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Pijany_Matematyk767 t1_jaehzya wrote

Reply to comment by nowaybrose in How's your trains? by return2ozma

Using the median might not be the greatest idea since then youll have to have train tracks cross the highway, and that will most likely require either a tunnel or an overpass (neither of which are cheap), Plus id guess the median isnt wide enough for 2 tracks. And theres also the risk of collision in case a bad driver fucks up. Trains would be nice but the median of a highway is probably not the place for them

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nowaybrose t1_jaekwke wrote

Most of our medians in rural areas are quite large. The tracks could be elevated in tighter spaces just like we elevate stupid highway ramps 100ft in the air whenever needed (houston). Train can go over whatever it needs to. Trains I’ve ridden in china have all sorts of elevated tracks since many areas are densely populated. No it won’t be cheap but neither are 15 lane highways

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Pijany_Matematyk767 t1_jaeq4wv wrote

One problem with this is getting the political will to make an elevated big highway is waaaay easier than getting the political will for a modern elevated train track

Depending on how straight the highway is, trying to have the track run parallel to it might require slowing down the trains on some turns

And we also have to ask if a track in the median with overpasses is cheaper than just running the rail track separate from the highway

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nowaybrose t1_jaf3rrc wrote

Yeah the political part is what needs to change. No party really seems to be interested in helping people who can’t afford a car get around in cities or between them affordably.

The idea of running the trains along existing interstates is to avoid having to buy land or claim imminent domain. We only do that for oil pipelines I reckon. Fighting to run tracks thru peoples land would take decades.

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