Jeff Kessler 🟦
@jeffkess.com
Innovation at @MBTA_CR & @TranspoCampPHL. Views my own. Fmr @Wharton, @PennFisherMandT, @SEPTA. #FlyEaglesFly
jeffkess.com
jeffkess.com
If the very very last @metrotransitmn.bsky.social Northstar train was going to be a Vikings football special, it was only fitting to get the full experience before the final ride to Big Lake.
(Also special being where, on 2/4/18, the Eagles defeated the Pats 41-33 to win SBLII. GO BIRDS!!! 🦅)
(Also special being where, on 2/4/18, the Eagles defeated the Pats 41-33 to win SBLII. GO BIRDS!!! 🦅)
January 4, 2026 at 11:56 PM
If the very very last @metrotransitmn.bsky.social Northstar train was going to be a Vikings football special, it was only fitting to get the full experience before the final ride to Big Lake.
(Also special being where, on 2/4/18, the Eagles defeated the Pats 41-33 to win SBLII. GO BIRDS!!! 🦅)
(Also special being where, on 2/4/18, the Eagles defeated the Pats 41-33 to win SBLII. GO BIRDS!!! 🦅)
Did I fly to Minneapolis today to ride the last Northstar train?
Yes. Yes, I did.
Yes. Yes, I did.
January 3, 2026 at 1:17 AM
Did I fly to Minneapolis today to ride the last Northstar train?
Yes. Yes, I did.
Yes. Yes, I did.
Say what you will about here vs the other platform… many posts in my feed, but not a single mention describing this for what it was:
An attack on the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah.
Antisemitic attacks shouldn't be silenced or minimized. They're often the canary in the coal mine.
An attack on the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah.
Antisemitic attacks shouldn't be silenced or minimized. They're often the canary in the coal mine.
BREAKING: 9 killed in shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach and police fatally shot one of 2 gunmen, Australian Broadcasting Corp says.
Gunmen kill 9 at Bondi Beach; police kill one, arrest another
Two gunmen have shot dead nine people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. This tragic event occurred on Sunday.
bit.ly
December 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Say what you will about here vs the other platform… many posts in my feed, but not a single mention describing this for what it was:
An attack on the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah.
Antisemitic attacks shouldn't be silenced or minimized. They're often the canary in the coal mine.
An attack on the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah.
Antisemitic attacks shouldn't be silenced or minimized. They're often the canary in the coal mine.
Did I cut it close for my customs preclearance flight? Yes.
Have I now finished the entirety of rapid transit in Canada? Yes. 🇨🇦✅
Is that the most insane thing from this trip? No. Maybe waking up at 4 for the inaugural Deux-Montagnes REM?
No, probably visiting every *fare gate* in Ottawa.
Have I now finished the entirety of rapid transit in Canada? Yes. 🇨🇦✅
Is that the most insane thing from this trip? No. Maybe waking up at 4 for the inaugural Deux-Montagnes REM?
No, probably visiting every *fare gate* in Ottawa.
November 18, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Did I cut it close for my customs preclearance flight? Yes.
Have I now finished the entirety of rapid transit in Canada? Yes. 🇨🇦✅
Is that the most insane thing from this trip? No. Maybe waking up at 4 for the inaugural Deux-Montagnes REM?
No, probably visiting every *fare gate* in Ottawa.
Have I now finished the entirety of rapid transit in Canada? Yes. 🇨🇦✅
Is that the most insane thing from this trip? No. Maybe waking up at 4 for the inaugural Deux-Montagnes REM?
No, probably visiting every *fare gate* in Ottawa.
October 15, 2025 at 12:14 AM
September 7, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Tonight, we bid adeiu to @septaphilly.bsky.social express service on the very last Thorndale Express.
COVID may have killed the Great Valley Flyer, but this end of express service (and more) is due entirely to budget cuts.
RIP. Soon to be gone, but not forgotten — hopefully not far from a return!
COVID may have killed the Great Valley Flyer, but this end of express service (and more) is due entirely to budget cuts.
RIP. Soon to be gone, but not forgotten — hopefully not far from a return!
August 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Tonight, we bid adeiu to @septaphilly.bsky.social express service on the very last Thorndale Express.
COVID may have killed the Great Valley Flyer, but this end of express service (and more) is due entirely to budget cuts.
RIP. Soon to be gone, but not forgotten — hopefully not far from a return!
COVID may have killed the Great Valley Flyer, but this end of express service (and more) is due entirely to budget cuts.
RIP. Soon to be gone, but not forgotten — hopefully not far from a return!
"Y'all aboard" the inaugural Amtrak Mardi Grad from Mobile, AL to New Orleans!
August 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM
"Y'all aboard" the inaugural Amtrak Mardi Grad from Mobile, AL to New Orleans!
241, 251, 261, 562
What’s a number (or set of numbers) in your field or hobby that might seem unrelated but anyone else in that group would recognise in an instant?
221 255 260 289 302 351
221 255 260 289 302 351
July 7, 2025 at 10:22 PM
241, 251, 261, 562
In January, I finished riding every mile of Commuter/Regional Rail in the US.
Then @SMARTtrain extended their service to Windsor, CA.
I knew what I had to do.
(Soon to be updated on jeffkess.com/tracks!)
Then @SMARTtrain extended their service to Windsor, CA.
I knew what I had to do.
(Soon to be updated on jeffkess.com/tracks!)
June 29, 2025 at 1:19 AM
In January, I finished riding every mile of Commuter/Regional Rail in the US.
Then @SMARTtrain extended their service to Windsor, CA.
