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lol yeah travel delays are real, just seems a little like, how common is low speed derailments like that? is someone losing their job? or it's probably a union gig. I have read about some recent US based train Problems and this seems like the middle of a weird infrastructure based Venn diagram  e: 
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May 8, 2023 01:02
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I'm back in the station now, on hold with reservations. This is suddenly one of those threads where a goon happens to be in something that makes national headlines, LOL. |
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May 8, 2023 01:13
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cruft posted:I'm back in the station now, on hold with reservations. please do not |
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May 8, 2023 01:29
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Upset travelers are the worst. |
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May 8, 2023 01:29
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rear end-penny posted:please do not Ha no I'm not goin to to do anything, but apparently last week's derail made the news. It's a standard delay, honestly. I think Amtrak is handling it better than any airline ever has in my experience. |
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May 8, 2023 01:31
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cruft posted:Ha no I'm not goin to to do anything, but apparently last week's derail made the news. If you're going to have to spend the night, I hope amtrak puts you up in somewhere nice on their own dime.
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May 8, 2023 01:58
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sb hermit posted:If you're going to have to spend the night, I hope amtrak puts you up in somewhere nice on their own dime. 
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May 8, 2023 02:00
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They did. I'm at the swissôtel right by the spendy part of the canal I stayed at two weeks ago. Everyone kept saying it was a 4-star hotel. I'm not into fancy hotels, but a lot of the passengers seemed really happy about it. Overall I'd say most folks were pretty cool about everything. I wonder if that's because train travel tends to be less expensive, and so the travelers tend to be folks who have worked or are currently working retail. I've always said retail should be required work for everyone: it gives you compassion for people on the other side of the desk. Actually I think the only people who were super upset were the people in the sleeper cars, and only just a handful of them. They wound up moving everyone up, decoupling the derailed cars, pulling them out of the station, then coming back into a different platform to unload us. Then they brought in a crane to reseat the passenger cars on the rails, pushed those back with another engine, and unloaded luggage. I wish I'd gotten to see the crane. I did a lot of socializing tonight. I'm an introvert so it wears me the heck out, but as soon as the train jumped the tracks I figured I'd better turn on the chatterbox. Tonight I met:
When we were all in line at S'Barro, the only place open, I asked the guy behind the counter if they had anything with no meat or cheese, and like four other people ahead of me in line started calling out options to be helpful. It was super sweet. Anyway, I'm in this swank hotel now, we'll try again tomorrow. It's been a memorable trip! I guess having a positive attitude has really paid off for me, because this has been a really nice experience meeting some of my fellow humans. See y'all tomorrow. cruft fucked around with this message at 05:26 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 8, 2023 05:03
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Finger Prince posted:Multi track drifting!!!  I don't know what this is from, but one of my friends just sent it to me. Please tell me what this is, so I can pretend to be cultured. |
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May 8, 2023 05:22
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cruft posted:
Pretty sure it's a panel from Densa de D, which is a fan made spinoff comic (manga) of Initial D. https://mangadex.org/title/73558022-0a2b-416f-99eb-cf13882fdb59/initial-d-densha-de-d-doujinshi Initial D is a very very popular comic that has spawned video game and anime franchises and is about racing cars on mountains, or something. Densha de D is about racing trains. There's even a popular fan game! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkAM5Qaozd0
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May 8, 2023 05:52
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Oh, the panel appears to be from this page https://mangadex.org/chapter/1203b493-c857-41cd-ade9-dd24f14ece16/17
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May 8, 2023 05:53
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cruft posted:They did. I'm at the swissôtel right by the spendy part of the canal I stayed at two weeks ago. Everyone kept saying it was a 4-star hotel. I'm not into fancy hotels, but a lot of the passengers seemed really happy about it.  quote:I did a lot of socializing tonight. I'm an introvert so it wears me the heck out, but as soon as the train jumped the tracks I figured I'd better turn on the chatterbox. This is pretty fascinating. Feels like a wide cross-section of society. quote:When we were all in line at S'Barro, the only place open, I asked the guy behind the counter if they had anything with no meat or cheese, and like four other people ahead of me in line started calling out options to be helpful. It was super sweet. Chicago feels like the culture capital of the midwest (Denver can be the tech and oil capital), too bad you weren't able to get a deep dish slice or something
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May 8, 2023 06:05
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gently caress it, I'm gonna post one more thing
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May 8, 2023 06:12
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initial D anime is very very very well known for their awesome and inspiring eurobeat soundtrack here is a good example: Running in the 90s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCiDuy4mrWU
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May 8, 2023 06:13
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deja vu https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_3Nhbn1Mx8 I was 20 years too late to appreciate the polar express when it came out but this video makes me want to watch it
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May 8, 2023 06:29
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After experiencing long distance train travel in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden, I have to say American trains are generally among the worst IME. There are always delays with travel (especially with German trains), but generally knowing the schedule cannot be trusted on most lines due to having to give freight right of way is a huge disadvantage, from my perspective. Less travel time also tends to mean fewer delays. Having a flight end up grounded and having to wait another day really does suck, but even then, in most cases your still getting there well ahead of any train. The seats in a plane suck, but you're generally in them for only a couple hours vs. days and there's no real cost advantage as far I've ever seen for long distance travel. The closest analogy I can think of here is taking an overnight bus to Tokyo vs. taking the bullet train. The bus is cramped as hell and sleeping is near impossible, but you save a few bucks at least. I get enjoying the train ride with Amtrak and the advantages but there are some major disadvantages and headaches to it as well. I will have a breakfast Baconator with Dave's breakfast fries plz.
