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NewsLog Archives

  • Current NewsLog


  • 2011: Oct.-Nov.
    • Pittsburgh: North Shore Connector light rail project aims for March opening...
    • San Antonio: City's daily paper backs streetcar plan as "precursor" to larger light rail ...
    • Cincinnati columnist: "Anti-Streetcar Measure Is a Trojan Horse" ...
    • Seattle: Development of citywide streetcar system advances...
    • USA: Obesity of population may drastically reduce capacity of public transit systems...


  • 2011: Jul.-Sep.
    • Oklahoma City: Streetcar project moves forward as basic route plan is accepted...
    • Cincinnati: They're at it again! Anti-rail extremists push ANOTHER ballot measure to outlaw rail transit...
    • Washington, DC: First starter lines of proposed citywide streetcar system "taking shape", as city seeks operating contractor...
    • Norfolk (Virginia): As light rail nears opening, major cost savings are reported mainly from shifting work in-house rather than outsourcing to private contractors...
    • Cincinnati: City officials keep streetcar project moving forward, despite resistance of new anti-rail Ohio governor...
    • Providence: Transit agency narrows route options to three for proposed 2-mile streetcar starter line...
    • Augusta (Georgia): Streetcar desire still alive...


  • 2011: Apr.-Jun.
    • Ft. Lauderdale: Streetcar still desired — This time, it's "The Wave"...
    • Buffalo: Advocacy groups fund streetcar study...
    • Denton, Texas: Regional rail transit line using DMUs prepares to open...
    • Charlotte: Lynx light rail alignment provides demonstration track for new Kinkisharyo hybrid streetcar...
    • Ohio's far-right governor scuttles rail passenger plan, kills major jobs and economic development projects...
    • Portland, Oregon: Rail transit sees modest ridership increase, but bus services see loss in February 2010...
    • USA: Five light rail systems register double-digit ridership gains in 3rd quarter 2010...


  • 2011: Jan.-Mar.
    • Norfolk, Virginia: Survey poll indicates strong public support for new light rail system...
    • Los Angeles: $154 million conversion to turnstile fare collection hits $46 million snag, gets denounced as "boondoggle"...
    • US FTA accelerates funding of 7 rail transit expansion projects...
    • Vancouver (Canada): Suburban city of Surrey eyes possible light rail system...
    • Tampa: Transit supporters mobilize to keep light rail possibility alive...


  • 2010: Oct.-Dec.
    • Dallas-area suburb plans unique station as DART light rail extension nears...
    • Tampa: Light rail ballot initiative fails...
    • Norfolk launches multi-modal transportation center project...
    • Tampa: Newspaper backs light rail plan coming before voters...
    • Tampa: Mayor declares "BRT" is "not acceptable" — LRT is region's only rational choice...
    • Cincinnati: Casino revenues may help fund planned streetcar system...
    • America's deepening economic crisis intensifies budget crisis in public transport industry...


  • 2010: Jul.-Sep.
    • Australian Gold Coast: Construction work finally begins on light rail transit project...
    • Cincinnati: Streetcar project awarded crucial state and local funding...
    • Brooklyn: Feasibility of streetcars to be studied...
    • Portland: Feds help bankroll streetcar propulsion research...
    • Minneapolis streetcar plan moves forward...


  • 2010: Apr.-Jun.
    • San Antonio: County approves plan for streetcar starter line...
    • Las Vegas Monorail files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...
    • USA: Facing budget crunches, transit agencies wrestle with service cuts, fare hikes...
    • Cincinnati: Light rail streetcar project advances with jolts of state, local funding...
    • Oklahoma City: Light rail streetcar plan takes shape, with opening scheduled for 2020...
    • St. Louis: At last, voters approve major funding for public transit...
    • USA: DOT OKs "livability" factors for assessing major transit investments...


