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Railblazer

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Blog Entries posted by Railblazer

  1. Railblazer
    How many of you have heard about plans to build High Speed Rail lines in Florida and California (among other places)? Anyone who said no has got to get a better grip on modern communication. It's been news for a while. But why is it needed?
     
    Easy. Airports are becoming overcrowded. Highways too. Conventional rail can't always get people around fast enough. High speed rail (Defined in the U.S. as over 125 mph) could decrease travel times a lot. (The max train speed in many places is 79 mph.) The Northeast Corridor's Acela Express has shown that high speed rail has a major impact on the area it serves. So why not build it everywhere?
     
    It needs to be economical. High speed works best on distances of 4 hours or less. It needs a dedicated right of way to work best. (Acela travels partly on dedicated track and partly shares with freight traffic.) Most of it is electric, so you need power. And it all adds up to a huge cost. That's what discouraged it in the U.S. (France and Japan had their governments subsidize their high speed lines.) Although the U.S. Gov. gives Amtrak money, it's not for building high speed lines.
     
    However, there are several places that are planning to at least go to speeds of 90-110 mph. Here are a few that are planning or would be ideal locations for high or higher speed rail.:
     
    Vancouver, B.C.-Eugene, OR via Seattle and Portland, OR. Although the Cascades serves this route, it can't go much faster than the Coast Starlight. Track improvements would greatly help.
     
    California-L.A. to Bay Area and Sacramento. It's the most populous state in the U.S. It's already gone into great planning. It just needs to start building!
     
    Florida-Tampa to Orlando. Much planning has gone into this as well. It might not be as economical as other locations, though. If extended to Miami, it would really help.
     
    Boston, MA-Washington, D.C. via New York. This is the route of the Acela Express.
     
    Chicago, IL to Milwaukee, WI. Although the Hiawatha service runs this, it uses standard equipment. Wisconson is buying two new Talgo carsets, similar to those on the Cascades, which will allow for higher speeds.
     
    Texas. A high speed line from Dallas/Fort Worth-Houston-San Antonio-Austin would be pretty popular, I bet. Those are some big cities.
     
    Las Vegas, NV-Victorville, CA. This would be within 50 miles of the California High Speed Rail system. An extension to Palmdale would connect it. Traffic from L.A. to Las Vegas would definetaly be a moneymaker.
     
    As I have said, there are other places. But this is a good idea. And if you want to see the Future of U.S. rail (hopefully)...go ride the Cascades.
  2. Railblazer
    Today was really painfull. In gym class, we're doing badmitton. As I walked off the stage (warm-ups) I jumped off the 2nd or 3rd step.
    I hit the top of the stairwell.
    You should not there are only 4-6 stairs, so it's not a talll stairwell. The result was not major laughter, but rather, a splitting headache... and as i later found out, perhaps a dent in my head. I jumped up, Hit head, hit stairs. Ouch.
    I asked someone some questions about that, and got surprising answers.
     
    On the plus side, i balanced a pen on my nose in science and math classes. Only a few others could do this. Later i got first 2, then 3 on my nose! Holy pens!
     
    So remember... BEWARE THE STAIRWELL!
  3. Railblazer

    Say Cheese!

    By Railblazer,

    Wendsday (how do you spell that?)
    Othrodontist in Ontario, Oregon. Spacer removed. Colors change from red and blue to orange and dark (Pullman) green.
    Too much eaten at Golden Corral, Nampa, Idaho. Too much spent at Costco, Nampa, Idaho.
    Spotted LEGO set at Costco, Helicopter Transport, $28.99, normally $39.99.
    Also, THE LEGEND REBORN at $12.99. Recommendation, pick up quickly.
    Kapurkar Out
    *zzzt*
  4. Railblazer
    Here's a filler between last entry and now.
    7th grade done & gone.
    New AKRR SD70MAC engine
    13 years.
    Kato UNITRACK comes
    New railroad built
    Grandpa dies
    100th fair. Some LEGO figures sto- er, really fun fair.
    8th grade starts
     
    Events not in order.
  5. Railblazer
    Last Night Was the Talent Show In The County Fair (which is the longest continuous fair in Oregon-99 years, 100 next year.) I sang With dad a song by deceased composer, John Denver. The song was "Grandma's Feather Bed", and Won us Second prize in our division. As a treat, Dad let me and my sister go on the Hammerhead.
     
