As someone who lives in the US -- where rail travel is considered elite, socialist, and just plain gay -- I'm frequently amazed by photos of trains from distant lands. Here's the latest, from Toronto, where new subway trains form a single digestive conveyance system. From blogTO:
The most noticeable change among the many -- and the reason they will hold more passengers -- is that the trains are now open-length, which means that a connecting passage allows riders to travel seamlessly from one car to the next (there are six cars in total). In an empty train, one can look straight from one end to the other.
Besides looking really cool, these trains seem more efficient, in that people can spread themselves out instead of remaining packed into the one or two cars that happen to stop near the stairs at the busiest subway stops. They also seem safer, since they make it harder for muggers to trap people in corners away from exits. Plus, passengers can see troublesome behavior at the other end of the train and act accordingly (scream, call the police, bolt out of the train at the next stop).
Look for them to arrive in the US when hell freezes over.
Comments