Timeline for In 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow, would Amtrak be much faster than a bus?
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18 events
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| Jan 16, 2018 at 16:16 | comment | added | Todd Wilcox | In the Washington, DC metro area, where I grew up, 1" of snow is enough to snarl traffic and cause problems, depending on when it falls, whether it was predicted or unexpected, and what happens to the temperature after it falls. Even in Washington, DC, I can't see Amtrak operations being affected, but the bus may get stuck in traffic and would certainly drive more slowly on untreated and/or unplowed streets. Of course Boston to NYC they wouldn't even register 1" of snow. I think it's worth pointing out that the answer to the question is highly dependent on the region. | |
| Jan 16, 2018 at 15:18 | comment | added | Itai | That depends on where. The speed limit from NY to Boston is 65 for the most part with some 55 mph segments. This is pretty much the case in that quadrant of the US, all the way to the Canadian border. Most people drive 75 in the 65 mph zone but I do not think there is a 75mph zone in that area as far as I remember. | |
| Jan 16, 2018 at 13:19 | comment | added | Strawberry | Does anyone actually use the unit dm ? | |
| Jan 16, 2018 at 5:52 | comment | added | reirab | @Tim I'm not sure where you got that impression, but it isn't an accurate one. The U.S. probably has enough 70+ mph highway to circle the globe at least twice. There was a law limiting speed limits to 55 mph in the 1970s (due to the oil crisis back then,) but it obviously wasn't popular and was repealed in the 80s. | |
| Jan 16, 2018 at 4:51 | comment | added | Tim | @reirab I’ve never driven anywhere- I was under the impression that the US had much lower speed limits than the UK. | |
| Jan 16, 2018 at 4:41 | comment | added | reirab | @Tim I'm not sure what part of the U.S. you've driven in, but 55 is considered very slow on the major highways throughout most of the U.S. 70-75 mph is more typical, while some areas have typical speeds of 85 mph or more. These don't change much in rain unless it's very heavy rain that dramatically reduces visibility (e.g. in very strong thunderstorms.) | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 15:51 | comment | added | Broots Waymb | Apart from places that aren't used to it, I'd also argue that it may matter more if it is one of the first snowfalls of the year. I'm from a northern state used to getting snow for a good chunk of the year, yet every first snowfall, everyone happens to forget how to drive (even in the first inch). | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 14:37 | comment | added | David Richerby | @Tim There really isn't much point in speculating about what an inch of snow might do between Boston and New York by trying to extrapolate from the UK. Also, the 55mph speed limit you refer to hasn't existed for decades. There are certainly sections of US Interstate where the speed limit is 80mph (130km/h) and there might even be higher speed limits. | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 10:33 | history | edited | gerrit | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 15, 2018 at 10:31 | comment | added | gerrit | @StephanBranczyk What should or shouldn't may diverge from reality. Coming from Sweden to Canada I was surprised by how chaotic Toronto became with a bit of snow. | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 6:50 | comment | added | Tim | For example, 1 inch of snow can cause major issues in the South of England, causing airports to close, roads to be blocked and trains to be delayed or cancelled. In Scotland, 1 inch of snow does very little. The same applies in New York I imagine- they’re used to it. And re the slower speeds in wet weather @larry909, in America the speed limit is already lower than European countries. I doubt they drive much slower when it’s wet - 55mph is what I would expect for a motorway in England if it’s raining. | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 4:59 | comment | added | Itai | When there is an in of snow, you will rarely see any snow on the main roads because the traffic melts it. | |
| S Jan 15, 2018 at 3:32 | history | suggested | CommunityBot | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Jan 15, 2018 at 1:57 | review | Suggested edits | |||
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| Jan 15, 2018 at 1:31 | comment | added | Hot Licks | The main difference is that an inch of snow might cause some traffic accidents that tie up highways but are unlikely to affect rail traffic. | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 0:46 | comment | added | Stephan Branczyk | @larry909, One inch of snow could paralyze a city that is not used to it, but in the case of Boston to New York, it shouldn't make a difference at all. | |
| Jan 15, 2018 at 0:19 | comment | added | larry909 | But people generally drive slower on wet roads, no? Or at least you're supposed i think... And bus drivers might follow regulations to drive slower, if there are any? | |
| Jan 14, 2018 at 23:54 | history | answered | Itai | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
