This is 99% invisible. I'm Roman Mars.

The greatest mode of transportation is the funicular, which is a special kind of train pulled by a cable that runs up steep slopes.

But you know, trains are great even when they're not going up treacherous terrain.

I was in Union Station in Denver recently, this is one of the stops in the California Zephyr which runs from Chicago to Emoryville, California.

And I firmly believe if we introduced more beautiful stations to enhance the romance and more lines to enhance the utility of trains

they could become a key part of our infrastructure again here in the US like they

are in so many other countries. My colleague Kurt Colstead is also into trains, so today

he and I are going to talk about some of the most ambitious, fascinating, and downright crazy

train designs the world has ever seen.

That's right, Roman.

Today we're talking about trains, only trains, and nothing but trains.

All right then, all aboard. All aboard. Greetings passengers, this is your conductor speaking.

Our first stop today is Crush Texas. crush Texas. Cush Texas.

Back in the late 1800s, most of the land in Texas was pretty sparsely populated.

So this huge state had vast stretches that were home to less

than five people per square mile and so trains were critical infrastructure

enabling some level of connectivity in these remote places.

I mean, even now I think of a lot of Texas

as being pretty thinly populated.

So like, sure, I can imagine it was much less populated

way back when.

Right, so now picture this.

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