Vancouver, B.C. will launch its first new streetcar in 65 years next month. TheTransitFan got a sneak preview.
The streetcar is the latest model from manufacturer Bombadier.
"...this is the first 100% low-floor streetcar to operate in the Americas. Neither Toronto nor Portland has one. 'We have people coming from all over North and South America coming to see them, because these are the first European 100% low-floor streetcar ever in North America, and so there's a huge wave of interest in seeing what might be the next wave', says Hall. 'This is where Europe has gone. There have been 100% low-floor streetcars before, but you had to have a special bogie design with a motor on each wheel and a stub axel on each wheel, so it was quite expensive looking at life cycle cost and issues of noise and vibration.'"
FULL STORY: Modern streetcars debut in Vancouver

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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