    Here's a Line
     
    "Well I love my Ma, I love my Pa, I love Granny and Grandpa too,
    I've Been Fishin' with my uncle, I rassled with my cousin, I even kissed Aunt Lou, EEEEEW!"
  6. Railblazer

    Update Again

    By Railblazer,

    Now That Jalina Is Home, I can Tell you about the Surprise From Last Time.
     
    WWHHHEEEEE! WWEEEE! Wii!
     
    Yes. We have a Wii. And in a week, I am The Master of Find Mii, Shooting Range, And Tanks!
     
    Right Now, I am posting in my Blog, with Tahu Mistika In my lap, And I am the Proud owner of a 1960's Marx Train Set (unshipped), And A Kato N scale 10 car Daylight Passenger Car Set (also unshipped)
     
    Bye!
  7. Railblazer

    Update-read On

    By Railblazer,

    Update-
    Saturday-August-9-2008
    Up At 5:00 To Help Make Fire Lunches At SubwayTM.
    Watched Nim's Island At Grantville Theatre After Church.
    Rented Nim's Island And The Magic School Bus Creepy Crawly Fun.
    Watched Both.
    Sunday-August-10-2008
    Recieved Surprise From Mom. Can't Tell As Sister Not Supposed To Know. May Read Blog. Would Know.
    Readers Will Know Tomorrow Monday-August-11-2008.
    Wor-AAAAAH! THEFLYINGLIZARDSFROMNIM'ISALAND! GETOFFGETOFFGETOFF!
    *zeewwwip*(end update)
    (translation: The Flying Lizards From Nim's Island! Get off Get off Get Off!)
  8. Railblazer

    Mythbusters!

    By Railblazer,

    Mythbusters. One of the Coolest Discovery Channel Shows in my opinion. They Bust myths, sometimes not knowing a trip somewhere would have saved them the trouble.
    They Put their life on the line. They Blow things up. They Sling objects. They shoot them. They Set them on fire. The destroy them. Then They Blow them up again.
    All who like Mythbusters, post BOOM!
  9. Railblazer
    Remember That Entry about the Sumpter Valley Railroad?
    Well, I rode it today. Had fun and learned some things:
    The Railroad restoration group ownes the last Narrow Gauge (three feet between the rails) RPO (post office) car that I know of.
    They own one of Four operating narrow gauge Heisler locos.
    The Satandard gauge of rails was decided because the first railroad had an english loco, and the tracks were bulit to that scale: 4 Ft 8.5 In.
    They were that wide because trains replaced horse drawn wagons on rails. Those axles matched those on regular wagons. Those were that size due to ruts in the roads, caused by Horse Drawn Roman War chariots. The wheels were that size because the romans wanted specifically sized horses. The reins had to fit around the rumps of two horses, which was, guess what: 4ft 8.5 inches.
    Some of NASA's rockets travel by rail, and pass through tunnels that are barely wider than the tracks. So NASA made their rockets, Guess, 4ft 8.5 in.
    So, thinks of this. The sizes of some of Today's advanced tech can be determined by the sizes of a horses rump!
     
    Oh, and happy Anniversery, BZP!
  10. Railblazer

    Jessie

    By Railblazer,

    Tuesday, July 1st:
    We got a dog from the Redmond Humane Society in Redmond, OR.
    She is part Pit Bull, Part Chihuahua.
    Reminds me of a movie Disney is making.
    She was called Nala.
    She trusts Jalina More than me, but only slighty.
    She is the cutest dog this side of the Galaxy.
    Martians landed at my house.
    There is a STARGATE in my closet.
    And a hitching bink in the Kitchen Sink.
    My sister is weird,
    i am not!
    you are too!
    am not!
    are too!
    Am Not!
    Are Too
    D-2!
    Not Funny! (keyboard fight follows)
  11. Railblazer

    Road Trip!

