Nostr notes by 𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚜 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚎 🚇

"They come with heated floors, onboard digital display ...

2026-06-24T18:11:30Z

"They come with heated floors, onboard digital display screens, air conditioning and improved accessibility."

#Calgary is getting new CTrain light-rail vehicles, replacing U2 trains that date to...1980s.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-transit-trains-lrt-9.7246467

Interesting: a combined VIA Rail-Alto station for #Kingston ...

2026-06-23T13:02:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…89c3
_________________________

Interesting: a combined VIA Rail-Alto station for #Kingston Ontario is on the table.

To be clear, the actual alignment won't be announced until fall 2026.

THIS JUST IN: Transport Minister announces #Canada 's Alto ...

2026-06-22T14:24:06Z

THIS JUST IN: Transport Minister announces #Canada 's Alto High-Speed Rail route, still in planning, may now dip south to stop in Kingston, #Ontario.

Kingston region (pop. 172,000) is on the current VIA Rail line between #Montreal and #Toronto.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/alto-route-change-kingston-9.7244054kingston-9.7244054

NEW STUDY reveals innate human tendency to veer left + walk ...

2026-06-19T13:36:54Z

NEW STUDY reveals innate human tendency to veer left + walk counterclockwise, defying previous theories on handedness.

"Within mere seconds of initiating movement, an astonishing 80 percent of crowd was actively moving in a counterclockwise rotation."

https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/news/counterclockwise-bias-new-study-reveals-why-humans-veer-left-walking

"The Wilshire subway took 46 years. Future projects should ...

2026-06-17T13:24:29Z

"The Wilshire subway took 46 years. Future projects should skip decades of objections."

Los Angeles subway extension cost $900 million a mile. Pro-transit, low-NIMBY #Spain built #Madrid metro extension for $110M/mile.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-06-16/wilshire-subway-california-transit-construction-delays#:~:text=took%2046%20years.-,Future%20projects%20should%20skip%20the%20decades%20of%20objections,at%20Wilshire%20and%20Fairfax%2C%20above

Ever seen one of these on a railway bridge, and wondered why ...

2026-06-15T12:54:08Z

Ever seen one of these on a railway bridge, and wondered why there was a narrower track inside the standard gauge track?

Funny story. The "Jordan Rail" was invented in Canada, by Oswald F. Jordan. If a train derails over a river, the inner rail catches the wheel flanges, preventing a deadly plunge.

Then it's not a priority, is it? "The Martinez Ferrada ...

2026-06-12T21:11:31Z

Then it's not a priority, is it?

"The Martinez Ferrada administration intends to make improving safety on Parc Ave. a priority — just not yet."

More foot-dragging—typical of Ensemble #Montréal, who achieve nothing, slowly.

https://montrealgazette.com/news/parc-ave-overall-will-come-after-public-consultation-mayor-says/

The service was suspended in 2025, but, good news: this year, ...

2026-06-12T13:30:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…v5s8
_________________________

The service was suspended in 2025, but, good news: this year, it's back, running from June to November. #Quebec #trains

You can read more in my High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/a-ride-on-a-tortillard-from-quebec-city-to-la-malbaie/

On-time service of VIA Rail in Windsor-Quebec City corridor ...

2026-06-10T19:36:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…gh4u
_________________________

On-time service of VIA Rail in Windsor-Quebec City corridor hovers at 60 percent.

The planned Alto HSR would bring fast + reliable service to the corridor where half the population of #Canada lives.

#Germany is ready to spend €100B just to improve existing rail service. Alto would cost ≈ €47B — for a brand new system, where we need it most.

https://www.highspeed.blog/the-best-argument-for-high-speed-rail/

You make good points. I just read Off the Rails, a book about the ...

2026-06-10T18:55:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…0g6t
_________________________

You make good points. I just read Off the Rails, a book about the HS2 fiasco in Britain. Full of important lessons. Should be required reading for everyone involved in Alto. They're making a lot of the same mistakes.

"Just 60 % of long-distance trains arrive on time, down from ...

