Evidence has been mounting lately that, while downtown Boston highways are now speedy and frequently not crowded at all, the traffic jams have instead moved a few miles away to the outskirts of the city. It's faster to get through downtown, but getting into downtown is much, much slower. The interesting thing is that transportation officials that were in charge when the project was started have said that they fully expected this to happen, but they went ahead and did it anyway. I have to ask you, at $15 billion, was it really worth it? $15 billion could get you a brand-new highway from New York to Boston. A new airport would only be slightly more, at around $20 billion. Amtrak estimates that $10 billion would modernize the Northeast Corridor and slash train travel times enough to move a couple hundred thousand cars off the roads. Now, it's just my opinion, but there are so many other ways to spend that money - was the Big Dig really worth it?

Boston's Big Dig project clears downtown highways, clogs suburbian arteries originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Anyway, if you're interested in entering the contest, check out the Missouri Department of Transportation website and submit your ideas by December 10. Judges will select the five finalists, and then the public will be able to vote on the best brand name between December 16 and January 16. The rebranding effort comes at a time of revitalization on the line, with a brand-new St. Louis terminal and renovations at a couple of other stations. So what are you waiting for? Get voting!

Want to leave a mark on the world? Name an Amtrak train originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Jimmy Gierczyk is not your typical real estate developer. As a resident of Buffalo City, MI, Gierczyk has been hard at work helping build this little town into a getaway location for bored Chicagoans. It's about an hour away and, interestingly enough, Buffalo City already has an Amtrak station - but only on one of the two lines that go through the town, and it's on the outskirts. The other line passes right through downtown, but there's no station to stop at.

Enter Mr. Gierczyk. Instead of waiting for Amtrak to try and find the money to build a new station, he decided to just do it himself - at a cost of over $1.5 million. His overall goal is attracting more Chicago tourists and real estate buyers to the area, and if it works, it'll pay off for his business nicely.

Amtrak, of course, is perfectly agreeable to creating a new station stop now that a shiny new station exists there. As for Gierczyk, he now has a train station in the middle of downtown. It'll create tourism, it'll drive the economic growth of the downtown area, and it's also right at the front door of his condominium complex. How convenient!

[Via Chicago Sun-Times]

Live too far from a train station? Build a new one! originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In a seperate incident on Sunday afternoon in a different region of France, a TGV train traveling at 90 mph slammed into a couple of concrete slabs that had been placed on the tracks. The train did not derail and suffered only minor damage, and police are investigating whether that incident was related.

[Via The Gulf Times]

France's rail system plagued by attempted sabatoge incidents originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

To start us off, I'll go with the general prediction that an Obama administration may begin investing heavily in the federal transportation network in order to fight off a stagnant economy. Bloomberg reports that Obama has been pushing for an economic stimulus plan that plows money into roads, rail and airports. Earlier this year, he proposed a $60 billion "infrastructure bank" that would bring many needed jobs to areas around the country.

Continue reading Election brings new transit projects, transportation spending galore

Election brings new transit projects, transportation spending galore originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Perhaps some of you are familiar with European rail passes that are available for sale - they are sold to non-European residents in varying numbers of quantities and lengths - but the general idea is that foreign tourists can purchase these passes and ride around on the European rail network for cheaper than if you purchase a handful of train tickets separately. Amtrak has also maintained a USA Rail Pass program for non-US residents, for the, you know, person-and-a-half that visits the US for the sole purpose of riding our stellar train system.

Well, fear not, loyal US readers, because you too can now experience the joy of owning a USA rail pass. You can buy a pass good for 15 days or eight travel segments ($389); 30 days or 12 segments ($579); or 45 days or 18 segments ($749). A segment is defined as getting on and off one train or Amtrak-operated bus. The pass is good for coach travel only, although you can upgrade for a surcharge if space is available. Also, you can't just ride a train with a pass; you must also get a ticket from an Amtrak ticket office. Finally, the pass can't be used on the Auto Train or high-speed Acela Express.

So that's the sum of the deal - but would it ever be worth it for anyone? Read on for my incredibly detailed and researched (well, not really) analysis.

Continue reading Amtrak opens rail pass sales to US residents, makes it hardly worthwhile

Amtrak opens rail pass sales to US residents, makes it hardly worthwhile originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Man, it seems like just a couple years ago that Royal Caribbean took home the "world's largest cruise ship" award (oh, wait, it was.) Well, they're at it again, with construction of the new Oasis-class of cruise ships. Ships, in case you didn't know, are measured by their gross tonnage. Back in 2006, Royal Caribbean held the aforementioned title with the Freedom of the Seas, which weighed in at 160,000 gross tons. And actually, I went on a cruise in (if I recall correctly) 2001 on a Royal Caribbean ship called Voyager of the Seas, which at the time was billed as the "world's largest cruise ship."

