I guess this is the future YIMBYs want?

These comparative graphs for unit nuclear costs mirror unit subway construction costs too. With the US building at reasonable costs in the 70s. Then costs in the US skyrockets and the US gives up building anything since. While China builds an ungodly amount at stable reasonable prices since the 90s.

I was taking long time to write this but Guangzhou opened a bunch of new metro extensions on Sept 29, 2025 when I was in Yunnan. So better clear my thoughts and observations I had when I toured the new Guangzhou Metro lines that opened in June 2025 below:

Here's a video of the impossible. The UP Express has high platforms and level boarding for passengers. That is supposed make it impossible for mainline North American freight trains to pass. And yet, as this shows, CN freight trains roll past the high platform at Weston multiple times per week.

Since the below repost was published last year, Chengdu Metro added ~140km of new metro lines. The network now is 664km long with 332 stations. The network is growing before our eyes.

Gifu Prefecture's 3rd-sector Nagaragawa Railway is considering closing due to rising costs and deficits and declining ridership. Nagaragawa Railway is one of Japan's longest "dead end" railways, being 72km long and only connecting to another railway on one end...

It is nice of Guangzhou Metro to let you know if you need at least 30 minutes to get into a crowded station. Picture by LuminousJourney.

Chongqing Caiyuanba Railway Station complex has now been completely demolished. Work is ongoing to build a massive thru-running urban underground station for regional and high speed trains. See reposted thread for the background on this project. Picture by Azure🌊.

Noah Smith of Noahpinion literally did Place, Japan in an article he wrote this year. Making it look like the typical Japanese lives in an environment that looks like Shibuya. Which I pointed out was wrong. Link in next post.

The Chengdu Metro, today the 4th largest metro system in the world with 633km of lines opened its first segment of Metro in 2010. The first phase of Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT started construction a few months later and today is still not open...

Dutch Railways: social profit of €1.33 billion, financial loss of €141 million. It delivers 11x (!!!!) more value to society than it costs. Via: social inclusion increase in property values near stations; welfare of employees and consumers; productive use of travel time. www.eur.nl/en/news/rese...

Yesterday it was revealed the world's fastest HST, the CR450 series, is being formally field tested around China. A rep from the China Academy of Rail Sciences (CARS) stated final 400kph revenue service testing will be conducted on the Chengdu-Chongqing Central Line next year....

Japan started planning for a bullet train system decades before the real deal and what the Shinkansen looks like today is quite different from what was originally planned. But what does that have to do with China?

When I was in Yunnan a few weeks ago, Hong Kong started construction on the first section of the Northern Link. Bringing Hong Kong's active metro expansion project count up to 3 totaling about about 15km of new lines.

What have they done to my beloved Hanoi Shark Jaw Building?

It is almost like Hanoi, a city with over 8 million residents, needs a true city spanning metro system. Not two disconnected metro lines.

Embrace Bún Chả urbanism.

Always interesting how the bottom floor of a Vietnamese tube home can be a garage/living room or family store, sometimes a combination of all three.

Embrace cà phê urbanism.

These headlines from The Economist really coming out of pocket.

Russell King also uncritically ripped off the talking points of a sloppy hitpiece on China's HSR system, what a joke. Find out more on that hitpiece below:

China announces it will reduce its carbon emissions by 7 to 10% from peak levels (i.e., now) by 2035. This is the first emissions reductions pledge from the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, and a hugely important step forward.

New York Subway today if Tylenol causes autism:

Last week the Fuzhou Metro Binhai Express Line opened at 9AM and is offering free rides, which seems to have attracted half of Fujian Province. Fuzhou Metro Binhai Express is a 62km long high speed metro line with local/express trains reaching 140kph. Video by kon. (1/4)

If you drive on the lower deck of the Chongqing Chaotianmen Bridge (the world's longest through arch bridge) you can see the Chongqing Metro Ring Line trains. Video by 末日福音.

With the imminent opening of the Guangzhou-Foshan East Regional Rail Ring. Railfans have been eagerly drawing maps showing the stopping patterns of the nascent emerging Guangzhou regional railway system. Below is in the style of Japan by あきはばら. Opening prep pics by🍟🍔🍦...

Jinan Metro Line 8 undergoing testing (ft a Cantopop banger). Jinan Metro Line 8 is a mostly elevated suburban line expected to open this year. Video by Lee. 世界📸.