2026-06-10T18:53:41Z

"Just 60 % of long-distance trains arrive on time, down from 84 % twenty years ago."

Thanks to neglect of basic infrastructure, rail service in #Germany is awful.

The good news: a €107-billion spending program aims to get the system back on track.

https://www.ft.com/content/db75e347-b13b-4753-8130-6301bb55c040?syn-25a6b1a6=1 (Paywall)

Low-emission electric trains would provide an alternative to ...

2026-06-10T13:35:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…r5qq
_________________________

Low-emission electric trains would provide an alternative to highways, as well as the 70+ highly-polluting short-haul flights that currently serve those cities daily.

In Quebec, across Canada, across party lines, support for high-speed rail is at 62%, with only 18% against

https://www.altno.ca/_files/ugd/f1a60d_f91a3f0ada144cb981f03a0da603e347.pdf

The Parti Québécois, the #Quebec separatist party, vows to kill ...

2026-06-10T13:26:22Z

The Parti Québécois, the #Quebec separatist party, vows to kill Alto High Speed Rail project (to link Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto) if it wins provincial election in October.

Thus aligning themselves with Conservatives, who are also against the train, on the "We Hate Anything Carney Does" platform.

Low-emission electric trains would provide an alternative to highways, and the 70+ highly-polluting short-haul flights that currently serve those cities daily.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/high-speed-train-pq-toronto-quebec-city-9.7228219

Love it! Ballers are #straphangers. 🏀🚇 New York subway ...

2026-06-09T20:03:16Z

Love it!

Ballers are #straphangers. 🏀🚇

New York subway entrance gets a makeover in Knicks blue-and-orange.

If it's a high-speed connection covering 300 km, it's not ...

2026-06-09T15:55:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…rzyn
_________________________

If it's a high-speed connection covering 300 km, it's not regional rail; it's inter-city rail. (Words matter.)

Getting serious amateur-hour vibes from #Alberta government's ...

2026-06-09T15:44:25Z

Getting serious amateur-hour vibes from #Alberta government's "Rail Passenger Master Plan" initiative.

They're talking about high-speed rail, which will cost tens of billions to build. Yet their investment over the next 3 years is just $15 million.

And the cartography does not inspire confidence...

https://www.alberta.ca/passenger-rail

There’s still glamour in train travel, if you know where to ...

2026-06-08T13:03:21Z

There’s still glamour in train travel, if you know where to look.

Dressed for the voyage on VIA Rail Train 72 from London, #Ontario to #Toronto.

Moi aussi!

2026-06-07T16:46:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…2rwm
_________________________

Moi aussi!

I’m going to file this under “We have concepts of a plan.” ...

2026-06-06T13:47:15Z

I’m going to file this under “We have concepts of a plan.”

Best-case scenario: Bullet-train space race. #Alberta competes with #Ontario and #Quebec to build Canada’s first high-speed rail.

https://dailyhive.com/calgary/alberta-passenger-rail-stops-routes

Well, a Master Plan is…something. ...

2026-06-06T01:36:48Z

Well, a Master Plan is…something.

https://dailyhive.com/calgary/alberta-passenger-rail-stops-routes

Wait, when did #Toronto ‘s airport train get so cheap?! The UP ...

2026-06-06T01:33:02Z

Wait, when did #Toronto ‘s airport train get so cheap?!

The UP Express is $5.65 from Pearson to Bloor station.

#Montreal ‘s rickety 747 bus to Trudeau is $11.00.

(Vivement le REM!)

Merci! J’ai vu Winnie, pas de panne. Mais il n’y a pas grande ...

2026-06-05T22:42:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…yc7m
_________________________

Merci! J’ai vu Winnie, pas de panne. Mais il n’y a pas grande chose à faire à White River. (À part tuer les maringouins.)

Five altogether. VIA Rail Historical Society has one of the ...

2026-06-05T22:41:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…644a
_________________________

Five altogether. VIA Rail Historical Society has one of the original Budd RDCs, used as a demo across North America.

They definitely don’t. And the service manager was a dick about ...

2026-06-05T22:39:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…sc0f
_________________________

They definitely don’t. And the service manager was a dick about it.

