# high speed rail (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 9 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover high speed rail. Page: Feed: --- ## [“For Information Only”: Why Alto’s Board sets CEO Salary and Why other Crown Corporations Do Not](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/for-information-only-why-altos-board) _2026-08-22 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ The Canada Infrastructure Bank's executive pay was in the press for years, and the pay ceiling came down. Alto pays more in cash than the bank ever has, and no minister has to approve it at all. ## [Alto and Canada’s Secret Plan to Re-Organize Land Ownership Throughout Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/alto-and-canadas-secret-plan-to-re) _2026-08-21 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Am I the only one who bothers reading the Alto Corporate Plan? ## [How Do You Define “Feasible”?](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24136) _2026-08-21 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ Rail advocates can rejoice: A new study by a consultant called HNTB concluded that a commuter train service between Austin and San Antonio is “viable.” Actually, the study itself used the word “feasible,” but whatever you call it, the study says it can be done. Click image to download a … Continue reading → ## [Alto Bidders Proposed What They Want to Build and Where to Build It: Commissions and Experts Warn Not To Do That](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/alto-bidders-proposed-what-they-want) _2026-08-20 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ A preview of the next public inquiry. ## [Portland’s War on Cars](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24133) _2026-08-19 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ The Cascade Policy Institute has published the Antiplanner’s policy brief about Portland’s War on Cars in three parts: How Portland is losing the war; The benefits of automobiles that Portland has ignored; What Portland should do instead of fighting a losing war. Almost as soon as part 3 was published, … Continue reading → ## [The Affordable Housing Industrial Complex at Work](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24129) _2026-08-18 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ Most subsidized housing projects are rentals, but a developer called ## [Is Collecting Fares Too Dangerous for Bus Drivers?](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24124) _2026-08-17 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority says that 70 percent of bus riders don’t pay fares, costing the agency at least $50 million a year. Before about 2016, the agency told drivers to tell boarding passengers, “Hello, the fare of $X.XX.” But in 2017, it abandoned this policy because fare … Continue reading → ## [Nobody voted for this and the laws do not exist.](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/nobody-voted-for-this-and-the-laws) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Canada does have rules about crossings. Alto's briefing deck argues they are a century out of date. ## [When a high-speed train comes to town, what do communities get](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/when-a-high-speed-train-comes-to) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Part 6 of 7: Britain pays neighbours who lose value but no land. Canada offers nothing — and the community grant programme excludes farmers and small businesses by definition. ## [When Alto closes a crossing the tractor goes on the road](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/when-alto-closes-a-crossing-the-tractor) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Part 5 of 7: This is the instalment for people who do not farm. Closing farm crossings moves heavy machinery onto public roads, and the collision figures are not close. ## [Home Internet From Space (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/EtfKmBOHAtOo) _2026-08-16 · **Sponsored**_ Residential satellite internet that brings connectivity to homes beyond conventional networks ## [Alto and rural roads: Cows walk twice a day](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/alto-and-rural-roads-cows-walk-twice) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Part 4 of 7. ## [What rural roads stay open: Canada is not Europe](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/what-rural-roads-stay-open-canada) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Part 3 of 7. ## [Which rural roads stay open: how other counties decide and it’s not what Alto is doing](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/which-rural-roads-stay-open-how-other) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Part 2 of my rural roads series. ## [Alto: