This message is directed to Thomas “Train Boy” Magliozzi.
I heard your recent mention of traveling by railroad. It was very courageous of you (and, perhaps masochistic) to experience American passenger railroads. I recently returned from 2 and one-half months in China. I traveled a great deal on the Chinese rail system, including a short trip on the high-speed trains. It was very impressive. I have included a few pictures.
I, perhaps, took a few too many pictures of the rails. For decades I have thought that there must be a better way to lay track than the 150-year-old method used in the U. S. which features wooden ties as it has since the beginning of railroads. The Chinese use concrete ties almost exclusively. The only exception is at Y junctions. Blue trains are high-speed. Red trains are low-speed.