Oh, it’s definitely off the grid. No cell phone reception for ...

2026-06-05T22:38:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…we68
_________________________

Oh, it’s definitely off the grid. No cell phone reception for 3/4s of trip.

Greetings from the Budd Car! Riding one of North America’s last ...

2026-06-05T16:13:36Z

Greetings from the Budd Car!

Riding one of North America’s last Budd RDCs (rail diesel cars) from White River to Sudbury, #Ontario today.

“Smoke and stretch” stop in Chapleau. (Also: we fill up eith diesel.) Only place I’ll have cell reception for the next few hours.

In the latest High Speed dispatch, guest author Darío Hidalgo, ...

2026-06-01T19:20:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…tnzj
_________________________

In the latest High Speed dispatch, guest author Darío Hidalgo, one of the architects of the BRT system that transformed the city, offers his take on why rail transit will be good news for his hometown:

https://www.highspeed.blog/bogota-gets-its-metro/

#Bogotá, capital of #Colombia, + Latin America's next ...

2026-06-01T19:19:47Z

#Bogotá, capital of #Colombia, + Latin America's next mega-city, is famous for TransMilenio, one of the world's most extensive bus rapid transit systems.

But now, the city is getting a metro. The trains, driverless, elevated, and Chinese-made, are already being tested.

Why the mode change?

🧵

In the latest High Speed dispatch, guest author Darío Hidalgo, ...

2026-06-01T13:22:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…jvma
_________________________

In the latest High Speed dispatch, guest author Darío Hidalgo, one of the architects of the TransMilenio bus rapid transit system that transformed the city, offers his take on the coming of rail transit to his hometown:

https://www.highspeed.blog/bogota-gets-its-metro/

#Colombia is voting for a new president! The country is highly ...

2026-06-01T13:21:46Z

#Colombia is voting for a new president!

The country is highly polarized, but there's little controversy about the building of the metro in #Bogotá , Latin America's next mega-city.

Chinese-built driverless trains are already being tested on elevated tracks...

🧵

Call me a 20th-century man, but I still like to have the hard ...

2026-05-30T20:55:23Z

Call me a 20th-century man, but I still like to have the hard copy. My travel feature on inter-generational tree-hugging in B.C. In today’s Globe and Mail.

"Why can't we have nice things here?" Look no ...

2026-05-28T13:06:33Z

"Why can't we have nice things here?"

Look no further: it's because of Trump, Duffy, and Republicans.

House Committee on Transportation bill slashes public transit funding by 22%, Amtrak by 69%.

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/transportation-funding-bill-house-appropriations/821206/

Il fait beau dans le métro! Heading to #Paris next month. ...

2026-05-27T14:18:26Z

Il fait beau dans le métro!

Heading to #Paris next month. (It's been too long.) Hope the heat wave is over...

You can bet I'll be heading underground, riding Line 10, in the hopes of boarding one of the new MF19 trains.

(MF19 = Fer [iron, rather than rubber wheels], 19=trains ordered in 2019)

It’s got some rust now, but still goin’ strong!

2026-05-27T12:53:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…aum9
_________________________

It’s got some rust now, but still goin’ strong!

When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to live a ...

2026-05-26T20:54:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…uqks
_________________________

When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to live a car-free life.

Almost four decades later—no regrets. Opting for transit, trains, bicycles, buses, and subways has taken me to great places, and given me the kind of life I always wanted to live.

More in the latest High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/no-regrets/

A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically. ...

2026-05-26T20:53:22Z

A while back, a man in his 70s looked at my bike skeptically.

"Why do your ride it?"

When I said "saves money," "doesn't pollute," he scoffed. But he agreed when he said it was good for my health.

I forgot to tell him real reason: Joy.

Day in, day out, my bike makes me happy.

🧵

🧵

Except in Switzerland, where rail freight is ramping up.

2026-05-26T15:48:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…ef5c
_________________________

Except in Switzerland, where rail freight is ramping up.

Finland is embarking on a long-term gauge change to standard, ...

