Thor K.
@thork.bsky.social
Rutgers urban planning student, transit nerd, does some rail/bus advocacy work.
Talk to me about trains!
Talk to me about trains!
Reposted by Thor K.
East Broad Top 16, recreated as a somewhat 1:48 scale Lego model.
Made to run on 3 stud gauge Lego track, like its real life counterpart. Engine & Tender come out to 1,440 pieces and I’m using one Power functions L motor for power.
Really, really happy with the turnout.
Made to run on 3 stud gauge Lego track, like its real life counterpart. Engine & Tender come out to 1,440 pieces and I’m using one Power functions L motor for power.
Really, really happy with the turnout.
November 15, 2025 at 12:22 AM
East Broad Top 16, recreated as a somewhat 1:48 scale Lego model.
Made to run on 3 stud gauge Lego track, like its real life counterpart. Engine & Tender come out to 1,440 pieces and I’m using one Power functions L motor for power.
Really, really happy with the turnout.
Made to run on 3 stud gauge Lego track, like its real life counterpart. Engine & Tender come out to 1,440 pieces and I’m using one Power functions L motor for power.
Really, really happy with the turnout.
Reposted by Thor K.
Rutgers University is a sprawling institution heavily reliant on its own internal transit system. But its transit often fails to deliver. Gripes are common among students and alumni, but seldom discussed from a planning perspective.
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
COMMENTARY: I know what's wrong with our buses — does Rutgers?
To be a Rutgers student is to spend a lot of time waiting for buses — waiting in the cold or dark for one to arrive, or waiting onboard wondering whether you should get out and board another bus that ...
dailytargum.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Rutgers University is a sprawling institution heavily reliant on its own internal transit system. But its transit often fails to deliver. Gripes are common among students and alumni, but seldom discussed from a planning perspective.
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
Reposted by Thor K.
Had a visually impaired woman on my bus this morning and my computer was down so I had to manually announce stops. When she got off she said ‘You did a great job announcing, it’s nice to know where the Nickel Plate Trail is’ and that’s just about the best compliment I could receive today
October 23, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Had a visually impaired woman on my bus this morning and my computer was down so I had to manually announce stops. When she got off she said ‘You did a great job announcing, it’s nice to know where the Nickel Plate Trail is’ and that’s just about the best compliment I could receive today
Rutgers University is a sprawling institution heavily reliant on its own internal transit system. But its transit often fails to deliver. Gripes are common among students and alumni, but seldom discussed from a planning perspective.
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
COMMENTARY: I know what's wrong with our buses — does Rutgers?
To be a Rutgers student is to spend a lot of time waiting for buses — waiting in the cold or dark for one to arrive, or waiting onboard wondering whether you should get out and board another bus that ...
dailytargum.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Rutgers University is a sprawling institution heavily reliant on its own internal transit system. But its transit often fails to deliver. Gripes are common among students and alumni, but seldom discussed from a planning perspective.
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
dailytargum.com/article/comm...
Reposted by Thor K.
Fun fact I discovered. The first Harris car sets were built in England by the Gloucester Car company, using the same car body as the Toronto Subway’s G series subway trains used on Canada’s first subway in a solid red colour scheme. @longbranchmike.bsky.social
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_...
Harris (train) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
October 15, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Fun fact I discovered. The first Harris car sets were built in England by the Gloucester Car company, using the same car body as the Toronto Subway’s G series subway trains used on Canada’s first subway in a solid red colour scheme. @longbranchmike.bsky.social
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_...
Reposted by Thor K.
Melbourne Metro Tunnel will open in Early December.
October 6, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Melbourne Metro Tunnel will open in Early December.
Reposted by Thor K.
If you've got half an hour to spare and want to know about Adelaide suburban trains, watch this video from Taitset. This Informative and entertaining video goes into exactly the right amount of detail on Adelaide trains from the Redhens to EMUs via the Superchooks.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=aoVI...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=aoVI...
Adelaide's Eccentric Suburban Trains!
YouTube video by Taitset
m.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 12:53 PM
If you've got half an hour to spare and want to know about Adelaide suburban trains, watch this video from Taitset. This Informative and entertaining video goes into exactly the right amount of detail on Adelaide trains from the Redhens to EMUs via the Superchooks.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=aoVI...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=aoVI...
Reposted by Thor K.
Me and the college freshman I was seated next to at a wedding tonight realizing each other is a transit nerd
a cartoon of two spidermans standing in front of a nypd van
ALT: a cartoon of two spidermans standing in front of a nypd van
media.tenor.com
October 5, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Me and the college freshman I was seated next to at a wedding tonight realizing each other is a transit nerd
Reposted by Thor K.
Good night bus vibes start with a G ✨
🚌🔁🚌✨
🚌🔁🚌✨
October 4, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Good night bus vibes start with a G ✨
🚌🔁🚌✨
🚌🔁🚌✨
I’ve never seen this before. An elevator call station with a roller blind(?) floor indicator!
