Here’s a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the library’s blog.

Strangers on a train (New York Times)

An American woman believes she has a cabin booked to herself for the overnight train from Moscow to St. Petersburg. A Russian man on his own long journey is alsosurprised to find he has a cabinmate. This short essay in the New York Times Magzine explains what happens next.

Mapping bus speed (Washington Post)

The transit agency in the Greater D.C. area is releasing maps of bus speeds — the idea being to identify bottlenecks and figure out how to get around them quickly. It’s little surprise that buses tend to slow down the most on big streets in D.C.’s core.

America’s veterans need better transportation options (Transportation for America)

This opinion piece posted on the advocacy group’s website is a few weeks old but that hardly mutes the message: our veterans need help getting around, both to help secure and hold jobs and to receive the health-care they deserve. It’s a message that is extra relevant here: The Westside Subway Extension team is studying whether the line should travel to the VA Hospital in Westwood.

The billion bug highway (National Public Radio)

This isn’t quite transit-related, but it involves travel. A British scientist has calcuated that 3 billion bugs are flying over the UK per month — and more for those in tropical climes. The insects are riding with the wind, looking for food, habitat and — you guessed it — companionship. Fun read.