Rubenerd

I got some fun feedback about my posts on battery-powered passenger trains, and Jeb Brooks’ video on the California Zephyr.

Mike Harley of Obsolete29 recommended Alan Fisher, who does some excellent takedowns of silly ideas that only a Silicon Valley tech person could have concocted, and discussions of regional trains in Pennsylvania where he lives. But it was his poignant commentary about shipping waste that I appreciated the most:

All of these [delivery] steps, except for the home delivery part, is done by a truck … These are the vehicles that transport everything that you buy online to the warehouses that hold the goods. And they’re a huge problem.

Andrew Feinberg recommended Distant Signal out of Florida. Like Jeb’s channel I blogged about recently, it’s incredibly well produced with some great commentary and video.

I just finished his video on how distributed power (DP) works:

… with two engines leading, and another engine mid-train DP. DP helps makes these two mile beats possible, By minimising slack runout and bunching en route. A single change in throttle notch on a train powered only on the head end can result in a severe slack-action wave. DP maintains a much better level of slack action and control throughout the train.

When you have motive power at mid-train, that also serves as another air compressor. The brakes respond more quickly and efficiently. Distributed power not only improves train handling, it also improves fuel economy and reduces rail wear.

I got through all that technical gab and QO26 is STILL coming out of the yard!

There’s so much not to like about These Times™, but we’re spoiled by so much independently produced video now, made by people who care about their interests. Enthusiasm is infectious… and not the bad kind.