October 1, 2025 at 12:43 AM
I’ve never seen this before. An elevator call station with a roller blind(?) floor indicator!
This is actually a really interesting insight into the geometry of the Metro network. Pentagon-Foggy Bottom isn’t a priority because that trip can be done via L’Enfant with the same number of transfers. Meanwhile for some trips from the west it makes more sense to go via Pentagon than Foggy Bottom.
Reminder: Many Metro riders will need to leave extra time for their trips Saturday & Sunday as Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery stations will be closed for track work, with buses replacing trains. Since three lines go through Rosslyn this will affect a lot of people. #wmata
September 27, 2025 at 4:02 AM
This is actually a really interesting insight into the geometry of the Metro network. Pentagon-Foggy Bottom isn’t a priority because that trip can be done via L’Enfant with the same number of transfers. Meanwhile for some trips from the west it makes more sense to go via Pentagon than Foggy Bottom.
Reposted by Thor K.
U.S. regulators worried about safety require larger elevator cars than in Europe. But these rules reduce the number of elevators, exacerbating sprawl and the accompanying dangers.
Learn more in ep. 2 of our Incentives Series with @stephenjacobsmith.com!
www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/09/24/9...
Learn more in ep. 2 of our Incentives Series with @stephenjacobsmith.com!
www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/09/24/9...
September 24, 2025 at 10:39 PM
U.S. regulators worried about safety require larger elevator cars than in Europe. But these rules reduce the number of elevators, exacerbating sprawl and the accompanying dangers.
Learn more in ep. 2 of our Incentives Series with @stephenjacobsmith.com!
www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/09/24/9...
Learn more in ep. 2 of our Incentives Series with @stephenjacobsmith.com!
www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/09/24/9...
Reposted by Thor K.
Pfft. Whatever. If this campaign actually knew what it was doing, they would’ve made the elevator nameplate with capacity legible to me.
Zohran’s videos have reached Prestige TV levels of production value. They KNOW people are going to freeze frame stuff to catch everything so they have to spend the time to add these touches. And then of course people share the inside jokes, which amplifies their reach even further!
1) This is just a fantastic campaign ad.
2) Using Grandpa Simpson's "Tied an Onion to My Belt" rant as the fake Ackman tweet is <Chef's Kiss>
2) Using Grandpa Simpson's "Tied an Onion to My Belt" rant as the fake Ackman tweet is <Chef's Kiss>
September 5, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Pfft. Whatever. If this campaign actually knew what it was doing, they would’ve made the elevator nameplate with capacity legible to me.
Reposted by Thor K.
I know it's stupid and childish, but every time I go over the Swedes' "Buss" sign, I can't help but picture it in my brain as a hissing snake bussssssssss.
🐍🚌🐍
🐍🚌🐍
August 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM
I know it's stupid and childish, but every time I go over the Swedes' "Buss" sign, I can't help but picture it in my brain as a hissing snake bussssssssss.
🐍🚌🐍
🐍🚌🐍
Reposted by Thor K.
Traveling on N-American railroads is like watching priests performing the rituals of an obscure lost religion: weigh the luggage, leave votive offers, open just some random doors, shout some inaudible psalms in the loudspeaker, close the doors, pull the stool, ring the small bell, ring the big bell.
August 20, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Traveling on N-American railroads is like watching priests performing the rituals of an obscure lost religion: weigh the luggage, leave votive offers, open just some random doors, shout some inaudible psalms in the loudspeaker, close the doors, pull the stool, ring the small bell, ring the big bell.
Reposted by Thor K.
Mayors from towns and cities in the Raritan Valley region of New Jersey are calling for "full" completion of the Gateway Program, including expansion of NY Penn Station, which they call "a key improvement to help fully realize our region’s economic potential". www.nj.com/opinion/2025...
N.J. mayors: Gateway Program would end NYC rush hour transfers for NJ Transit riders
Study shows $445 billion in economic benefits as Raritan Valley mayors urge gubernatorial candidates to prioritize complete rail infrastructure overhaul.
www.nj.com
August 10, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Mayors from towns and cities in the Raritan Valley region of New Jersey are calling for "full" completion of the Gateway Program, including expansion of NY Penn Station, which they call "a key improvement to help fully realize our region’s economic potential". www.nj.com/opinion/2025...
Reposted by Thor K.
Good read of the day: Industrial designer of real streamlined locomotives Otto Kuhler writes about the 1899-1909 tests of wacky inventor Adam's very first streamlined train on the B&O:
dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/umsl/islando...
dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/umsl/islando...
August 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Good read of the day: Industrial designer of real streamlined locomotives Otto Kuhler writes about the 1899-1909 tests of wacky inventor Adam's very first streamlined train on the B&O:
dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/umsl/islando...
dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/umsl/islando...
