Take the A Train, Michigan?

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-28, 13:06

High speed rail from SE Michigan to Traverse City.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-may-spend-big-passenger-trains-eying-service-canada-north

by **Floyd Robertson** 2023-05-28, 17:22

I read that a couple days ago and while it probably won't ever happen, Bob would be all over it.

by **DWags** 2023-05-28, 20:28

Floyd Robertson wrote:I read that a couple days ago and while it probably won't ever happen, Bob would be all over it.

Bob would panic as it’s passing Durand and pull an emergency stop cord.

by **kingstonlake** 2023-05-28, 20:36

Lol, 85 million might the Durand to Owosso portion constructed.

by **Turtleneck** 2023-05-28, 22:51

Is this thread about Anthony Thomas? So many Blues.

by **Cameron** 2023-05-29, 07:13

You hear "A-Train," and your first thought is Anthony Thomas? You're right about one thing, there is a non-zero amount of blues around...

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-29, 07:39

Cameron wrote:You hear "A-Train," and your first thought is Anthony Thomas? You're right about one thing, there is a non-zero amount of blues around...

I am left wondering if he knows who Ellington was.

by **DWags** 2023-05-29, 08:58

Wife and I were thinking, the times we've gone to TC lately, we've parked the car at the hotel and just walked everywhere, or ubered. Then the wine tour was on a mini bus. I can see going up there on a train for a week. But, we were laughing that by the time it happens we'd be too old to enjoy doing that shit.

I can see people taking the train up to TC and Petosky and not having a car. This might decrease car traffic and ake the time spent ore enjoyable. Who knows.

by TravelinMan 2023-05-29, 09:28

DWags wrote:Wife and I were thinking, the times we've gone to TC lately, we've parked the car at the hotel and just walked everywhere, or ubered. Then the wine tour was on a mini bus. I can see going up there on a train for a week. But, we were laughing that by the time it happens we'd be too old to enjoy doing that shit.

I can see people taking the train up to TC and Petosky and not having a car. This might decrease car traffic and ake the time spent ore enjoyable. Who knows.

It’s be cool to take the train with your eBike. Use the bike all week to get around town, and then train back home.

by **Turtleneck** 2023-05-29, 11:21

I feel like people are waking up to the idea that car dependency in the U.S. sucks and is a complete scam.

by **kingstonlake** 2023-05-29, 11:57

Might be a good exercise to track this money and grants. When this never comes to fruition, find out where it ended being wasted. I'm guessing "studies" paid to firms. Wasted money.

by **tGreenWay** 2023-05-29, 16:13

Turtleneck wrote:Is this thread about Anthony Thomas? So many Blues.

You would know, blue.

by **tGreenWay** 2023-05-29, 16:14

TravelinMan wrote:
DWags wrote:Wife and I were thinking, the times we've gone to TC lately, we've parked the car at the hotel and just walked everywhere, or ubered. Then the wine tour was on a mini bus. I can see going up there on a train for a week. But, we were laughing that by the time it happens we'd be too old to enjoy doing that shit.

I can see people taking the train up to TC and Petosky and not having a car. This might decrease car traffic and ake the time spent ore enjoyable. Who knows.

It’s be cool to take the train with your eBike. Use the bike all week to get around town, and then train back home.

Username checks out.

by **tGreenWay** 2023-05-29, 16:21

kingstonlake wrote:Might be a good exercise to track this money and grants. When this never comes to fruition, find out where it ended being wasted. I'm guessing "studies" paid to firms. Wasted money.

We used to have organizations whose job included doing just that, but it took time and staff and it didn’t help the company stock rise. Turns out cutting staff and budgets did a better job for investors, so that’s the favored move. Naturally, there’s a lot more secrecy in government these days with fewer people objecting, so palms get greased and the corrupt are more likely to get away with it.

by **tGreenWay** 2023-05-29, 16:23

Floyd Robertson wrote:I read that a couple days ago and while it probably won't ever happen, Bob would be all over it.

It’s less likely to happen in Michigan because car makers don’t want their home state using public transportation.

