Transit Unplugged

08/09/2026

At ÖBB's Nightjet maintenance facility in Vienna, we got a firsthand look at how these high-speed trains actually stop.

These trains can reach 230 kilometers per hour — about 143 mph. Instead of relying only on regular brakes, the system uses electromagnets that lower directly onto the track and switch on when the train needs to stop fast.

No friction pads, no wheel brakes doing all the work — just magnets.

Would you have guessed that's how high-speed trains stop? Let us know what surprised you most.

03/09/2026

These train windows don't fog up… they disappear. 😳

Tucked inside the glass on these Gold Leaf dome cars is a hidden layer of tech that switches the windows from totally clear to completely blacked out at the touch of a button. From the outside, these cars just look gorgeous — open up one control panel and you're looking at some genuinely next-level engineering.

Watch it happen ⬇️

03/09/2026

🚨 New Episode Coming Soon 🚨

Who Has the Best BBQ in America? Austin vs. Kansas City vs. Memphis

Get ready for a barbecue road trip across three of America’s most iconic BBQ cities: Austin, Kansas City, and Memphis.

In this special episode of Transit Unplugged TV, Paul Comfort samples Texas brisket, Kansas City classics, and Memphis championship barbecue while meeting pitmasters, local experts, and transit leaders along the way.

No rankings. No controversy. Just incredible food, great stories, and three legendary barbecue traditions.

See the full episode September 10th

Get ready for a barbecue road trip across three of America’s most i...

02/09/2026

Most people ride MetroLink every day and never see this.

This is the control center in St. Louis — the nerve center where dispatchers watch all 46 miles of light rail track and 38 stations in real time, making sure every train runs safe. They also just finished adding security gates at every station.

Pretty wild to see what actually keeps one of America's best light rail systems running.

Have you ridden MetroLink before? Let us know in the comments 👇

01/09/2026

A hotel room... on a train.

This is a real overnight train — the Nightjet, running from Hamburg to Vienna, about 12 hours overnight. Two beds, a full control panel for lights and temperature, breakfast included in your fare, and yes — your own private shower that just drains right off the floor. There's even a net you pull up so you don't roll off the bed while you sleep.

Would you take an overnight train like this? Tell us in the comments.

28/08/2026

Thanks to Community Transit for featuring Paul Comfort on That Transit Show podcast with Monica Spain! Enjoy!

27/08/2026

There's a hidden railway hiding in plain sight in downtown Los Angeles — and most people walk right past it without ever knowing it's there.

Right across from Grand Central Market on Hill Street in the Bunker Hill District, there's a narrow gauge funicular that runs two cars in opposite directions on a shared cable, straight up the hill.

Have you ridden it? What did you think — and if you haven't, would you?

26/08/2026

Even LA Metro's own Chief Innovation Officer admits it: when people think of Los Angeles, it's celebrities, beaches, maybe the Kardashians... and then traffic.

But the city just made a bold promise — the 2028 Olympics will be the world's first car-free Games, with public transit prioritized over driving.

Can the car capital of America actually pull that off?

We want to know what you think — realistic goal, or wishful thinking?

25/08/2026

London just finished one of the biggest transit projects Europe has seen in decades — and most people still don't realize how big it actually is.

The Elizabeth Line stretches more than 100km, from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through brand-new tunnels under central London, out to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It connects 41 stations (10 of them brand new), and it's projected to move up to 200 million people every year.

If you've ridden it, what surprised you most? And if you haven't yet — would you?

20/08/2026

Bet you've seen this carousel before — just not in person.

This historic carousel at Icon Park has been spinning since the mid-1960s, making it one of the oldest active carousels still running in the United States. It's also made appearances on the big screen more than once — we're not going to spoil it for you.

Can you guess which movie (or movies) you've seen it in? Drop your answer in the comments 👇