Today’s transportation headlines, Wednesday, Nov. 4

by Steve Hymon , November 4, 2009

Here are today’s headlines courtesy of the Metro library, the same folks who will not stop until everything — and I mean everything — is a series of 1s and 0s.

A few stories caught my eye this morning.

Amtrak is going to put free wi-fi on its Acela trains as a way to compete with airlines running shuttle flights in the Northeast. Obviously that’s great news for passengers and I can’t wait for the day that starts happening on bus and rail lines commuters use. My iPhone — operating on AT&T’s Edge network — does okay on the Gold Line but there’s clearly need for more speed. It’s simply wrong that I should have to wait more than a minute to read what Bruce Springsteen played at his most recent show. Of course, wifi doesn’t come free and that’s the reason cash-strapped transit agencies aren’t scurrying to please Springsteen fans such as me.

Over at SoapBoxLA, cycling activist Stephen Box breaks down some of the reasons that many cyclists are not pleased with the city of Los Angeles’ recently-released bike plan. He also outlines a do-it-yourself campaign to revamp the plan that activists have started in response to the city’s plan. My favorite statistic: Box writes that by his count the city has added just 136 yards of official bike routes each year for the past 13 years.

Warren Buffett wants to buy Burlington Northern Sante Fe and the Wall Street Journal explains what’s motivating the purchase: an expected upgrade of the nation’s railroads by the Obama Administration to help move freight quicker and perhaps get more trucks off the road. The Administration says that railroads are 5.5% more fuel efficient than trucks and thus sees trains as a key way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and thus reduce climate change. Smart story.

Here’s the full list of headlines:

Amtrak Plans Wi-Fi Internet Access On Acela Trains
Bloomberg

Center For Transportation And The Environment National Broadcast Series: USDOT-HUD-EPA Partnership For Sustainable Communities (November 9, 2009)
CTE

Ciao, AnsaldoBreda Contract! (audio)
Southern California Public Radio

CityWatch LA: LA’s DIY Bike Plan
SoapBoxLA

Could Long Beach Sail Ahead?
Fox & Hounds Daily

(Federal Interagency) Coordinating Council On Access And Mobility Announces The United We Ride National Dialogue, November 2-13, 2009
United We Ride

Gold Line Right-Of-Way Becoming New Pedestrian Alleyway
Brigham Yen

How To Create A 21st Century Eastside Rail Network
CityWatch

L.A. MTA To Seek New Car Procurement Bids After AnsaldoBreda Declines Option
Progressive Railroading

Many In U.S. Want Texting At The Wheel To Be Illegal
New York Times

Metro’s Rail Car Deal Is Dead, What About That Manufacturing Land Downtown?
Curbed LA