Well, kids, they're at it again, only this time the ship - the Oasis of the Seas - weighs in at 222,900 tons. That's a horrifying 39% bigger than the Freedom, in case you didn't feel like doing the math yourself. (Well, horrifying depending on your point of view, I suppose.) Now, Royal Caribbean has a lot of practice with this whole "biggest ship" thing, and as is typical with a new launch, they're debuting a number of "firsts at sea" on-board amenities. There's Central Park, a six-deck-tall open-air atrium. The Boardwalk features a full-sized carousel. The Sports Deck has pools, basketball and volleyball courts, a rock climbing wall and a mini-golf course. And, oh yeah, there's apparently a zip-line ride over the Boardwalk.

Now, I'm not as opposed to cruises as other Gadling bloggers, but this is a pretty ridiculous ship.

See the world's largest cruise ship (again) originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Officials want to beef up security outside Gare du Nord, where the London-Paris Eurostar arrives, where there have apparently been a number of gang battles over the past few months. Also on the target list for more camera coverage include Sacre Coeur and Montmartre. Interestingly enough, French security officials also hope to deploy a mini spy-in-the-sky drone to track rioters and fight crime. Hopefully we'll get more on that story soon.

Paris says no to crime, going to quadruple number of CCTV cameras originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ever heard of the Auto Train? Yeah, I didn't think so - it's not too well-known outside of railroad and frequent-Amtrak-passenger circles. The Auto Train is actually Amtrak's most unique long-distance route. For one thing, it doesn't make any stops between its terminals in Lorton, VA (suburb of Washington, D.C.) and Sanford, FL (suburb of Orlando). It's solely an overnight trip, meaning that you board in the evening and, if it's on time, you arrive at your destination in the morning. Both dinner and continental breakfast in the recently-revamped Dining Car are included, no matter what class of service you travel in. And, oh yeah, there's the small matter of bringing your car with you. That's right, you get to store your automobile in a special car-carrier rail car and bring it with you, so you can use it on the other end.

It normally runs about $100 per person in off-peak season for coach tickets - plus the $200 vehicle charge. But, to celebrate 25 years of Auto Train service, Amtrak is selling 25% off tickets. Not too bad, eh? Oh yeah... the catches. First of all, your travel must begin on a Tuesday or Wednesday in February 2009. Additionally, you must purchase your tickets on October 25. (That's on October 25, not "around" or "by" October 25.) And, the sale is on the ($100 per person) rail fare, not the $200 vehicle charge. So you really save about $25 per person. Which isn't chump change, I'll admit... if you're already planning on traveling on a weekday in February and you are going to finalize your travel plans by Saturday.

Ah, well, maybe we'll just have to wait for the 100-year anniversary and snatch up the discounted tickets then.

Amtrak celebrates Auto Train's 25th birthday, has (very limited) fare sale originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The board of the Chicago Transit Authority last week approved a new partnership with I-GO, ironically enough - it's a Chicago-based non-profit company that rents short-term, fuel-efficient cars by the hour to people who don't own a car, but may need one temporarily. The idea is to create a combo fare card that allows you to use your pre-loaded fare money to also rent cars from I-GO.

Actually, it seems like a pretty good idea, in theory - it gives urban-dwellers an additional way to live without actually owning and driving their own car everywhere. According to the I-GO website, once you sign up, you can reserve a car by phone or online. There's even a nifty Google Maps mashup of all the vehicle locations. To actually pick it up, just take your smart card, swipe it over a reader on the actual car, and then grab the keys out of the glove box. And then you are billed by the hour. Seems pretty simple.

Live in Chicago? Maybe you should consider ditching your car. Ride the CTA around, and if you really need a set of wheels, rent one for a few hours. It apparently takes 3-5 business days to register as a member - so I suppose it would take a bit more planning - but with some tweaking it sounds like the system would work quite well with the leisure traveler as well. Not a bad idea...

(Via Chicago Tribune)

Chicago's CTA to launch new transit fare card - ride the rails and... rent a car? originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wired Magazine has released a list of the four top Supercars - that is, cars that go at least 200 mph. Also, cars that have "the ability to attract a parade of local law enforcement." Hey, never hurts. Here's a quick recap of the list.

