John Tierney, a "train buff", rides on Amtrak's Sunset Limited.
" For most Americans, trains are either unavailable or too inconvenient and expensive compared with planes or buses...What environmental or economic sense does it make to give 170 passengers on the Sunset Limited priority over a freight train that's keeping 500 trucks off the road? ...Some optimists believe that short-distance trains in...densely populated corridors...could cover their operating expenses and possibly generate a profit if they were run by a private company freed of political constraints...Not even optimists, though, expect Amtrak's long-distance network to become profitable. Long-distance trains have been losing passengers to planes throughout the world, including Europe."
Thanks to transport-policy@yahoogroups.com
FULL STORY: Amtrak Must Die

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

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

Renters Now Outnumber Homeowners in Over 200 US Suburbs
High housing costs in city centers and the new-found flexibility offered by remote work are pushing more renters to suburban areas.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Supreme Court Ruling in Pipeline Case Guts Federal Environmental Law
The decision limits the scope of a federal law that mandates extensive environmental impact reviews of energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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