iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 15/08/2026

Second time in Indiana. Second time on the NICTD South Shore Line. Second time doing so to [again] complete the US Commuter Rail network. ✅ jeffkess.com/tracks

Jeff (in Eagles attire — GO BIRDS!) in front of a NICTD South Shore Line train at Munster/Dyer station.

The Hammond Gateway connecting platform.

The sign to Monon Corridor trains and milepost indicating 69 miles from the original South Bend station.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 04/01/2026

If the very very last @metrotransitmn.bsky.social Northstar train was going to be a Vikings football special, it was only fitting to get the full experience before the final ride to Big Lake. (Also special being where, on 2/4/18, the Eagles defeated the Pats 41-33 to win SBLII. GO BIRDS!!! 🦅)

Jeff in front of the Vikings field at US Bank Stadium

A Northstar timetable and replacement 888 bus timetable in front of the Vikings/Packers program with the field in the background.

A packed light rail platform as passengers funnel onto the light rail after the game.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 03/01/2026

Did I fly to Minneapolis today to ride the last Northstar train? Yes. Yes, I did.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 14/12/2025

Say what you will about here vs the other platform… many posts in my feed, but not a single mention describing this for what it was: An attack on the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah. Antisemitic attacks shouldn't be silenced or minimized. They're often the canary in the coal mine.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 18/11/2025

Did I cut it close for my customs preclearance flight? Yes. Have I now finished the entirety of rapid transit in Canada? Yes. 🇨🇦✅ Is that the most insane thing from this trip? No. Maybe waking up at 4 for the inaugural Deux-Montagnes REM? No, probably visiting every *fare gate* in Ottawa.

Every mile of O-Train and every fare gate, taken in front of the Airport station.

Preview service of the REM inauguration!

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 15/10/2025

And there we have it: all of Canada's Commuter Rail network! 🇨🇦🚆 jeffkess.com/tracks

Jeff in front of a GO train at Niagara Falls station

Jeff pointing to Niagara Falls station on the map onboard a coach.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 07/09/2025

Bike sticker reigns supreme. (And state number eight for the #FoldingBike!)

A SEPTA Silverliner V regional rail train rounding the superelevated curve at Prospect Park station, with Jeff's folded folding bike in the foreground, complete with a sticker reading "My Other Ride is the Commuter Rail"

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 30/08/2025

Stay tuned for the NORAC 13th edition…

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 30/08/2025

S&P seems to be falling out of favor given how "expensive" the complete stop can be, and you always run the risk of an issue with the single bulb. The New England region has operated this way for ages, as has CSX; was only a matter of time for it to hit the Pennsy-style ones.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 30/08/2025

Stop and proceed now a restricting? (Not sure what aspects were previously there.)

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/08/2025

Hopefully the PA Legislature can get their affairs in order, or at the very least — if viewed as not being essential to the state — allow Southeastern PA to self-fund the local transit system that's known to be vital to the regional economy.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/08/2025

Tonight, we bid adeiu to @septaphilly.bsky.social express service on the very last Thorndale Express. COVID may have killed the Great Valley Flyer, but this end of express service (and more) is due entirely to budget cuts. RIP. Soon to be gone, but not forgotten — hopefully not far from a return!

Jeff and Boston RR colleague Matt prior to boarding the trip.

A set of Regional Rail bombers with a Thorndale Limited / Express sign.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 23/08/2025

My best guess is that they're all supplemental runs covered at overtime and they probably struggle to cover them Labor Day weekend, but… yeah.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 23/08/2025

Now Playing: "One Day More" from Les Misérables #RIPTA

A RIPTA 45 Galilee Beach Express bus arriving Kennedy Plaza

A Block Island Ferry departing through Point Judith Pond

RI's Beach Express Bus schedule, ending its season tomorrow, perhaps not to return in the face of RIPTA funding cuts.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 23/08/2025

"What effects do you want to use on the LEDs?" "Yes."

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 18/08/2025

"Y'all aboard" the inaugural Amtrak Mardi Grad from Mobile, AL to New Orleans!

Jeff and friends in front of the inaugural train at Mobile, AL.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/06/2025

(I guess it is also quite fitting that I'm doing this while here for #APTARail) bsky.app/profile/jeff...

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/06/2025

In January, I finished riding every mile of Commuter/Regional Rail in the US. Then @SMARTtrain extended their service to Windsor, CA. I knew what I had to do. (Soon to be updated on jeffkess.com/tracks!)

Jeff with the ceremonial "thumbs up" in front of a train on the Windsor station platform.

The Windsor station platform with a train in the background.

The Windsor station platform moments before departure.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 23/06/2025

Flight landed early, so here goes: the elusive train from ORD!

Jeff in front of the O'Hare Transfer Metra station building

An LED screen advertising Metra's limited airport service next to a screen of upcoming flights.

The O'Hare Transfer platform and station signage

Last train to Chicago until late afternoon!

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 08/06/2025

I know I said I was done on this trip. I lied. Just for good measure, the entire Roslagsbanan system ✅ Now to make it back to Stockholm… and hopefully make my flight in 3.5 hours. Wish me luck!