    By Railblazer,

    Since my family may moving to Salmon, we decided to tour the town. It has an awesome city park, a Subway, a Bed and Breakfast, and a small park in a river. The river spilts briefly then rejoins. The park is in that area.
    The town is named after the Salmon River, called, "the river of no return." The river flows north into a canyon where there are no roads.
    But the area is known best for that it is the birthplace of Sacajawea.
     
    See ya!
     
     
    P.S: HAPPY NATIONAL TRAIN DAY!
  13. Railblazer

    Pop Quiz

    By Railblazer,

    This is a news report from KAJN. The debate between sodas, Pepsi and Coca Cola, came to a crashing halt when BZP member Kapurkar said that he preferred a Graveyard(multiple flavors combined) between Pepsi, Coke, Root Beer, and Sprite. This has been KAJN.
  14. Railblazer
    Doc Hay and Lung On weren't the only ones to come to "Tiger Town" as the place was called. Many, perhaps more than 10 thousand, I don't know, Chinese came here during the Mid-Late 1800's. Want to know why? I'll tell you why.
     
    THERE'S GOLD IN THEM THAR HILLS!
     
    There was. And there still is. Not everyone who got rich here mined gold though!
  15. Railblazer
    In 1888 I think it was, two Chinese men bought an old army military post. This became the Historic Kam Wah Chung & Co.
    Doc Hay was the most famous herbal doctor between San Fransisco and Seattle...I'm serious. He lived until 1948, and some of his herbs are still in the museum, the real Kam Wah Chung building.
    Lung On owned a general store, and when he died in 1940, he owned several rental properties, a few mines, and the first auto dealership in Eastern Oregon!
    I have been in the museum several times, so if you are passing through a small town in Eastern oregon, find it and visit it!
  16. Railblazer
    Our town is a town in Eastern Oregon with about 1600 people.
    The pros of living in a small town?
    >>>>the smaller the town, the less likely are the chances of getting bombed.
    >>>>You know more of the people in the community
    >>>>You are probably a lot safer
    >>>>It probably has a lesser-known, yet still important historic site. In My case, Kam Wah Chung & Co. History to come.
    The Cons?
    <<<<You are not near a store that sells a lot of LEGO Bricks. But then, does anywhere?
  18. Railblazer

    Darn.

    By Railblazer,

    You know how I went to the Dentist a few entries ago? I thought I was through for a while. I thought I was done.
    I was wrong.
    Now I have a dentist appointment in Ontario, OR. The good news is that we may adopt a dog.
  19. Railblazer

    Shine!

    By Railblazer,

    Shine! Make 'em wonder whatcha got, make 'em wish that they were not, on the outside looking forth.
    If you couldn't tell, I was at a Newsboys concert last night in Boise. The first bands were:
    Article One
    NEWWORLDSON
    Rush of Fools
    Newsboys was great. We got a combo DVD/CD. We also got our Article One CD signed!
     
    Shine!
  20. Railblazer

    I Survived!

    By Railblazer,

    Today on the Redmond Dental Trip, I had a fortunate - I didn't have to worry about getting a filling.
    Then I saw a 7-diesel BNSF frieght while eating lunch!
    We went to Costco, and I saw two live birds flying around. Dad said they flew n but couldn't get out.
    We went to the Nearby Humane Society, but we couldn't find a dog we liked.
  22. Railblazer
    TODAY is the last day for blogging. I just want to thank BZPower again. Hopefully i'll be right this time.
     
    I wonder if we'll have a game tonight. Yesterday's soccer practice was thundered out. Who knows...
  25. Railblazer
    I think I'm going to be limiting my amount of LEGO G-scale rolling stock to engines and small cars. Based on pricing for my Tank Car, Hopper, and Boxcar, what I save on engines I'll lose on cars!
     
    Unless you compare against LGB, in which case I'll still be saving.
     
    I was able to get my N scale Freedom Train GS-4 preordered today. Now I just have to wait until November to get it!
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