1. Ferrari F430 - $186,925 - one of the best handling cars, but also one of the slower ones (tops out at 196).
2. Dodge Viper SRT10 - $88,875 - the cheapest of the bunch and also one of the most fuel efficient. Unfortunately, it's also noisy and difficult to get in and out of. Top speed of 202 mph.
3. Bentley Continental GT Speed - $203,600 - ridiculously comfortable inside and nice paint job, according to Wired, but also heavy and lacks a sunroof. Like the Viper, tops out at 202 mph.
4. Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 - $339,400 - hey, what can you say? It's a Lamborghini. Expensive, fast, nice engine and easily maneuvered. Also, noisy, and not the most comfortable ride. Hits 211 mph.

So, which one are you going to buy?

Continue reading The four top supercars

The four top supercars originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The sculpture is actually of a man falling under a train car, being driven by the Grim Reaper. Its creator, Paul Day, says that it was meant to evoke the risks, challenges and fears that train drivers face during a typical day. While it is, I must admit, a rather noble purpose, I don't blame the train drivers' union and families of suicide victims for complaining that it is far too insensitive for public display. Station spokesman Ben Ruse said that while the company welcomed the "challenging" work, it would not be approved for final display in the station.

(Via AP)

Sculpture removed from British rail station, is apparently too "challenging" originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amtrak's long-distance, full-service dining cars are something of an oddity in... well, just about every way. You have a skeleton crew trying to perform full restaurant-style service down the equivalent of an airplane aisle in the midst of light-to-moderate turbulence that comes and goes as it pleases. Since the dining car typically opens at a specified time for dinner, Amtrak's chefs have to cook and plate upwards of 100 meals in about an hour or so, in the same conditions.

And then there's the clientele that all this cacophony has to cater to: a very strange blend of relatively well-off Sleeping Car passengers combined with whomever from coach decides that they want to splurge on an upscale-ish meal. The interesting thing is that people get along. There's something about being on a dining car cruising across the open landscape that makes travelers want to mingle, chat, and generally have a good time. The whole operation is a remarkable experience to watch, if you're interested in that sort of thing, and - at least in my opinion - an absolutely delightful way to spend a meal. Where else can you eat good food, chat with your fellow travelers in a relaxed setting, and watch the beautiful countryside roll by?

Continue reading Amtrak updates long-distance dining car menus, rich passengers rejoice

Amtrak updates long-distance dining car menus, rich passengers rejoice originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'll admit that I enjoy learning about mass transit, and I am probably what you might classify as a "rail enthusiast." This, however, is a trifle extreme. 43-year-old Darius McCollumn was arrested in New York's Penn Station Sunday night for "impersonating a transit employee." That was, indeed, his 26th arrest by transit police, the first of which occurred when he was 15 years old and involved him taking an E-line train full of passengers for a 6-stop joyride. More recently, in 2004 he was found by Long Island Rail Road police in its Jamaica, NY rail yards carrying several official transit keys and an employee uniform, while just earlier this year he was arrested for attempting to enter a restricted area in Columbus Circle, wearing another employee uniform.

Defenders of the man claim that he suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, though this has never been conclusively proven. He's never been jailed for long because, despite trespassing and other minor crimes, he's never hurt or put anyone in real danger. Meanwhile, in a story for the New York Daily News, McCollumn's mother (whom he lives with in North Carolina) says that she isn't surprised that he got arrested again, and that he went to New York on his own despite her warnings not to. See, now that's dedication.

NYC subway fan arrested for 26th time, shows true dedication originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

That's according to the latest NYC Transit data, at least, which covers the past three years of service. The New York Post points out that while the days of broken-down cars and graffiti-filled stations, at least, is long gone, there is a significant trend downwards in the quality and reliability in subway services. Through June this year, the average number of delayed trains is up 24% from last year, and a whopping 71% from two years ago. Meanwhile, the average distance that rail cars travel between break-downs is down 7% from last year and 17% from two years ago.

NYC Transit blames the issues on more track work, rising ridership and decreasing income from federal and state sources. Unfortunately, none of those problems really seem to be going away - and NYC Transit is not the only organization battling the dangerous forces of system troubles. As gas prices increase, ridership on mass transit systems around the world is going up. Also, subway systems are not getting any younger. Many of the world's oldest transit networks have already passed the 100-year mark - some by a lot (London's Underground, the oldest subway system in the world, started service in 1863). Without adequate funding and support from the traveling public, mass transit systems will just keep getting less and less reliable.

(Via Gothamist)

NYC subways are slow... and getting slower originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you are one of the two people who are members of Amtrak's Guest Rewards program, (hey, you and I can form a club!) then start riding those trains between now and the end of the year. Any Amtrak travel through December 12 will earn double the normal number of points, which works out to four points per dollar spent on train travel, or 1000 points if you travel on the high-speed Acela Express between Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston. To enroll for the extra-point-earning opportunity, log into your account at amtrakguestrewards.com and click on the "Register" button for the bonus offer.

