A guess based on a Google search suggests a rail lifespan anywhere between 5-99 years. Lightly used industrial spurs could easily have rails that are 90 years old or more, whereas a curved piece of track with high frequency, fast, heavy trains might only last 3-4 years. In terms of maintenance, rail grinding is used to keep to track smooth, and maintenance teams inspect the track periodically (obviously not enough in North America). If I recall correctly in Japan the Shinkansen tracks get inspected every night for safety and upkeep, a great way of keeping high-speed trains safe and fast.

I love that inverter sound so much. Electric trains should sound like spaceships.

This fast-talking Brit has the answers, and it's pretty complicated. The short answer is that it uses variable-frequency inverters to accelerate, not gears, and those inverters make super cool sounds when that happens.

Cabeese were abolished in the 1980s by FRED, or Flashing Rear End Device, a device that records various data about the train. It also has a little flashing light of course. I feel like this is adequate if you have like 30 car trains but with the multi-mile long trains today I do think there should be a caboose requirement for trains over a certain length. I wonder if the East Palestine derailment might have been prevented if there was a caboose on the train to watch for smoky axles. Plus, two more people in an emergency.

Now that I think about it, a caboose probably wouldn't have been enough to stop the derailment because the train was so long, but it might have helped a little.

uh uh uhhhhh IDK

What I can say is that American manufacturers are not doing well because the buy-American policy combined with the lack of rolling stock being built means that there are several cases where an entire locomotive plant is built that only produces a few trains and is then shut down again, because most of the domestic rail manufacturers have gone out of business (RIP the Budd Company).

AES countries also give us a hint into how they might work. Cuba does not seem to be able to build new rolling stock thanks to the embargo, and struggles to maintain its railway network. Basically all of the trains are either pre-revolution or an eclectic mix of old rolling stock from around the world. The DPRK does produce its own subway trains but they look a little outdated. China, with its vast industry and large amounts of steel, excels at building trains and has built many over the past decade.

Edit: Actually I take that comment about the Pyongyang Metro back. The new trains look very comfortable on the inside, are clean, modern, seem to have modern inverter propulsion, and most importantly have nice cushy seats, something lacking on Chinese metros.

You know I was thinking I would go for the PRR S1 because it's sexy, but then I though that what I really want in a long-term relationship is low maintenance so I'm going with the EMD AEM-7 for high reliability, clean electricity power, and good speed for that nice whooshing action as it passes by. You think you want that sexy train, but what you really want is a stable marriage that always makes the both of you happy consistently.

They were always cool. In terms of usage, probably making them relevant to war again. Hopefully that never comes to pass unless in class war.

The loading gauge is too small. British trains have a very small loading gauge (the space a train can fit in) so tunnels and bridges wouldn't allow it. They did try to fit the trains in the loading gauge anyway, leading to a strange train in the 40s that had many issues and never went beyond two train prototypes

I feel like that would be unstable at speed

They're called iron horses

First off I love the profile pic, wasn't that the anti-whale article guy?

Secondly best train is subjective (obviously). I can't really say, but one thing I do kinda want to talk about are trains ahead of their time. The Rocket achieved 30mph in 1829 and was cutting-edge at the time.

Also of note was the AEG Experimental three-phase railcar which achieved 130mph in 1903, only 100 years after Trevithick's first steam locomotive in 1803. 210km/h is what the Shinkansen was scheduled at in the 60s, and contemporary trains rarely went above 80mph on the fastest expresses.

There's so many good options but one that came to mind was the Minneapolis Airport C concourse people mover, because it has cable-hauled automated trains with a passing loop and a bizarre determination to only have doors on one side of the train, so there are two platforms for the center station on the same side dedicated to different directions.

