Significant Rail News, September 30, 2014

Sacramento Bee TRAC Op-Ed: Here’s A High Speed Rail Plan California Can Afford
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/29/6743679/viewpoints-heres-a-better-high.html

CHSRA Supporter & Blogger Robert Cruickshank Tries To Debunk TRAC’s HSR Op-Ed
http://www.cahsrblog.com/2014/09/tracs-unfeasible-alternative-hsr-plan/

Deja Vu All Over Again Dept: BART To Roll Out Test Of Late Night Service
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Hope-for-late-night-transit-dawns-BART-to-roll-5789303.php

First Rail Installed For Detroit Streetcar M-1 Project
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11706560/1st-rail-line-put-in-place-for-m-1-rail?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140924002

Its Gone To The Birds Dept: Caltrans Claims Old Bay Bridge Demolition “On Schedule”
http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/cal-trans-says-bay-bridge-demolition-still-schedul/nhWDX/

Fort Worth: New Approvals Push TEX Rail Plans Forward
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11706559/new-approvals-push-tex-rail-plans-forward?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140924002

OK, Politician Doesn’t Like Current HSR Plan, Overdoes Symbolism Dept: GOP Governor Candidate Kashkari Smashs Toy Trains
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11701367/neel-kashkari-hands-out-gas-cards?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140919003

Los Angeles MTA Breaks Ground On Downtown LA Regional Connector
http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12006841/metro-breaks-ground-on-new-regional-connector-light-rail-project-in-downtown-los-angeles

Alfred Hitchcock & Tippi Hedren (1962 “The Birds”) Would Appreciate It Dept: Spending Soars On Relocating Bay Bridge Birds
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Spending-soars-higher-on-relocation-of-Bay-5786778.php

$6.5 Billion Gone To The Birds Dept: Caltrains Orders New Bay Bridge Anchor Rods Checked For Rust
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Caltrans-orders-Bay-Bridge-rods-checked-for-rust-5785098.php

Well, LRT Doesn’t Solve Everything Dept: Can Jerusalem LRT Still Unite The City?
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/09/can-light-rail-unite-a-divided-jerusalem/380920/

Oh, How 20th Century Dept: Without Mandatory Helicopter Pads, Downtown LA Skyline Can Take Off
http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-skyline-roofs-20140930-story.html

Los Angeles: Metro’s Union Station Master Plan A Significant Shift
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-ca-union-station-master-plan-20140928-column.html#page=1

We’ll See It When We Believe It Dept: Mayor Eric Garcetti Wants LA To Be First City To Do Robocars “Right”
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/09/la-mayor-we-will-be-the-first-city-with-true-autonomous-vehicles/380915/

We’ll See It When We Believe It Dept: S.F. Muni Says They’ll Address Near Term Service Concerns Before New LRVs Arrive
http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/sfmta-hearing-to-address-near-term-service-response-before-new-light-rail-cars-arrive/Content?oid=2907585

San Jose:  VTA Receives $8 Million For Double Track To Meet 49’er Stadium Overloads, Among Other Venues
http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/Santa-Clara-VTA-receives-8-million-for-doubletrack-project–42007

How Transbay Transit Center Deal’s Collapse Would Impact San Francisco
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-Transbay-Transit-Center-deal-s-collapse-5779101.php

From The Doh! Homer! Dark Side, Revenue Edition Dept: Opinion – Red Light Cameras More About Money Than Safety
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/24/6730850/editorial-red-light-cameras-contract.html

High Speed Rail Faces Tough Climb Over Tehachapis
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x167886582/High-speed-rail-faces-tough-climb-over-Tehachapis

North Bay: SMART Platform Designs Generate Little Fanfare
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/home/2870348-181/smart-platform-designs-generate-little

Dominant Life Form On Earth Dept: What On Earth! (Autos Dominate The World!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFaHArkYLsM

Uncertainty For Developer Funding Deal Bankrolling S.F. Caltrain Extension
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Uncertainty-over-deal-for-developer-funding-of-5773605.php

“Sardine City” From First Day? Dept: Marin-Sonoma SMART Survey Indicates Strong Interest In Train Service
http://www.marinij.com/novato/ci_26562582/smart-survey-indicates-strong-interest-train-service

OK When Will This Technology Be Applied To Even More Efficient Railcars Dept: Electric Bus Passes Antelope Valley Testing With Flying Colors
http://caltransit.org/news-publications/publications/transit-california/transit-california-archives/2014-editions/september/another-test-passed/

North Bay: SMART Rejected Changes Recommended By Marin Grand Jury
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11694323/smart-rejects-recommended-changes?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140913002

Opposition To Likely Cap And Trade Related Gasoline Price Increases In California Next Year Goes Nowhere
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-capitol-business-beat-20140922-story.html