  • 2010: Jan.-Mar.
    • Phoenix provides model of light rail success for Tampa...
    • Thinking about light rail? Here's a track record of economic development to ponder...
    • New Haven: Streetcar starter line priced at "less than $30 million"...
    • Waco: Business leaders promote streetcar plan...
    • As US economy stalls, public transit sputters...
    • Augusta (Georgia): Streetcar system would boost economic development...
    • Providence: Will streetcars return to New England's "Creative Capital"?...
    • Boise: Civic leaders push light rail streetcar plan...
    • America's economic slump drags down public transit ridership...


  • 2009: Oct.-Dec.
    • Oklahoma City voters approve funding for light rail streetcar...
    • France programs massive investment of as much as €21 billion (US $29 billion) for urban electric rail transit development...
    • Reno planning to convert new "BRT" line to streetcar system...
    • Phoenix: Light rail boosts uptown's economic revival...
    • Winston-Salem, NC: Officials eye federal stimulus funds for modern streetcar proposal...
    • San Antonio: New light rail/streetcar concept gains support...
    • USA: Reeling from world economic crash, 90% of public transit systems raise fares or cut service...
    • Norfolk area: Virginia Beach mulls light rail link-up with Norfolk's Tide project...
    • Cincinnati: Streetcar plan, and future of all rail, to be decided in November 3rd vote...
    • Brisbane: How a "flexible" busway can grind to a halt...


  • 2009: Jul.-Sep.
    • Detroit: Private funding boosts light rail project...
    • Oklahoma City: Streetcar plan gains support...
    • Dallas: Despite economic crisis, light rail ridership keeps growing...
    • Phoenix: Light rail ridership continues to soar above projections...
    • Dallas: First segment of new light rail Green Line nearing finish...
    • Augusta, Georgia: City's streetcar plan gains momentum...
    • Congratulations, Seattle! Link light rail opens July 18th...
    • Tulsa: Getting serious about rail transit? ...
    • NYC: New transport chief pushes more livable city, but anti-rail "BRT" campaign could be "booby trap"...


  • 2009: Apr.-Jun.
    • San Jose: New heritage trolley line opens...
    • USA: Fix FTA's New Starts program, transit industry pros tell Senate...
    • Milwaukee: Feds OK nearly $55 million for streetcar starter line ... but bickering stalls progress...
    • Portland, Oregon: New streetcar line finally gets federal funding...
    • USA: FTA planning to revamp New Starts/Small Starts rating criteria...
    • Brisbane Reality Check: The high cost of "cheap" busways...
    • USA: Obama administration's DOT appointments suggest more signs of major policy change...
    • Los Angeles: Voters demonstrate increasing enthusiasm for rail transit initiatives...
    • Portland: The freeway city that might have been – without light rail...
    • Kalamazoo: Pro-transit vote edging city back toward a real (rail) transit system? ...
    • Waco: Streetcar possibility attracts local interest...
    • Ft. Lauderdale: Mayor seeks to revive light rail plan...
    • USA: "Regime change" at FTA, FRA bodes well for public transport...
    • Detroit: As "BRT" plan fizzles, light rail moves to center stage...
    • US streetcar development gets another boost from Blumenauer...

  • 2009: Jan.-Mar.
    • Stamford: Proposed streetcar system favored in study...
    • San Jose: Transit ridership keeps growing ... but economic crisis threatens service
    • USA: PBS news report focuses on mass transit success vs. crisis...
    • Des Moines: Light rail eyed for downtown "people mover"
    • Ft. Worth: New streetcar plan moving forward?
    • Omaha: Analysis paralysis? Yet another light rail study...

