News & Commentary
Improving transportation safety for seniors
November 2, 2012
Written By Ross Capon One of our regular talking points is the importance of trains and transit for the growing senior population. Jessica Anderson, in her Drive Time column in the new (December) Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, says that, “as a group, seniors age 80 and older have the highest rate of fatal crashes per mile driven—even higher than for teens—according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Simply put, too many people continue driving when it’s no longer safe for
A changing climate, political and otherwise, in Sandy's wake
November 2, 2012
Written By Ross Capon Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives have been shattered or seriously upset by the superstorm of which Hurricane Sandy was the key element. We can sympathize with an exhausted Gov. Christie (R-NJ) who said yesterday on Fox & Friends, "I've got 2.4 million people out of power. I've got devastation on the shore. I've got floods in the northern part of my state. If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics then you don't know me." Image
East Coast transportation network staggering back to full service
October 31, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail Image via Port Authority of New York and New JerseyFollowing widespread devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, transportation networks throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are slowly beginning to resume service, though some systems promise to remain inoperative for days to come. Amtrak Restores Partial Service Amtrak, which was forced to cancel some trains as early as early Sunday, October 28, shutdown the entirety of its operations along the Northeast Corr
As Airlines Raise Fees, Their Subsidy Advantage over Trains Grows
October 23, 2012
Written By Malcolm Kenton Experienced passenger train advocates are already familiar with the ways in which both federal and state governments subsidize air travel. But as the Washington Post revealed on Friday, airlines’ increasing reliance on increasing fees for things like checked baggage, instead of raising ticket fares, to keep up with the rising cost of jet fuel, means that federal taxpayers are being asked to pitch in even more to keep the aviation system running. The bulk of the Fede
Transit and the modern sports stadium
October 16, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail Image via Wikicommons; Author - FristleWin or lose, fans shifting expectations about the trip home Major League Baseball’s playoffs are in full swing, and fans across the country are feeling the agony and the ecstasy that come with surges, comebacks, elimination games, and living to fight another day. And while baseball’s traditional anthem has supporters singing “I don't care if I never get back,” the truth is, driving home from the game is increasingly the
Amtrak sets yet another ridership record
October 11, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail Amtrak setting the ninth annual ridership record in ten years is good news. Amtrak setting the ninth ridership record in ten years after months of near constant Amtrak bashing is great news. When NARP talks about there being "really basic factors that are driving the love for trains [that are] going to be difficult for any candidate to ignore," this is what we mean. We’re printing the full press release, because this railroad deserves its day in the spotlight: WA
NARP defends passenger trains on CNN
October 11, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail In the lead up to tonight's Vice Presidential debate, CNN ran a report on uncertainty over the status of funding for Amtrak service. With the contest featuring Vice President Joe Biden—a man whose name became synonymous with Amtrak following years of commuting between Congress and his home in Delaware—it's not surprising that passenger trains are receiving this sort of attention. However, when interviewed by CNN, NARP President Ross Capon was quick to point out
NARP responds to attack on Midwest trains in Chicago Tribune
October 9, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail On September 28, the Chicago Tribune published an editorial attacking the Midwest high performance passenger rail program as “a ridiculously expensive dream.” The editorial ("Higher and higher; You thought high-speed rail already was a boondoggle? Listen to this") based much of its attack on a mistaken analysis of the difference between the 110 mph top speed that will result from the work currently being done between Chicago and St. Louis, and the 125 mph standar
Big rig truck collides with Amtrak's San Joaquin
October 2, 2012
Written By Sean Jeans Gail Image Source: Wikicommons; Author: PMDrive1061A big rig truck collided with Amtrak's San Joaquin train outside ofHanover, California yesterday causing several train cars to derail, and injuring at least 40 people. None of the injuries are reported as serious. Amtrak has released a statement about the collision outside Hanover—which lies roughly 30 miles south of Fresno—which indicates the truck driver was at fault: "At about 12:25 p.m. Pacific Time, a semi tract
A Travel Network Gap is Bridged in DC
September 27, 2012
Written By Malcolm Kenton Yesterday, the Washington, DC hub for Greyhound and Peter Pan bus lines moved into Washington Union Station (also a hub for Amtrak, MARC and VRE commuter trains, other intercity buses, Metrorail and many local bus routes) from a stand-alone building located four long blocks to its north. This makes Union Station the city's indisputable focal point for all forms of public transportation. Sept. 26 ribbon cutting at the new intercity bus facility at Washington Union Stat