2026-05-26T15:47:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…2l60
_________________________

Finland is embarking on a long-term gauge change to standard, from Russian. Ukraine might want to think about doing the same.

Some progress was being made until Trump 2.0 and Sean Duffy came ...

2026-05-26T15:45:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…khw2
_________________________

Some progress was being made until Trump 2.0 and Sean Duffy came in. First thing they did was pull federal funding to California high-speed rail. There’s a great pent-up demand for passenger rail, but it gets no support from this administration. The freight giants will do what they want until things change nationally.

Europe is upping its rail infrastructure game, both passenger and ...

2026-05-26T14:28:56Z

Europe is upping its rail infrastructure game, both passenger and freight. New mega-tunnels through mountain ranges are making fast electric rail service routine.

Canada and the US: still stuck in the 20th century.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/26/travel/europe-rail-base-tunnels-alps

...no regrets. Not owning a car allowed us to buy an apartment in ...

2026-05-25T13:39:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…gjeq
_________________________

...no regrets. Not owning a car allowed us to buy an apartment in a walkable part of a great city.

Staying active has kept me fit in adulthood.

Saying "no" to cars may be difficult where you live. (Especially in car-centric North America.) But saying "yes" to the alternatives led me to interesting places.

More in this High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/no-regrets/

When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to get through ...

2026-05-25T13:37:46Z

When I was in my 20s, I decided that I was going to get through life without owning a car.

It's a choice that kept me exploring the world by train, bus, subway, bicycle...and even camel.

Four decades later, I have...

🧵

A new film about #Naples area reveals rarely visited villas, ...

2026-05-23T21:00:52Z

A new film about #Naples area reveals rarely visited villas, seismic landscapes and a "civilisation buried mid-sentence" – all accessible by train.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/may/23/naples-italy-train-tour-archaeology

A lifetime of car ownership costs you. How much? According to one ...

2026-05-22T18:37:07Z

A lifetime of car ownership costs you.

How much? According to one study:

If you're a small-car owner, $695,000 US, of which society pays $285,000. Over $1M for luxury cars (society pays $400,000+)

When I was in my 20s, I decided I'd never be a car-owner...

🧵

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800921003943?via%3Dihub

Here's some background on our long fight to make things just ...

2026-05-21T13:47:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…gcxc
_________________________

Here's some background on our long fight to make things just a little safer for our kids. (You wouldn't think it would be so hard—especially in #Montreal!)

https://www.highspeed.blog/we-got-our-school-street/

Glad to see the Rue-École (school street) has returned to our ...

2026-05-21T13:36:55Z

Glad to see the Rue-École (school street) has returned to our borough in #Montreal.

It should be year-round, but given the foot-dragging of current administration on all things bicycle-related, we’ll take what we can get.

It definitely makes the trip to school safer for my son!

...in the latest High Speed dispatch. ...

2026-05-14T17:26:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…e3tk
_________________________

...in the latest High Speed dispatch.

https://www.highspeed.blog/a-straphanger-in-morocco/

What’s it like using transit in #Morocco? I’m just back from ...

2026-05-14T17:25:00Z

What’s it like using transit in #Morocco?

I’m just back from riding trams, trains, commuter rail and BRT in 5 Moroccan cities.

I give the lowdown…

🚊🧵

The past doesn’t repeat. But it does rhyme. As a student of ...

2026-05-08T13:42:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…yqvw
_________________________

The past doesn’t repeat. But it does rhyme. As a student of railway history, I’m beginning to think we’re headed for the Panic of ’26.

More in this week's High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/the-panic-of-26/

Today’s robber barons are racing to build data centers, which ...

2026-05-08T13:42:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…8gkj
_________________________

Today’s robber barons are racing to build data centers, which gobble resources, and employ few people. And if they succeed—and build a superintelligence—they will have created non-human agents that could potentially rob hundreds of millions of people of gainful employment.

The race for AI is a classic bubble. But here’s the difference ...

2026-05-08T13:42:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…9jhr
_________________________

The race for AI is a classic bubble. But here’s the difference between 1873 and 2026. The original robber barons were at least building railroads, which carried people and goods, and required a huge, decently-paid workforce.

