Train Riders Association of California

SMART lays groundwork for sales tax renewal by voters in 2020; otherwise financial crisis starting in 2024

Uber, Lyft responsible for major increase in San Francisco traffic congestion

San Francisco Muni opens new light rail platform for Warriors’ arena

Salesforce Transit Center reopens to buses after nearly a year

“Are you a seat hog?” and other tales of BART riders from Hell

New director S.F.’s Central Subway shares his strategy to speed up project opening

S.F. Muni Metro subway to shut early evenings for maintenance work

California makes progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, though not in transportation

Southern California Metrolink hits ridership record for FY 2019

Sacramento Regional Transit negotiating for up to 76 new low-floor LRVs

Funding obtained to extend L.A. Metro Gold Line light rail to Pomona and Montclair (San Bernardino County)

Amtrak wants to extend its Michigan service to Toronto, Canada

San Francisco’s oldest cable car in service again

Maps compare BART’s footprint to other major urban rail networks around the world

Weekend track work on BART Concord line delays traffic on Highway 24

California Coastal Commission nixes trenching fix for crumbling Del Mar bluffs

BART discontinues paper ticket sales at first San Francisco station

Why people get so crazy at times on BART

Amid protests, SF board names Chinatown subway station for Rose Pak, notorious political activist

Super commuters continue to multiply in California due to lack of housing in high employment areas

San Diego’s plan to “level playing field” between autos and transit delayed yet again

Passenger survey says BART stations are getting cleaner, particularly elevators

In stretching the First Amendment like taffy, the ACLU says BART ban on panhandling and busking unconstitutional

Marin-Sonoma SMART Board of Directors mull strategies for financial future, tax renewal

Virgin Trains begins building 125 mph segment to Orlando, Florida

BART to add “infill” station in Fremont between downtown and Warm Springs stops

More on new Irvington BART station in Fremont

Sonoma-Marin SMART begins testing Larkspur extension

One percent regional sales tax may be on 2020 Bay Area ballot for $100 billion transportation “mega-measure”

More on Marin-Sonoma SMART tax extension proposed for 2020 ballot

New Hudson Tubes project between New Jersey and New York reduces projected budget by $1.4 billion

Sacramento Blue Line light rail derailment on August 22nd injures 13, under investigation

SMART reconsiders the role of “quiet zones” in light of recent “suicides by train”

Minor changes in system maps have riled up BART riders in the past

Since Brightline decided they need more stations between Miami and West Palm Beach, cities vie for the new stops

SMART chief calls for community efforts to end streak of “suicides by train”

Caltrain proposes potential fare increases

How transportation works in the civilized parts of the world, unlike the U.S.: Stockholm and Copenhagen

Sorry, you now can’t buy Chinese trains with Federal money

BART to install new bike straps on all rolling stock

From the Dark Side (humor): CHP catches carpool cheater with dummy in shotgun seat. Hey dummy, you don’t need the dummy if you took the bus or train

The rest of the world has high-speed rail. Why doesn’t the U.S.?

Sticker shock on price for BART’s “fancy tents” to cover escalators on Market Street in S.F.

Caltrain proposes BART-like frequent service on its route

Caltrain’s $25 billion growth plan

Bay Area business “Powers That Be” floating $100 billion measure to permanently fix traffic

Why do the new Caltrain electric cars have two sets of doors, one 4 feet off the ground?

New BART “inverted guillotine” fare gates ridiculed for “hostile design” (sic)

Many startup companies abandoning suburbs for cities with good transit

Two more BART stations getting elevator attendants to keep the “poop” under control

Insider gets appointed new BART General Manager to replace Grace Crunican

Plan by California legislators would shift billions from high-speed rail to other rail projects in state

From the Dark Side(tm): Frightening vision for cities taken over by robocars

More on BART paper ticket sales being discontinued

Is Caltrain electrification behind schedule?