Contrary to my previous verbal jabbing, the Guest Rewards program is actually very popular among business travelers along the DC-NYC-Boston Northeast Corridor. You can earn points through Amtrak travel, staying at a number of popular hotel chains, and through the associated Chase credit card. Guest Rewards points can also be redeemed for (besides Amtrak travel) hotel nights, car rentals, and gift cards to a variety of restaurants and retailers. Unlike the increasingly-stingy airline frequent-flyer programs, a mere six Acela trips (or three if you take advantage of this bonus offer!) will earn you a free unreserved coach seat on any non-Acela Northeast train. Also unlike airlines, Amtrak does not restrict the number of award seats on a particular train. If a seat is available, you can reserve it with points. Not too shabby.

Amtrak offering double Guest Rewards points through Dec. 12 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Highways are, of course, an essential part of our national transportation system. Trouble is, at least in urban areas, they seem to go right through the areas that you would rather not see them go through. For instance, Seattle's Puget Sound coastline. Now, I've been to Seattle, and while I was there, I stayed in a hotel about a block away from the bustling waterfront, busy shopping areas and active nightlife. The only thing between me and the sights was a giant, towering road known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. It's elevated, so getting across it wasn't a problem. That's not the point. It's big - about five stories. It's loud. It's a mass of bright lights at night. And, if it weren't there, I would've be able to see across Puget Sound from my hotel room.

Thus, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is, in fact, number one on the Congress for the New Urbanism's "Freeways Without Futures" - a list of the top ten freeways in North America that we really could just do without. And they're not roads that people are just running around complaining about - these roads actually have pleasant, viable alternatives that would free up valuable urban real estate and drive economic growth. Check out the article for the full list of roads, and if you live in one of those areas, consider adding your voice to the growing number of people calling for reasonable alternatives.

(Via Wired Magazine)

Top ten unnecessary highways originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Train stations are not frequently thought of as a hub of transportation and commerce - in a lot of cities, they're worn down, dilapidated, built in what has become the bad part of town, and in many cases, abandoned. Thanks to the past couple of decades, though, and a remarkable public-private partnership of a number of organizations, Washington D.C.'s Union Station has become the antithesis to that mold. Now, it's a thriving hub with high-end shops and restaurants that sees 32 million people passing through every year - including 56% of all air/rail traffic between Washington, D.C. and New York City.

Completed in 1908, the building, like multitudes of other train stations, fell into disuse after World War II and eventually was all but abandoned. Amtrak passengers used a makeshift terminal behind the main building for many years during the 70s and early 80s. Thanks to a mammoth public-private partnership, however, WUS received a $160 million face lift, completed in 1988, that brought high-end retail, shops and restaurants to the storied building. This weekend (and, in fact, all year), the building is celebrating both the 100-year anniversary of its construction and the 20-year anniversary of its rehabilitation. Events this weekend include an exhibit of both modern and historic passenger rail equipment and a display of archival photos of the station. If you can't make it in the near future, though, check it out the next time you're in the city; it's a building worth seeing.

(Via CNN)

Washington Union Station celebrates 100 years originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The race is on, so to speak, with a number of countries and companies recently announcing their plans for the next-generation of high-speed rail travel. While France set the railroad world speed record in 2007 at 575 km/h (357 mph), Japan and most western European countries have set their revenue speed limit at 300 km/h, or around 186 mph. It looks like eager train-travelers (and possibly former air travelers) will soon be traveling a good deal faster in almost any of the above-mentioned countries. Read on for details on some of Japan, China and France's high-speed ambitions.

Continue reading The race for the next high-speed train

The race for the next high-speed train originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Are you looking for a relaxing ride and some spectacular scenery? Look no further than the Northeast - more specifically, Amtrak's Adirondack between New York City and Montreal, Canada via Albany. Conde Nast Traveler names the Adirondack as the most scenic rail trip in North America, and at 11 hours for the full-length, it's really not one of the more boring ones either. You'll get to see the beautiful Hudson River and Champlain valleys, and thanks to the National Park Service's Trails & Rails program, informative guides give presentations on the area's history during the trip.

Does this sound like a commercial yet? Okay, I guess it sort of is, but if you want to go then you should go now. Trains magazine reports that Amtrak will be operating its single remaining dome car along the route for the rest of the fall season, beginning on October 2 through November 11. The car has 90 seats available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will operate northbound from Albany to Montreal on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays, and southbound on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays. All right, so what are you waiting for? Get packing and go see those sights!

See America's most scenic rail route from a dome car originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.