Classy WhaleAt long last, Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service is HERE, from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama - and my friend Josh and I are on the very first eastbound train. But what's this brand-new train like? The only way to find out is to go for a ride.
I Rode Amtraks BRAND-NEW Mardi Gras Service (First Trip!)Classy Whale2025-08-19 | At long last, Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service is HERE, from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama - and my friend Josh and I are on the very first eastbound train. But what's this brand-new train like? The only way to find out is to go for a ride.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!I Rode NYCs NEWEST Transit NetworkClassy Whale2025-10-02 | Tonight, @TobyPannone and I are heading out on the open water to ride New York City's newest transit network, the NYC Ferry! But, is this trip faster than the MTA subway to get from the Staten Island Railway to my bus? The only way to find out is to go for a ride!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!New Yorks Little Island Railway Has a Lot to LoveClassy Whale2025-09-25 | The Staten Island Railway is New York City's other, other subway. I've put off riding it for a while, but now the time has come. Today, @AverytheCubanAmerican and I are riding the whole thing, end to end, to learn more about the Forgotten Borough and its railway.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!I Went To an Airlines Garage SaleClassy Whale2025-09-18 | On the second Friday of every month, Delta Airlines puts its junk up for sale. I went to investigate.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Californias Forgotten Light Rail is Really Strange, ActuallyClassy Whale2025-09-11 | In a state full of interesting light rails, one might be tempted to pass over Sacramento, California's little three-line system. But SacRT hides quite a few secrets of its own, and the only way to learn about them is to go for a ride!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 0:27 - The Map 1:19 - Gold Line, part 1 4:58 - Old Sacramento 7:26 - Blue Line, part 1 11:42 - Green Line 13:46 - Blue Line, part 2 15:44 - Gold Line, part 2 18:42 - Final ThoughtsAmericas Least-Used Commuter Train is an Odd RideClassy Whale2025-09-04 | Nashville, TN is home to the least-used commuter rail system in the United States, with just one line, six round trips a day, a small handful of stations, and no service to the city's biggest suburbs. But it's far from useless - if you fit in the very narrow demographic of people who actually use it. So what's it like on board Tennessee's tiny train? The only way to find out is to go for a ride.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!I Rode Amtraks First New Acela - In First Class!Classy Whale2025-08-28 | This morning, Amtrak launched their brand-new Acela II trainsets on the Northeast Corridor, the fastest and most modern trains to ever operate in revenue service on this side of the Atlantic. But in fairness, the bar for those two things is pretty low. So how much of an improvement are the Avelia Liberty trains, really? The only way to find out is to go for a ride!
Trackside footage courtesy of Kalkidan, @SteveGettingAroundPhilly, and @codfish1113
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Amtraks OTHER Electric Train Might Be Their BestClassy Whale2025-08-27 | Welcome aboard the Amtrak Keystone, the only electric intercity train in the United States off the Northeast Corridor! In this special adventure celebrating the ten year anniversary of Classy Whale, we're riding from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to see what makes this line so special.
Featuring (in order of appearance):
- @JoshDoesTravel - @MilesinTransit - @karatransitfur - @Pensyfan19 - @torscabinetofcuriosities - @ChroniclesOfKalki - @Thom-TRA - @AverytheCubanAmerican - @jyw0000 - he made the Paradise Station animation! youtu.be/BR0YOGQLRNc - @djpetesake - My sister Susanna - Richard from the London Underground video - @alexandercarrolldavis - @CeceliaBedelia
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 1:07 - Main Line History 2:04 - Suburban Station 3:09 - 30th Street Station 5:19 - Philadelphia to Lancaster 9:45 - Lancaster 11:21 - Lancaster to Harrisburg 13:08 - Harrisburg & the Future 14:36 - Memory LaneWhy This Alabama Hospital Has an Elevated RailwayClassy Whale2025-08-21 | Main Discord: discord.gg/jJsqkhyqz4
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Yes, SEPTA Runs Locomotives...OccasionallyClassy Whale2025-08-14 | SEPTA's Regional Rail serves Greater Philadelphia almost entirely with electric multiple units. But for rush hour express services, they roll out their few locomotives and traditional coaches, and today, I happened to be in the right place at the right time to ride them!
For the maybe three of you who care - yes, I filmed and edited this video over a year ago and I've been sitting on it for reasons that take way too long to get into, hence the lower audio and visual quality. This is a bit of a stopgap while I cram for my occupational therapy board exam - I promise the regular show will be back soon!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Why SEPTA Has Faregates to NowhereClassy Whale2025-08-11 | Did you know SEPTA has a whole office to help people with disabilities get to know transit, complete with a bus and real subway faregates?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!When There Were Two Northeast CorridorsClassy Whale2025-08-07 | SEPTA's West Trenton Line, along with New Jersey Transit's Rarity Valley Line and MARC's Camden Line, are all that's left of an important rail link in the northeast - an entire alternate Northeast Corridor between New York City and Washington, DC. Today, I'm going for a ride on SEPTA's West Trenton Line to investigate.
