I suppose I should repost this as well. It's nice to get optimistic about this, but this will be about the 6th time a diesel price hike has made the case for electrification. Chances are prices will fall before wire can be strung. We need a stronger case. digital.sandiego.edu/ksb-sscm/4/

Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social · yesterday

Norfolk Southern’s CFO “said fuel prices at the present time are like something out of ‘science fiction.’” $NSC

In a future where we get some build-out of generating capacity AI needs followed by the prompt collapse of the AI bubble will the low price of electricity justify the labor cost of swapping locomotives at the end of the electric territory, or will we develop the means to run them transcontinental?

Public Rail Now@publicrailnow.bsky.social · 2d ago

The interesting North American question is therefore not whether electric freight rail can work, but where catenary should go first, where batteries or dual-mode locomotives make sense, cleantechnica.com/2026/09/06/f...

The AAR's response to studies which show the favorable economics of freight rail electrification was "It'll be expensive," justified by little more than "Trust us bro". Their intransigence on this issue is killing people, making their operations worse, and costing them money. Electrify now.

Charlie Richmond (Gyro Gearloose) 311.3ppm 🇨🇦🇬🇧☮️⚛️🇺🇦🌈🦋@charlierichmond.bsky.social · 2w ago

(21) Electric Freight Rail Works. America’s Rail Lobby Costed It To Fail. briefing.tfie.io/p/electric-f...

Wait, I thought we won on the first day? And then a dozen times between now and then. What's the point of sanctioning Iran if we won? Also, what sort of disjointed BS is this that they're only now using sanctions? Shouldn't that have been integrated into the outset of Operation Epstein Fury?

MS NOW@ms.now · 3w ago

BREAKING: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announces new sanctions against Iran through "Operation Economic Outcast," as the war approaches its six month mark.

Class 1 Railroads: Giving up even two slots per day to Long Distance passenger trains is totally unacceptable One specific Class 1 Railroad: Sure, we'll restrict ourselves to roughly 1 train per hour on an extremely busy line because all motive power must be diesel en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascade...

Cascade Tunnel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

AAR Today: Electrification is impossible. Every mile in the whole US must be wired, will cost a trillion dollars. Conrail 50 years ago: Here's our plan to partially electrify and get most of our East-West Traffic. NS Today: Here's how our traffic is even more concentrated than Conrail in 1975.

Nolan Hicks@ndhapple.bsky.social · 4w ago

I realize I'm late (what can I say) but here's something directly relevant to today's footnoting: Conrail's full build electrification program circa smack-dab in the middle of the energy crisis in 1975.

In other words: Precision Scheduled Railroading costs the Class 1s $200 million a year. Run trains which fit into the sidings and yards; which actually move on the mainline and thieves will have less opportunity to steal their trains' contents. fortune.com/2026/08/17/f...

The great modern train robbery: Thieves steal $200 million a year | Fortune

More than 75,000 thefts on US freight networks last year pushed freight railroad companies to pour millions into fencing and AI cameras

fortune.com

I think this is crucial. Whenever Trump says "we" or "America" any number of his hangers on from the faceless rabble at his rallies to his cabinet secretaries and even his kids imagine they might be included. But they aren't. He's a narcissist, always has been, and when he says "we" he means "I".

Jeffrey Lebowski@jeffreylebowski420.bsky.social · last mo.

It's amusingly inept, yes. We can't ignore the fact that his admin probably wanted to use the direct, if failed, attempt on the President's life as the excuse to escalate the war with Iran. Otherwise they wouldn't have flown. There's a non-zero chance they'd use it as a reason to nuke Iran.

Ian Boudreau@ianboudreau.com · last mo.

What do you MEAN they smuggled the president out of Turkey in a catering cart

Waaah, the Union won't let us offshore their jobs so we can put a happy face on the AI surveillance state through the only method we haven't ruined yet! How dare they!

Stephen Jacob Smith@stephenjacobsmith.com · last mo.

Pretty good summary of how transit unions feel about transit in America: “Our system is actually designed perfectly, to be honest.” billypenn.com/2026/08/10/p...

We've spent a quarter of a century accepting any number of inconveniences and privacy-intrusions for the sake of countering terrorism. The utility high acceleration, heavy duty electric trucks for vehicle based ramming terror attacks needs to be evaluated before we embrace their widespread adoption.

Californians for Electric Rail@calelectricrail.org · 7mo ago

CA is reserving $165M for unproven Tesla trucks, while reserving $0 for proven overhead electrification of freight rail. Misplaced priorities!

You really have to hand it to Trump and his commitment to implementing all of Putin's worst ideas. Neither one of them is getting built, but between this and the Lider class, which stands less of a chance of getting built?

Yonah Freemark@yonahfreemark.com · last mo.

That’s enough to build multiple new subway lines in every US city above a million people

But, you know, we need to get rid of train operators, because AI can do the job better. www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1SU...

Rangierunfall mit fahrerlosen U-Bahnen in Nürnberg

YouTube video by Bahnblogstelle

youtube.com

All I'm saying is that Airplane! called it. On the plane rather than the terminal, but close enough. ZAZ gave us the blueprint to deal with this: youtu.be/E3GGKF6CsjY?...

