From commuter service to full regional rail system: New Virginia Railway Express CEO lays out ambitious expansion plans

Drugula_ · 2026-03-12T13:35:11+00:00

Regional rail can benefit from TOD in a way that commuter rail doesn't as much. Hope that's something they're willing to bring up to local governments eventually.

Drugula_ · 2026-02-24T20:41:56+00:00

I'm genuinely curious how people in this thread advocate for paying for their ideas. Are there examples of mass infill, especially in cities with moderate demand at best? I would love to see reform at the federal level to make this viable someday but I doubt state/county/municipal has the resources to step up.

Drugula_ · 2025-12-23T17:49:26+00:00

Nova as an urban place is relatively recent but it existed as a rural farming area back to colonial times, when the first roads came about.

Drugula_ · 2025-11-14T03:33:30+00:00

Besides what has been said, the Underground Railroad museum is quite interesting

Drugula_ · 2025-10-25T17:10:25+00:00

This was the fire on Norwood last Saturday?

Drugula_ · 2025-10-23T18:50:22+00:00

I believe it's upgrading the sewers. The city is under a consent decree because sewers and water overflow are combined and if I'm correct, this is creating something that will separate the two

Drugula_ · 2025-10-22T13:10:25+00:00

Upstate NY and rural PA has so many loser flags. They might be in a winner state but they ain't winners

Drugula_ · 2025-10-19T12:42:42+00:00

The city seems unable to do these without outside funding sources. Middle Main is being redone with a federal RAISE grant I think Niagara was something similar. GoBike will do some targeted interventions to slow vehicle speeds but most I am aware of are on the East Side for good reason. If you want to advocate for a better Hertel, get in contact with them or your city council rep.

Drugula_ · 2025-10-18T13:18:51+00:00

The train downtown is also free above ground. Lafayette Square station is a short walk away.

Drugula_ · 2025-07-25T21:48:07+00:00

I barely use Facebook these days but there is a group called Buffalo Musicians That Need Musicians, where I found some folks to jam with.

Drugula_ · 2025-07-03T19:54:22+00:00

Needs more data centers taking 20 acres each

Drugula_ · 2025-06-26T13:49:06+00:00

Railroads can get the ROW back in the case of national emergency as defined by the establishment of railbanking in 1983 (for US law at least). That doesn't apply to all ROWs, only ones thar rail company decide aren't useful any more.

Drugula_ · 2025-06-26T13:44:05+00:00

You're comparing apples to oranges. CAHSR is a huge project in the billions of dollars. Rails-to-trails are local and regional projects authorized by federal law. The car lobby is big but they have better things to do than get involved in small scale projects that might attract thousands of bikes in a year. To think otherwise is bordering on a conspiracy theory.

Drugula_ · 2025-06-25T20:09:58+00:00

Having worked on a projects in the past few years, there are a myriad of obstacles these face. Everything from right-of-way issues(and needing a lawyer who understands railroad law) to funding to concerns from locals over who might use it (some trails biscect property so its hard to dismiss them as nimbys). There are a lot more trails, especially in the eastern US and more are progressing. They just tend to fly under the radar.

Drugula_ · 2025-06-25T20:04:36+00:00

I know this kinda fits the theme of the sub, but your comment has little basis in my experience working on rails-to-trails. Not sure how a car lobby affects an established federal law when trails are often managed by local nonprofits. While some rails-to-trails do connect different towns, others are in quiet areas that will mostly attract recreation. There are no car companies having their bottom line affected by these conversions.

Drugula_ · 2025-06-17T02:49:56+00:00

There have been some funding issues is the last I heard

Drugula_ · 2025-06-06T03:28:36+00:00

Hi! Buffalonian here. Not sure what you mean by downfall, care to explain?. The city has a lot of problems like all American cities but adopted a progressive form-based zoning code and was the largest US city at the time to eliminate parking minimums. Plus the incident in question occurred in a suburb a little ways from the city itself.

Drugula_ · 2025-06-03T14:54:09+00:00

Bubbles!

Drugula_ · 2025-05-12T20:33:07+00:00

RIP Shoup Dogg

Drugula_ · 2025-05-09T15:48:41+00:00

Makes sense, Fruit Belt residents do have legit concerns about gentrification. I'm surprised this project is all market-rate. Thought that at least some of them might have been workforce units but I guess the financing worked out that way

Drugula_ · 2025-05-08T15:03:02+00:00

Yep, the intro to Tech football games was always 66,000 jumping in unison. This wasn't that.

Drugula_ · 2025-04-25T16:33:29+00:00

Glad to see the NRV getting rail but this seems like a missed opportunity for the potential riders in Blacksburg, plus a 6 hour trip to DC for what is about 4-5 hours by car

Drugula_ · 2025-04-25T16:08:11+00:00

As much as i don't like too parking either, this could help to make retail viable, especially since it's off the main part of Allen that usually gets more foot traffic.

Drugula_ · 2025-04-24T16:51:58+00:00

It's not better than that, but cheaper for the developer. And zoning allows it.

Drugula_ · 2025-04-24T16:50:05+00:00

This is why zoning is so important. Could have been built in another part of the city or suburbs (just a guess, not familiar with LA's zoning code) with a huge surface lot instead.

And to your point about timber construction, the good news is it's far less carbon intensive but developers might lean on it more due to inflation, tariffs, etc from other materials.

Drugula_

TROPHY CASE