Suborno Express Chattogram–Dhaka
703–704 Mohanagar Provati/Godhuli Express Chattogram–Dhaka
705–706 Ekota Express Dhaka–Panchagarh
707–708 Tista Express Dhaka–Dewanganj
709–710 Parabat Express Dhaka–Sylhet
711–712 Upakul Express Noakhali–Dhaka
713–714 Karatoya Express Santahar–Burimari
715–716 Kapotaksha Express Khulna–Rajshahi
717–718 Jayantika Express Dhaka–Sylhet
719–720 Paharika Express Chattogram–Sylhet
721–722 Mohanagar Express Chattogram–Dhaka
723–724 Udayan Express Chattogram–Sylhet
725–726 Sundarban Express Khulna–Dhaka
727–728 Rupsha Express Khulna–Chilahati
729–730 Meghna Express Chattogram–Chandpur
731–732 Barendra Express Rajshahi–Chilahati
733–734 Titumir Express Rajshahi–Chilahati
735–736 Agnibina Express Dhaka–Tarakandi
737–738 Egarosindhur Provati Dhaka–Kishoreganj
739–740 Upaban Express Dhaka–Sylhet
741–742 Turna Express Chattogram–Dhaka
743–744 Brahmaputra Express Dhaka–Dewanganj
745–746 Jamuna Express Dhaka–Tarakandi
747–748 Simanta Express Khulna–Chilahati
749–750 Egarosindhur Godhuli Dhaka–Kishoreganj
751–752 Lalmoni Express Dhaka–Lalmonirhat
753–754 Silkcity Express Dhaka–Rajshahi
755–756 Madhumati Express Goalanda Ghat–Rajshahi
757–758 Drutojan Express Dhaka–Panchagarh
759–760 Padma Express Dhaka–Rajshahi
761–762 Sagardari Express Khulna–Rajshahi
763–764 Chitra Express Khulna–Dhaka
765–766 Nilsagar Express Dhaka–Chilahati
767–768 Dolonchapa Express Santahar–Dinajpur
769–770 Dhumketu Express Dhaka–Rajshahi
771–772 Rangpur Express Dhaka–Rangpur
773–774 Kalni Express Dhaka–Sylhet
775–776 Sirajganj Express Sirajganj–Dhaka
777–778 Haor Express Dhaka–Mohanganj
779–780 Dhalarchar Express Dhalarchar–Rajshahi
781–782 Kishoreganj Express Dhaka–Kishoreganj
783–784 Tungipara Express Gobra–Rajshahi
785–786 Bijoy Express Chattogram–Mymensingh
787–788 Shonar Bangla Express Chattogram–Dhaka
789–790 Mohanganj Express Dhaka–Mohanganj
791–792 Banalata Express Dhaka–Chapai Nawabganj
793–794 Panchagarh Express Dhaka–Panchagarh
795–796 Benapole Express Benapole–Dhaka
797–798 Kurigram Express Dhaka–Kurigram
799–800 Jamalpur Express Dhaka–Jamalpur
801–802 Chattala Express Chattogram–Dhaka
803–804 Banglabandha Express Rajshahi–Panchagarh
1 Dhaka Mail Chattogram Dhaka
2 Chattogram Mail Dhaka Chattogram
3 Karnaphuli Express Chattogram Dhaka
4 Dhaka Chattogram
5 Rajshahi Express Dhaka Chapai Nawabganj
6 Chapai Nawabganj Ishwardi
7 Uttarbanga Mail Santahar Panchagarh
8 Panchagarh Santahar
9 Surma Mail Dhaka Sylhet
10 Sylhet Dhaka
11 Dhaka Express Noakhali Dhaka
12 Noakhali Express Dhaka Noakhali
13 Jalalabad Express Chattogram Sylhet
14 Sylhet Chattogram
15 Mahananda Express Khulna Chapai Nawabganj
16 Chapai Nawabganj Khulna
17 Kushiara Express Akhaura Sylhet
18 Sylhet Akhaura
19 Bogura Express Santahar Lalmonirhat
20 Lalmonirhat Santahar
21 Padmarag Express Santahar Lalmonirhat
22 Lalmonirhat Santahar
23 Rocket Express Khulna Parbatipur
24 Parbatipur Khulna
25 Nakshikantha Express Khulna Goalanda Ghat
26 Goalanda Ghat Khulna
27 Chilahati Express Parbatipur Chilahati
28 Chilahati Parbatipur
29 Sagarika Express Chattogram Chandpur
30 Chandpur Chattogram
31 Uttara Express Rajshahi Parbatipur
32 Parbatipur Rajshahi
33 Titas Commuter Akhaura Dhaka
