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- Currently in Portland — August 31, 2023: Cool and rainy
Currently in Portland — August 31, 2023: Cool and rainy
Plus, an American train renaissance is underway
Eric Holthaus & Stella Harris
August 31, 2023
The weather, currently.
Thursday should bring rain!
That’s right, my enthusiasm for rain justifies exclamation marks! Not only am I a rain lover in general, but Portland is behind in rainfall and we really need the moisture. Luckily, Thursday seems likely to bring some rain, not just the smattering of sprinkles we’ve seen so far this week. (Keep your fingers and toes crossed.) It’ll also be a cool day—like, actual sweater weather cool—with highs only reaching about 67. So plan to wear a sweater or at least layer. And if you’re not ready for summer to be over, don’t worry. There’s another 80 degree day around the corner, so let us fall enthusiasts have this one 🙂
— Stella Harris
What you need to know, currently.
The Washington Post has a new engrossing feature story (gift link) on the privatized future of high speed rail in America. It brings up some interesting scenarios about the near-term future of trains in the world’s most car-dependent country.
Transportation (specifically, by car) is the largest source of energy use in the United States, so any displacement of cars for trains is a big deal for the climate. Amtrak has been strategic about this in announcing its expansion plans, focusing on car-centric routes like Dallas-Houston, Miami-Orlando, Colorado Springs - Fort Collins, and Los Angeles - Las Vegas.
A newcomer to America rail is the private high speed rail company Brightline, which to me sounds like the train version of the Megabus displacing Greyhound back in the early 2000s.
From the article:
Fifty million trips are made between Southern California and Las Vegas each year, mostly via private vehicles, according to project ridership studies. Brightline wants to capture 11 million of those trips annually.
An interactive map of Amtrak’s proposed expansion shows that, thanks in part to Amtrak Joe, by 2028 the US will have a vastly improved rail system, and it’s about time.
Take a look at the *proposed* US passenger train map.
If all (or most of it) happens, the US will finally start to have a pretty decent passenger train system. Faster travel times. More connected cities. Even some private service in Florida...
washingtonpost.com/transportation…— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong)
7:32 PM • Aug 30, 2023
What you can do, currently.
One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like Hurricane Idalia. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support networks in Florida:
