Natalie Makhijani
@xferok.com
Good railroading, signals, transit performance data, blogs. She/her. Feet on the ground, head in the sky.
Pinned
Tools I like
Things I use that cause more joy than pain
xferok.com
I wrote about some tools I like, because tools matter. xferok.com/blog/good-to...
OnlyNY is teasing a MetroCard collection 🚨
January 8, 2026 at 4:35 AM
OnlyNY is teasing a MetroCard collection 🚨
Reposted by Natalie Makhijani
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
January 7, 2026 at 8:26 PM
The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.
I've remastered my old SelTrac meme, based on the (false) assertion that the trains "talk to each other," as is oft repeated in public statements about CBTC
January 7, 2026 at 11:07 PM
I've remastered my old SelTrac meme, based on the (false) assertion that the trains "talk to each other," as is oft repeated in public statements about CBTC
Doing battle with markdown-it plugins. Please I just want to cite things
January 7, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Doing battle with markdown-it plugins. Please I just want to cite things
Lately I've been pondering "what if California was like Germany" in terms of intercity rail and modal layering in urban areas.
January 7, 2026 at 12:28 AM
Lately I've been pondering "what if California was like Germany" in terms of intercity rail and modal layering in urban areas.
Reposted by Natalie Makhijani
I'd make the case that Brooklyn and Queens are the two biggest news deserts in the whole country.
January 6, 2026 at 8:56 PM
I'd make the case that Brooklyn and Queens are the two biggest news deserts in the whole country.
Pros: cool new domain
Cons: autocorrect changes it to Errol, Cherokee, or defrock
Cons: autocorrect changes it to Errol, Cherokee, or defrock
January 6, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Pros: cool new domain
Cons: autocorrect changes it to Errol, Cherokee, or defrock
Cons: autocorrect changes it to Errol, Cherokee, or defrock
Heartwarming: watch as the Dutch bike to their Christmas traditio—oh.
January 5, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Heartwarming: watch as the Dutch bike to their Christmas traditio—oh.
A site I wrote a bit for as a freelancer years ago got bought by Nokia. Where's my Bell Labs cred?
January 5, 2026 at 12:59 AM
A site I wrote a bit for as a freelancer years ago got bought by Nokia. Where's my Bell Labs cred?
My banner has been set to a file in my photos folder called "sp_going_hard.jpg"
January 5, 2026 at 12:56 AM
My banner has been set to a file in my photos folder called "sp_going_hard.jpg"
Reposted by Natalie Makhijani
PSL is the shen yun of protesting
January 4, 2026 at 6:56 PM
PSL is the shen yun of protesting
Where I post from
January 5, 2026 at 12:37 AM
Where I post from
The annual urge to play Minecraft is hitting early this year
January 5, 2026 at 12:32 AM
The annual urge to play Minecraft is hitting early this year
Reposted by Natalie Makhijani
My toddler has made me turn on the Japanese railroad association’s new technology exhibition and watch their sessions on the next generation of grade crossing control systems.
January 4, 2026 at 10:16 PM
My toddler has made me turn on the Japanese railroad association’s new technology exhibition and watch their sessions on the next generation of grade crossing control systems.
I wrote about some tools I like, because tools matter. xferok.com/blog/good-to...
Tools I like
Things I use that cause more joy than pain
xferok.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:39 PM
I wrote about some tools I like, because tools matter. xferok.com/blog/good-to...
My % of year completed and domains purchased since beginning of year stats are currently equal. Concerning.
January 4, 2026 at 8:52 AM
My % of year completed and domains purchased since beginning of year stats are currently equal. Concerning.
Happy new year, you really ought to read The Men Who Loved Trains
January 4, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Happy new year, you really ought to read The Men Who Loved Trains
Been holed up sick and watching a lot of German train driver videos lately. DB gets a lot of hate but it seems like they’re pretty good at infrastructure design and line utilization?
January 4, 2026 at 8:22 AM
Been holed up sick and watching a lot of German train driver videos lately. DB gets a lot of hate but it seems like they’re pretty good at infrastructure design and line utilization?
Interesting, the Germans use PZB magnets on timers to do “speed tests” very similar to NYCT’s grade time signals
January 3, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Interesting, the Germans use PZB magnets on timers to do “speed tests” very similar to NYCT’s grade time signals
To honor MetroCard, I have bought another domain
January 3, 2026 at 3:08 AM
To honor MetroCard, I have bought another domain
I want to read Cadillac Desert but I'm scared it will shake me to my ideological core in a way I would normally welcome but am currently not prepared for
January 3, 2026 at 1:51 AM
I want to read Cadillac Desert but I'm scared it will shake me to my ideological core in a way I would normally welcome but am currently not prepared for
Banning leaf blowers is such an easy quality of life win
January 2, 2026 at 11:39 PM
Banning leaf blowers is such an easy quality of life win
Reposted by Natalie Makhijani
When I road the Beep route on Treasure Island, it required a staff member (who was a contractor from Craigslist), was slower than any other vehicle I’ve ever ridden, and required the attendant to do significant work to facilitate a wheelchair boarding.
companies that sell automated electric buses have done a great job at making people think they're scaleable cost-effective mass transit.
replacing vancouver's community shuttles with AEBs will overall have higher costs than just hiring extra drivers and increasing service
replacing vancouver's community shuttles with AEBs will overall have higher costs than just hiring extra drivers and increasing service
If the community shuttle route in my neighbourhood ran more often, I would be able to take it from the West Coast Express station to the grocery store instead of walking home on a separate trip.
No case for automation? Are you high on drugs?
No case for automation? Are you high on drugs?
January 2, 2026 at 7:35 PM
When I road the Beep route on Treasure Island, it required a staff member (who was a contractor from Craigslist), was slower than any other vehicle I’ve ever ridden, and required the attendant to do significant work to facilitate a wheelchair boarding.
Missing Punkin Chunkin this eve
January 2, 2026 at 2:18 AM
Missing Punkin Chunkin this eve