Which farm roads stay open and who pays?](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/alto-which-farm-roads-stay-open-and) _2026-08-16 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ This is part 1 of a series for farmers. ## [What else is the Alto corridor for? Data, Energy, Land and Freight Capacity.](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/what-else-is-the-alto-corridor-for) _2026-08-15 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ What you need to know ## [Why is Alto Exempt from the Usual Ethics Rules?](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/why-is-alto-exempt-from-the-usual) _2026-08-15 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ What you need to know ## [Provincial Governments are Integral to the Alto Project and Need More Attention](https://thealtofiles.substack.com/p/provincial-governments-are-integral) _2026-08-14 · Erin Durant · The Canadian High-Speed Rail Files_ Ontario is apparently "reconsidering" its support for Alto. What has its role been to-date and what powers does the province have? ## [Was a Powerline Rerouted to Avoid Dobby’s Grave?](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24118) _2026-08-13 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ An August 5 podcast revealed that electricity managers were forced to reroute a major submarine power line between Ireland and Wales in order to avoid Dobby’s grave. As investor Simon Ludlam told the Energy Revolution podcasters, Dobby is “a fictitious character in a fictitious book,” yet the power line’s planners … Continue reading → ## [Oregon’s Record Fire Season](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24115) _2026-08-11 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ More than 2 million acres in Oregon had burned in wildfires as of last Monday, which is an all-time record even though fire season is likely to last for another two months. Oregon’s drought was so bad that an abandoned warehouse near downtown Portland turned into a raging fire last … Continue reading → ## [Don’t Get Fooled Again](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24099) _2026-08-10 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ As the old saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” The Antiplanner’s op-ed in a recent Denver Gazette and an even more recent Longmont Times-Call urge Colorado voters to not get fooled again by a hugely expensive rail transit project that will produce … Continue reading → ## [International money transfers (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/PBfarSgjl8jy) _2026-08-10 · **Sponsored**_ Send money to other countries and manage multi‑currency balances online. ## [June 2026 Transit Ridership 88.1% of 2019](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24105) _2026-08-07 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ June transit ridership in 2026 was 88.1 percent of June, 2019, according to data released yesterday by the Federal Transit Administration. When measured as a share of pre-pandemic numbers, this is the highest ridership to date. Previously, the highest was 84.9 percent. Was this increase due, as at least one … Continue reading → ## [June 2026 Driving Up 2.9% from 2019](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24096) _2026-08-06 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ Americans drove 2.9 percent more miles in June of 2026 than during the same month in 2019, according to data released by the Federal Highway Administration yesterday. This is one of those rare months where the DOT releases driving data before transit data. Naturally, I’ll post transit data here as … Continue reading → ## [California Population Follows Single-Family Homes](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24092) _2026-08-05 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ Between 2019 and 2026, populations grew in 24 California counties and shrank in 34. What made the difference? According to Jonathan Lansner, who writes a business column for the Orange County Register and San Jose Mercury-News, the counties that grew were the ones with an abundance of single-family homes. Rose-colored … Continue reading → ## [How to Make Transportation Resilient](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24085) _2026-08-04 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ An earthquake in Japan last week derailed a freight train and did enough damage to the Kyushu Shinkansen line that part of it may be shut down for a month or more. This prompts me to wonder what people are thinking about developing resilient transportation systems. Earthquake damage to a … Continue reading → ## [Amtrak Up 11.8%; Airlines 6.0% in June](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24082) _2026-08-03 