For the maybe three of you who care - yes, I filmed and edited this video over a year ago and I've been sitting on it for reasons that take way too long to get into, hence the lower audio and visual quality. This is a bit of a stopgap while I cram for my occupational therapy board exam - I promise the regular show will be back soon!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Caleb DID His Research?! On Trains and Autism, ObviouslyClassy Whale2025-07-24 | Wait, Caleb DID his research?!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!We Watched YOUR DC Transit Videos - Heres Our Favorites!Classy Whale2025-07-18 | National Capital Trolley Museum: dctrolley.org
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Could Disney Transit Work in the Real World?Classy Whale2025-07-10 | Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is absolutely massive - so massive, in fact, that it has its own transit system, possibly the largest in America not serving a city or airport. But is it good enough to rival US cities' public transit? The only way to find out is to go for a ride!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!This Amtrak Train Almost DiedClassy Whale2025-06-19 | I rode Amtrak's Heartland Flyer this past May. By the end of the year, it may not exist.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Inside Phillys UN-ABANDONED Subway Station (with fifteen subscribers!)Classy Whale2025-04-24 | PATCO has opened their Franklin Square Station yet again, this time with some spiffy modern upgrades! So I gathered a bunch of fellow nerds to check it out.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Why Do Autistic People (Sometimes) Really Like Trains?Classy Whale2025-04-21 | If you hang out with train fans, you'll probably meet someone with autism. Why is that?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Seattles Light Rail is Too GoodClassy Whale2025-04-17 | Seattle overdid their light rail, and it's amazing. But it wasn't supposed to be one in the first place.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Monorail 0:18 - The Future Arrives 0:55 - Maps 1:19 - North to Lynnwood 5:20 - Forward Thrust 6:20 - South to SEAAnnouncing my WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT Video Contest!Classy Whale2025-04-06 | Discord: discord.gg/jJsqkhyqz4
Welcome to the third Classy Whale video contest, in partnership with @Thom-TRA and the National Capital Trolley Museum! To enter, you can make any style of video about transit the DMV area (defined in the map shown onscreen in this video), so long as it's under 12 minutes long. Submit your entries on my discord (link above) before June 15 for a chance to win a free goodie basket from the National Capital Trolley Museum (18+) or bragging rights (13-17). Entrants will also receive discounted admission to the National Capital Trolley Museum upon presentation of their video, and will be given a copy of Capital Transit by Peter Kohler during their visit while supplies last. And as perhaps the coolest award, our 10-15 favorite videos will be featured in a future National Capital Trolley Museum exhibit! Thom and I will be judging based on quality of filming, storytelling, and creativity :)
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Anything for a taco 🌮Classy Whale2025-04-04 | ...Railways of Antarctica, ExplainedClassy Whale2025-04-01 | Sources:
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!My End Goal With YouTube: A Very Normal Q+A (feat. Kalkidan)Classy Whale2025-03-20 | What's all this for? Is Amtrak doomed? Whatever happened to Kalkidan Area Transit Authority? And why does my wife want to be "walkin' heah?" In lieu of an actual video this week, here's a silly Q+A we put together.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Detroits Tiny Metro is a Wild RideClassy Whale2025-03-13 | The Detroit People Mover is one of the smallest, strangest, and least ridden metro-esque systems in the United States. So what's this odd little train actually like?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 0:55 - Millender Center 1:54 - Renaissance Center 3:32 - Back to Millender Center 4:27 - To Cadillac Center 5:06 - Cadillac Center 7:19 - Broadway 7:52 - QLine 9:17 - American Coney Island 10:20 - Times Square 10:36 - History 11:26 - Huntington Place 11:59 - To Financial Center 12:49 - Time Lapse 14:46 - ConclusionWhy Americas Only Cross-Border City Bus is EndingClassy Whale2025-03-06 | There's only one local city bus that crosses the US-Canada border from Detroit Michigan to Windsor Ontario, and it's going away this summer. So...who killed the Tunnel Bus?