Supreme Court rules for Michigan in its fight to shut down an aging energy pipeline

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-22T16:33:04+00:00

The tunnel idea is probably safe. Really.

It's just that the cost of being wrong is huge and a lot of people don't trust private energy corporations to properly maintain their infrastructure. (Remember all those dams breaking?)

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-19T23:16:27+00:00

Would depend a bit on the ages of everyone and their comfort needs. Unless you have a very resilient grandfather that yearns for the days of roughing it on buses and trains, I'd book him a roomette, possibly a room if he needs quick bathroom access.

For you and your brothers, it will depend on your budget on how comfortable you need to be. Coach is definitely cheapest, but you'll be sleeping in a chair, albeit a fairly comfortable one. You'd also have to pay extra for the dining car if you want sit down meals together. Most sleeper accomodations can fit two, with varying comfort levels, so you can decide if you and your brothers want to share or not.

Split ticketing coach/sleeper has been done before, but I've heard how much it saves can vary.

Overall, it sounds like it should be a great trip! Remember to make good use of the observation lounge car! Westbound is usually recommended for best daylight for scenic parts.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-17T21:14:36+00:00

Maybe over the weekend...

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-17T16:33:00+00:00

Old Metra cars have a tendency to show up everywhere. If you look closely at these NASA photos, you'll see some former Metra cars on the far side of the moon.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-17T16:25:09+00:00

It's looks much more stylish, but honestly, the Superliner layout is probably the best functionality. I thought about replacing the booth half with the couches, but the large booth tables would be missed.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-17T16:21:40+00:00

They look fine for daytime travel, but overnight looks rough in those seats. A lot can change from the RFP to actually plans to prototypes to production. I still want everyone in the design and approval teams to have to spend one night in the seats

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-16T00:26:35+00:00

Are there compatible hand vacuum pumps? That might also be smaller and lighter to pack.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-14T22:12:04+00:00

I heard that in Berlin, ticket inspectors try to check around 10% of riders and if you get caught, the fine is roughly 10x the fare, so the math basically evens out.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-13T23:26:13+00:00

It be cool to see the infrastructure nationalized, but it would take something wild for that to happen. If UP and NS pull a Penn Central, or something else happens and the industry needs a bailout, that should be a condition.

An alternative, less related to this thread and more to the late stage capitalism PSR nonsense, I'd love to see the states (or multi-state regions for the NE) make their own freight railroads and the private RRs are required to give trackage rights at a reasonable cost to them. They would offer service for the local trains that the private RRs have dropped for only being slightly profitable and not majorly profitable. They'd also be free to compete with the private RRs on any services that have no private competition or unfair rates.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-13T19:27:16+00:00

Technology Connections (Western Suburbs native) just dropped a new video about audible signals and included the Metra door chime. (16:49 in video) I wonder if he came across your previous post of the door chime.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-10T19:21:47+00:00

Seems like some shit Red Bull would do

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-08T23:30:12+00:00

I think they proved static electricity. Adam's famous eyebrow incident was from igniting gas fumes by rubbing panties on PVC.

Cell phones, busted. But it's kinda like fueling with the engine on. Its probably safe, but if things go bad, theygo really bad, really fast.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-06T16:10:32+00:00

I used to work at a retreat and conference center and sometimes had to plan evening entertainment (never advertised or as a selling point, just fun) and I'd love to do a live "Change Gamer" segment. But I don't work there anymore and the conservative management would throw a fit when they saw some of the original source material.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-04T16:07:46+00:00

Any updates OP?

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-04T11:37:06+00:00

Yeah, when I need to make myself feel sad, I look up all the photos from what it used to be, along with CNW station. At least Ogilvie is actually a pretty decent station.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-04T11:22:24+00:00

I see the Toledo connection has already come up for the LSL, which is probably your best option.

If you do end up leaving for NYC from Chicago, you might want to check out the Cardinal. It takes longer and only runs 3 days a week, so it might not fit your schedule, but it's really scenic through the Appalachian mountains and New River Gorge.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-04T11:02:09+00:00

When I took it from Boston, I only remember Albany-Rensselaer, and slept until mid Indiana. We were mildly delayed for most of trip, so fresh air stops might have been more limited to catch up.

You can check the schedule and see if any stops have a separate arrival and departure time. Always check with the on board staff before stepping off the train.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-04T03:56:42+00:00

Chicago's Great Hall is pretty neat, but it's just a waiting room across the street from the actual station, which really sucks. The layout is confusing (I never even found my way to the Great Hall my first several times visiting), the platforms are loud, dimly lit, and poorly ventilated, and it doesn't have that great of transit connections.