  • 2008: Oct.-Dec.
    • China leads the way? Rail public transport investment at heart of massive economic stimulus initiative...
    • USA: Public transport investment pushed as key element of economic stimulus program...
    • Albuquerque: Yet another rail transit funding initiative on Nov. 4th ballot...
    • Youngstown, Ohio: Ballot measure would provide dedicated funding for public transit...
    • Kansas City: Chamber, tourism industry, leading paper all urge Yes vote on light rail...
    • USA Election: John McCain's persistent record of saying No to transit and rail passenger investment...
    • Dallas: Rail modes continue to lead DART's strong transit ridership growth rate...
    • USA Election: Joe Biden, longtime rail passenger champion, seeks vice-presidency on Obama-Biden ticket...
    • Washington-Northern Virginia: Regional rail ridership surges nearly 13% in year...
    • USA Election: Barack Obama may get boost from strong pro-transit, pro-rail record...
    • San Jose: In continuing comeback, light rail ridership hits new high...
    • USA: Obama says "Yes", McCain "No" to Amtrak Passenger Rail and Rail Safety bills...

  • 2008: Jul.-Sep.
    • US Federal Railroad Administration takes aim ... at light rail ...
    • New Orleans: Public transit helps evacuation...and streetcars, buses are protected ...
    • Hurricane Gustav: Amtrak trains play key role in New Orleans evacuation ...
    • Newark City Subway: Light rail + freight railroad track-sharing ends ...
    • Kansas City: New light rail transit plan heading for November vote ...
    • Cleveland: Euclid Corridor "BRT" – "just like light rail" ... or maybe not? ...
    • Orlando: Regional passenger rail project gets federal thumbs-up ...
    • State of Texas to Austin transit: Get lost ...
    • Grand Rapids: Streetcar proposal gets boost from projections of major benefits ...
    • Minneapolis: More spectacular ridership gains for Hiawatha light rail transit ...
    • Bush DOT's privatization & motorization scheme = "Been There, Done That" ...
    • Stamford eyes light rail streetcar system ...
    • Dallas: Led by rail, DART transit ridership setting records ...
    • Philadelphia: SEPTA light rail ridership up 54.2% ...
    • John McCain's long hostility to rail public transport may now be liability ...

  • 2008: Apr.-Jun.
    • Yakima: Heritage electric trolley may grow in size and function to serve new shopping mall ...
    • Phoenix: Transit-oriented development booming along light rail line ...
    • Ft. Lauderdale: Streetcar plan gets $37.5 million boost from City ...
    • Detroit: Streetcars at last to make a comeback? ...
    • Columbus: Mayor and civic leaders propose 2.8-mile, $103 million streetcar project ...
    • USA's Bush administration proposes to raid transit funds for highways ...

  • 2008: Jan.-Mar.
    • Ft. Lauderdale: Light rail streetcar project pushed by civic leaders ...
    • Reading, Pennsylvania: Civic leaders attracted by benefits of proposed electric streetcar system ...
    • Birmingham, Alabama: Light rail streetcar plan now moving forward with local funding ...
    • St. Louis: MetroLink light rail ridership continues to soar with 33% growth ...
    • Charlotte: Higher ridership may justify more 2-car trains, revision of forecasting ...
    • New Jersey: Hudson-Bergen light rail leads in growth rate, as NJ Transit ridership reaches all-time high ...
    • Ft. Worth area: Satellite communities clamor for inclusion in region's rail transit system ...

  • 2007: Oct.-Dec.
    • Boston: Mattapan-Ashmont High Speed trolley line re-opens ...
    • Salt Lake City: First FrontRunner train makes test run ...
    • Miami: Streetcar project moves forward with City-County financing package ...
    • Charlotte: New light rail line's ridership exceeds forecast by 35% ...
    • Grand Rapids: Civic leaders explore plan for streetcars ...
    • Seattle: South Lake Union Streetcar nears Dec. 12th startup ...
    • Roanoke: Light rail streetcar plan attracts growing interest ...
    • Little Rock: Another "Rapid Streetcar"? Communities eye extending River Rail to airport ...
    • Houston's MetroRail (LRT) breaks record with 40 million boardings ...
    • New Orleans: Streetcars returning to St. Charles Avenue ...
    • Houston Metro dumps "BRT", reinstates light rail transit plan in 5 corridors ...
    • Charlotte: Black Political Caucus votes to back transit tax ...
    • Tucson: Streetcar project under way in coordination with downtown revitalization ...
    • USA: Democratic presidential contenders Richardson & Clinton push public transport, light rail, TOD ...

