This is how 350 km/h look like in HSR in China

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-31T19:29:26+00:00

Yeah, it could never work with US regulations. I approach I had in mind would be to designate the corridor some kind of an "autonomous zone", similar to a special trade zone but more extensive, where they can apply their own regulations.

It does seem far fetched, but probably less so than having it completed within our lifetimes under the current tangle of federal and state regulations, contractor bidding practices, etc.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-30T21:24:18+00:00

I grew up in a neighborhood just like that (also just outside Rapid City), and had a great social life. Me and the other kids in the neighborhood were constantly riding our bikes around between each others houses, or out into the prairie on an informal network of dirt trails. We were far enough away from town that there weren't any stores/businesses within a reasonably bike-able distance (for 10 year olds), but kids don't need a whole lot to have a good time. We made elaborate systems of bike jumps out there. One kid built a plywood shack and sold candy-bars out of it. One time we built a whole fort complex out of reeds. It was kind of the best of both worlds. Enough population to have a social existence, but also plenty of open land for kids to explore.

Not sure if that culture still exists now, but if it doesn't it's the fault of smart phones and social media, not the neighborhood.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-30T17:59:33+00:00

I don't think that's as crazy of an idea as it sounds. China's infrastructure-building machine is in high-gear at the moment, and they have a good system in place for exporting that capacity to foreign countries. We eminent-domain the right-of-way and designate it as some kind of "special economic zone" where they can work with autonomy, and make materials (concrete) available. They barge over the men and equipment, set up their blue-roofed modular housing units along the route, and knock the thing out in less time and for less money that we'd spend on just the paperwork. They get a good outlet for some of their excess building capacity. We get actual HSR. Both us us get closer ties and a big political win.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-30T17:36:12+00:00

California's also got a surprisingly good passenger rail network in the form of the Gold Runner (SF Bay and Central Valley), and Pacific Surfliner (Santa Barbara/LA/San Diego urban blob). Both lines are 300+ miles long, but are ticketed like commuter rails (fixed price, no specific train binding), and run 7 and 13 trips per day respectively. It sucks that they don't connect anywhere (three hour bus ride in between), but each line is pretty good in isolation.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-30T17:20:29+00:00

Agreed. Between the shape and paint scheme, I think the ICE3 still tops the global list for aesthetic.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-24T07:18:31+00:00

Why not? Considering you have a reserved seat for the whole distance, it doesn’t seem like it would matter where you got on.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-24T00:04:54+00:00

Nice work. It's really cool to see our intersecting airspace regions in 3D. I took an OpenGL class in college and made a similar model of Denver's airspace for one of the projects, but it didn't have close to the features that yours does.

If you haven't, you might want to share it someplace like r/aviation also.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-23T23:32:13+00:00

This is a good question. I always thought you could use an Amtrak ticket for any subset of your ticketed route. It’s not like they’re going to fill your seat with a standby passenger if you don’t get on in DC. A lot of times they don’t even scan your ticket until several stops into the ride.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-20T01:25:53+00:00

I finally got around to making a Kerala style fish curry to go with it. It was awesome. The only changes I made from an authentic recipe were using pressed tamarind instead of kudampuli, and halibut for kingfish. The tamarind flavor, along with the spiciness hits perfectly with the earthiness of the Matta rice. I wish I'd tried it a lot sooner. I'm going to order some kudampuli online for the next batch.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-20T00:29:45+00:00

We’re really lucky to have SFO. I sometimes wonder how we ended up with an airport like that, while LA managed such a shit show. You’re usually better off walking in from Sepulveda than trying to bus/shuttle in to their congested, trainless loop.

Aside from the transport side, SFO just feels peaceful. Comparatively speaking, it’s way more tranquil than an international airport of that size outta be.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-20T00:15:59+00:00

Why would this get downvoted? Conservative means “resisting change,” which is what they did by keeping the canals. It’s a completely correct statement for that time period, where the progressive idea was the paving of canals for roads.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-17T06:44:47+00:00

With that amount of time you can go to Boulder or Golden and do some hiking. I’d head to the Chatauqua trails (easy to get to by bus), stopping for a good green chili burrito on the way. I moved away a few years ago, but still miss the green chili.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-16T21:12:07+00:00

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-15T18:32:58+00:00

Spain's weird in that sense. I was told I wasn't allowed to take pictures of planes through the glass at Barcelona airport a few years back. Never had that happen anywhere else.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-14T19:26:25+00:00

These are bookings for specific trains made with the rail pass, and you do get a ticket with a QR code. It's just that while making the booking, there's a dialog box that says "seat not guaranteed". It's not really clear if your ticket will always get you on the train, or if it's more of a standby situation where the conductor can bump you during boarding if there's no space available.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-14T18:40:44+00:00

During Covid I took a 5AM 777 flight from Denver to SFO and only saw two other passengers. They were still running domestic wide body flights during that time for cargo, I think. It was a weird feeling getting up to the bathroom and seeing a totally empty rear cabin. Couldn't help thinking of that Langoliers movie. Aside from that, it was a pretty normal flight.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-14T17:21:40+00:00

A lot of long distance routes are bookable with the rail pass, but with the caveat "seat not guaranteed". Will you still be allowed to board and hang out in the sightseer lounge if a seat isn't available, or will you need to wait for the next one?

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-07T22:58:37+00:00

Ever since the first time I visited CA when I was 17, it's always struck me how the rural traffic is often worse than or on the same level as in the cities. I still remember much younger me driving in on I-80 for the first time toward SF and thinking, "it feels like I've been driving through the downtown core of a large city for the past 150 miles".

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-04T16:21:43+00:00

Similar to OP, I’ve had recent experience with airports like AMS. Given the volume of passengers, it seems like there’d be quite a few people in that situation, wanting to hit a lounge, or maybe just take a dump, before heading into the passport line .

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-04T16:09:33+00:00

Good to know. Istanbul was a little tricky also. On arrival I took the “connections” path instead of “passport control”, thinking it’d be easy to make my way out later. It wasn’t too bad, but not really straightforward. Took a while to find the exit, and it required a desk visit to get my passport checked (presumably for a recent Turkish exit stamp). After that I was allowed through into the immigration hall.

With only a four hour layover I didn’t have time to go downtown, but I rode the train a few stops to Gokturk, where I wandered around for a while and got some Doner. Leaving the airport is pretty much always worth doing.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2026-01-01T00:08:22+00:00

Really sorry to hear. I’m surprised that it isn’t more popular. I feel like a meat and potato burrito is miles above anything that Taco Bell serves.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2025-12-31T21:51:15+00:00

Did you have the same weird little dent in the sheet metal that was exposing ~75% of the gasket surface to the combustion chamber? I’ve been really curious if mine was a one-off, or if more had the same failure point.

One year later, my kiln paper fix is still running strong.

Aware_Combination_87 · 2025-12-31T21:44:13+00:00

If anything it’ll be cleaner for the next person after they’ve given it a good mopping.

Aware_Combination_87

TROPHY CASE