Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
@noahsbwilliams.com
1.9K followers 1.5K following 2.4K posts
Electric Trolley / Zero Emissions | Parallel hybrid bike operator 🔋🚲 | Observability Engineer / SRE | Transit is for all of us, not just the Dutch 🚉 | Your friendly neighborhood fleet guy 🚌
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noahsbwilliams.com
A few seconds of my favorite city 💖
noahsbwilliams.com
I think that trolleybuses are a better investment and we are uniquely positioned to fix the domestic supply chain for them.

The First Hill line would have been *much* better off as a RapidRide and the SLU line is...useless for almost everyone.

But if we're gonna do streetcars, we do them right.
noahsbwilliams.com
I'm very all or nothing on this issue.

There's a high opportunity cost to using those staff from Metro to maintain a system we're not actively expanding. We need to make a decision, sooner rather than later.

bsky.app/profile/noah...
noahsbwilliams.com
Frustrated that this issue continues to go nowhere.

I don't want the CCC if it's going to be a different voltage than the trolleybuses and lack dedicated lanes.

We shouldn't build rail that sucks for the sake of building rail. We should have effective transit, whatever that looks like.
typewriteralley.bsky.social
Not actually seeing a different future for Seattle's streetcar, at least the SLU line, without someone stepping in with a clear vision for the future of the network.
noahsbwilliams.com
Retrofit the network to put the trolleybus return wire higher than the hot so it doesn't touch the pantograph, and refit the streetcars and substations to use the same voltage.

Dedicate every inch of rail as transit only.

That should be the spec.

No more mixed traffic or battery tram nonsense.
noahsbwilliams.com
Frustrated that this issue continues to go nowhere.

I don't want the CCC if it's going to be a different voltage than the trolleybuses and lack dedicated lanes.

We shouldn't build rail that sucks for the sake of building rail. We should have effective transit, whatever that looks like.
typewriteralley.bsky.social
Not actually seeing a different future for Seattle's streetcar, at least the SLU line, without someone stepping in with a clear vision for the future of the network.
barredindc.bsky.social
Rachel Weiner of the Post confirms that the DC Streetcar will shutter in 5 months, in March, about a year earlier than expected because DC budget cuts + early termination of contract costs.

Operational for a decade, tracks were laid back in 2007.

wapo.st/4q3VtNf
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
byerussell.com
The head of Vancouver’s transit agency can sum its ridership recovery in one word: Frequency.

“Running the bus every 30 minutes isn’t going to cut it if you want to grow ridership.“

Many Vancouver 🚌 run every 5min or less, and the SkyTrain runs every 3-4min, via @davidzipper.bsky.social
The Secret to Vancouver’s Public Transit Ridership Recovery
The Canadian city’s transit agency, TransLink, bounced back from Covid even as other North American systems have struggled. Its leader explains why riders returned.
www.bloomberg.com
noahsbwilliams.com
Good evening, transit riders!

This 2016 XDE60 experienced a failure tonight - brake pressure loss, no recovery.

When it was started up I heard a grinding sound - possible compressor failure?

And am I correct that the BAE HDS300 models have all electric accessories?
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
bencollins.bsky.social
She's Canadian, you wouldn't know her.
rtodkelly.bsky.social
"the girlfriend of one of the founders of antifa"
noahsbwilliams.com
Good afternoon, transit riders!

Today's not the best day in battery bus world.

A dangerous defect was recently discovered with the ESS (battery) modules of New Flyer Xcelsior family buses.

King County Metro has pulled all units from service, pending retrofit.

static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025...
static.nhtsa.gov
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
typewriteralley.bsky.social
Ten years ago today I published my first story at @theurbanist.org. 886 stories later, here we are. What a wild ride.
noahsbwilliams.com
If he has the clearances and is proven to have engaged in the theft, he can both lose his gov contracts and be prosecuted.

Long shot currently? Yes. But orange man has a lot of health issues.
noahsbwilliams.com
Good evening from Ryerson Base!

Metro wishes you a safe trip home 🫶🚌
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
wilsonforseattle.bsky.social
Thank you to the American Muslim Advancement Council for your endorsement! #thisisyourcity
A Katie Wilson campaign endorsement graphic with the AMAC logo
noahsbwilliams.com
A reminder that we have to make more noise than people thinking like this.

We win when this isn’t the default narrative.
typewriteralley.bsky.social
Now we've moved on to, "does Federal Way really have to update its land use code to accommodate Sound Transit's plans to build Tacoma Dome Link?"

CM Paul McDaniel says he only cares about getting permit fees from Sound Transit.
noahsbwilliams.com
I have a dissenting opinion from the majority on this. Biometrics are good because they allow stronger encryption keys (long ass alphanumeric passwords). PINs physically can never be those. Biometrics basically hold a copy of that encryption key in escrow while the device is on.
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
pdwschmidt.bsky.social
It won't be long before juries will start hearing defenses of citizens who intervene, being "the defendant reasonably doubted the legality of the abduction". And the burden will shift to the prosecution to show that it was clear.
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
tylsim.bsky.social
Bruce Harrell has gotten very good at talking about progressive things that happened in the city despite his administration and touting them as if he had anything to do with them

when really his prerogative is treating graffiti as the highest priority municipal issue
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
katmabu.bsky.social
I said what I said: Kristi Noem should be tried at The Hague for crimes against humanity.
noahsbwilliams.com
If you are ever stuck on the tracks, drive through the gates!

They are designed to break away!

For this reason!
seattlebikedad.bsky.social
Cruise traffic is insane. A car was stopped on the tracks and only avoided a train collision because another driver jumped out of his car to open the gate. This area clearly needs traffic officers.
noahsbwilliams.com
Fantastic, healthy advice.

Honestly, applicable to 20-something’s too!

Thanks for sharing ❤️
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
lockdownyourlife.com
Go to museums and art exhibits. You will be so inspired and meet such interesting and talented people.

Volunteer for a cause or issue you care about.

Find a good pair of house slippers.

Read more. Physical copies of books. Take notes. Finish the good ones. DNF the rest. There's lots of books.
Reposted by Noah, some kind of engineer 🚎💻
lockdownyourlife.com
You don't know what you don't know. Keep being curious and learning things.

Walk a lot. Hydrate and stretch. Invest in good shoes.

Be okay with making mistakes and looking silly.

Revisit things you loved as a kid. Play more, laugh as often as you can.
essencesimmone.blacksky.app
Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?
noahsbwilliams.com
Great way to lose all your teeth at once 😅