The Transportation Thread

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Talk about your favorite topics in the world of Transportation.

Tim

Why is Interstate 35 the only freeway that splits into "W" and "E" portions? It does this in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as well as in the Twin Cities.

Tim

I-95 does something similar in northern New Jersey but is not labled E and W portions.

There is a part of New Jersey the locals would not allow I-95 to be built so a bypass was made see this site.
http://www.njfreeways.com/Interstate_95 ... _NJTP.html

I also like the story behind I-238 in California, how it defied the traditional Interstate numbering system.

Tim

I am always obsessed with subway and light commuter rail systems, especially the electric lines. My favorites are the DC metrorail, and the New York subway system. The two systems are sort of polar opposites of each other in their design. Starting with architecture, it's quite different the way the stations are designed. New York's subway stations have low ceilings, exposed beams, and old-world tile work that is quite attractive. DC's metrorail has high, arched ceilings, indirect lighting and modern (for the 70's at least) architecture. The rail cars are even different. Even new York's latest look like old-time pullman cars, while DC's sort of resemble something out of a sci-fi flick. The inside of the New york rail cars have only hard surfaces and bare metal, while the DC metrorail cars have padded seats and carpeting.

New York being the first subway system in the USA was built using cut and cover techniques where the road was excavated and the tunnel erected, while the DC metrorail. the youngest subway system in the USA was built using tunnel boring that did not disturb the streets above. When the DC metrorail system came out it was largely automated, while the New York Subway system was all manually operated. Today, the New York system is partially automated. In the seventies too, when the DC metrorail system was installed, it used sophisticated PWM motor speed controllers on the trains, while New york's simply used resitive shunts to control the power to the motors like they had done since it came out.

One of the neat factoids I like about the New York subway system is that it had it's own coal fired power plant to run it. This was due to all the competing electrical standards that were in place in various neighborhoods at the turn of the century. Instead of trying to convert all the odd power standards to run the train, they just made their own power and distributed it around the city. This also gave the system an element of reliability because if neighborhood power went out in an area, the subway would still be able to run.

I have lately become fascinated with abandoned state/U.S. highways, most of them in Arizona.

Tim

I am obsessed with aviation and air traffic control. Anyone shares this obsession?

I have been fascinated with Arizona State Highway 89T, which used to be a portion of U.S. Highway 89. The road is now abandoned, and probably has been since the 1950s. There is a one-lane bridge that was built in 1911, with wooden curbs.

Tim

And don't forget U.S. 50 in virtually all of Nevada.

It's called the "loneliest road in America" for a reason.

Tim