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ Amtrak carried 11.6 percent more passenger-miles in June than in the same month in 2019, according to the state-owned company’s monthly performance report. Meanwhile, the airlines carried 6.9 percent more passengers than in 2019, according to TSA passenger counts. Driving and transit data will be posted here when it becomes … Continue reading → ## [Africa Has a High-Speed Train; California Doesn’t](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24073) _2026-07-30 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ “Yes, you read that right,” enthuses California journalist Joe Mathews. “Morocco has high-speed rail. And California has excuses.” Morocco’s high-speed train goes up to 200 miles per hour — but averages just 88 miles per hour. Photo by NicholasNCE. At first glance, Morocco’s high-speed train, known as Al Boraq (“the … Continue reading → ## [Express Your Money Down the Drain](https://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=24067) _2026-07-28 · The Antiplanner · The Antiplanner_ I thought that spending $4.7 billion on a passenger train from Fort Collins to Pueblo was a crazy idea. Yet that sounds positively cheap compared to a new proposal for a train from Denver’s airport to Eagle, Vail and other Colorado ski areas, which is estimated to cost $33 billion. … Continue reading → ## [Forests: The Climate Infrastructure We Keep Underestimating](https://archplanbaltimore.blogspot.com/2026/07/forests-climate-infrastructure-we-keep.html) _2026-07-17 · Klaus Philipsen · Community Architect_ Why Forests Matter to the Climate While I write this, New York, Baltimore, DC and large parts of the US are under a code red or purple air quality alert casting everything into an otherworldly light from pollution caused by smoke drifting south from massive Canadian wildfires. Another reason to think about forests, their benefits and the risks when they die. Next to the oceans, forests are the… ## [TBF Proudly Welcomes Mark Hopwood as Patron](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/tbf-proudly-welcomes-mark-hopwood-as-patron/) _2026-07-15 · RailEngineer · Rail Engineer_ It has been announced that Mark Hopwood CBE, Managing Director of GWR, has become a Patron of the Transport Benevolent Fund CIO, known as TBF. “I am delighted to be joining the team of TBF patrons. The railway is a family, and it is important that we come together to offer support when needed,” says \[…\] The post TBF Proudly Welcomes Mark Hopwood as Patron appeared first on Rail Engineer . ## [New Official Map: İzmir Metro, Türkiye by Evgeny Katyshev](https://transitmap.net/izmir-metro-evgeny-katyshev/) _2026-07-13 · Cameron Booth · Transit Maps_ Submitted by Evgeny, who simply says: The new map of Izmir rapid transit I designed has been adopted as official one. Transit Maps says: Congratulations on this lovely little diagram becoming “official,” Evgeny! There’s a lot to like about it, especially the intelligent use of a 30-degree grid to match the real-world geography of İzmir \[…\] ## [Build with the cheapest GPUs (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/2bVyq20h8qYf) _2026-07-13 · **Sponsored**_ Deployed a live API in minutes; one user spent under $10. ## [Transit access drives transit voting](https://capntransit.blogspot.com/2026/06/transit-access-drives-transit-voting.html) _2026-06-29 · Cap'n Transit · Cap'n Transit Rides Again_ I've been trying to show this for years with maps of car-free households, but there was a great example recently that used voting patterns directly. Last Tuesday was the date for party primaries in New York State. In many of the races the differences between candidates was relatively subtle, particularly on transportation, but there was a clear difference in one race, for the Democratic nomination… ## [AI Can Draw Anything. Frei Otto Shows Why It Shouldn't.](https://archplanbaltimore.blogspot.com/2026/06/ai-can-draw-anything-frei-otto-shows.html) _2026-06-28 · Klaus Philipsen · Community Architect_ During my time studying architecture the architect-engineer and Pritzker Prize winner Frei Otto was a full time professor at my alma mater, the University of Stuttgart and his Institute of Institute for Lightweight Structures was a flagship for innovation. He designed structures guided by gravity not ego, and like Buckminster Fuller before him he was guided by the credo of doing more with less. In… ## [Gananoque firefighters sharpen marine response skills during specialized training exercise](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/gananoque-firefighters-sharpen-marine-response-skills-during-specialized-training-exercise/wcm/65a57638-1834-41ad-a183-7bb25f8d21f8) _2026-06-26 · Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter · Gananoque Reporter_ Members of the Gananoque Fire Service