Here is a look at some of the transportation headlines gathered by us and the Metro Library. The full list of headlines is posted on the Library’s Headlines blog, which you can also access via email subscription or RSS feed.

The Chicago Transit Authority is contemplating selling naming rights for some of its trains. Photo by Zol87, via Flickr creative commons.

CTA seeks to sell some naming rights (Chicago Tribune)

The CTA runs the Chicago area’s bus and train system. Here’s the story’s lead:

In its second effort this week to drum up money beyond the fare box, the CTA on Friday said it is seeking bids for corporate naming rights to assets including the Bus Tracker and Train Tracker, the Holiday Train and New Year’s Eve penny rides.

The CTA Board earlier this week voted to end a 15-year ban on alcohol advertising, clearing the way for liquor ads to appear on rail cars and at rail stations. Like many other transit agencies, the CTA has struggled to produce enough funds to operate, maintain and expand its bus and rail system.

Mica: talks underway on another transportation bill extension (Washington Post)

The last multi-year federal transportation bill was approved by Congress in 2005 and expired in 2009. It has since been extended eight times by Congress, often at the last minute to avoid cuts to transportation funding. The U.S. Senate this month approved a two-year bill, which House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Florida) said Tuesday was not going to be passed in the House. Instead, Mica said, another extension of the 2005 bill would be sought. In other words, reforms and funding levels that would benefit transit agencies in the Senate bill will have to wait.

The Senate’s version of the bill includes parts of the America Fast Forward legislation sought by Metro that would increase a federal loan program that would help local transit agencies build transit projects. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — who came up with the AFF program — is holding a media event this morning to push the House to adopt a long-term bill.

U.S. poised for passenger rail boom (Forbes)

Transit officials who gathered in Chicago recently say the nation’s highway and air systems are pretty much at capacity. Rail, on the other hand, has plenty of room to grow as metro areas around the nation add light rail systems and Amtrak’s ridership continues to soar. Here’s a good list on Wikipedia showing light rail systems in the U.S. — notice how many began in the past 25 years, particularly in the Western U.S.