  • 2007: Jul.-Sep.
    Albuquerque: Rail Runner Express attracting ridership, expanding toward Santa Fe ... Denver: Light rail ridership, now at 61,000 a day, continues to set new records ... Eindhoven: Big problems for "Phileas FROG" guided "BRT" ... USA: Determining urban all-purpose automobile Average Vehicle Occupancy ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail ridership reaches all-time high ... USA: New York Times article prompts criticism with attack on mass transit funding ... Buffalo: Housing values found to be higher near most Metro Rail stations ... San Diego Trolley weekday ridership up 5.1% over previous year ... Toronto: "Transit City" light rail development on a fast track? ... Washington: Metrorail achieves more ridership records ... Denver launches massive FasTracks construction program with West corridor light rail project ... US households with "good transit access" spend half as much income on transportation, says study...

  • 2007: Apr.-Jun.
    St. Louis: 93% in online poll support extending MetroLink light rail ... San Diego Trolley ridership continues growth ... Phoenix: Train's coming! Light rail car tested at full speed ... Padua (Padova, italy): "Guided-bus" ("BRT") plagued by derailments ... Lancaster (Pennsylvania): Streetcar proposal moving forward ... Austin: Rail transit project passes major milestone with completion of first railcar ... Columbus: 68% in poll back streetcar proposal ... Portland: MAX light rail ridership jumps to 104,200 average weekday trips ... Australian Gold Coast: 70% in poll favor light rail over "rapid bus" ... Albuquerque: Streetcar plan under study by city council ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail reaching ridership targets 8 years early ... Philadelphia: Light rail growth rate leads major gains for region's public transit ... Santa Barbara: "Transit War" battle flares over proposal for regional passenger rail to Ventura County ... Amtrak expansion backed in online poll...

  • 2007: Jan.-Mar.
    Toronto: Huge light rail expansion planned as heart of "Transit City" vision ... Charlotte: Public transit expansion program may face fight for survival ... New York City: First contract awarded for Second Avenue Subway project ... Tucson: Streetcar project takes shape ... Denver: Expanded light rail system ridership already exceeds projections ... St. Louis: 56% in poll identify MetroLink light rail expansion as public works project "most important to region's economy" ... Braunschweig (Germany): New light rail tram line to suburbs reverses Transit Holocaust ... Amtrak: National Association of Railroad Passengers on Bush administration's latest plan to slash rail funding: "They still don't get it" ... Toronto: Segment of rehabbed St. Clair streetcar line opens...and more to open Feb. 18th ... Portland survey: 43% of adults riding TriMet's transit system at least twice a month ... Transit Holocaust revisited: New book examines GM and the anti-electric traction conspiracy ... Indiana: Regional passenger rail ("commuter rail") bill nears State Senate hearing ... Little Rock: River Rail streetcar's spectacular performance is highlighted as new line opening nears ... New York City: Wesley Autrey's amazing heroism in the subway ... Northern California: Amtrak's Capitol Corridor rail service hits new ridership record...