took to the water Wednesday evening for specialized training focused on marine firefighting operations and water supply techniques used during emergency responses. The hands-on session included instruction and practical exercises involving marine operations, portable pump deployment and drafting water from fire apparatus — skills that can prove critical during… ## [Ribfest returns to Gananoque as thousands expected for milestone 20th edition](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/ribfest-returns-to-gananoque-as-thousands-expected-for-milestone-20th-edition/wcm/76286b67-f5bd-4593-bc35-a35ad2d09c83) _2026-06-26 · Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter · Gananoque Reporter_ The smell of slow-cooked barbecue and the sounds of live music returned to Gananoque on Friday as the 1000 Islands Family Ribfest officially kicked off at the Lou Jeffries Gananoque and TLTI Recreation Centre. Celebrating its 20th edition this year, organizers say the event has grown into one of the community’s signature summer festivals, attracting \[…\] ## [Council approves free Wednesday parking exemption at Pine Street lot](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/council-approves-free-wednesday-parking-exemption-at-pine-street-lot/wcm/6cda47e1-b50d-4d48-ba2e-932ae78cb00c) _2026-06-23 · Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter · Gananoque Reporter_ Town council has approved a temporary exemption to its parking bylaw allowing free parking on Wednesdays in the Pine Street municipal lot to support a local seniors drop-in program. The decision was made following the declaration of two conflicts of interest that reduced the number of councillors participating in the decision. The exemption, which will \[…\] ## [Province rejects Gananoque request for budget extension](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/province-rejects-gananoque-request-for-budget-extension/wcm/4b35040c-27f3-435c-9dcf-3c1cfdcd8473) _2026-06-23 · Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter · Gananoque Reporter_ The Province of Ontario has declined a request from the Town of Gananoque to extend approval timelines for its 2026 municipal budget, reaffirming that municipalities remain responsible for managing their own budgeting processes under existing legislation. The correspondence from Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Hon. Robert J. Flack, was received by the \[…\] ## [Rail Engineer May / June 2026](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/rail-engineer-may-june-2026/) _2026-06-19 · RailEngineer · Rail Engineer_ The post Rail Engineer May / June 2026 appeared first on Rail Engineer . ## [GBR needs an engineering strategy](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/gbr-needs-an-engineering-strategy-2/) _2026-06-19 · David Shirres BSc CEng MIMechE DEM · Rail Engineer_ Despite the findings of the Transport Select Committee’s (TSC) report ‘Rail Investment Pipelines: Ending Boom and Bust’, the Government does not accept that rail investment has systemic “boom and bust” cycles. The TSC considers that, (in England) electrification is a particularly acute case of this phenomenon and that laying off skilled teams due to the \[…\] The post GBR needs an engineering… ## [HS2 reset](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/hs2-reset/) _2026-06-19 · David Shirres BSc CEng MIMechE DEM · Rail Engineer_ On 19 May, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced updated HS2 costs and timescales following a project reset led by HS2’s CEO, Mark Wilde. The headline figures were that: HS2 will cost between £87.7 million and £102.7 million at 2025 prices. Services between Old Oak Common and Birmingham will commence between 2036 and 2039 with three \[…\] The post HS2 reset appeared first on Rail Engineer . ## [DYWIDAG’s Worth Valley showcase](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/dywidags-worth-valley-showcase/) _2026-06-19 · David Shirres BSc CEng MIMechE DEM · Rail Engineer_ Earthworks monitoring equipment has been installed in a cutting by the Mytholmes tunnel portal on the heritage Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR). This is the DYWIDAG Smart Guard system which continuously monitors tilt detection to provide instant alerts with real-time camera alert confirmation. Alerts are transmitted on the low frequency 868MHz band which can \[…\] The post DYWIDAG’s Worth… ## [GBRX launches its rail industry AI plan](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/gbrx-launches-its-rail-industry-ai-plan/) _2026-06-19 · David Shirres BSc CEng MIMechE DEM · Rail Engineer_ On 28 April, the Science Museum’s Information Age Gallery hosted the launch of GBRX’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan. This was opened by GBRX’s Managing Director Toufic Machnouk