Nick
@mrflynn.bsky.social
I mean conceptually it's fine. There are plenty of hybrid streetcar subway systems around the world, but the problem is that Muni never made the necessary investments into the surface portions. If you look at stadtbahn systems in Germany their surface sections look nothing like SF's do.
December 5, 2025 at 5:45 AM
I mean conceptually it's fine. There are plenty of hybrid streetcar subway systems around the world, but the problem is that Muni never made the necessary investments into the surface portions. If you look at stadtbahn systems in Germany their surface sections look nothing like SF's do.
I'm not sure how severe these service impacts are going to be tbh. They've been doing wayside construction work for CBTC for a while, including installing equipment in the trackway during evening service hours in addition to back of house changes.
November 17, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I'm not sure how severe these service impacts are going to be tbh. They've been doing wayside construction work for CBTC for a while, including installing equipment in the trackway during evening service hours in addition to back of house changes.
There was a small update last year about it. Staff said they're still working on it, but it wouldn't happen until after CBTC was finished.
November 17, 2025 at 6:22 PM
There was a small update last year about it. Staff said they're still working on it, but it wouldn't happen until after CBTC was finished.
I'm not necessarily sure the FTA recommendation is necessarily worth much. 30 feet is quite wide and most BART platforms are less than 25 feet wide.
November 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I'm not necessarily sure the FTA recommendation is necessarily worth much. 30 feet is quite wide and most BART platforms are less than 25 feet wide.
San Mateo county is probably the biggest offender here.
November 12, 2025 at 11:13 PM
San Mateo county is probably the biggest offender here.
The weird thing here is that they already do this, but the service is generally poor (slow and/or infrequent). Biggest missed opportunity is zero bus service at Lawrence which is surrounded by employers.
November 12, 2025 at 11:12 PM
The weird thing here is that they already do this, but the service is generally poor (slow and/or infrequent). Biggest missed opportunity is zero bus service at Lawrence which is surrounded by employers.
Sure, but I think there would need to be more than just connections with parallel(ish) VTA routes. There are tons of employers and housing on the perpendicular axis that need better buses and/or bike infra.
November 12, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Sure, but I think there would need to be more than just connections with parallel(ish) VTA routes. There are tons of employers and housing on the perpendicular axis that need better buses and/or bike infra.
Caltrain’s relative lack of park and rides doesn’t provide any kind of minimal substitute in the absence of strong bus connections either.
November 12, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Caltrain’s relative lack of park and rides doesn’t provide any kind of minimal substitute in the absence of strong bus connections either.
I’d expand this to say the biggest weakness is the first/last mile basically anywhere on the corridor. DTX is a must eventually but the lack of good bus service basically anywhere outside of the termini really hampers ridership growth.
November 12, 2025 at 11:02 PM
I’d expand this to say the biggest weakness is the first/last mile basically anywhere on the corridor. DTX is a must eventually but the lack of good bus service basically anywhere outside of the termini really hampers ridership growth.
There's already supposed to be an engineering control to prevent this. The LRVs are equipped with a dead man's switch, but this person was able to keep it depressed while asleep which seems like a pretty massive design flaw.
November 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
There's already supposed to be an engineering control to prevent this. The LRVs are equipped with a dead man's switch, but this person was able to keep it depressed while asleep which seems like a pretty massive design flaw.
Some people are speculating that this could be him appointing someone who sounds more agreeable to the residents of the sunset while also supporting the mayor's agenda and has no chance of ever being re-elected.
November 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Some people are speculating that this could be him appointing someone who sounds more agreeable to the residents of the sunset while also supporting the mayor's agenda and has no chance of ever being re-elected.
Denver would probably be more representative, but getting concrete numbers is hard to come by. I’ve heard they were closer to $6 million per mile, although I haven’t been able to confirm that.
October 27, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Denver would probably be more representative, but getting concrete numbers is hard to come by. I’ve heard they were closer to $6 million per mile, although I haven’t been able to confirm that.
