*trains* - ☯✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨🚀*THE 2ND NATURE*🚀

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*a train is a form of ‘transport’ consisting of a series of ‘connected vehicles’ that generally runs along a ‘rail track’ to transport ‘cargo’ or ‘passengers’*

(the word “train” comes from the Old French trahiner, derived from the Latin trahere meaning “to pull” or “to draw”)

Motive power for a train is provided by a separate locomotive or individual motors in a self-propelled multiple unit.

Although historically steam propulsion dominated, the most common types of locomotive are diesel and electric, the latter supplied by overhead wires or additional rails.

Trains can also be hauled by horses, pulled by engine or water-driven cable or wire winch, run downhill using gravity, or powered by pneumatics, gas turbines or batteries.

Train tracks usually consist of two running rails, sometimes supplemented by additional rails such as electric conducting rails and rack rails. Monorails and maglev guideways are also used occasionally.

A passenger train includes passenger-carrying vehicles and can often be very long and fast.

One notable and growing long-distance train category is high-speed rail.

In order to achieve much faster operation at speeds of over 500 km/h (310 mph), innovative maglev technology has been the subject of research for many years.

The term “light rail” is sometimes used to refer to a modern tram system, but it may also mean an intermediate form between a tram and a train, similar to a heavy rail rapid transit system.

In most countries, the distinction between a tramway and a railway is precise and defined in law.

A freight train (or goods train) uses freight cars (or wagons/trucks) to transport goods or materials (cargo). It is possible to carry passengers and freight in the same train using a mixed consist.

(‘rail cars’ and machinery that are used for the maintenance and repair of tracks, are termed “maintenance of way” equipment; these may be assembled into maintenance of way trains)

(similarly, dedicated trains may be used to provide support services to stations along a train line, such as garbage or revenue collection)

“TRAIN SCHEDULES”

“PENN STATION”

“DINKY”

“dinky” is a nickname for a short railway line…

the princeton “dinky” is on university place (1 block north of alexander street)

the princeton “dinky” connects to the princeton junction station…

from there one can take a train to trenton transit center or NY Penn Station…

princeton university owns the station and is planning to relocate it 460 feet south…

lazy residents with nothing better to have now organized a “save the dinky” campaign…

the “dinky” costs $2.75
(though the conductors often don’t collect the money)
(and what happens if you don’t pay?)
(usually you’d be asked to get off at the next stop)
(but there’s only one stop!)
(will you then be arrested?)
(just plead negligence!)

the “dinky” has an oddball schedule…

i remember one morning (’round 10am) the dinky wasn’t running and so i had to take a shuttle bus to princeton junction station (and back)…

i waited around for the “dinky” to leave

(@ 11am)

NEW JERSEY:

PRINCETON –> PRINCETON JUNCTION –> TRENTON

WEEKDAYS:

PRINCETON (8:11am) / TRENTON (8:44am)

TRENTON (10:40am) / PRINCETON (11:07am)

boarded the 10:15 train to princeton junction

traveling from princeton –> NYC is difficult…

first of all, i’ve got a half-hour walk to the princeton station
(unless i take the free-b)

an 1 hour 35 minute train…
(and $33 round trip)

fanwood station to nyc penn station
(5:45pm friday night)
(via newark penn station)

friday is the first of the month…

(when i’ll have to head into princeton anyway)

(and the first day i can use my train pass)

(be sure to maximize usage)

i’m halfway through the month and still haven’t used the monthly train pass…

united states freight railroads

1700s:

settlers built railroads because freight movement by sailing vessels was too expensive

1827: Baltimore/Ohio Railroad chartered by Maryland, beginning of United States national rail system. Allowed settlers to relocate to areas not near oceans/rivers. As settlers moved west, the first transcontinental railway was constructed in 1869. East-west developed faster than north-south, since railroads could not compete with shipping vessels. Urban areas developed around major railroad centers.

As highways developed, the truck shipment industry began to overtake the freight rail industry.

Growth of Top US States Exporters in 2005?

Trucking now dominates intercontinental freight transportation (88% of freight tonnage in 2000, compared to 16% for railroad) Railroads used for movements of longer distances (28% of ton-mileage, compared to 60% for trucking)

Next highest mode of freight transportation is water transport (coastal shipping), with 6% freight tonnage and 15% of ton-miles.

Next highest mode is air transport (for most valuable items)

Railroads transport predominantly coal (43%), also minerals and farm products.

Air and truck are most costly forms of transportation, but they offer the fastest and most reliable door-to-door service for lightweight shipments. Bulk commodities are easier to transport via water or rail modes with lower costs and reduced speed. Therefore, rail competes with water transport.

Freight railroad offers three types of services:

Bulk unit train (high volumes of single commodity)

Mixed carload (diverse range of commodities)

Intermodal (transports truck trailers and shipping containers comprised of finished consumer goods and raw materials. Two-way, as opposed to bulk unit and mixed carload. Shipping containers unloaded and then reloaded with other materials for the backhaul.)

With intermodal transport, freight rail and trucking industries find themselves working on the same team (instead of competing). Trucks and railroads work together to optimize relative strengths and efficiencies of each mode. Trucking moves commodities through urban centers from seaport to a railroad for movement on a long stretch of railway.

auto train transport: specialized rail cars, driven off ramps to truck trailers to dealerships. also utilize water transport and export/import two-way service.

fred malchow
(tiger cubs trip to hoboken train station)

(employee for NJ transit???)
(that’s a public corporation, right?)
(i’m an alien, are you really all that surprised???)

9 december 2009:

the wuhan–guangzhou high-speed railway, the world’s fastest commercial train service, is opened in the people’s republic of china…

(with a speed of~245mph)

(they’re fast catching up!)