whose key message was that AI will not simply happen in the rail system as this requires the development of strategic capability and the creation of new \[…\] The post GBRX launches its rail industry AI plan… ## [Artificial Intelligence in Rail](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/artificial-intelligence-in-rail/) _2026-06-19 · Paul Darlington CEng FIET FIRSE · Rail Engineer_ Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to dramatically change and improve society and railway engineering, but there are risks and hazards associated with its use. Like any tool, AI needs to be understood, deployed, and used by competent people. The first thing is to understand what AI is and is not. AI systems behave like \[…\] The post Artificial Intelligence in Rail appeared first on Rail… ## [Claude Mythos what is the risk?](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/claude-mythos-what-is-the-risk/) _2026-06-19 · Paul Darlington CEng FIET FIRSE · Rail Engineer_ The rail industry faces many challenges with cyber security being one. With everything being increasingly connected, cyber security applies to all engineering disciplines and the risk of breaches could dramatically increase following the release of Claude Mythos. Claude Mythos is a very advanced AI cyber model which can find vulnerabilities in many systems – including \[…\] The post Claude Mythos… ## [Sella Controls renews the nerve centre of Tyne and Wear Metro](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/sella-controls-renews-the-nerve-centre-of-tyne-and-wear-metro/) _2026-06-19 · RailEngineer · Rail Engineer_ Nexus has been running the Tyne and Wear Metro for over 40 years. The trains have changed, the stations have been modernised, and passenger expectations have shifted enormously. Now, the control technology running behind the scenes has caught up. There is a version of infrastructure renewal that gets a lot of attention. New trains, station \[…\] The post Sella Controls renews the nerve centre of… ## [WJ Project Services: delivering confidence where it matters most](https://www.railengineer.co.uk/wj-project-services-delivering-confidence-where-it-matters-most/) _2026-06-19 · Matt Atkins · Rail Engineer_ The drive towards electrification is creating new opportunities but also increases the complexity of infrastructure projects. New traction power systems, substations, protection equipment, and control systems must all work together seamlessly before a railway can enter service. Ensuring that happens safely and efficiently is at the heart of WJ Project Services. Established in 2007, the \[…\] The… ## [High-speed rail promises to boost tourism in urban areas](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/high-speed-rail-promises-to-boost-tourism-in-urban-areas/wcm/30b4c671-c0d4-4e2a-8d2f-30be2724369e) _2026-06-17 · Elliot Ferguson · Gananoque Reporter_ The Alto proposal's success in increasing the tourism sector depends on supporting policies and infrastructure along the route, consultant's report states ## [Young entrepreneurs launch into business](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/leeds-grenville-starter-company/wcm/159c13ed-b249-4a91-ade9-00ae69c0eced) _2026-06-12 · Catherine Orth, Special to The Recorder and Times · Gananoque Reporter_ Summer Company, Starter Company Plus cohorts introduced ## [New Athens long-term care home expected to lose millions before opening](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/athens-long-term-care-home-losing-millions/wcm/e1b8ef45-999e-494f-a578-5673b7f34e32) _2026-06-10 · John Lawless · Gananoque Reporter_ Numerous delays in moving residents into the long-term care home is costing taxpayers millions of dollars ## [Gananoque pumping station delayed until late 2026](https://www.gananoquereporter.com/news/gananoque-pumping-station/wcm/6e98c410-bd2f-4ce7-af2f-b19d04fc1cdb) _2026-06-08 · Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter · Gananoque Reporter_ The Town of Gananoque’s East End Pumping Station upgrade project is now approximately 70 per cent complete, but is expected to be nearly a year behind schedule due to design issues, site conditions and construction delays. Council received an update on the $8-million infrastructure project during its June 3 meeting. The contract for the pumping \[…\] ## [Historical Map: Interurban Railways Around Chicago, c. 1921](https://transitmap.net/interurbans-chicago-1921/) _2026-06-08 · Cameron Booth · Transit Maps_ A lovely map of the electric interurban lines radiating out from Chicago “over hill and valley, by lake and stream,” compiled by the Chicago Evening Standard newspaper. The source I obtained this map from tentatively dates it to 1921; perhaps people with more familiarity with the history of the railways represented would be able to \[…\]