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 0:33 - To Canada 3:13 - Windsor Riverfront 3:46 - Who Killed the Tunnel Bus? 5:46 - Canadian Junk Food 7:24 - Back to DetroitNew Jersey Built a Perfect Light Rail, and Nobody NoticedClassy Whale2025-02-27 | Just across the river from New York City we find a little light rail that packs a big punch. This is the New Jersey Transit Hudson Bergen Light Rail, and with the help of @AverytheCubanAmerican, I'm riding it from end to end to see just how transformative it is. But if the HBLR is so great, why haven't I heard that much about it?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 0:47 - The Map 1:23 - Hoboken to Newport 3:26 - Into Jersey City 4:56 - Liberty State Park 7:11 - To West Side Ave 8:25 - To Tonelle Ave 10:55 - Bergenline Ave 11:22 - Weehawken 11:45 - Ninth Street/Congress Street 12:20 - Bayonne Flyer 13:34 - Final ThoughtsI Reviewed Your Fantasy Transit! (While Sick)Classy Whale2025-02-20 | I got sick this week, so there was plenty of time to watch all the submissions to my One Line More fantasy transit contest! You guys really came up with some impressive fantasy transit, and here are the results!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 0:55 - 13-17 Runners Up 1:57 - 13-17 Winner 2:45 - My Contest Submission 3:39 - 18+ submissions 10:35 - 18+ winnerThe Real Story of Rosa Parks TransitClassy Whale2025-02-13 | You probably know the story of Rosa Parks. But do you know the story of her bus, the streetcar it replaced, the microtransit that replaced it, or just how many transit centers are named after Rosa Parks? Today we take a deep dive into history to learn how an American hero fits into over a hundred years of transportation.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Im Married Because of the AcelaClassy Whale2025-02-06 | How Amtrak's fastest train changed my life forever - and why because of it I'm married.
Starring (in order of appearance): @alexandercarrolldavis, @MilesinTransit, @JoshDoesTravel, and @spacepeanut
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Amtrak Business Class Is BrokenClassy Whale2025-01-30 | I tried Amtrak's Business Class product on the Northeast Regional. It needs work.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Trying Business Class 2:48 - What Was Missing 4:32 - The Acelaphant In The Room 5:54 - How Do We Fix It?I Rode the Worlds First Heritage RailwayClassy Whale2025-01-23 | Located on the West Coast of Wales, the Talyllyn Railway from Tywyn to Nant Gwernol was once a simple narrow-gauge short line hauling slate from a quarry, along with the odd passenger train. Somehow along the line it became a global phenomenon, and now people fly from all over the world to see it. Now how the heck did that happen?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 0:29 - Tywyn Wharf 2:38 - The Journey Begins 3:46 - Preservation Origins 5:31 - Nant Gwernol 6:12 - Signals and Switches 7:35 - The Return Journey 8:39 - Pendre Coach and Loco Sheds 10:22 - The Thomas Connection 11:47 - Inside the Awdry Study 13:41 - 75 Appeal 14:46 - ConclusionThis City Tram Serves THREE Countries!Classy Whale2025-01-16 | Welcome to Basel, where you can have breakfast in Switzerland, lunch in France, and dinner in Germany, all using one tram network.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 0:57 - Riding Into Downtown 2:27 - Line 3 to France 3:49 - Saint-Louis 4:30 - A Misadventure on SNCF 5:50 - Line 11 to Rodersdorf and Leymen 8:10 - Riding Some Vintage Trams 9:58 - Line 8 to Germany
Germany picture in thumbnail: Wladyslaw, CC BY 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCan We Visit All 98 DC Metro Stations in Record Time?Classy Whale2025-01-10 | Using only the Washington Metro and public buses, a team of friends and I are trying to visit all 98 stations on WMATA's metro network in as short a time as possible. We don't have to get off at every station, but we do have to be on regular trains stopping at each one. The time to beat? Seven hours and forty minutes, set by Zach Lincoln.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Airfanning? ✈️Classy Whale2025-01-02 | ...Exploring Pittsburghs ABANDONED Light Rail StationsClassy Whale2024-12-24 | Pittsburgh's little light rail is a treasure trove of transit history! Join me as I set out to visit as many of its abandoned stops, stations, and platforms as I can.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Classy Whale Goes to WalesClassy Whale2024-12-20 | In today's video, Classy Whale is finally heading to Wales! I'll be riding Transport For Wales from Birmingham, England to Tywyn on the Welsh coast, making use of the legendary Cambrian Line in the process. But the real question is - will I be able to pronounce the wonderful station names along the way?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!Major Addis Ababa Light Rail Update! (December 2024)Classy Whale2024-12-17 | Recently, Addis Ababa Light Rail Chief Executive Officer Dr. Birhan Abebaw sat down with Railways Africa Magazine to talk about the state of rapid rail transit in Ethiopia's capital. Join me as I break down the interview and my thoughts about it!