Interview with Los Angeles Metro CEO Phil Washington

Should high-speed rail continue? “Influencers” weigh in

$7 million allocated for a new parking garage at Dublin-Pleasanton BART station

Are BART’s “guillotine” fare gates stopping fare jumpers? Well, no…

110-125 mph trains could be boon for Bay Area and Central Valley, perhaps arriving a decade or more sooner than high-speed rail

New York Subway upgrades to “tap and go” fare cards from sliding cards

Opinion: California leaders abandoning futile bullet train plans

After 20 years of driving into S.F., here’s what a Chronicle reporter learned after 90 days using BART

Noise claims down 73% after BART changes how it reprofiles BART car wheels

College town in New York state wants its trains back after half a century since they were killed

Yet another study delivered on upgrading the Altamont Corridor

California state budget includes funding for stabilizing Del Mar Bluffs

Caltrain planning to operate more late-night trains for special events

The rapid rise of Spain’s high speed trains; may take over some French services

BART looks the other way with panhandlers

When will California high-speed rail begin service to the Bay Area?

BART chief says only 5% of riders cheat on fares, not 15% as claimed by grand jury

Why BART ridership has declined despite booming economy

BART’s new “guillotine” fare gates getting attacked on social media

Why BART doesn’t have 24-hour service, and other questions

What happened to California’s high-speed rail project? A rundown

Turning around San Francisco’s Muni Metro subways

Americans must drive due to auto-oriented land use, but also by law

High-speed rail could run at ground level with grade crossings on Bay Area entry

BART’s new fare gates inspire gallows humor

From the Dark Side(tm): Americans shouldn’t have to drive, but The Law insists on it

SMART installs safety upgrades at deadly Rohnert Park pedestrian crossing

BART puts up signs limiting bathroom usage to 10 minutes, in effort to fight junkies

Virgin Trains (formerly Brightline) considers adding 3 more stations between Miami, Ft. Lauderdale in Florida

U.S. Navy will consider redevelopment of surplus base property as “Grand Central Station ” for San Diego

Foothill Gold Line moves forward with new plan for NOT widening White Avenue in La Verne

BART plans to stop selling paper tickets by the end of 2019

BART to receive $300 million to begin project to expand Transbay Tube capacity

Little annoyances on BART that passengers can do something about

New light rail system opens in Waterloo, Ontario (Canada)

State of California approves inspector general to ride herd on BART

How BART “sweeps” trains to ensure no homeless people camp overnight in the yard

Violent crime on BART doubles in four years due to lack of police, presence on trains, fare evaders

From the Dark Side: Late 40’s plan to destroy the Bay and Bay Area with giant dikes, dams and freeways

Only one BART fare evader has paid fines, out of 6,000+ tickets

S.F. Muni fixes safety issues on new light rail cars

San Francisco appoints task force to review Muni service, make improvement recommendation

If your dog rides transit, he/she may need a Clipper Card (like a kid)
(Cats have to stay in their boxes!)

As BART fare evaders run amok, critics on social media pounce

LA Metro approves Union Station run-through tracks without overhead concourse

Grand Jury reports says Santa Clara County VTA is most expensive, lease efficient transit system in the U.S.

Bay Area transit managers consider their bureaucratic interests rather than the public, “punt” on fare integration

Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco reopens–at first without buses

Silicon Valley “powers that be” still want Airport connection, despite failure of “personal rapid transit”

 

California Rail-Related News Items from September 1st to September 7th

Canadian national government to kick in $1.37 billion ($Can) for Broadway subway and light rail in Vancouver, B.C.

Solano County planners proposing changes to zoning around the new Fairfield-Vacaville train station

San Francisco Muni launches “90-day plan” to speed up bus and light rail service

New York City Mayor DeBlasio reopens campaign for his proposed Brooklyn-Queens streetcar

Opinion: The “truth” about DeBlasio’s proposed Brooklyn-Queens streetcar

Florida’s Brightline intercity rail might add 1 or 2 “Treasure Coast” stations, e.g., where opposition is strongest

Hey, Free Transit Welfare (sic) for Seniors in Greater Philly – but you gotta live there ;-0

Interactive maps show where streetcars used to run in Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco

Trains go really slow in and out of San Jose Caltrain/Amtrak station

California approves $2 billion for infrastructure, rail projects

1896 streetcar to run at S.F. Muni Heritage Weekend

Roadshow: More ways to lower Caltrain ticket costs

Some Phoenix, AZ politicians want to divert voter-approved taxes from light rail expansion to roads, characterized as “4 lanes to 2 lanes” by press

And the Sun Rises in East Dept.: [S.F.] Muni better than it used to be, but not as good as it should be

From the Dark Side Dept.: Southern Californians buying fewer cars (!)

LA Times Opinion: Feds, e.g., Trump, needs to stop blocking “Subway to the Sea” funding