Not in the UK, it ain't.

http://iiichan.net/boards/news/res/10149.html

youl be all right

http://wweek.com/editorial/3505/11965/

>>23538

Judging by this thread, our trainspotters have got nothing on Japanese railfans.

Most of the Japanese railfans seem to be young too, instead of the overweight old man stereotype. Pic related.

How are railfans thought of in Japan? Is it thought of poorly like being an otaku? What would a local think of you if you told them you liked Japanese trains?

I want to take pictures of KIHAs in classic JNR colors running on single track and take limited expresses through beautiful parts of the country to hot springs resorts like those ads in the trains and stations.

>>23485

I think it's globally universal that rail fans aren't seen in an awfully positive light. Never mind that the Japanese see any kind of nerddom as sub-human.

Always makes me chuckle when nerds think that Japan is some nerd friendly utopia where they will finally be accepted as human beings.

Some people will never understand railfanning. That's alright with me, i'm not stopping :)

Omiya Station 2008-04, something is special about that loco but I dunno I just joined.

The cars look interesting too.

Tokyo Station 2008-09 Night Train Fuji, 90% Railfans 10% Passengers (well it looked like that)

Where'd ya find this?

>>23085
And the tracks have modern ties

We all know what the future will bring now.

>>23093

EU White Boxcars? :O

At least we'll be safe in the UK, American auto carriers won't fit in our loading gauge.

>>23097

More likely than you think it is.

>>23097
It has been pointed out in the past here on /rail/ that outside of North America, boxcars are referred to as "vans". Having said that..

U GONNA GET V&

aw yeah

oooo more MOAR! need to know of any abandoned rail lines with tracks still intact in USA

>>23427
Plenty!

/r/ moar abandoned soviet tracks and rolling stock

Thos numbers are not bad! Good job for a country that's generally known for not to be keen on public transport. I hope to see a revival of those good ol' interurbans and those magnificent light-rail networks the USA used to boost.

>>23415 Some of the longer runs, like NJT's River Line or the Norristown High-Speed (see pic) have a distinctly "interurban" flavor. ;)

HOW did I overlook Seatle's South Lake Union Trolley (yes; it really *is*called the SLUT). About 3,000 daily rides, but expected to grow on this very limited line in a city better known for it's tolleybusses

>>23452

The "SLUT" is an unofficial moniker given by sharp-witted locals; officially it's the South Lake Union Streetcar. It links a busy shopping district with a world-class cancer research center, with all of the niceties of Belltown in between. It makes up for the cessation of the George Benson Waterfront Streetcar, but only by a little bit. (What those artsy fuckers and their Olympic Sculpture Garden did to the Waterfront Streetcar was unforgivable.)

Although King County Metro operates the SLUS, it is actually administered by the City of Seattle. Metro fares are charged, all transfers, passes and discounts are honored, and the streetcar is not part of the Ride Free Zone.

Further along, Seattle will soon see the opening of the Central LINK Light Rail, which will link Downtown and South Seattle with the Airport, and connect with the SLUS at Westlake Center.

>>23358

I should also point out (just because I like being nitpicky) that you have a picture of a Portland Streetcar there, not the MAX.

Pic related, MAX headed across with the streetcar in the background.

Also, the Portland Streetcar is similar to the South Lake Union Trolley in that it is administered by the city as it's managed by the transit authority.

A unique function of the Portland Streetcar is that local businesses sponsor the system by paying to put their names on streetcar stops and rolling stock.

The Streetcar is looking into junctioning with MAX so the line can serve Lloyd Center Mall.

MAX, meanwhile, has their Transit Mall expansion underway, as well as plans to expand to PSU, Clackamas County, and Milwaukie.

>>23464 Thanks--PLEASE pick at these nits! Too many agencies, authorities, districts, bureaucracies going on in the transit sector for me to keep them all straight!

took a pic of a loco on Union Pacific pics soon but here is site saw #502 on the UP freight http://www.northstartrain.org/

>>23484

Northstar would be considered "commuter rail" as opposed to "light rail". I trust The Commodore will have a Part III thread touching on commuter rail.

true & I hope so I'll post the pics of the loco then too when I get pics developed :)

Yay, fare control mascots!

So I herd u liek steel

>>23482

"Iron Horses" by Michael Swift.

My roommate knows fuck-all about trains. But he gets me. :)

The Commodore has long passed from the "getting" to the "giving" half of the holiday. And, honestly, I'm a bit depressed about it all.

Bring back any photos or trip reports from Japan, Snail?

Got my semester grades.

Three Fs! Best gift ever for a son to give to his parents.

I gave my dad some color prints of train photos I've taken, plus a black and white print of a steam crane I developed myself.

Only thing I got that COULD be train related is a $100 American Express giftcard. But I don't think thats going to be spent on train stuff >.>

Hope everyone had a good holiday! New Years is gonna be fun!

Sadly i didnt get anything /rail/ related but it's hard to know what i need at any particular time (for my layout, that is) so some of my gift money will certainly be going toward scenic materials.

Hai guise I can has be Rebel nao?

>>23470
Nice. I wonder if I should have got that instead of the SX10is which replaced an earlier generation version (Canon S2is) that recently died on me.

>>23439

Ah, you beat me on Miami.

But yeah, the current alignment is what's known as the Green Line, with connections to the Metromover in Downtown and to Tri-Rail outside of Hialeah. Expansion plans call for a line with an all-important airport connection that will also bring folks to the stadium to watch the Dolphins.

This one is technically American in terms of sovereignty: the San Juan Tren Urbano in beautiful Puerto Rico. Hauls 40,000 people a day on a single line, with plans to expand to the Old San Juan tourist area as well as to the airport.

Baltimore's MTA is another city that calls it's subway the Metro, and with 57,600 daily riders, it's definitely a step up from their light-rail system. With 6.41% growth, I'd expect trolley projects to gain faster acceptance.

PATCO's Lindenwold line links New Jersey to Philadelphia, and 36,900 daily riders are glad it does. 9% growth is very respectable, too.

One often forgets that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and that San Juan has a subway. 35,500 daily riders want you to remember this--and growing at a blistering 12.63%.

I don't have the exact ridership figures for Cleveland's RTA, but this trim little system ought to slot in about here. Possibly the only subway system experiencing falling growth--down 1.89%.

Bringing up the rear, is MTA's Staten Island Railway, with 14,800 daily fares--but a healthy 10.5% growth, despite ongoing woes besetting Staten Island Ferry connections in Manhattan. Honestly, if this wasn't a legacy system, light rail would do just fine.

>>23447

That service is colloquially known as the "Speedline".

>>23449

I've known people in Cleveland who actually don't know they have a subway system.

>>23450

The SIR is one of the few rail transit systems to also have freight running on it; the line has a connection to mainland New Jersey operated by the M&E, and the City of New York has contracted with major freight lines to run garbage trains out of the island on the line. Unfortunately, there's not much to Staten Island, so the passenger service is more likely served by commuters than tourists.

>>23458
The "High Speed Line" is what I usually hear PATCO called locally. That, or just "PATCO."

Right now NYC MTA is lossing money. They are planning to rasie the fare from $2 to $3(?) (flat rate) by next year.

And now the suburbanite NIMBYs can have a nice tall frothy glass of STFU. :)

>>23445 And there was much rejoicing.