If this sounds familiar, consider what’s going on with the ...

2026-05-08T13:40:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…mrtt
_________________________

If this sounds familiar, consider what’s going on with the Magnificent 7: Nvidia, Meta, Apple, Microsoft…all racing to build same thing: data centers that, we’re told, will end in superintelligence. Yet there are no revenues to speak of—certainly none to justify their capital expenditures.

When Europeans realized this, the flow of capital to the US ...

2026-05-08T13:40:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…wc7p
_________________________

When Europeans realized this, the flow of capital to the US stopped, abruptly. This led to the Panic of 1873. Then Jay Cooke’s Northern Pacific failed: the beginning of the end.

Half of all railroads went bankrupt; the US economy shrunk by a third.

“Schwarzer Freitag” began when European investors realized US ...

2026-05-08T13:39:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…5889
_________________________

“Schwarzer Freitag” began when European investors realized US prosperity was a mirage.

After Civil War, robber barons, whose railroads were the engine of economic growth, raced to lay tracks. But they built railroads to nowhere, duplicated existing services, and exaggerated revenues...

Those who don’t know the past are doomed to repeat it. Case in ...

2026-05-08T13:38:46Z

Those who don’t know the past are doomed to repeat it.

Case in point: Friday, May 9, aka Black Friday.

On that day, in 1873, everything in the world changed.

It started at the #Vienna stock exchange, but soon spread to Berlin, Paris, + London.

It provoked first “Great Depression” in the US…

🧵

(I know, I know, Morocco scores low on income equality. But so, ...

2026-05-05T17:01:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…l4qv
_________________________

(I know, I know, Morocco scores low on income equality. But so, increasingly, does the US…)

“A developed country is one where you can easily, comfortably, ...

2026-05-05T16:59:40Z

“A developed country is one where you can easily, comfortably, and routinely travel between major cities more quickly by train* than by car.”

After getting around #Morocco for 10 days on fast, comfortable, on-time trains, I’m thinking that may be my new definition.

Morocco qualifies. Canada and the US? Not so much.

* And even by plane.

I had a lovely time chatting with Mark Ovenden, transit-mapper ...

2026-04-26T20:39:36Z

I had a lovely time chatting with Mark Ovenden, transit-mapper extraordinaire, and host of the UK's only radio show on transport, about transit, railways, and #Canada's high-speed rail challenges.

You can listen in tonight, here's the link:

https://www.vectisradio.com/events/event/catch-cast-highspeed-advocate-taras-grescoe/

I chat with Mark Ovenden, transit mapper extraordinaire and host ...

2026-04-24T19:37:03Z

I chat with Mark Ovenden, transit mapper extraordinaire and host of the UK's only radio show on transport, about transit, urbanism, and #Canada's high-speed rail challenges.

You can listen in, here's the link:

https://www.vectisradio.com/podcasts/catch-cast/episode/catch-cast-50-highspeed-blog-taras-grescoe/

#Finland opens world's longest car-free bridge, intended for ...

2026-04-23T13:13:12Z

#Finland opens world's longest car-free bridge, intended for bicycle riders, pedestrians and mobility device users, and transit riders.

#Helsinki's Kruunuvuori Bridge is 1,191 metres long, and will soon be served by trams.

https://newatlas.com/architecture/finland-helsinki-pedestrian-bridge-kruunuvuori/

It's looking like #Canada's Alto High Speed Rail line ...

2026-04-20T14:20:14Z

It's looking like #Canada's Alto High Speed Rail line might not terminate at #Toronto's Union Station.

A stop north of downtown isn't ideal—you want high-speed rail to go from city center-to-city-center—but it might be the best chance that the project has to get built on schedule.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/why-union-station-may-not-be-a-stop-on-canadas-new-high-speed-rail-line/article_726e4938-524b-4e16-9865-1f7888df00ff.html

Events like these shouldn't be used to profit from captive ...

2026-04-19T15:51:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…q89u
_________________________

Events like these shouldn't be used to profit from captive users. Opportunism will make people hate a agency.

