Subways
The New York Times transit reporter, Emma G. Fitzsimmons, reports from Toronto to see what riders think about their 'open gangway' subway cars. By 2020, New York will receive 750 of these cars that have no doors separating the cars.
The New York Times
It was a photo finish for Line 4—one of the signature infrastructure projects of the 2016 Summer Olympics—designed to transport passengers between Ipanema beach and the Olympic Park and Village.
The Washington Post
Beset by delays and financial problems, the state of Rio is having trouble completing a new subway line before the Olympics start a month from now. The time crunch may cut into time for testing, presaging problems in August.
Associated Press via Chicago Tribune
Seattle Transit blog compares rail investments from five cities around the country.
Seattle Transit Blog
With so much attention placed on the woes facing D.C. Metro, it's important to recognize that it is hardly the only subway facing critical infrastructure investment needs.
The New York Times
It's important for transit to look and feel nice, if only to resurrect its deeply tarnished image in the United States. But ridership depends on good service, not good aesthetics.
the transport politic
Transportation planner Dan Malouff shares eight insights into what makes the Paris Metro one of the world's great subways.
Greater Greater Washington
Several decades ago, public transit was a distinctly low-quality way of getting around. Now, if we can believe TV and movies depicting the near future, all that has changed. Transit has become aspirational.
Governing
Two train stations, two airports, and one bus terminal double as homeless shelters in New York City. When some close for the night, the subways fill in.
The New York Times
It wasn't the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that named the new subway line for the Texas senator, but one of the city's major tabloids showed its 'only in New York City' creative flair for attention-grabbing headlines.
Daily News
The first "open gangway" subway cars are due to arrive in New York in 2020. These cars enable passengers to freely walk between cars without having to struggle to open doors to access an adjacent car.
The New York Times
The Atlantic has deep and detailed coverage of the expensive, obsolete, and decaying technology used by the New York subway system.
The Atlantic
Rankings from the International Association of Public Transport have Tokyo on top, followed by Beijing and Shanghai. New York comes in seventh.
Citymetric
When San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener proclaimed last month that his city "should always have a subway under construction," there were many doubters due to the funds required and unlikelihood of federal support. "Aggressive" is good, says Foxx.
San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco County Supervisor announced an ambitious agenda to construct underground rail transit—arguing that the city "should always have a subway under construction."
San Francisco Examiner
Virgil Bogue's 1911 Plan of Seattle called for a centrally-planned metropolis with efficient transit, parks, and a cap on building height. It was voted down, but remains an interesting study on planning for the long term.
SeattlePI
A McSweeney's post satirizes the obfuscations and euphemisms of public transit system announcements by finally putting things in brutally frank terms.
McSweeny's
While transit ridership is up around the country, the D.C. Metro has experienced the opposite. The agency's planners aren't worried about those numbers, though. They're excited about development that's bringing more residents to transit-served areas.
The Washington Post
Yonah Freemark examines U.S. subway systems and notes the lack of "open gangways" (i.e., the space between the cars). Only in the U.S. do doors separate cars. What gives?
the transport politic
Once the subway's pride, R-32 'Brightliner' trains that operate on the C line will soon disappear from service. Mid-century promo videos notwithstanding, the line's rolling stock was in dire need of an update.
WNYC: Transportation Nation