34 Dhaka Brahmanbaria
35 Brahmanbaria Dhaka
36 Dhaka Akhaura
37 Mymensingh Express Chattogram Bangabandhu Bridge East
38 Bangabandhu Bridge East Chattogram
39 Isakhan Express Dhaka Mymensingh
40 Mymensingh Dhaka
41 Kanchan Commuter Parbatipur Panchagarh
42 Panchagarh Parbatipur
43 Mohua Commuter Dhaka Mohanganj
44 Mohanganj Dhaka
45 Samatat Express Noakhali Laksam
46 Laksam Noakhali
47 Dewanganj Commuter Dhaka Dewanganj
48 Dewanganj Dhaka
49 Balaka Commuter Dhaka Jharia Jhanjail
50 Jharia Jhanjail Dhaka
51 Jamalpur Commuter Dhaka Dewanganj
52 Dewanganj Dhaka
53 Betna Express-1 Khulna Benapole
54 Betna Express-4 Benapole Khulna
55 Bhawal Express Dhaka Dewanganj
56 Dewanganj Dhaka
57 Rohanpur Commuter Ishwardi Rohanpur
58 Rajshahi Commuter Rohonpur Rajshahi
59 Ramsagar Express Bonarpara Dinajpur
60 Dinajpur Bonarpara
61 Dinajpur Commuter Lalmonirhat Biral
62 Biral Lalmonirhat
63 Lalmoni Commuter Lalmonirhat Parbatipur
64 Parbatipur Lalmonirhat
65 Burimari Commuter-1 Lalmonirhat Burimari
66 Burimari Commuter-2 Burimari Lalmonirhat
69 Parbatipur Commuter Lalmonirhat Parbatipur
70 Parbatipur Lalmonirhat
71 Burimari Commuter-3 Lalmonirhat Burimari
72 Burimari Commuter-4 Burimari Lalmonirhat
75 Dholeshwari Express Mymensingh Bangabandhu Bridge East
76 Bangabandhu Bridge East Mymensingh
77 Rohanpur Commuter Rajshahi Rohanpur
78 Ishwardi Commuter Rohanpur Ishwardi
79 Laksam Commuter Chattogram Cumilla
80 Cumilla Chattogram
81 Chandpur Commuter Chandpur Laksam
82 Laksam Chandpur
83 Chandpur Laksam
84 Laksam Chandpur
85 Noakhali Commuter Noakhali Laksam
86 Laksam Noakhali
87 Noakhali Laksam
88 Laksam Noakhali
89 Cumilla Commuter Cumilla Dhaka
90 Dhaka Cumilla
91 Mymensingh Commuter Joydebpur Mymensingh
92 Mymensingh Joydebpur
93 Sylhet Commuter Akhaura Sylhet
94 Sylhet Akhaura
95 Betna Express-3 Khulna Benapole
96 Betna Express-2 Benapole Khulna
97 Kurigram Shuttle Kurigram Lalmonirhat
98 Lalmonirhat Kurigram

That's every named train in Bangladesh. Need more?

Battery electric is dumb, don't do that ever, unless you are gigachad enough to do it with lead-acid batteries on branch lines only. Overhead is objectively the best form of electrification, although I like the aesthetics of third rail better. Third rail can only be DC, as AC is too dangerous, but overhead wire can be DC or AC. One little detail I think should be in consideration for overhead electrification is putting the poles in between the two tracks so the scenic views don't get blocked.

Thanks for doing that!

1930s streamlined steam powered by third rail when?

That's maglev technology that you see them using. Maglevs use electromagnets to levitate above the track and achieve high speeds.

The London Underground could really use some air conditioning both in stations and on trains. The proper solution to the problem I think would be to build more ventilation shafts to let out hot air. One of my favorite Youtube channels is Jago Hazzard, a Youtuber who makes short little videos about London trains. He's made a video on hot underground trains before.

I did know of the Soviet traveling film trains, they are cool as hell. Bring back doing literally everything with trains.