$50 million per mile is the entire program cost, including trains, signaling, and electrification. Just the electrification was $14 million per mile, but there are quite a few reasons why that number would be difficult to replicate.
October 27, 2025 at 2:29 AM
$50 million per mile is the entire program cost, including trains, signaling, and electrification. Just the electrification was $14 million per mile, but there are quite a few reasons why that number would be difficult to replicate.
CRRC has one basically ready for sale into the market called the CR400AF-S, but so far there haven't been any prospective buyers.
October 22, 2025 at 8:22 PM
CRRC has one basically ready for sale into the market called the CR400AF-S, but so far there haven't been any prospective buyers.
It was a weather balloon arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...
It wasn’t space debris that struck a United Airlines plane—it was a weather balloon
WindBorne says its balloons are compliant with all applicable airspace regulations.
arstechnica.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
It was a weather balloon arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...
Other way around. They have a single driver and two conductors.
October 19, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Other way around. They have a single driver and two conductors.
Why would the transfer at 19th screw over riders at 12th? If they’re coming from 12th they can just take any train whenever it arrives.
October 8, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Why would the transfer at 19th screw over riders at 12th? If they’re coming from 12th they can just take any train whenever it arrives.
The only outstanding thing is the rail head, which could possibly cause issues, or at minimum increase the maintenance burden or complicate the train design.
October 2, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The only outstanding thing is the rail head, which could possibly cause issues, or at minimum increase the maintenance burden or complicate the train design.
Not necessarily. There are critical elements that need to be identical to allow through operation (loading/track gauge, signaling, electrification), but ancillary things that don't restrict the operation of trains on either network can be different.
October 2, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Not necessarily. There are critical elements that need to be identical to allow through operation (loading/track gauge, signaling, electrification), but ancillary things that don't restrict the operation of trains on either network can be different.
While not explicitly stated, planning for the High Desert Corridor does show through trains from LA (via the San Gabriel range tunnels) to Las Vegas, and those are presumed to be operated by Brightline West.
October 2, 2025 at 7:13 PM
While not explicitly stated, planning for the High Desert Corridor does show through trains from LA (via the San Gabriel range tunnels) to Las Vegas, and those are presumed to be operated by Brightline West.
Brightline and CAHSR have largely agreed on technical standards. About the only thing they diverge on now is the rail head, where Brightline decided to use AAR standards but CAHSR wants to use UIC.
October 2, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Brightline and CAHSR have largely agreed on technical standards. About the only thing they diverge on now is the rail head, where Brightline decided to use AAR standards but CAHSR wants to use UIC.
These service are completely paid for by the state. You can think of Amtrak simply as a contracted operator.
October 2, 2025 at 5:39 PM
These service are completely paid for by the state. You can think of Amtrak simply as a contracted operator.
This is not the case. The rules were updated over 7 years ago to allow trains that comply with EU crashworthiness rules to interoperate with traditional FRA buff strength trains, e.g. freight. Union Pacific runs freight trains on the Peninsula Corridor throughout the day.
September 26, 2025 at 4:24 AM
This is not the case. The rules were updated over 7 years ago to allow trains that comply with EU crashworthiness rules to interoperate with traditional FRA buff strength trains, e.g. freight. Union Pacific runs freight trains on the Peninsula Corridor throughout the day.
Unlikely. Quite literally everything about the electrification systems is dissimilar, even down to the types of wires they use.
September 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Unlikely. Quite literally everything about the electrification systems is dissimilar, even down to the types of wires they use.
This is basically what SP wanted to do. They bought parcels along the Embarcadero between 3rd and Townsend and Market and designed 1 Market to be a train terminal. Never happened for unclear reasons to me.
September 18, 2025 at 5:43 PM
This is basically what SP wanted to do. They bought parcels along the Embarcadero between 3rd and Townsend and Market and designed 1 Market to be a train terminal. Never happened for unclear reasons to me.