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May 8, 2023 08:34
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Hi, I just woke up realizing I'd never called the hotel in Minneapolis. Just did that. Looks like I'll be okay. They'd heard about the train derail. Yeah, everything EFN says is true. I was thinking about how to explain this to the Polish lady, and I think I'd have to start with World War 2. The real reason I'm doing all this train travel is because of my daughter. When it's 2050 I want to be able to say I did absolutely everything I could to help slow down carbon emissions. So my goal here is at most one domestic plane trip every 5 years, and no international plane travel. No international is going to be almost impossible, given my job. I'm trying to make it sound all fun because if I'm the only one who does this, it won't matter. I know a lot of climate scientists are trying to do the same thing: just none at my government laboratory, because they're afraid of the political blowback from trying to make responsible choices. Maybe me doing this can help normalize it for them. But someone has to go first, and it seems that's my role to play. I'm also trying to paint a realistic picture in this thread. Lying about reality won't help, either. Train travel in the US takes forever and you need massive buffers in your schedule to deal with unpredictable delays. If you're okay with that, it can be enjoyable. I'm going to be talking about this trip for the rest of my life. Maybe I'll be able to tell my grandkids about it. cruft fucked around with this message at 11:19 on May 8, 2023 |
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May 8, 2023 11:16
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Taking the train between Seattle and Portland was nice. I just wish it wasn't such a hassle! I get it. I'm probably not going to stop flying internationally though.
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May 8, 2023 14:02
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Escape From Noise posted:I get it. I'm probably not going to stop flying internationally though. I actually looked into this. The only possibility appears to be riding on a cargo ship. It would take 6 weeks. There is absolutely no way I can be away from work for 3 months (6 weeks out, 6 weeks back), so eliminating domestic flying is going to have to be enough for now. I don't actually have any overseas trips coming up, it's just looking like I might. Maybe that will never materialize, though. |
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May 8, 2023 16:03
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cruft posted:I actually looked into this. The only possibility appears to be riding on a cargo ship. It would take 6 weeks. Traveling by sea takes a really long time. Not very great for the environment either, unfortunately.
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May 8, 2023 16:11
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In terms of carbon emissions, industries are doing research to replace traditional aircraft engines with those that utilize electric or alternative renewable fuels. A better energy storage solution is still the most pressing need for electric engines, as usual, but we'll likely see electric engines for regional flights sooner rather than later.
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May 8, 2023 16:16
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The carbon cycle is neat. When we're burning things, we're basically getting energy from reversing photosynthesis. Photosynthesis takes carbon dioxide and sunlight, and turns it into plant. Then the plant has to undergo some really long process to turn it into oil, then we refine it, burn it, and turn it back into carbon dioxide. Each step of that process stores or releases energy. We didn't have the technology, for a long time, to turn sunlight directly into energy: we had to put it through this complex and long process that we only controlled part of. But we can do a direct sunlight to electricity conversion now! It's not super efficient yet, but it's gotten good enough that we can use it for a whole lot of things. This is awesome news for space exploration, because it turns out there are no plants on Mars, and even if there were, we need the energy sooner than a few million years from when we land. |
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May 8, 2023 16:41
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All the Amtrak people are hanging out in the lobby. All my pals are wearing new clothes today. Chatty New York lady, Polish art history teacher, lady who can't walk very far, and some new folks I haven't met yet! I suppose next there will be a fight to get on the shuttle first. I'll volunteer to sit back and wait for the next one: I already got my ticket squared away last night, so I'm in no rush to get back to the station. Plus, I could just walk there from here, it'd be about 15 minutes, I think. Windy and raining today, though, and I didn't bring rain gear. |
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May 8, 2023 16:46
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now you're meeting people, god it sounds like my personal hell. the only way it could be worse is if you were at work, which you kind of are, debatably. |
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May 8, 2023 17:51
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if you get that strange on the rails they call it the "slamtrak"
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May 8, 2023 21:50
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Okay the train made it out of the station and we're moving again. Back to the slower pace. I made a couple friends, an art history teacher and a student thing of going into cultural anthropology. We hit it off really well. The art history teacher may be coming up to Santa Fe so I'll be sending her suggestions for dining and what to see. Now I'm sitting next to a guy named Leo who wanted to confer with me on how one might ride the train without paying for a ticket. My dude, you are not the first genius to think this up in the last 200 years. I don't feel like I get men. |
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May 8, 2023 22:44
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cruft posted:Okay the train made it out of the station and we're moving again. Back to the slower pace. I know someone who proudly says he never pays for toll roads. He could probably pay for his tolls and the next four people that follow him via his pocket change. I pointedly told him that everyone else has to pay more for tolls because he doesn't want to pay his share. Nothing will change his mind.