Add more trains, provide the best service you can at standard fares, and view it as an opportunity to allow drivers to discover where transit can take them.

If a transit agency resorts to surge pricing, it doesn't ...

2026-04-19T15:50:04Z

If a transit agency resorts to surge pricing, it doesn't understand the "public" in public transit.

While #Philadelphia keeps transit fares at $2.90 to get riders to World Cup matches, New Jersey and #Boston will charge $75 and $80.

(And yes, FIFA is awful.)

https://www.phillyvoice.com/host-cities-septa-fares-world-cup-philadelphia/

Ensemble #Montreal and new mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada ...

2026-04-18T21:56:30Z

Ensemble #Montreal and new mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada aren't delivering spring cleaning promise, opposition party (Projet Montréal) charges

"Month after clean-up was set to begin, winter debris, gravel + filth on streets remains noticeable across the city"

https://montrealgazette.com/news/montreal-isnt-delivering-spring-cleaning-promise-opposition-charges/

Now's not the time to listen to opportunists, or the bot ...

2026-04-17T20:15:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…96cv
_________________________

Now's not the time to listen to opportunists, or the bot farms churning out negativity. Two-thirds of Canadians (including 58% of Conservatives) support this project.

I untangle the spin in this week's High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/the-best-argument-for-high-speed-rail/

...Canada clearly isn't Japan, or Spain, or France...or any ...

2026-04-17T20:14:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…r4ce
_________________________

...Canada clearly isn't Japan, or Spain, or France...or any of the 25 other countries that have gotten around to building high-speed rail."

It's voices like Andrew Coyne's, echoing Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre's talking points, that stop ambitious transport projects going ahead.

Attacks on #Canada's Alto high-speed rail project all seem to ...

2026-04-17T20:13:46Z

Attacks on #Canada's Alto high-speed rail project all seem to start with the declaration:

"Now, I've ridden bullet trains in Asia or Europe"—the editorialist doesn't want you to think he's unworldly—"and sure, those ones are great, but...

🧵

Love this! Now that the #Montreal Canadiens are in the playoffs, ...

2026-04-17T14:48:14Z

Love this!

Now that the #Montreal Canadiens are in the playoffs, some downtown stations in the métro will have announcements by players.

Here's a behind-the-scenes with Slafkovsky, Hutson, Dobes and co.

#GoHabsGo #GoMetro

Interesting experiment! Let's start with ending public ...

2026-04-16T16:05:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…p4rq
_________________________

Interesting experiment! Let's start with ending public handouts to highways and airlines.

I take apart the reliably absurd arguments of the opportunistic Conservatives (who supported HSR until the Liberals backed it) against fast, electric-powered trains in this week's High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/the-best-argument-for-high-speed-rail/

And what's the business case for the $40B in public funds ...

2026-04-16T16:03:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…257t
_________________________

And what's the business case for the $40B in public funds Canadian taxpayers shell out to maintain highways every year? (To access highways, Canadian car owners now have to pay an avg. of $12,000 a year for gas, insurance, parking, etc.)

Coyne proposes ending all subsidies to transport...

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-on-canadas-high-speed-rail-plan-the-numbers-just-dont-add-up/

Andrew Coyne and other conservative pundits join Pierre Poilievre ...

2026-04-16T16:02:17Z

Andrew Coyne and other conservative pundits join Pierre Poilievre in calling
#Canada's Alto High-Speed Rail project a $90-billion "boondoggle."

There's no business case for it, they say.

What's the business case for Ontario Premier Doug Ford's proposed $93B car tunnel under Highway 401?

🧵

#Montreal adds 4 more stations to its rail transit network. As of ...

2026-04-15T13:42:27Z

#Montreal adds 4 more stations to its rail transit network.

As of May 18, we'll be able to ride REM to Anse-à-l'Orme in the West Island.

And in 2027, we'll be able to ride it to Trudeau airport.

(For major rail transit projects, this is blazing fast work!)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-montreal-rem-light-rail-new-stations/

Welcome to the real-life Streetcar Suburb! In 1901, the ...

