Why is Amtrak spending $500 million on new locomotives for the Northeast Corridor that are "fat, expensive and slow"? Americans have the the Federal Railroad Administration's "globally-unique crash safety standards" to thank.
"Northeast Corridor, meet your new locomotives: Amtrak’s Cities Sprinter, a new electric locomotive built by Siemens and commissioned in 2010 for half a billion dollars, has arrived on the East Coast for testing," writes Stephen Jacob Smith. "Like all of Amtrak’s trains, the Amtrak Cities Sprinter will be fatter, slower, more expensive and more difficult to maintain than the models that Siemens sells to other countries."
"The ACS-64, as the new model is known, is based on Siemens’ EuroSprinter, but has been modified to meet American regulators’ globally-unique crash safety standards," he adds. "Many railroads across the world order changes to their trains, but the special requirements of the Federal Railroad Administration go far beyond what others ask."
FULL STORY: Amtrak’s Fat, Expensive and Slow New Northeast Corridor Locomotives Arrive for Testing
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Awarded $16.4 Billion in Federal Funds
The funding will support track construction, bridge replacement, and other upgrades to make passenger train service faster and more reliable.
New Locomotives Hit the SEPTA Tracks
Philadelphia regional commuters will get some fancy new trains to ride.
Focus on Positive Train Control after Amtrak Train 501 Derails in Washington
Excessive speed is thought to be the cause of the deadly derailment on Dec. 18. Positive train control, which likely would have slowed down the train, was installed on the tracks and locomotive but was not yet operational.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
Colorado Bill Would Tie Transportation Funding to TOD
The proposed law would require cities to meet certain housing targets near transit or risk losing access to a key state highway fund.
Dallas Surburb Bans New Airbnbs
Plano’s city council banned all new permits for short-term rentals as concerns about their impacts on housing costs grow.
Divvy Introduces E-Bike Charging Docks
New, circular docks let e-bikes charge at stations, eliminating the need for frequent battery swaps.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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