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A comment on Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup. Parent comment

Re:Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup by chiph on Friday June 06, 2025 @08:05AM (#44199996)
There's not a lot of electrified track in the US. The distances are just too great and our railroads are freight-first, passengers second (the opposite of Europe).

Even so, the passenger trains don't make abrupt starts/stops like the freight trains do, because people would complain. :)

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Re:Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup by jordanb on Friday June 06, 2025 @08:08AM (#44200025)
Actually there used to be a lot more electrified track in the US but the freight railroads tore it out to reduce capital ratios and allow tall-stacking containers.
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Re:Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup by novia on Saturday June 07, 2025 @03:04AM (#44207981)
> our railroads are freight-first, passengers second (the opposite of Europe).

Common misconception. Amtrak actually has preference on US rails, but the track operators frequently ignore the law.

It's been the law since 1973.

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_r...

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Re:Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup by chiph on Saturday June 07, 2025 @03:18PM (#44211909)
It's the difference between "should be" and "reality". (I blame precision scheduled railroading for creating freight trains so long that they can't use sidings)
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Re:Freight rail fueled a new luxury overnight train startup by novia on Thursday June 12, 2025 @05:40PM (#44263495)
I believe they did this specifically so they would not have to use the sidings
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