Airplane! (1980): 54:35 - 55:10

YouTube video by Hare Krishna in the Movies

youtu.be

Hemant Mehta@friendlyatheist.com · 2mo ago

Evangelist Whitney Lynn says she preaches on planes because she loves “a captive audience.” She's not alone. It's becoming a trend. If spreading your message requires listeners who can't escape, maybe it's not as compelling as you think. www.friendlyatheist.com/p/christian-...

How the hell did these idiots ever think we were going to be a threat to China? We're running out of weapons while we can still order them. How is that going to work when we sink the Chinese fleet and they cut us off? Japan in 1940 anyone? www.bbc.com/news/article...

Is the US really running out of weapons under Trump?

The US has fired thousands of hard-to-replace missiles during its war with Iran. We unpack whether its "arsenal of freedom" is perilously low.

bbc.com

Boeing today: Waaah, big engines on 737 is too hard! Boeing then: Fukkin rockets!

Interurban Era @interurbanera.bsky.social · last yr.

Did you get to experience the RATO takeoffs from Mexico City?

I'm a bit uneasy about Voltify's startup approach to this, as the Class 1s are unlikely to be overly receptive to it. But it needs to be pointed out to them they each have ~2000 3.3MW very rapidly responding generators which could be put on the grid if they'd just string some wire.

Alex Papadopoulos@egeasri.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The next EV revolution may happen on the rails. A study estimates battery-electric freight trains could create $94B in U.S. savings over 20 years, including health and climate benefits. Could commuter trains follow? ⚡🚆 #CleanTransportation #ESG www.cnbc.com/2025/08/14/b...

It's apparent each of Trump's hangers-on see themselves as his successor and attribute that to various aspects of their relationship with him. JD has legitimacy of position, while Trump's sons are counting on turbo-nepotism. Hegseth's push for his future leadership role is definitely interesting.

Matthew Gault@mjgault.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hegseth announced they're gonna start screening for T and administering testosterone treatment for warriors found wanting

The real fun starts when WMATA goes fully automated, with no personnel onboard and this shit happens then.

NTP_Nate@ntpnate.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Traibs only do this when they are very stressed.

Watching all these aircraft queued up and looping over Northern Virginia gives the impression that the DOD might actually be trying to convince someone in Manassas that there are dozens of Air Force 1s in the inventory. We must close the VIP aircraft gap!

Welp, I guess 2026 is when the Butlerian Jihad kicks off. Holy war against AI! www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Look at this thing, it's all the 1970s USDOT memes wrapped up in one totally useless package. Gas turbine? Check. LIMs? Check. Air Cushion? Eventually, Check. Admittedly the French worked on a similar concept before the TGV, but at least they had the sense to give up and go electric.

ToughSF@toughsf.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A curious test vehicle for linear induction motors on rails: railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.do... It's has 2 MW turboelectric generator meant to drive it to 400 km/h. Eventually, it would transition to a air-cushioned design for smoother, more efficient travel.

Ford in the 1970s: "Okay, our engineers & accountants have determined we can get away with incinerating a certain number of people per year before the $2 part is cheaper." Ford in 2026: "Who needs engineers and accountants?"

Dare Obasanjo@carnage4life.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Ford has rehired hundreds of senior engineers after replacing them with AI backfired and has cost the company billions of dollars. AI adoption is blamed for Ford being the most recalled automaker in the U.S. with 51 recalls covering over 11 million vehicles in the first half of 2026 alone.

HAHAHAhaha! they're making the world's biggest synthetic scum pond!!! The coating is a polyurea used inside pipes. It gels in about 3 seconds, making it non self-leveling. The texture is like an orange peel, the perfect substrate for biofilms. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/u...

Manager at Trump’s N.J. Golf Club Helped Plan Reflecting Pool Repairs

nytimes.com

Hydrogen is not a substitute for proper electrification. String the damn wires. www.railjournal.com/technology/a...

Alstom suspends hydrogen development in France - updated

Alstom has put the development of hydrogen-powered trains on hold due to the withdrawal of state funding.

railjournal.com

It should be wearing Hi-Viz! Or be in a Crosswalk! Or not be on its Cell Phone! And definitely should never be on an e-bike! If it complies with all those things it'll never be hit by cars, ever, right? www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu38...

The Life Of A (New Jersey) Crosswalk Sign [compilation]

YouTube video by WTF IS THIS WORLD!?

youtube.com

He's the son of a bitch who got the JCPOA done without a single bomb being dropped. Meanwhile the current turd lost the war and is surrendering everything in a vain attempt to move on. newrepublic.com/post/211977/...

Trump Calls Obama a “Son of a B*tch” After Disastrous Iran Deal Leaked

Donald Trump bragged about Barack Obama’s supposed stupidity despite his own deal with Iran being significantly worse.

newrepublic.com

#OnThisDay in 1891, President Benjamin Harrison visited Tacoma. historylink.org/File/5067

So the Swiss Federal Railways moved from retention toilets to 'bioreactor' units which seek to separate solid and liquid waste, then dispose of the liquid overboard at 'low speed'. Except it appears to not work, and, per the article, makes the stations stink. www.infosperber.ch/wirtschaft/d...

Die modernen Züge verdrecken die Bahnhöfe

Einst plumpste das «Geschäft» von den Zügen direkt auf Schwellen und Schotter. Jetzt sind wir fast schon wieder so weit.

infosperber.ch