2026-04-14T17:11:37Z

Welcome to the real-life Streetcar Suburb!

In 1901, the neighborhood of Carville (aka Ozonia), outside San Francisco, featured homes and shops made of cast-off horse-cars (the wagons of horse-drawn street railways).

Orbán concedes! #Hungary ...

2026-04-12T19:44:11Z

Orbán concedes!
#Hungary

Now can we get JD Vance go to a rally for Putin? That would ...

2026-04-12T19:26:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…zquu
_________________________

Now can we get JD Vance go to a rally for Putin? That would really finish that fucker off…

That’s a good sign! Péter Magyar just posted this “Thank You ...

2026-04-12T19:16:49Z

That’s a good sign!

Péter Magyar just posted this “Thank You #Hungary” message on Facebook.

An Orbán loss could be the start of something amazing: 2026 as the year the dictators fall.

High hopes for Nov. 3…

In The Devil's Picnic, I travelled the world in a quest for ...

2026-04-11T21:14:21Z

In The Devil's Picnic, I travelled the world in a quest for forbidden substances, from coca leaves in #Bolivia to clandestine absinthe in the canton of Jura in #Switzerland.

This critically-acclaimed travelogue, a deep dive into the psychology of prohibition, now available as an e-book:

https://tinyurl.com/mrye62z3

Yes, most of them! Including Triton, a 5-star lodge. ...

2026-04-10T15:58:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…xejw
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Yes, most of them! Including Triton, a 5-star lodge. https://seigneuriedutriton.com/

(Wasn't sure it this was legit at first, but the Series E259 ...

2026-04-10T15:57:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…ux5q
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(Wasn't sure it this was legit at first, but the Series E259 trains are indeed used to go to Narita.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E259_series

The secret to stopping a Narita Express train in #tokyo ...

2026-04-10T15:57:02Z

The secret to stopping a Narita Express train in #tokyo

So it is #TACO Tuesday. But a line has been crossed. Threatening ...

2026-04-07T22:44:54Z

So it is #TACO Tuesday.

But a line has been crossed. Threatening to end an entire *civilization* goes beyond even genocide.

I tell the whole story in this week's High Speed dispatch: ...

2026-04-07T20:26:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…4rqc
_________________________

I tell the whole story in this week's High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/a-wintry-ride-on-train-601-to-jonquiere/

I took a cold-weather journey north from #Montreal on VIA ...

2026-04-07T20:25:23Z

I took a cold-weather journey north from #Montreal on VIA Rail’s Train 601, bound for Jonquière.

It’s cheap, fun and, thanks to the roomy 1950s rolling stock, very comfortable…

🧵

This may turn out to be another #TACO Tuesday. Or it may prove to ...

2026-04-07T17:33:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…ywgt
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This may turn out to be another #TACO Tuesday. Or it may prove to be a day that will live in infamy. If the latter, all those who had the power to prevent it, yet did nothing, will be forever damned by the generations to come.

As humans around the world look to the skies in hope and wonder, ...

2026-04-07T17:33:23Z

As humans around the world look to the skies in hope and wonder, one very sick man is trying to drag humanity with him into the gutter.

...as I follow the old Canadian Northern line deep into the ...

2026-04-07T15:42:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…elfh
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...as I follow the old Canadian Northern line deep into the #Quebec woods.

More in the latest High Speed dispatch:

https://www.highspeed.blog/a-wintry-ride-on-train-601-to-jonquiere/

I took a wintry ride north from #Montreal on VIA Rail train 601 ...

2026-04-07T15:41:16Z

I took a wintry ride north from #Montreal on VIA Rail train 601 to Lac St-Jean and beyond.

Cheap, cheerful, and very comfortable, thanks to the mid-century Budd passenger cars with deeply reclining seats.

Join me on board...

🧵

The hilly city of #Chongqing #China opens the Wushan Goddess, ...

2026-04-07T13:35:15Z

The hilly city of #Chongqing #China opens the Wushan Goddess, world’s longest outdoor escalator.