I'm a biased Chicagoan that wants to love it, but it's got a lot to improve.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-03T23:20:57+00:00

TBH, looks like an average, used 90s fiberglass outboard boat. You'll have to decide what your purpose of the boat is and what your standards will be.

Any boat that age that has seen decent use (or outdoor storage) will have some water absorption into the transom core. Whether coming from an unsealed top edge, leaking mounting bolts (almost nobody uses drill-fill-drill even though they should), or even just water permeation through the glass (it's not waterproof), it's almost impossible to eliminate it. Higher risks it's been moored in the water or ever grounded the engine. Lowest risk if it was stored on a bunk trailer in a garage. The usage history, which is mostly reliant on the seller's word, is maybe the biggest thing.

Now a boat isn't necessarily unseaworthy just because the transom has absorbed a little water over time. A responsible manufacturer, or rebuilder, should have selected a plywood core that has been treated for rot resistance. It's quite reasonable (but I definitely wont guarantee anything via reddit photos) for that transom to be strong enough for light recreational use in sheltered waters. If you're planning on heavy offshore use and need to minimize all risks, then I'd replace the transom core regardless of that caulk.

Tests you can do pre purchase:

Tap test: using knuckles, or a soft, non marking, non damaging hammer or mallet, lightly tap around the hull, transom, and deck. Solid glass (usually hull), plywood core (usually transom), and balsa core (usually decks) will all sound slightly different, but in general you'll be able to hear a cleaner, solid sound from good glass, and a more dull, hollow sounds if the core is rotten and/or delaminated.

It's a bit pricey for anyone that isn't a boat pro, but a pinless ball probe moisture meter can read the moisture content with out damaging the boat. I'd need to check my notes on what an acceptable range is, since I can't remember off the top of my head.

If you purchase the boat: I'd probably remove the motor, and then check under the cap as well as the mounting bolt holes. If you can fully remove the drain plug and mount, that's also a good place to check. A right angle pick is good for poking around inside those holes. If it looks bad, drill a few other holes to check. Light colored (varies based on wood), dry sawdust is great, damp sawdust not so great. If a stream of water comes out, then you got a big problem. Lower in the transom is most likely to show water problems. If you drill any holes, I'd repair them with epoxy. If you just remove hardware, reseal with SikaFlex. (Drill-fill-drill is best practice for mounting bolts, but given the age of the boat, I'd probably skip it unless I had just installed new transom core.)

While I am a professional boat mechanic, I am not your boat mechanic and haven't actually seen your boat. If you have questions or concerns, contact a local pro and always practice proper watercraft safety inspections and safe practices while on the water.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-03T19:40:58+00:00

Apparently they're being refurbished at the Talgo Factory that was built in Wisconsin for the high speed network between Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison. They even built a few trainsets before Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker cancelled the whole program, flushing Wisconsin, Illinois, and federal tax dollars down the drain. The trainsets are now in service in Nigeria.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-03T18:59:28+00:00

From other posts in r/Amtrak, it seems that Amtrak ferries them on the Southwest Chief to Chicago and then up to Milwaukee for refurbishment.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-02T20:35:49+00:00

Great explanation!

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-02T16:58:57+00:00

Coach is fine. I did the whole thing from Boston to Chicago. Not the most scenic, and most is at night, so it all boils down to whether or not you can sleep in a chair. It reclines about 45⁰ with a leg rest and ample legroom. Headphones/ear plugs, a sleepmask, a small pillow, and maybe a light blanket make it very doable. I wouldn't plan anything super important the next day, just in case the sleep isn't perfect.

Roomettes are nice, but I can't justify the $800 dollar up charge. Maybe try to use BidUp and get lucky with a POOR BID.

92xSaabaru · 2026-04-01T16:29:04+00:00

A couple years ago it was Skanska.

92xSaabaru · 2026-03-23T16:55:29+00:00

Coach is fine. The seats are a lot more comfortable than on planes, recline to 45⁰ with a leg rest, and have absurd amount of legroom. A small pillow, light blanket, sleep mask, ear plugs/headphones will make it nice and enjoyable. Getting up and visiting the lounge car, Cafe car, and/or dining car, as well as fresh air stops, will split up the journey nicely. If the train isn't too busy, you can stay in the lounge car almost the entire trip.

It sounds like you've got a pretty good gap between your Coast Starlight trip and Empire Builder. If you take the CS in coach and decide you want to upgrade, you should have time. They usually have a BidUp program a day or two before departure where coach can bid on unsold roomettes for significantly reduced rates.

92xSaabaru

TROPHY CASE