Reposted by Thor K.
WE HAVE IMAGES OF THE LEGO ENTERPRISE D!!!!
$399, 3600 pieces, Black Friday release
$399, 3600 pieces, Black Friday release
August 3, 2025 at 9:38 AM
WE HAVE IMAGES OF THE LEGO ENTERPRISE D!!!!
$399, 3600 pieces, Black Friday release
$399, 3600 pieces, Black Friday release
I used typing software at various points, but it never ended up being that helpful for me.
I learned to type fast after I finally got a proper mechanical keyboard and decided I should probably get good.
I learned to type fast after I finally got a proper mechanical keyboard and decided I should probably get good.
I dunno, I did typing software in elementary school and then a whole six week class of it in 6th grade.
Every single gen X scrub had two years of high school typing class and hunt and pecks 20 wpm. Every single millennial never had formal instruction and types perfect form 100 wpm because of AIM
August 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I used typing software at various points, but it never ended up being that helpful for me.
I learned to type fast after I finally got a proper mechanical keyboard and decided I should probably get good.
I learned to type fast after I finally got a proper mechanical keyboard and decided I should probably get good.
Reposted by Thor K.
This is an auto-alignment point used by trolleybuses to switch from ESS (battery) to on-wire (OCS) operations.
The operator drives up to a predetermined alignment marking, hits a button, and both poles automatically extend to contact the wires.
The operator drives up to a predetermined alignment marking, hits a button, and both poles automatically extend to contact the wires.
August 2, 2025 at 10:31 PM
This is an auto-alignment point used by trolleybuses to switch from ESS (battery) to on-wire (OCS) operations.
The operator drives up to a predetermined alignment marking, hits a button, and both poles automatically extend to contact the wires.
The operator drives up to a predetermined alignment marking, hits a button, and both poles automatically extend to contact the wires.
Cool (but probably unfeasible) idea:
An Elevator Museum that preserves historic elevators in operational condition. There's enough stuff worth preserving in the vein of railway preservation, but the practical difficulties in doing so are likely much greater.
An Elevator Museum that preserves historic elevators in operational condition. There's enough stuff worth preserving in the vein of railway preservation, but the practical difficulties in doing so are likely much greater.
July 30, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Cool (but probably unfeasible) idea:
An Elevator Museum that preserves historic elevators in operational condition. There's enough stuff worth preserving in the vein of railway preservation, but the practical difficulties in doing so are likely much greater.
An Elevator Museum that preserves historic elevators in operational condition. There's enough stuff worth preserving in the vein of railway preservation, but the practical difficulties in doing so are likely much greater.
I think this is something that Amtrak could (and should) move to eliminate. I just don’t see a good reason for keeping it around (especially since partaking requires you to carry cash). Then again, the way Amtrak operates sleeper services is archaic and desperately in need of modernization.
I wonder if any of the Europeans that take roommettes on Amtrak know you’re supposed to tip the attendant
July 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I think this is something that Amtrak could (and should) move to eliminate. I just don’t see a good reason for keeping it around (especially since partaking requires you to carry cash). Then again, the way Amtrak operates sleeper services is archaic and desperately in need of modernization.
Okay these are gorgeous. This is what modern conventional rail should look like; sleek, functional, and inviting. If this is a harbinger of what's to come on the NEC I certainly look forward to it.
Will the bronze-colored doors shown in earlier photos return?
Will the bronze-colored doors shown in earlier photos return?
Many thanks to rail fan Hudson Sheats @centralvalleyrailfan8311 who captured these amazing images! For some reason, it won't tag him (maybe because that's his Insta handle) but our appreciation is immense.
July 24, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Okay these are gorgeous. This is what modern conventional rail should look like; sleek, functional, and inviting. If this is a harbinger of what's to come on the NEC I certainly look forward to it.
Will the bronze-colored doors shown in earlier photos return?
Will the bronze-colored doors shown in earlier photos return?
I really appreciate the "classroom science" in this video, using scale models to demonstrate real physics is so cool.
(Also the G-gauge car used to simulate the derailments is a prototype I've never seen before and looks very interesting.)
youtu.be/uhWlpAnU350
(Also the G-gauge car used to simulate the derailments is a prototype I've never seen before and looks very interesting.)
youtu.be/uhWlpAnU350
The Clifton Hill Derailment // My Thoughts!
YouTube video by Taitset
youtu.be
July 23, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I really appreciate the "classroom science" in this video, using scale models to demonstrate real physics is so cool.
(Also the G-gauge car used to simulate the derailments is a prototype I've never seen before and looks very interesting.)
youtu.be/uhWlpAnU350
(Also the G-gauge car used to simulate the derailments is a prototype I've never seen before and looks very interesting.)
youtu.be/uhWlpAnU350