  • 2006: Oct.-Dec.
    Denver & Western USA: Guess what kept moving when roads and airport runways froze? Hint: Try Amtrak ... New Orleans: St. Charles streetcar service resumes from Canal St. to Lee Circle ... Minneapolis-St. Paul: Feds OK engineering for Central Corridor light rail plan ... Ottawa: City council votes to cancel light rail transit project ... Véléz-Málaga: Tiny light rail tramway opens in small Spanish town ... Bordeaux: With 26% annual increase, light rail tramway ridership now exceeds bus ... Sacramento: Downtown extension of light rail to intercity rail station to open Dec. 8th ... Portland: New regional passenger rail project breaks ground ... Japan: Government unveils massive light rail development program ... istanbul opens its newest light rail tramway extension ... Seattle: USA's latest new-start streetcar project under way ... Denver: Southeast light rail line heads toward opening day ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail's September ridership leaps more than 31% in a year ... Streetcar vs. Bus: Operating cost comparison ... Salt Lake: Residents prefer rail transit to highway expansion by nearly 14 to 1 ... Portland: Streetcar extension to South Waterfront district opens ... USA: Light rail leads sharp public transit growth in first half of 2006 ... Minneapolis-St. Paul: Transit ridership hits highest monthly level in 23 years ... Philadelphia: Route 15 streetcar revival completes first year ... Atlanta: Transit photos? Don't even THiNK about it...

  • 2006: Jul.-Sep.
    Houston: MetroRail ridership reaches 40,000 per day, as systemwide boardings soar ... Amtrak: Revenues covering 79% of direct operating costs ... Portland: "Choice" riders = 77% of MAX light rail ridership ... Denver: "Blown away" by phenomenal success of light rail ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail's Cross-County Extension opens! ... Madison: Streetcar planning picks up momentum amid growing interest ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail's new Cross-County Extension ready to open ... Huntington Beach (California): "Surf City" eyes possible light rail line ... Dublin: Luas light rail tramway system reports operating profit for 2005 ... Spokane: Diesel-powered light railway proposal to face voters in November ... Minneapolis: Hiawatha light rail's June ridership sets another record ... Britain: Air travellers switch to Eurostar rail after terror scare disrupts air transport system ... Baltimore: Rail transit is focus of major central-city multi-use development ... Boise (idaho): Mayor favors "trolleys" or "some form of light rail" ... Albuquerque: Rail Runner regional passenger rail service to start July 14th ... France: Highspeed intercity rail service attracts passengers from airlines ...

  • 2006: Apr.-Jun.
    Sheffield: Light rail tramway, with operating profit, demonstrates clear success ... Newark: Broad St. extension of City Subway light rail line nears opening ... Valenciennes: Another new French light rail tramway gets ready to open ... Light Rail Now taking a break for APTA Rail Conference ... Grenoble: Light rail tramway opens new Line C ... Norfolk: Proposed light rail starter line project advances with latest Fed nod ... Salt Lake City: Transit ridership leaps 31% in 5 months ... Amtrak: National rail passenger group calls for restoring full Sunset Limited service ... USA: Two-trillion-dollar investment in interstate Highway System? ... Palermo: New light rail tramway project for another italian city ... Mulhouse: Brand-new light rail tramway starting up ... Albuquerque: With regional rail startup imminent, light rail streetcar plan moves forward ... Denver: Transit strike ends, but crucial importance of public transport is shown ... London: Work starts on Docklands light metro Woolwich Arsenal extension, targeted for 2012 Olympics ... Vukan Vuchic releases latest book on Urban Transit Operations, Planning, and Economics ... Norfolk (Virginia): Next American light rail project? ... Transit-Oriented Development benefits working families via access to jobs and affordable housing, says report ... Light Rail Now website visitor activity up 31% since December ... USA: Light rail shows 279% growth in passenger-miles as APTA reports 20-year record of transit's huge success ... Denver: Light rail, bus service shut down by first transit strike in 24 years ...