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-29, 17:57

High traffic density areas, like on the east & west coasts of the US make more sense, but the government, which really is the only entity that could fund these, will never commit the money or the land to make it happen.

by **DWags** 2023-05-29, 20:59

The fucks an e-bike?

by TravelinMan 2023-05-29, 21:14

DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

Don’t be a Poor.

by AvgMSUJoe 2023-05-29, 21:34

Train up north would be fun. Maybe. They got enough ubers in traverse city?

by **DWags** 2023-05-29, 22:07

TravelinMan wrote:
DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

Don’t be a Poor.

Em, ok. Cool.

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-29, 23:20

TravelinMan wrote:
DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

Don’t be a Poor.

Sad Sad TM, going with a standard RQA meme.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2023-05-30, 01:23

DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

by **Jake from State Farm** 2023-05-30, 07:23

DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

All the cool kids have one

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-30, 08:39

Jake from State Farm wrote:
DWags wrote:The fucks an e-bike?

All the cool kids have one

I'm beginning to wonder if e-bikes are going to be the truly disruptive part of the "e revolution" with people using them instead of cars for much of their local transportation.

by **Jake from State Farm** 2023-05-30, 08:55

Trapper Gus wrote:
Jake from State Farm wrote:

All the cool kids have one

I'm beginning to wonder if e-bikes are going to be the truly disruptive part of the "e revolution" with people using them instead of cars for much of their local transportation.

We need more bike paths or wider shoulders for that to happen. I've got one and just don't ride it very often because I don't want to get hit by someone looking at their phone instead of doing what they're supposed to be doing.

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2023-05-30, 09:00

if I ever need an e-Bike, y'all have my permission to shoot me.

show my wife this thread, my post - and she'll understand.

by **Floyd Robertson** 2023-05-30, 09:14

Robert J Sakimano wrote:if I ever need an e-Bike, y'all have my permission to shoot me.

show my wife this thread, my post - and she'll understand.

I road 22 miles to the beach at Lake St. Clair on Sunday. Parked my ass under this little gazebo to eat a snack before riding home. This guy pulls up on his ebike, takes a look at mine and says "oh that's a real bike, I'm 53 and can barely ride this thing 3 miles from home to get here". He was dumbfounded to find I was 10 years older and how far I rode. My point in all this is that feel the same way. Take me out back behind the barn and give me lead poisoning before I'll ride one of those.

Another guy five years older than me pulled up on his recumbent bike and gave me a new saying I'd never heard. It went something like keep moving or rigor mortis will set in.

by **Other Teams Pursuing That** 2023-05-30, 09:19

If it gets people outside and out of cars I’m for them

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2023-05-30, 09:49

Floyd Robertson wrote:
Robert J Sakimano wrote:if I ever need an e-Bike, y'all have my permission to shoot me.

show my wife this thread, my post - and she'll understand.

I road 22 miles to the beach at Lake St. Clair on Sunday. Parked my ass under this little gazebo to eat a snack before riding home. This guy pulls up on his ebike, takes a look at mine and says "oh that's a real bike, I'm 53 and can barely ride this thing 3 miles from home to get here". He was dumbfounded to find I was 10 years older and how far I rode. My point in all this is that feel the same way. Take me out back behind the barn and give me lead poisoning before I'll ride one of those.

Another guy five years older than me pulled up on his recumbent bike and gave me a new saying I'd never heard. It went something like keep moving or rigor mortis will set in.

I hear ya, dude. And, yes, it's easier to keep moving if you never stop. Take the A Train, Michigan? 969504605

also, is "e-bike" just a fancy word for a moped?

by **kingstonlake** 2023-05-30, 10:23

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
Floyd Robertson wrote:

I road 22 miles to the beach at Lake St. Clair on Sunday. Parked my ass under this little gazebo to eat a snack before riding home. This guy pulls up on his ebike, takes a look at mine and says "oh that's a real bike, I'm 53 and can barely ride this thing 3 miles from home to get here". He was dumbfounded to find I was 10 years older and how far I rode. My point in all this is that feel the same way. Take me out back behind the barn and give me lead poisoning before I'll ride one of those.

Another guy five years older than me pulled up on his recumbent bike and gave me a new saying I'd never heard. It went something like keep moving or rigor mortis will set in.
I hear ya, dude. And, yes, it's easier to keep moving if you never stop.

also, is "e-bike" just a fancy word for a moped?

