Fuel Canisters and Trains

[Shrkbit143]

I know this has been asked before but could not find it.
Can fuel canisters be transported on trains? I'm taking a train from Indianapolis to portland, ME and then a bus into Bangor. I know I can get one in Maine but just wanted to use what I have. What is the advice you can give me? Thanks

[moldy]

No problem. Bring your fuel canisters on the train. It's airplanes that are the problem.

[nehiker]

I know this has been asked before but could not find it.
Can fuel canisters be transported on trains? I'm taking a train from Indianapolis to portland, ME and then a bus into Bangor. I know I can get one in Maine but just wanted to use what I have. What is the advice you can give me? Thanks

In principle, fuel canisters are not allowed on Amtrak; this would fall under #5 on the prohibited items list:
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten...=1241267293829

Some of these containers (at least CampinGaz) explicitly say federal laws prohibit transporting them on passenger trains.

In practice, it is highly unlikely anyone is going to ask. Unlike transporting them on planes, there should be no risk of them exploding on a train, and if it did, it is doubtful anyone would actually get killed. However, passenger rail has essentially been over-regulated out of existence in this country; this is why we have Amtrak today, instead of Penn RR (and others) that ran the NYC-DC service faster in 1969 than Amtrak does today (including on Acela).

[Feral Bill]

However, passenger rail has essentially been over-regulated out of existence in this country; this is why we have Amtrak today, instead of Penn RR (and others) that ran the NYC-DC service faster in 1969 than Amtrak does today (including on Acela).

Off topic, but: Your railroading history is deficient. Amtrak was created to take over passenger routes that the railroads were desperate to get rid of, and had let deteriorate. The only "overregulation" involved was the governments insistance that railroads maintain the passenger routes they were granted as part of thier generous subsidies of land in the 1800's.

[nehiker]

Off topic, but: Your railroading history is deficient. Amtrak was created to take over passenger routes that the railroads were desperate to get rid of, and had let deteriorate. The only "overregulation" involved was the governments insistance that railroads maintain the passenger routes they were granted as part of thier generous subsidies of land in the 1800's.

The trains in this country are twice as heavy as in the rest of the world because of federal regulations. This makes HSR essentially impractical. CA's plan is based on receiving a waiver from such requirements on unprecedented scale.

In Europe, most commuter trains operate on a proof of payment system, without conductors and ticket collectors. In this country, (heavy rail) trains must have conductors.

As for land grants, who pays for the highways, including the land value? Gas taxes do not do the trick.

Penn RR's Budd Metroliner cars ran at over 160 mph around Princeton Junction in 1968; there is a plaque at the station to commemorate this. Acela's speed there today is 125-135 mph.