  • 2006: Jan.-Mar.
    Minneapolis: Boosted by 33% rise on light rail, transit ridership jumps 7% in 2005 ... Nottingham: NET light rail tramway ridership growing at "a phenomenal rate" ... Dallas: Dr. Dan Monaghan, renowned advocate of DART and Amtrak, "in the final chapter of an extraordinary life" ... PRT: Wikipedia takes more critical look ... Orange County: Rail transit gets green light ... Salt Lake City: Snowstorm snarls traffic, but TRAX light rail keeps going strong ... Northern Virginia: Washington-area Virginia Railway Express regional rail ridership jumps 6.8% ... New York City: Even without legal policy, cops cracking down on subway photography ... New Orleans: St. Charles streetcar line reopening now targeted for "late 2007" ... Petroleum consumption comparison – USA, European Union, Australia ... Bergen (Norway): Light rail project gets final approval ... Bush administration rapped for slashing energy-efficiency programs ... Adelaide: Upgraded Glenelg tramway opened with new trams ... Urban transport energy efficiency comparison ... US transit: Paul Weyrich appointed to surface transport panel ... Camden-Trenton:: River Line light railway weekday ridership leaps 23% higher in a year ... APTA raps Bush administration for slashing transit funding ... St. Louis: Soaring light rail ridership boosts entire transit system ... New Jersey Transit: Despite policy change, cops continue de facto ban on railway photography ... Denver: Huge $750 million transit-oriented development plan unveiled for light rail station area ... Salt Lake City: "Wildly successful" TRAX light rail system hailed for "surpassing ridership estimates" ... Portland: Summary of Portland voters' resounding support for light rail ... Amtrak: Another rail photographer victimized in security hysteria frenzy ... Denver: Southeast light rail line due to open ahead of schedule ... Phoenix: Light rail benefits attracting businesses to locate along route ... Pittsburgh: Transit ridership hits highest level in 3 years, as light rail soars by 9.4% ... Historical Note: illinois Terminal electric interurban didn't "fold" – it was euthanized, says transit industry veteran ... London: Docklands Light Railway extension to City Airport opens ... Orange County: Regional rail and "rapid bus", perhaps streetcars, may replace defunct CenterLine light rail plan ... Sacramento: New Folsom light rail extension "more popular than anyone anticipated" ... Grenoble: Northwest light rail tramway extension planned, as system builds on success ... New Jersey: Major victory in effort to resist criminalization of railway photography ...

  • 2005: Oct.-Dec.
    Buffalo: Waterfront project linked to light rail transit access ... Minneapolis: City eyes streetcar, funds $300,000 study ... Nottingham: Light rail tramway reports operating surplus as ridership jumps 8.4% ... Dallas: DART light rail pulls another major firm into city's downtown ... Portland: Green Line line rail expansion project moves ahead ... Pittsburgh: Urban public transport ridership leaps ... St. Louis: MetroLink light rail daily ridership averages over 46,100 ... Minneapolis: November light rail transit ridership nearly 59% over forecast ... Denver: More evidence of a vibrant downtown helped by high-quality public transport ... Amtrak: Miffed at board's action, railworker unions threaten to shut down Northeast Corridor ... Texas's new rail relocation fund opens possibilities for more rail passenger and rail transit services in state ... Amtrak: in post-election "palace coup", Bush appointees cut off rail passenger agency's head ... New York City: Second Ave. subway, here we come – bond vote wins! ... More 2005 vote results: Texas rail relocation measure passes; Seattle monorail loses ... Phoenix: Light rail cited as reason for city's site selection by Google ... New Jersey: Harassment, detention of railway photographer illustrates spreading "security" abuse ... Dublin: Luas light rail tramway network's performance exceeds expectations ... Denver: Transit ridership hits highest level in 30 years ... Las Vegas: Monorail ridership drops nearly 12% ... New Jersey: Latest Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Transit extension in Weehawken nears opening ... Portland's light rail transit helps reduce per-capita greenhouse emissions, says study ... Sacramento: Light rail ridership hits record high of 58,000 per weekday ... Seattle: "Green Line" monorail project faces mounting troubles, re-vote on Nov. 8th ... Philadelphia, San Jose, Sacramento: More new light rail lines open ... Charlotte: Light rail for city's east side gains support ... Albuquerque: RailRunner regional rail project approaches startup ... New Orleans: Transit slowly comes back to life; streetcar repair effort begins

  • 2005: Jul.-Sep.

  • 2005: Apr.-Jun.

  • 2005: Jan.-Mar.

  • 2004

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