New Qingdao Metro Line 8 branch trains unveiled last week. Qingdao Metro Line 8 is a suburban line that connects to Qingdao's new airport and the suburban center of Jiaozhou City. The 9 year old Qingdao Metro is over 340km long.

Xuzhou Metro Line 6 Phase 1 undergoing limited-public trial testing. Full opening expected for September 28, 2025, making the 6 year old Xuzhou Metro over 95km long. L6 Phase 1 uses fully automated 6 car Type B trains and is estimated to cost about 200 million INT$/km to build.

Chengdu Metro Line 17 Phase 2 Jichechang Station:

If you drive on the lower deck of the Chongqing Chaotianmen Bridge (the world's longest through arch bridge) you can see the Chongqing Metro Ring Line trains. Video by 末日福音.

Guangdong Regional Railway trains racing the under testing Dongguan Metro Line 1.

Hefei Metro Line S1 undergoing testing. Line S1 is Hefei's mostly elevated airport express metro line.

Everyone bracing themselves for the coming supertyphoon.

I guess this is the future YIMBYs want.

The Shinkansen allows for video game directors to get around the country.

Hong Kong buses on Saturday be like.

Oh I forgot to mention, with the opening of Chengdu Metro Line 10 Phase 3 South and Line 17 Phase 2, the 14 year old Chengdu Metro is now 660km long. Being the 4th longest metro system in the world....

With the imminent opening of the Guangzhou-Foshan East Regional Rail Ring. Railfans have been eagerly drawing maps showing the stopping patterns of the nascent emerging Guangzhou regional railway system. Below is in the style of Japan by あきはばら. Opening prep pics by🍟🍔🍦...

Yesterday 2 metro lines just opened Chengdu Metro Line 17 Phase 2 and Line 10 Phase 3 South. Line 17 Phase 2 is a 28km fully underground crosstown city center express line. Line 10 phase 3 South extends a suburban metro line entering the city center. A small (not my) picture🧵...

Fuzhou Metro Line F1 or Binhai Express Line, a high speed metro line that connects Fuzhou city center with it's airport. Line F1 is slated to open in October so in the meantime here is the unveiled local and express stopping patterns for the line.

The Anglo transit construction cost disease python strikes again. Gold Coast in Australia cancelled partly due to NIMBYism partly due to ballooning costs, a 13km tramway should not cost 5.7-9.8 BILLION AUD to build. That's 320-520 million INT$/km to build or in other words...

I know I have three series of multipart longform articles that are missing their last parts. (links to first parts in next post) I promise I am working hard on finishing them. The amount of parallel long form articles I have cooking makes me feel like a bánh xèo chef:

Metrolinx claims that they can't reintroduce express trains on the Lakeshore East line since the 3rd track is out of service. That's a lie: most of the 3rd track is still in service and there's room for express trains ontariotrafficman.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/go-transit-lies-about-express-trains/

This report makes clear just how deep the hubris of Biden-era climate champions was in proclaiming the IRA various versions of "the largest climate action ever." The Biden administration never even considered anything on the scale of what China has been doing — both abroad and at home.

Subscribers asked for it, here are some of my thoughts on an article about the CRH system by an 85 year old Chinese economic geographer, 陆大道. I'll be blunt, people who cite 陆大道's article at face value against the concept of HSR don't know anything about transport planning.

This mirrors China being a forerunner in regulating video game gacha and loot box mechanics (showing percent chance, pity system, limits to spending) ahead of Japan and United States, the latter which essentially became cesspools of unregulated online gambling.

Changtai Yangtze River Bridge opened today. The two 352m tall cable stayed towers make it the tallest bridge structural height in the world, surpassing the structural height of the tallest Millau Viaduct pier.

The Fuzhou-Putian-Ningde regional railway system F2 and F3 lines starting preliminary pre-construction and geological survey works. F2 and F3 lines is a 200kph line that connects the China Railway network to Fuzhou Changle Int Airport.

Ningbo Metro Line 7 opened last month (29 Aug 2025). Line 7 is a 40km 25 station crosstown line. The line uses 6 car Type B trains running up to 100kph and is estimated to cost 210 million INT$/km to construct. The 11 year old Ningbo Metro is now 262km long.