Marcus Nelson
@marcuscnelson.bsky.social
🇭🇹🇺🇸 | Building cities, transit, and change | Find me anywhere
@marcuscnelson (he/him)
@marcuscnelson (he/him)
Just this year they put out another "independent analysis" claiming that electrification isn't practically feasible despite the number of places and cases in which it obviously is.
www.aar.org/news/study-c...
www.aar.org/news/study-c...
Study Confirms Catenary System Infeasible for U.S. Freight Rail Network - Association of American Railroads
Analysis Underscores Need for Continued Alternative Fuel Research WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 26, 2025 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today released a new independent analysis highligh...
www.aar.org
October 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Just this year they put out another "independent analysis" claiming that electrification isn't practically feasible despite the number of places and cases in which it obviously is.
www.aar.org/news/study-c...
www.aar.org/news/study-c...
Not since 2017.
October 21, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Not since 2017.
FEC Railway, full member of the Association of American Railroads, which has expressed for some time now opposition to electrification. www.aar.org/issue/freigh...
Freight Rail Electrification | AAR
A proposed nationwide overhead catenary system ignores key challenges, high costs, and freight rail's ongoing decarbonization efforts.
www.aar.org
October 21, 2025 at 5:43 PM
FEC Railway, full member of the Association of American Railroads, which has expressed for some time now opposition to electrification. www.aar.org/issue/freigh...
FEC are the ones who decided to build an LNG plant in Brevard County and then buy LNG tanks to power trains with instead of electrifying, they seem committed.
October 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
FEC are the ones who decided to build an LNG plant in Brevard County and then buy LNG tanks to power trains with instead of electrifying, they seem committed.
Almost certainly some form of the first. The issue with commuter service plans right now is actually building the expanded infrastructure and satisfying all the players involved, one of which is strongly opposed to electrification. I'd imagine this is about refinancing debt and building expertise.
October 21, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Almost certainly some form of the first. The issue with commuter service plans right now is actually building the expanded infrastructure and satisfying all the players involved, one of which is strongly opposed to electrification. I'd imagine this is about refinancing debt and building expertise.
Wonder why you said this…
October 5, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Wonder why you said this…
I'd rather bulldoze the EEOB and NEOB and build a new office complex on that west side (including whatever state dining facilities are needed) that connect to the West Wing and keep the President in the Executive Residence, raze the silly ballroom though.
October 5, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I'd rather bulldoze the EEOB and NEOB and build a new office complex on that west side (including whatever state dining facilities are needed) that connect to the West Wing and keep the President in the Executive Residence, raze the silly ballroom though.
Probably not besides portions of the Empire Connection, if you want to count that as Hudson Line.
September 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Probably not besides portions of the Empire Connection, if you want to count that as Hudson Line.
Joe Biden - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 14, 2025 at 3:23 AM
I've found them fine, is something wrong with yours?
September 1, 2025 at 3:01 AM
I've found them fine, is something wrong with yours?
VRE already ordered the bilevels from Alstom with Metra, they don't appear to want any MUs. Lots of their added capacity will probably go to more dual-mode Northeast Regional trains instead of being service they have to run.
I doubt Youngkin cares much about Stadler's former CEO's political career.
I doubt Youngkin cares much about Stadler's former CEO's political career.
August 29, 2025 at 8:38 PM
VRE already ordered the bilevels from Alstom with Metra, they don't appear to want any MUs. Lots of their added capacity will probably go to more dual-mode Northeast Regional trains instead of being service they have to run.
I doubt Youngkin cares much about Stadler's former CEO's political career.
I doubt Youngkin cares much about Stadler's former CEO's political career.
For whatever reason, VRE's rolling stock decision-makers are joined at the hip with Metra's so they've committed to buying bilevels that require low platforms. The politicians in charge have also decided their long-term plans should remain primarily commuter-focused, though somewhat more frequent.
August 29, 2025 at 8:17 PM
For whatever reason, VRE's rolling stock decision-makers are joined at the hip with Metra's so they've committed to buying bilevels that require low platforms. The politicians in charge have also decided their long-term plans should remain primarily commuter-focused, though somewhat more frequent.
Taylor from Billions?
August 4, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Taylor from Billions?
They are also doing this on other rail lines, such as this one on the CSX A-Line near Jacksonville:
July 16, 2025 at 3:55 PM
They are also doing this on other rail lines, such as this one on the CSX A-Line near Jacksonville:
FDOT is continuing to build grade crossings much like these along other parts of the FEC where Brightline may run one day. The second picture is of a brand-new road with a new grade crossing.
July 16, 2025 at 5:49 AM
FDOT is continuing to build grade crossings much like these along other parts of the FEC where Brightline may run one day. The second picture is of a brand-new road with a new grade crossing.
Reading the markup and bill, this would essentially not fund any new transit project that isn't already part of the CIG program. That seems like a serious problem for long-term transit development.
July 15, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Reading the markup and bill, this would essentially not fund any new transit project that isn't already part of the CIG program. That seems like a serious problem for long-term transit development.
$70k? These vans cost $392,000. The purpose-built shuttles that are supposed to replace them in a few years cost $409,000.
July 8, 2025 at 2:57 PM
$70k? These vans cost $392,000. The purpose-built shuttles that are supposed to replace them in a few years cost $409,000.
That's even worse, tracks are too permanent! That's why this was somehow a better idea to spend $66 million on, apparently.
July 7, 2025 at 10:07 PM
That's even worse, tracks are too permanent! That's why this was somehow a better idea to spend $66 million on, apparently.
Alas, JTA executives have claimed regular fixed-route buses are too large and inflexible for years in order to justify building this system with smaller vehicles.
July 7, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Alas, JTA executives have claimed regular fixed-route buses are too large and inflexible for years in order to justify building this system with smaller vehicles.
That would be neat if it worked particularly well at all. Unfortunately for everyone, most of all Jacksonville, the "Ultimate Urban Circulator" doesn't.
Here's my experience of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's NAVI "autonomous" shuttle system:
medium.com/@marcuscnels...
Here's my experience of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's NAVI "autonomous" shuttle system:
medium.com/@marcuscnels...
July 7, 2025 at 9:26 PM
That would be neat if it worked particularly well at all. Unfortunately for everyone, most of all Jacksonville, the "Ultimate Urban Circulator" doesn't.
Here's my experience of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's NAVI "autonomous" shuttle system:
medium.com/@marcuscnels...
Here's my experience of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's NAVI "autonomous" shuttle system:
medium.com/@marcuscnels...
July 7, 2025 at 9:21 PM