Equivalent of an 80-story building!

https://parametric-architecture.com/china-worlds-longest-outdoor-escalator/

NEW RESEARCH: Major paper by John Pucher et. al. shows that 4 ...

2026-04-07T13:07:13Z

NEW RESEARCH: Major paper by John Pucher et. al. shows that 4 cities that invested in bicycle infrastructure ( #Berlin, #Paris , #NYC, #London) saw cycling increase, crash rates decline.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15568318.2026.2649315#d1e1634

I sure hope not. Prestige is far too expensive for mere mortals ...

2026-04-03T19:25:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…25f2
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I sure hope not. Prestige is far too expensive for mere mortals like me.

Here's the English-language original in my High Speed blog: ...

2026-04-03T19:19:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…9zv4
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Here's the English-language original in my High Speed blog:

https://www.highspeed.blog/why-your-train-is-so-slow/

J'approfondis le sujet dans cette chronique publiée dans ...

2026-04-03T19:18:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…yyr2
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J'approfondis le sujet dans cette chronique publiée dans
L'Actualité (npub1vsd…p2d5) :

https://lactualite.com/societe/pourquoi-votre-train-est-il-si-lent/

...sur les trains de marchandises. Ce n'est pas le cas au ...

2026-04-03T19:17:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…la0r
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...sur les trains de marchandises. Ce n'est pas le cas au #Canada, où les trains VIA Rail sont mis à l'écart par les compagnies de fret de première classe comme CPKC.

Est-ce vraiment inévitable ?

Lors d'un voyage en train entre #Vancouver et #Toronto, ...

2026-04-03T19:16:05Z

Lors d'un voyage en train entre #Vancouver et #Toronto, j'ai passé beaucoup de temps sur des voies d'évitement, à attendre le passage d'un train de marchandises qui avançait lentement.

Aux États-Unis, les trains Amtrak ont la priorité légale...

(English follows)

🧵

Great news! Those classic streamliners are gorgeous. Long may ...

2026-04-03T14:11:46Z

Great news! Those classic streamliners are gorgeous. Long may they roll…

VIA Rail Canada announces $150 million modernization program for its entire fleet of 56 Chateau + Manor series sleeping cars, a 5-year program to extend life of the stainless steel cars built by the Budd Co. in 1954-55.

https://www.trains.com/pro/mechanical/passenger-cars/via-announces-150-million-program-to-modernize-sleeping-cars/

There was a time, incidentally, when Philadelphia-made rolling ...

2026-04-02T19:06:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…nvf9
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There was a time, incidentally, when Philadelphia-made rolling stock was the envy of the world. Now they rely on Canadian hand-me-downs. Sic transit...

Retired trains from #Montreal 's EXO commuter service are ...

2026-04-02T19:03:02Z

Retired trains from #Montreal 's EXO commuter service are going to be running in #Philadelphia

SEPTA has bought 24 Bombardier railcars (built in 1989) to add to its Regional Rail fleet

https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/commuter-regional/septa-buys-railcars-from-montreal-to-bolster-regional-rail-fleet/

Robotaxis: Silicon Valley's found another way to endanger ...

2026-04-02T15:41:51Z

Robotaxis: Silicon Valley's found another way to endanger children!

A School District Tried to Help Train Waymos to Stop for School Buses. It Didn’t Work

https://www.wired.com/story/a-school-district-tried-to-help-train-waymos-to-stop-for-school-buses-it-didnt-work/

High-speed rail in #Canada in 2026: 0 kilometers High-speed rail ...

2026-04-02T14:08:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…ejmz
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High-speed rail in #Canada in 2026: 0 kilometers
High-speed rail in Canada in 2030 (projected): 0 kms

High-speed rail in #China in 2007: 0 kilometers High-speed rail ...

2026-04-02T14:06:52Z

High-speed rail in #China in 2007: 0 kilometers
High-speed rail in China in 2026: 50,400 kms
High-speed rail in China in 2030 (projected): 60,000 kms

On routes where it competes directly with planes, HSR has led to a 28.2 % reduction in air passenger volume.