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 06/06/2025

Going to get home super late, but a final system on this trip: all of the Stockholm Tunnelbana ✅

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 03/06/2025

Track 3 is a middle track with island platforms on both sides, so they list it as "31" and "32." 1 and 5 are outer express tracks. 2 and 4 are the through local tracks. Short turns discharge on 32, then receive on 31 (on track 3, without physically moving). 1 _ 2-[31/32]-4 _ 5

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 03/06/2025

Final time: 8h, 22 min More like a racewalk than a speedrun covering Stockholm's entire Pendeltåg CR network in one go (…not that I know of any official attempts).

The traditional commemorative completion pose of thumbs-up on the train, with a work friend who joined.

Stockholm Odenplan station's platform, built as part of the 2017 City Line through-running tunnel.

Digital signage of frequent CR service at Upplands Väsby

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Reposted by Jeff Kessler 🟦

Kurt Raschke @kurtraschke.com · 01/06/2025

A little thing I've been working on recently: real-time stringlines for the London Underground, using data from the Trackernet API: trackernet-stringlines.choochoo.systems

trackernet-stringlines.choochoo.systems

Trackernet Stringlines

Graphical Service Analysis for the London Underground

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 01/06/2025

Me: "No I'm not going to ride the whole tram system in Oslo (in addition to the metro); that would be insane." Also me: "Hey, look, it's one of a dozen old trams still in operation! Well, since I've now ridden that on a good chunk of the tram network, I guess I'd be stupid to not finish it."

Me having finished the tram network, commemorative "thumbs-up" in front of a tram in Oslo.

The view at sunset up a strong grade of a new tram passing the rear of the old tram.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 30/05/2025

Finished riding the T's rapid transit network again… well…

Kolsås station platform, with a train to Oslo behind.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 30/05/2025

There's something special about riding an edge case that led to GTFS using (trip_id, stop_sequence) as stop_times.txt's primary key instead of (trip_id, stop_id). (Stopping at Carl Berners plass for the second time on a single journey on the same track.)

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/05/2025

I've found Google Translate is amazing for that, doing live translations of announcements on the fly. I've also found most international staff speak English as a global Linga Franca, if not other passengers, who can help translate as needed.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 29/05/2025

Most people get off of a red eye and seek out food, a nap, tourism, etc. Us: BUSS FOR TOG

A yellow flag that says Buss for tog (Rail Replacement Bus) in front of a bus

A work friend and me on the Buss for tog, in front of a sign of for the Buss for tog stop.

Messaging on the train saying it's terminating a stop early and that there's alternate transportation available.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 22/05/2025

I will say, the most promising aspect of it is that a recurring NEC RTC user call has probably half of its attendance also on here in the same spheres, and I can guarantee none of us will let it die.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 22/05/2025

At some point I see the AAR funding its design, use, and maintenance, with members getting a license as they've done for other tools. Would also help them boost membership.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 22/05/2025

I missed this thread! Yeah, RTC is a very big vulnerability in the industry, and there is no suitable replacement (e.g. TrainPlan is a complementary tool, but the two do different things. I made a deck on this 6 years ago… which makes me feel old.)

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 03/04/2025

Starting off my 30s in the most fitting way possible: a station opening on — of all things — the hometown system on which I've continued to serve as an advisory board member since my teens. Welcome, PATCO's Franklin Square!

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 19/03/2025

As a member of the #DRPACAC since my teenage years, who's traveled even to international transit openings, this is apparently RidePATCO's way of forcing me to have a 30th birthday party. See you there?

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 18/02/2025

First there were sneckdowns, but the latest innovation from big snow and ice is now snow protected bike lanes!

A strip of approximately 3 inches of hardened, iced-over snow forming a protected barrier for the adjacent (plowed!) bike lane on the Seaport Blvd bridge in Boston.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 22/01/2025

I feel like I should get bonus foamer points for not only wrapping up the US Commuter Rail network by taking NICTD to South Bend Airport… but then actually FLYING from there. (Snow at CLT was not on the bingo card, either.) Also updated jeffkess.com/tracks #EveryMile

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 21/01/2025

And with that, the entirety of the nation's Commuter Rail system is now 💯complete ✅

The South Shoreline EMU train adjacent to the island platform at the South Bend Airport station.

The train at the platform with a wider vantage point.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 20/01/2025

You know you are a complete and total nerd when you have your radio on and go, "huh, I've never heard a railroad defect detector use Nuance's Samantha voice before." (UP Geneva Sub MP29.40)

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 19/01/2025

Having just flown from the Sunport to the Sky Harbor, I'm now curious how many other euphemisms there are in official airport nomenclature? (e.g. Jetport at PWM)

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 18/01/2025

"Please again no pictures of the outside of the train due to religious reasons and to respect the tribes we're going through. Thank you." Definitely was not on my bingo card.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 09/01/2025

Which is a shame in particular from the post-pandemic acceleration. A 2019 article in the inquirer had a quote saying it was their best-performing store outside of the flagship Manhattan location.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 05/01/2025

This is the train to: RONKONKOMA. The next station is: RONKONKOMA.

An LIRR diesel-hauled C3 car en-route to Ronkonkoma.

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Jeff Kessler 🟦 @jeffkess.com · 05/01/2025

"You mean you went from Boston to Orient Point just to ride a particular vessel?" Yes. Not every day you get to ride a D-Day ship!

D-Day Memorial Plaque on the MV Cape Henlopen

Onboard description of D-Day and the vessel's involvement.

"Welcome to the USS LST-510 lounge, a tribute to those who served during the D-Day invasion."

The S92 bus in a sand pit outside of the Orient Point ferry dock, upon arrival.

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