New Mexico Rail Runner train gets lit with WiMAX, sets a good example
By Darren Murph 
posted April 14th 2010 12:05PM
posted April 14th 2010 12:05PM
Oh sure, we've seen the occasional big city train get their own WiFi / WiMAX installation, but when a state like New Mexico steps up and does it, we take notice. The New Mexico Rail Runner, which travels some 95 miles between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, is now lit with WiMAX along the entire route, and the service is being provided gratis for all who ride. Better still, the New Mexico Mid-Region Council of Governments has no intentions of ever charging patrons in order to recoup the $2.4 million investment. We're told that users can expect download rates of up to 6Mbps and upload speeds nearing 4Mbps, and we're desperately hopeful that other states will take notice and attempt to get with the program. America's already way behind most every European nation when it comes to rail travel, but toss a "free WiMAX!" sign on the door and you just might coax these car-lovin' Yanks into going mass transit.[Thanks, Ben]
Unless you put up a sign that says "free money", this yank is keepin his car. :)
I'd take the train for free WiMax :)
It's not WiMAX for the end user. It's WiMAX backhaul for the TRAIN, and WiFi for the end-user.
Sorry, guys.
@dragonfli
LOL true. Still it's wireless internet none-the-less. I wouldn't mind taking it... But I have no reason to go to Santa Fé (yuck).
@Schmerzlichtod
Sounds like you do now! :)
@dragonfli Yeah, still very cool. Wimax in it's early implementation is great for stuff like this, because the route is highly controlled and can be covered nearly perfectly.
@oproski What a hoot!.
Speaking of which, I took the Boston->NY Acela last weekend, which now has free WiFi. Pretty cool, but it was a bit spotty. I just ended up tethering to my phone. But still, if you don't have that capability, free WiFi a pretty cool option to have.
@Alex Do you know who's backhauling it for Amtrak? I think they are going to charge for it, unfortunately, but they can't right now, since there are some areas, including from the West side of Madison, CT through a good chunk of Guilford and Stony Creek (Branford) that have EXTREMELY weak/spotty cellular service. Antennas on top of the cars can help to a certain extent, but only if there is a bar there in the first place to amplify.
@(Unverified)
Apparently it uses signals from all four major networks (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile). Unfortunately it doesn't appear to work that well... yet.
i still dont understand why NY Metro North doesn't offer wifi of any kind. My commute is only 45min from grand central but i would gladly pay around $10month for some WIMAX service.. just as long as its not Cablevision..i HATE CABLEVISION WITH A PASSION.
@neeko18
You in Stamford right now?
I thought Optimum has a Wifi service for customers, no?
@el Capitan Nope.. i live in tarrytown on Hudson line. Yes they do offer wifi for customers but i think it is only at certain stations. Still why isnt every train line offered wifi.
The average American spends100 hours/yr commuting to/from work. Getting back those 100 hours to spend doing (insert your favorite activity here) on the internet at 6mbps down. Priceless. Imagine all the Hulu you could liquefy your brain with!
@Racy
Saddly we ripped up our rails for freeways, and burned our interurbans for wider lanes.
I guess they should have pictured a day in the future when we start killing ourselves to reply to a text message in cars or changing DVD in SUVs, and maybe they would have seen the value in these modes of transportation being preserved?
@Racy
+1 for the avatar
@Racy
AGREED that was an awesome cartoon back in the day..
@LAY Yeah. Honestly. We screwed ourselves over. I sigh and dream every time I'm overseas and I take clean, efficient, comfortable and cost effective form of public transportation.
Alas, we've urban planned ourselves to become slaves to our cars.
@LAY Most of our rail lines are still there, other than streetcar lines. The real problem is that we followed a path of suburban development that wasn't clustered around rail transportation like it had been in the past. The solution now is to offer commuter rail with ample parking, so that people will still drive, but only have to drive a couple of miles, and can then commute on the train.
Woh now i can "warm up" on my way to getting a cheap prostitute. Sweet!
@hdawggy
Well then you should drive down Central at night!
Unless you're gay... then Santa Fé is for you lol - so, good plan, in that case.
@Schmerzlichtod - OK, you're officially protesting too much. We're sorry someone touched you inappropriately once in Santa Fe, but that doesn't mean it's not a fantastic city.
On topic: Free WiFi on commuter trains is an absolute good. Here in L.A., Metrolink employees have to rely on regular cellular networks in order to text while operating locomotives...
Is there where all those mysteriously evanescent profits from "red light cameras" went?
Or is this from the money we saved by not paying Boarder Patrol?
@Schmerzlichtod
This* (Not "there")
Damn lack of editing feature on Engadget...
Heisenburg!
Nope, I LOVE my caddy.
Wimax on trains is just a start, there will be Wimax equipped Buses, Ambulances, Taxi's, etc.
@scorpeo With gear like the overdrive and the EVO 4G, we'll have WiMAX equipped PEOPLE!
@Matt da Brat, haven't you heard, newborn babies are getting the Wimax chips!
Let's see how quickly the MPAA and RIAA sue them into taking this down.
@Maxthedog, What does the RIAA or the MPAA have to do with this??
Hey Darren,
Thanks for checking out my Rail Runner story, that's a pretty big deal for me.
Larry Behrens
poordadtech.com
The service isn't "free". The people of New Mexico (most of whom will never step foot in this train) were taxed against their will to build the system and will be taxed to provide the subsidized service, just as they are with the train itself. Am I the only person mystified that a supposed technology blog would express support for an outdated, unwanted (in the US certainly), mode of transportation from the 19th Century? As much as you may want it to be, we are not Europe. Nobody wants to get in their car, drive to a train station, wait (and hope) the train arrives, get on board with a bunch of schlubs, all to eventually arrive at another train stop where you will now be stranded without a car and be confined to places within walking distance. We might as well build a fleet of Zeppelins.
@FatDrunkAndStupid
What an appropriate handle you've got.
Given how many fat, drunk, and stupid drivers we have on I-25 out here, I think the Rail Runner is a great service if you need to commute from ABQ to Santa Fe, or vice versa. A number of people in my office ride it up here from ABQ every day and all of them love it. The WiMax is just a bonus.
Los Angeles should put this on the metro rail... Instead they are investing into a railway to the sea... IDIOTS.