the fox valley, Green Bay, or the Dells from Madison would be great.

Hopefully one day the old GM plant in Janesville will become a modern, high-tech center for rail manufacturing. Hopefully.

My Apologies

Sorry I've been away from this blog for a while. Last week was spring break, which I spent in Ireland. Lots of things have been happening (notably Gov. Doyle in Spain) so keep an eye out as I play catch up with the blog.

Chicago High Speed Rail Hub

I found an article recently on the Chicago Tribune website, discussing plans for a new station next to the existing Union station for high speed rail.

*Note: This station design was from a contest and currently not planned to be constructed.

This is what the new station would look like:



This station kind of reminds of the new main train station in Berlin (in German, the Hauptbahnhof) or even the proposed new main train station in Stuttgart. (sorry the site is in German, but it has cool pictures). Also, other designs submitted for the train station in Chicago can be found here.

Just think, you could take a high speed train (we're talking over 100 mph) from Milwaukee, Madison, or Minneapolis and arrive at that station in downtown Chicago.