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Trains just aren’t well-suited to carrying bikes. A bike takes up as much space as like 4 people, if not many moor on a crowded train (although perhaps only 3 i

Trains just aren’t well-suited to carrying bikes. A bike takes up as much space as like 4 people, if not many moor on a crowded train (although perhaps only 3 in a seating-room only train like the Shinkansen). When you consider that, taking a bike on a train is decidedly environmentally unfriendly.

lozenge 4y ago
A well run train system isn't full. It has to run at a convenient frequency, which is much higher than just taking the number of passengers and dividing by the capacity of a train.
- jhoechtl 4y ago
  I can assure you from personal observation that supposedly well-run train services in Austria and Germany are totally crowded while on schedule.
- fomine3 4y ago
  Full train is well run, for train company's profit perspective.
lmm 4y ago
> A bike takes up as much space as like 4 people, if not many moor on a crowded train (although perhaps only 3 in a seating-room only train like the Shinkansen) A single bike in isolation, maybe, but a proper bike rack (as seen on many European trains) can fit several bikes in that same space; furthermore you might be able to use space that isn't suitable for carrying passengers (e.g. the UK HSTs carry bicycles in the crumple zones where it wouldn't be safe for passengers to be). > When you consider that, taking a bike on a train is decidedly environmentally unfriendly. That's going a bit far; even if we assume it really is displacing three or four other people, three or four people's worth of train emissions on an electric train like this is still comfortably less than one car making the same journey.
- numpad0 4y ago
  Shinkansen is a bit weird, it’s like an enlarged business jet or a Concorde body on a metro train chassis. No dedicated locomotives, and almost instantaneous stops at stations. What I’m trying to say is, they will have to start by doubling the size of door opening to do that…
  - Symbiote 4y ago
    None of that is weird for a high speed train. [1] is used in Britain, but it's a Japanese (Hitachi) design. The very front of the train (see the bottom section "Liveries") shows the front half of the first unit has blanked-out windows. That's where there's room for a couple of bicycles, a drinks trolley, etc. Obviously including this space has reduced the total number of seats. If you want to take a bicycle you must reserve the space, and you're expected to be waiting at the correct end of the train so you can board quickly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_800 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_800 [2] https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/hitachi-rail-global/images/class-800-801-interiors-bicycle-storage-space-323845 https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/hitachi-rail-global/images/cla...
TheDong 4y ago
> When you consider that, taking a bike on a train is decidedly environmentally unfriendly. Framing it like that, taking a suitcase on the train is environmentally unfriendly. Or taking your own body on it. The alternative to taking your bike on the train may be that you hail a taxi on the other end of the ride rather than ride to your destination. Or that you choose to drive to your destination so you can put the bike in a bike-rack on your car, rather than take public transit. It's not as clear-cut as "decidedly environmentally unfriendly" to me at least.
bartvk 4y ago
Some folding bikes fit between the backs of seats. It's pretty great. https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe7LjTABOkA/UlebTVDjtTI/AAAAAAAAcIw/H5nNafawqVw/s1600/trein+4+brompton.jpg https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe7LjTABOkA/UlebTVDjtTI/AAAAAAAAc... If you can't view the image, visualize a train compartment with rows of seats with a shared table in between them. If there isn't a table, then the back of the seats are facing each other, and it's a perfect spot to fit a folding bike. Unfortunately, the bike has to be engineered for it. The more expensive Brompton fits, but my cheap one doesn't.

lozenge 4y ago

A well run train system isn't full. It has to run at a convenient frequency, which is much higher than just taking the number of passengers and dividing by the capacity of a train.

jhoechtl 4y ago
I can assure you from personal observation that supposedly well-run train services in Austria and Germany are totally crowded while on schedule.
fomine3 4y ago
Full train is well run, for train company's profit perspective.

lmm 4y ago

> A bike takes up as much space as like 4 people, if not many moor on a crowded train (although perhaps only 3 in a seating-room only train like the Shinkansen) A single bike in isolation, maybe, but a proper bike rack (as seen on many European trains) can fit several bikes in that same space; furthermore you might be able to use space that isn't suitable for carrying passengers (e.g. the UK HSTs carry bicycles in the crumple zones where it wouldn't be safe for passengers to be). > When you consider that, taking a bike on a train is decidedly environmentally unfriendly. That's going a bit far; even if we assume it really is displacing three or four other people, three or four people's worth of train emissions on an electric train like this is still comfortably less than one car making the same journey.

numpad0 4y ago
Shinkansen is a bit weird, it’s like an enlarged business jet or a Concorde body on a metro train chassis. No dedicated locomotives, and almost instantaneous stops at stations. What I’m trying to say is, they will have to start by doubling the size of door opening to do that…
- Symbiote 4y ago
  None of that is weird for a high speed train. [1] is used in Britain, but it's a Japanese (Hitachi) design. The very front of the train (see the bottom section "Liveries") shows the front half of the first unit has blanked-out windows. That's where there's room for a couple of bicycles, a drinks trolley, etc. Obviously including this space has reduced the total number of seats. If you want to take a bicycle you must reserve the space, and you're expected to be waiting at the correct end of the train so you can board quickly. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_800 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_800 [2] https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/hitachi-rail-global/images/class-800-801-interiors-bicycle-storage-space-323845 https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/hitachi-rail-global/images/cla...

TheDong 4y ago

> When you consider that, taking a bike on a train is decidedly environmentally unfriendly. Framing it like that, taking a suitcase on the train is environmentally unfriendly. Or taking your own body on it. The alternative to taking your bike on the train may be that you hail a taxi on the other end of the ride rather than ride to your destination. Or that you choose to drive to your destination so you can put the bike in a bike-rack on your car, rather than take public transit. It's not as clear-cut as "decidedly environmentally unfriendly" to me at least.

bartvk 4y ago

Some folding bikes fit between the backs of seats. It's pretty great. https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe7LjTABOkA/UlebTVDjtTI/AAAAAAAAcIw/H5nNafawqVw/s1600/trein+4+brompton.jpg https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fe7LjTABOkA/UlebTVDjtTI/AAAAAAAAc... If you can't view the image, visualize a train compartment with rows of seats with a shared table in between them. If there isn't a table, then the back of the seats are facing each other, and it's a perfect spot to fit a folding bike. Unfortunately, the bike has to be engineered for it. The more expensive Brompton fits, but my cheap one doesn't.