It's actually a No-ped. Get it.....

by **GRR Spartan** 2023-05-30, 12:48

I’m north of 60 and years ago had the chance to meet a banker/investor who had clients who were sold on the Interurban. They had individual companies in GR/Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jackson, maybe aa. They were commuter electric railroads. But GM and Ford saw the potential competition even before WW2 and gutted their private funding.

Any rail system from Detroit Metro or Mid Michigan or GR will be fought tooth and nail by every local chamber of commerce that knows their municipalities visitor levels will take a hit regardless of how small the impact.
He Chamber(s) will enlist every NIMBY on proposed routes and kill it.

by **Motown Spartan** 2023-05-30, 13:11

I'm an avid biker as is my daughter. That being said, we're getting her an e-bike as a mode of trasnportation since she bikes A LOT for fun and exercise.

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2023-05-30, 13:27

Motown Spartan wrote:I'm an avid biker as is my daughter. That being said, we're getting her an e-bike as a mode of trasnportation since she bikes A LOT for fun and exercise.

is it basically a moped?

does it have pedals? I thought I remember mopeds having pedals.

(also, I'm old and I don't know anything).

by **Robert J Sakimano** 2023-05-30, 13:29

maybe I don't know what a moped is.

this is what I thought a moped to be. It has pedals.

Take the A Train, Michigan? Abb979b388f8bd76087ae30ad3a6df34

by AvgMSUJoe 2023-05-30, 19:49

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
Motown Spartan wrote:I'm an avid biker as is my daughter. That being said, we're getting her an e-bike as a mode of trasnportation since she bikes A LOT for fun and exercise.
is it basically a moped?

does it have pedals? I thought I remember mopeds having pedals.

(also, I'm old and I don't know anything).

I roll a 1977 Peugeot 103, but I'm pretty cool so...
Take the A Train, Michigan? 100_0339_large

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-31, 09:06

GRR Spartan wrote:I’m north of 60 and years ago had the chance to meet a banker/investor who had clients who were sold on the Interurban. They had individual companies in GR/Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jackson, maybe aa. They were commuter electric railroads. But GM and Ford saw the potential competition even before WW2 and gutted their private funding.

Any rail system from Detroit Metro or Mid Michigan or GR will be fought tooth and nail by every local chamber of commerce that knows their municipalities visitor levels will take a hit regardless of how small the impact.
He Chamber(s) will enlist every NIMBY on proposed routes and kill it.

The Interurban ran on Michigan Ave through Saline & on Jackson road to Jackson from Detroit. An electric version of light rail.

IMO for high speed passenger rail to be viable it will need to have a restricted right of way (a cow, deer, or even racoon would be a train wreak) which probably means elevated.

by **Motown Spartan** 2023-05-31, 09:18

Robert J Sakimano wrote:
Motown Spartan wrote:I'm an avid biker as is my daughter. That being said, we're getting her an e-bike as a mode of trasnportation since she bikes A LOT for fun and exercise.
is it basically a moped?

does it have pedals? I thought I remember mopeds having pedals.

(also, I'm old and I don't know anything).

There are several classifications. Some are pedal assisted where you have to be pedaling to get electric assistance and some are capable of no assist, pedal assist, and no pedal. But to be an e-bike, they must have pedals.

by **Motown Spartan** 2023-05-31, 09:30

I'm also thinking of getting an e-bike for my wife. We live 7 miles from town, right off of the paved rail trail and bike into town a lot for beers and social gatherings, etc. Sometimes it's a bit much for her and sometimes it's way too slow for me. Her on an e-bike would make it a lot more enjoyable for both of us.

by AvgMSUJoe 2023-05-31, 10:02

When I got my actual moped, I was thinking all of the benefits that users of E-bikes have... but the actual bike part of the moped is a super hard pedal if you want to go any distance whatsoever. It's more or less just used to get to speed and kick over the engine.
Still fun though to tool around... on something so small, going 32mph is probably what hardened bikers feel on the open road.

by **Trapper Gus** 2023-05-31, 10:34

AvgMSUJoe wrote:When I got my actual moped, I was thinking all of the benefits that users of E-bikes have... but the actual bike part of the moped is a super hard pedal if you want to go any distance whatsoever. It's more or less just used to get to speed and kick over the engine.
Still fun though to tool around... on something so small, going 32mph is probably what hardened bikers feel on the open road.

You are probably getting part of the thrill, however 75 mph on my road bike is much different

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