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!I Rode Englands Quirky...Um, Metro?Classy Whale2024-12-15 | On a layover in Birmingham, England, I discovered a quirky little metro that was actually a tram.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!What Africas 190+ MPH Railway Can Teach the WorldClassy Whale2024-12-13 | In the summer of 2022, I took a weeklong trip to Morocco in North Africa. If you know one thing about its railway, you probably know they were the first African nation to build High Speed Rail. But what if I told you there was a lot more to the ONCF network than that?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 0:43 - Marrakesh 2:03 - Al-Atlas 3:53 - Let's Talk About Colonialism 5:55 - To Oujda 9:52 - Bus to the Border 11:41 - Patreon 11:51 - Al-Atlas Nuit Sleeper Train 13:03 - Al-Boraq 17:19 - ConclusionEvery Amtrak Station on the London UndergroundClassy Whale2024-12-05 | Despite the looming prospect of an 8 AM flight, my friend Richard and I nevertheless stayed up until almost midnight to visit every London Underground station sharing a name with an Amtrak station.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Seizure Warning 0:09 - Intro 0:39 - Camden Town (SC) 1:25 - Royal Oak (MI) 3:32 - Richmond (CA and VA) 6:15 - Waterloo (IN) 7:38 - Temple (TX)I Rode the Northeast Corridor in the UK!Classy Whale2024-12-02 | Boston, Lincolnshire to Washington, Tyne and Wear. What's it like to ride between the namesakes of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor endpoints across the pond? The only way to find out is to go for a ride!
Featuring the incredibly talented Mr. @NickBadley !
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 0:52 - British Boston 3:48 - East Midlands Railway to Grantham 5:43 - Trainspotting at Grantham 7:23 - LNER to Newark 8:18 - Newark-on-Trent 10:49 - LNER to York 13:08 - National Railway Museum 15:58 - Old York 17:09 - TransPennine and Northern to Washington 18:40 - WashingtonWhats the REAL Cost of Flying Norse Atlantic Airways?Classy Whale2024-11-30 | This video contains some flickering lights. If you're sensitive to that kind of thing, I would recommend not watching.
Norse Atlantic Airways has been a blessing to budget travelers heading to Europe from the US since 2022. But when tickets basically just guarantee you a seat, what's the REAL cost of flying this budget carrier - and is it enough for the airline to survive?
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Seizure Warning 0:09 - Intro 0:46 - JFK 2:05 - The Flight Begins 3:31 - History 4:17 - The Onboard Experience 5:11 - How Much Did I Pay? 6:15 - Final ThoughtsIs Amtraks Legendary Southwest Train Still Worth It?Classy Whale2024-11-27 | Long ago, the Santa Fe Railroad operated the legendary Super Chief from Chicago to LA. Today, that route has evolved into Amtrak's Southwest Chief. Is it still worth the trip? The only way to find out is to go for a ride...
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Introduction 0:36 - The Map 1:03 - Super Chief 2:09 - LA to Albuquerque 3:40 - Albuquerque to Raton Pass 5:54 - Patreon 6:16 - Into CO 7:18 - Stranded in Kansas City 8:59 - Across the Midwest 9:47 - Final ThoughtsWhy LA Metro (Mostly) Isnt a MetroClassy Whale2024-11-22 | Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the United States of America. So why is its urban rail made up of America's last new subway system, diesel commuter trains, and an abundance of light rail? The only way to find out is to go for a ride.
Special thanks to @cut_and_cover for his last-minute cameo!
0:00 - Meet Los Angeles 0:36 - Pacific Surfliner 2:28 - LA Metro Map 3:21 - A Line 4:01 - B and D Lines 5:34 - Dunder Mifflin 5:50 - Ventura County Line 6:42 - Hollywood & Little Ethiopia 7:00 - E Line 7:46 - Pacific Electric 11:00 - Metro Proposals 13:09 - The Future 15:16 - UK Video PreviewWhats South of San Diegos Border Trolley?Classy Whale2024-11-15 | If you're familiar with American transit, you know that San Diego's blue line is both the first modern light line system in the US, and that it stops just feet from the US-Mexico border. But have you ever wondered - if you keep going south, what's the transit like on the other side? Join me on a slightly different adventure to my normal fare, as I head south from San Diego's Old Town Transit Center to Ensenada, Baja California for a fun-filled visit with friends.
Classy Whale - at-least-weekly misadventures with trains and transit!
0:00 - Intro 1:22 - San Diego Transit 3:48 - Across the Border 5:02 - Autobuses de Baja California 6:37 - Reflection 7:33 - Ensenada 10:22 - The Chaotic Journey NorthSubway Only in the Suburbs? Why This US City Built a Backwards MetroClassy Whale2024-11-08 | Most subways run underground downtown and above ground in the inner suburbs...but most subways aren't the Buffalo Metro Rail.