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May 8, 2023 22:56
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cruft posted:Now I'm sitting next to a guy named Leo who wanted to confer with me on how one might ride the train without paying for a ticket. My dude, you are not the first genius to think this up in the last 200 years. YouTube Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains and full screen that poo poo for yourself and Leo, because this is a dude that needs folk punk in his life. also you just jump onto the side after it leaves the station. it is dangerous but not fuckin rocket science, Leo. |
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May 8, 2023 23:05
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i had a coworker who just didn't ever pay parking meters. he had a back-of-envelope estimate that he was saving ~50%. like yeah you get a $50 ticket sometimes but generally $100 of free parking before that happens
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May 8, 2023 23:30
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Okay, train trip over for now. Paulina and Killian met me on the platform to say goodbye, so I got a photo for the scrapbook. It was so sweet, I almost forgot myself and hugged them (I'm a hugger). Next train trip starts on Saturday, I think, when I go back home, Final thought for now: Minneapolis has streets named "Cretin" and "Vandalia". |
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May 9, 2023 05:52
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cruft posted:Okay, train trip over for now. 
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May 9, 2023 06:09
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 Cretin and Vandalia are in Saint Paul 
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May 9, 2023 13:58
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I used to take amtrak between Boston and ct and it was a v scenic and chill journey most of the time and tix were very affordable if you bought them early. Way better than the drive on 95. Also this youtube channel is super relaxing, it's a French guy who travels the world taking train journeys and throughly reviews each piece of the train. He uses extensive subtitles and rarely talks too so they're good quiet time watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZONY0pBwrsA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czU2NYXdaOQ For a European dude used to much faster/better trains, he's usually pretty happy with amtrak, the seat comfort and space is something he always mentions is generally better than in equivalent euro trains iirc. free hubcaps fucked around with this message at 09:51 on May 11, 2023
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May 11, 2023 09:47
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I used to take the Lake Shore LTD once or twice a year. It was better than the bus, but twice as long as driving. What sucked was living somewhere in the middle and having to board in the middle of the night, or worse get off in the middle of the night. Going all the way from Boston to Chicago and back was rough. 24 hours each way. I don't think I'd ever do Amtrak again now that I have a car, but I'm glad I experienced it. |
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May 11, 2023 18:24
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This channel is extremely relaxing and got me through some of the unable to travel times during covid. It's all just driver's view, no commentary, just train noises and scenery. Perfection. https://youtube.com/@lorirocks777 |
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May 11, 2023 18:56
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Buttchocks posted:I used to take the Lake Shore LTD once or twice a year. It was better than the bus, but twice as long as driving. What sucked was living somewhere in the middle and having to board in the middle of the night, or worse get off in the middle of the night. Going all the way from Boston to Chicago and back was rough. 24 hours each way. I don't think I'd ever do Amtrak again now that I have a car, but I'm glad I experienced it. I really hate driving, so . .
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May 12, 2023 01:18
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I get back on a train tomorrow at 08:50. Bought a bunch of food at Target and I'm currently drying my shoes on my portable clothesline. I'm about to strip naked, wash my current outfit, and tuck into bed to watch some Star Trek and try to forget about what a poo poo show this week's conference was. Like at least the train only derailed. The conference was a full-on wreck. |
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May 12, 2023 01:26
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cruft posted:I get back on a train tomorrow at 08:50. Bought a bunch of food at Target and I'm currently drying my shoes on my portable clothesline. I'm about to strip naked, wash my current outfit, and tuck into bed to watch some Star Trek and try to forget about what a poo poo show this week's conference was. This thread has definitely been quite a ride so far. I hope everything works out for the best for you, and that we can keep on riding the rails.
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May 12, 2023 03:31
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Robot Made of Meat posted:This thread has definitely been quite a ride so far. I hope everything works out for the best for you, and that we can keep on riding the rails.
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May 12, 2023 05:00
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| # ? May 13, 2024 07:41 |
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Next train delayed 3½ hours. That's fine. I built about 16 hours of buffer time into my schedule, so I could make the connection in Chicago even if there were delays. Due to the attempted mutiny, I'm going to have to go to Washington DC more frequently than I thought. So it's becoming pretty urgent that I find a cheaper place to stay in Chicago. cruft fucked around with this message at 12:38 on May 12, 2023 |
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May 12, 2023 12:35
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