SFMTA Approves Contract For Muni Mission Bay LRT Loop
http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/sfmta-board-approves-contract-for-mission-bay-loop-project/Content?oid=2902522

Doh! Homer! Dept: Walking Or Cycling (Or Taking The Train) To Work Soothes Nerves
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/09/15/the-case-for-walking-or-cycling-or-taking-the-train-to-work/

Houston, TX: Technical Glitches Force Delay In Opening Of Two New LRT Lines
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11692947/metro-rail-lines-openings-pushed-to-next-year?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140912003

Extra! Extra! Henry Ford Spins In Grave Dept: Ford Motor Company and DTE Energy Make Contributions To Detroit’s M-1 Streetcar
http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/11690849/ford-dte-will-contribute-to-m-1-project?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS140910002

Economists Do Research And Then State The Obvious Dept: Long Destroyed Streetcar Network Still Shapes Los Angeles
http://www.publicceo.com/2014/09/long-dead-streetcars-still-shape-l-a-neighborhoods/

From The Dark Side Dept: Left Wingers Expose The ‘Dark Side’ Of Alleged, Expensive Alternatives To Transit Such As Uber, Lyft
http://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/09/against-sharing/?utm_content=buffer474ac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Money Matters Dept: US Highway Funding Is A Mess In One Chart
http://www.vox.com/2014/9/25/6837857/gas-tax-highway-funding?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=voxdotcom&utm_content=thursday

Midwest: Hamilton County, OH Approves Request for HSR Study Chicago-Cincinnati
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2014/09/24/hamilton-county-commissioners-want-cincinnati.html?ana=twt

Ideally, Why Should This Be News? Dept: Mayor Lee Rides Crowded SF Muni Train Downtown With The Masses
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Mayor-Lee-rides-crowded-Muni-train-downtown-with-5760341.php

Virginia: Arlington Streetcar Moves Forward Amid Rising Costs And Controversy
http://watchdog.org/173109/arlington-streetcar-controversy/

Amtrak Gets “TIGER” Funds To Repair Southwest Chief Tracks In Colorado
http://watchdogwire.com/colorado/2014/09/25/amtrak-gets-tiger-grant-for-track-repair/

Yes, We Knew That Dept: LRT More Cost Effective To Operate, Attracts More Investment Than BRT
http://raisethehammer.org/article/2302

Now We’re Talking Real Money Dept: Sustainable Transportation Could Save The World $100 Trillion+
http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/09/23/sustainable-transportation-could-save-the-world-and-save-100-trillion/

North Bay: SMART Loses Bid For TIGER Grant To Extend Train To Larkspur
http://www.marinij.com/novato/ci_26523973/smart-loses-money-get-train-larkspur-support-remains

North Bay: Opinion – Keeping SMART Platforms Simple Is Smart
http://www.marinij.com/dickspotswood/ci_26521810/dick-spotswood-keeping-smart-stations-bare-bones-is

Fighting Traffic Dept: Over Time, Will More Streetcars Get Their Own Lanes?
http://streetsblog.net/2014/09/24/over-time-will-more-streetcars-get-their-own-lanes/

Washington, DC Streetcar Could Start Service In November
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dr-gridlock/wp/2014/09/24/d-c-streetcar-could-begin-passenger-service-in-november/

Doh! Homer! Begs The Question Why Not More, Faster Transit Dept: Study Finds Time Main Factor In Choosing Transit
http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/09/national-study-finds-time-main-factor-in-choosing-transit/

Doh! Homer! Begs The Question Why Not More Faster Transit Dept: 68 Percent Want More Transit Funding, Poll Says
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/217708-poll-68-percent-want-more-transit-spending#.VBcG91iMfQA.twitter

Well, It’s Not Tokyo With Subway “Pushers” Yet Dept: BART Trains More Crowded, Shorter
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/BART-trains-shorter-more-crowded-5744691.php

Is Proposed BART Fare to Oakland Airport On New Connector Too High?
http://www.mercurynews.com/mr-roadshow/ci_26493657/roadshow-6-bart-fare-oakland-airport-will-be

Is Proposed Japanese Maglev Their Answer To Howard Hughes (e.g., The Spruce Goose?)
http://www.metro-magazine.com/news/story/2014/09/is-maglev-rail-japan-s-spruce-goose-.aspx?utm_campaign=Rail-Transit-NEW-20140924&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Enewsletter

Bejing, China’s Subway Network To Double In Size
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/sep/10/-sp-beijing-subway-china-metro-queues-ticket-investment

All Aboard Ohio Proposes Increased Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati Rail Service
http://www.wlwt.com/news/all-aboard-ohio-proposes-increased-passenger-rail-traffic-to-chicago/28193282

Philly, He Just Missed A Darwin Award Dept: Crazed Teen “Train Surfs” To Escape Cops
http://articles.philly.com/2014-09-11/news/53775436_1_transit-police-harold-other-train

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