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Never happen. Other than the East Coast and the West Coast, the U.S. is not populated enough and is too far between destinations, as compared to Europe, making high speed trains a boondoggle. I love trains, but that is a waste. Also, I read a great article decades ago that explained how the increasing the top end speed really wasn’t the solution. It was all of the slow speed moves as you came through certain towns and yards or approached/departed stations that were the real time killers.DFF
Looking East from Minneapolis Junction
@mplsjct Nicely done! Have you posted more about your layout? Would love to see and read about it more. Lucas
Never mind the economics, or demographics, how do you run a train from Denver, CO to Green River, UT at 220 mph? A 200-mile long tunnel? Outside the major corridors, my opinion is that we should try for an average speed (not top speed, average speed) of about 75 mph. That's as fast as one can legally drive in most states, and would be competitive with driving. No need to stop for the night, and less stressful. Obviously, some places one can't do that (Marias Pass, MT?), but there are a lot of places where 100 mph would be practical (most of eastern Montana and North Dakota?), so it would work for long-distance trains.A 100-mph passenger train wouldn't mix well with slow coal drags, but would do fine on the same track as 70+mph freights, not uncommon on the western routes.
nice are you using a Atlas mech. for it?
Finished this bad boy up for @gkoproske - amongst some Model Railroad News product reviews and other assorted loose ends before the NMRA National Train Show this coming weekend.A ScaleTrains GTEL 4500* turbine and 24C tender as PRR 5057 in DGLE. *These units are not meant to be disassembled or repainted - proceed at your own peril...Justin
That is so wrong.I love it.
Justin does beautiful work, BTW. But a GTEL in PRR colors remains a crime against nature.