By suburban commuter trains, I am referring to the purpose and the actual trains themselves, NOT the tracks on which they run. The subway line follows the old trolley tracks but you would never refer to the subway as the trolley because it is not. The Metra runs on all kinds of old tracks, like the Illinois Central, and one section of it is "electric" but they have all basically the same interior design which is vastly different from the el or the Amtrak. You could not confuse them. Purpose-wise, they extend only to the suburbs, and with a few exceptions, they are not a very good way to get around inside the city. Hence, they are suburban commuter trains, connecting the suburbs to the city. Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
Ah. 'Express', 'rapid' or 'fast train'. I guess the terminology is confusing because all the words refer to velocity even though express trains don't necessarily attain higher top speeds than stopping trains, but "high-speed rail" usually refers to non-local trains on high-quality tracks with significantly raised top speeds; today, that's usually anything significantly beyond 125 mph. (In the US, applied to the 150 mph AMTRAK Acela.)
By suburban commuter trains, I am referring to the purpose and the actual trains themselves, NOT the tracks on which they run.
I understood that. I guess it's my mentioning of line speed limits that made you think I don't? I note line speeds can be the function of both track and trains: the 79 mph limit for example, IIRC introduced just after WWII and stopping the development of US long-distance traffic, is valid if trains and/or the line aren't fitted with a (compatible) Automatic Train Stop system (e.g. a system that automatically brakes down trains speeding or passing a stop signal). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
