Built like a Mercedes 3722Nomen Nescio Mercedes build a range of very light cars under the Smart brand. They also build a small car that bis averagely light called the A Clbutt which is more roomy than a C...
On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 02:51:54 GMT, SD Dave
Running a train across foreign territory to link two parts of the same country *shouldn't* be a problem, Canadian National ran Montreal to New Brunswick trains across Maine for years. The issue in this case would be that Mexican law requires trains run in Mexican territory to use crews of Mexican nationals. (There are excursion trains to Tecate, how that's worked out, I don't know)
This issue partly contributed to the dissolution of the proposed San Antonio to Monterrey Texas Eagle extension.
This is needed all over the place, and not just in areas with pbuttenger traffic. Freight traffic is increasing every year and grade crossing accidents kill lots of people. In the days of yore, the average American rode trains as a matter of course and was educated about rail safety, nowadays we aren't.
Chicago terminals handle about 35,000 carloads of freight *per day*, but people who live in the city proper are barely aware of the hundreds of train movements, because nearly all the track is grade separated.
The issues with Amtrak's loading procedures at Chicago Union Station are simply matters of common sense, the silly procedures were exacerbated by 9-11 security concerns and the famous Union Station drug-dealer-feds a la Untouchables platform shootout. Despite all the hbuttle for pbuttengers, Amtrak employees are not using metal detectors, They *could* just back the train up to the platform an hour ahead of time, pbuttengers board at leisure.
Amtrak is, overall, doing a pretty good job considering how hamstrung it is by federal funding. However, local services in places like Illinois should be run by local authorities, as they are by SEPTA, the LIRR and Jersey Transit. IOW, Illinois local rail services should be an extension of Chicago METRA services, so I don't have to book tickets a week ahead of time to go to Quincy or Springfield.
Unions? Operating trains is an industrial operation that requires trained, send, drug-free personnel. Train conductors aren't Wal-Mart greeters, you can't hire guys out of nursing homes and expect them to know HEP connectors and safety procedures to keep idiot pbuttengers from killing themselves. It almost goes without saying that people who are smart enough to be qualified to operate a railroad train, are smart enough to organize to get the best benefits they can negociate. If they weren't that smart, would you want them running *your* train?
Darwin's Been Busy Lately 3724I never blamed the car. I characterized it as crappy because it was. It squeaked and rattled, it was overly large and handled poorly...
-- Ned Carlson www.tubezone.net South Side of Chicago,IL USA 1-31-2006 1:28:32 AM
I Wish I'd Thought of This! 3725On Sun, 26 Feb 2006 18:33:32 -0500, necromancer Agreed. :-) Nah, I'm moving up the coast. I'm at Merrit Island, near Cape Canaveral, although I...