I knew what I had to do.
(Soon to be updated on jeffkess.com/tracks!)
Then @SMARTtrain extended their service to Windsor, CA.
I knew what I had to do.
(Soon to be updated on jeffkess.com/tracks!)
Flight landed early, so here goes: the elusive train from ORD!
June 23, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Flight landed early, so here goes: the elusive train from ORD!
I know I said I was done on this trip. I lied.
Just for good measure, the entire Roslagsbanan system ✅
Now to make it back to Stockholm… and hopefully make my flight in 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!
Just for good measure, the entire Roslagsbanan system ✅
Now to make it back to Stockholm… and hopefully make my flight in 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!
June 8, 2025 at 8:11 AM
I know I said I was done on this trip. I lied.
Just for good measure, the entire Roslagsbanan system ✅
Now to make it back to Stockholm… and hopefully make my flight in 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!
Just for good measure, the entire Roslagsbanan system ✅
Now to make it back to Stockholm… and hopefully make my flight in 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!
Going to get home super late, but a final system on this trip: all of the Stockholm Tunnelbana ✅
June 6, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Going to get home super late, but a final system on this trip: all of the Stockholm Tunnelbana ✅
Final time: 8h, 22 min
More like a racewalk than a speedrun covering Stockholm's entire Pendeltåg CR network in one go (…not that I know of any official attempts).
More like a racewalk than a speedrun covering Stockholm's entire Pendeltåg CR network in one go (…not that I know of any official attempts).
June 3, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Final time: 8h, 22 min
More like a racewalk than a speedrun covering Stockholm's entire Pendeltåg CR network in one go (…not that I know of any official attempts).
More like a racewalk than a speedrun covering Stockholm's entire Pendeltåg CR network in one go (…not that I know of any official attempts).
Reposted by Jeff Kessler 🟦
A little thing I've been working on recently: real-time stringlines for the London Underground, using data from the Trackernet API: trackernet-stringlines.choochoo.systems
Trackernet Stringlines
Graphical Service Analysis for the London Underground
trackernet-stringlines.choochoo.systems
June 1, 2025 at 8:17 PM
A little thing I've been working on recently: real-time stringlines for the London Underground, using data from the Trackernet API: trackernet-stringlines.choochoo.systems
Me: "No I'm not going to ride the whole tram system in Oslo (in addition to the metro); that would be insane."
Also me: "Hey, look, it's one of a dozen old trams still in operation! Well, since I've now ridden that on a good chunk of the tram network, I guess I'd be stupid to not finish it."
Also me: "Hey, look, it's one of a dozen old trams still in operation! Well, since I've now ridden that on a good chunk of the tram network, I guess I'd be stupid to not finish it."
June 1, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Me: "No I'm not going to ride the whole tram system in Oslo (in addition to the metro); that would be insane."
Also me: "Hey, look, it's one of a dozen old trams still in operation! Well, since I've now ridden that on a good chunk of the tram network, I guess I'd be stupid to not finish it."
Also me: "Hey, look, it's one of a dozen old trams still in operation! Well, since I've now ridden that on a good chunk of the tram network, I guess I'd be stupid to not finish it."
Finished riding the T's rapid transit network again… well…
May 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Finished riding the T's rapid transit network again… well…
There's something special about riding an edge case that led to GTFS using (trip_id, stop_sequence) as stop_times.txt's primary key instead of (trip_id, stop_id).
(Stopping at Carl Berners plass for the second time on a single journey on the same track.)
(Stopping at Carl Berners plass for the second time on a single journey on the same track.)
May 30, 2025 at 11:26 AM
There's something special about riding an edge case that led to GTFS using (trip_id, stop_sequence) as stop_times.txt's primary key instead of (trip_id, stop_id).
(Stopping at Carl Berners plass for the second time on a single journey on the same track.)
(Stopping at Carl Berners plass for the second time on a single journey on the same track.)
Most people get off of a red eye and seek out food, a nap, tourism, etc.
Us: BUSS FOR TOG
Us: BUSS FOR TOG
May 29, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Most people get off of a red eye and seek out food, a nap, tourism, etc.
Us: BUSS FOR TOG
Us: BUSS FOR TOG
Starting off my 30s in the most fitting way possible: a station opening on — of all things — the hometown system on which I've continued to serve as an advisory board member since my teens.
Welcome, PATCO's Franklin Square!
Welcome, PATCO's Franklin Square!
April 3, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Starting off my 30s in the most fitting way possible: a station opening on — of all things — the hometown system on which I've continued to serve as an advisory board member since my teens.
Welcome, PATCO's Franklin Square!
Welcome, PATCO's Franklin Square!
After this, only two more to go! @mbta-cr.bsky.social
March 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
After this, only two more to go! @mbta-cr.bsky.social
As a member of the #DRPACAC since my teenage years, who's traveled even to international transit openings, this is apparently RidePATCO's way of forcing me to have a 30th birthday party. See you there?
PATCO’s Franklin Square Station in Philadelphia to finally reopen on April 3rd!
www.drpa.org/news/news.as...
www.drpa.org/news/news.as...
DRPA - News and Media
www.drpa.org
March 19, 2025 at 4:18 PM
As a member of the #DRPACAC since my teenage years, who's traveled even to international transit openings, this is apparently RidePATCO's way of forcing me to have a 30th birthday party. See you there?
First there were sneckdowns, but the latest innovation from big snow and ice is now snow protected bike lanes!
February 18, 2025 at 1:24 PM
First there were sneckdowns, but the latest innovation from big snow and ice is now snow protected bike lanes!