America’s Amtrak moment could finally be here
Created in 1971 from the creaking remains of the classic US railroads that helped build modern America, Amtrak has often lived a precarious existence. Subject to the whims of politicians and constantly under pressure from the well-funded and hugely influential oil, automotive and airline industry lobbies, the national passenger rail operator has been threatened with oblivion on several occasions. But as it celebrates a 50th anniversary that few would have predicted, there are signs that Amtrak’s moment may finally have arrived. [cnn.com]
Getting overnight travel back on track
When people think of grand train journeys, night trains invariably come to mind. Think traveling on the Trans-Siberian railway, or of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. But only a few years ago, it appeared that the golden days of night trains in Europe were over. The growth of high-speed rail, coupled with low-cost short-haul flights and low-cost long-distance buses, nearly put an end to European night train services. However, a major shift in awareness of the environmental effects of how we travel has led to a turn-around. [railjournal.com]
Virgin Hyperloop: mass transport in floating magnetic pods
In the desert just north of Las Vegas, a long white metal tube sits at the base of the mountains, promising to one day revolutionize travel. That is where Virgin Hyperloop is developing the technology for passenger pods that will hurtle at speeds of up to 750 miles an hour (1,200 kph) through almost air-free vacuum tunnels using magnetic levitation. “It will feel like an aircraft at take-off and once you’re at speed,” said co-founder and Chief Executive Josh Giegel, who gave Reuters an exclusive tour of the pod used in its November test run. [reuters.com]
The case for a transit-first infrastructure plan
The American Jobs Plan to invest $2 trillion into infrastructure presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fully integrate transit in a new paradigm of infrastructure planning. What if that meant giving buses and trains dedicated lanes and signal priority? What if the plan’s new homes, schools, hospitals and federal buildings were built near transit stations? Planning for a transit-oriented future would multiply the social, environmental, and economic benefits of this historic investment. [bloomberg.com]
