Boston residents got their first look earlier this week at the new trains that will grace the T tracks in 2019.
Steve Annear reports: "MBTA officials recently shared pictures of a two-thirds-size mockup of the transit agency’s new Orange Line trains, giving riders a glimpse into the future of public transportation in Greater Boston."
China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. is building the new trains, expected to start rolling on MBTA tracks in 2019, at a plant in Springfield, Massachusetts.
"The exteriors of the Orange Line cars feature a silver frame with a long orange stripe running along the bottom of the vehicles," explains Annear. "Orange paint also marks the front of the cars. Small orange 'T' symbols can be seen near the trains’ doors." The designs also have a personal touch: the MBTA launched a survey that allowed the public to pick there favorite design at the end of 2015.
FULL STORY: Check out a mockup of the MBTA’s new Orange Line trains
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
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.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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