Braunschweig Tram-Train Scheme, Germany

railway-technology.com The website for the railway industry http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/braunschweig/ RSB interest groups signed a letter of intent in September 2008, with construction to start during 2009. The current main rail interests are DB’s regional train operations (DB Regio) and infrastructure (DB Netz) arms, and the city transport organisation Braunschweiger Verkehrs AG. Project aims include upgrading the […]

Bergen Bybanen extension blasts off

11 January 2011 Railway Gazette http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/bergen-bybanen-extension-blasts-off.html Bergen Stadler Variobahn Tram NORWAY: A blast of dynamite at midday on January 7 triggered the official start of work on a NKr1·4bn project to expand Bergen’s Bybanen light rail line. The ceremony was attended by the chairman of Hordaland County Council Torill Selsvold Nyborg, Commissioner Lisbeth Iversen, local […]

Long-awaited tram system for Tampere (Finland) is under consideration

Residents are now being polled on their route preferences       The construction of a light rail system for Tampere has been discussed for decades.       It has finally been decided that the construction of tracks could commence in 2015, provided that the city can reach a binding political decision on the necessity of […]

European Light Rail news

Light Rail/Tramways in France. Four new Light Rail/Tramways are currently under contruction in France and are scheduled to be opened between 2011 and 2013. The 11.2 km Reims Tramway – 2011 http://www.tramwaydereims.fr/start.html A 12 km Tramway in Angers – 2012 http://tramway.angersloiremetropole.fr/ A 14.3 km Tramway in Brest – 2012 http://www.letram-brest.fr/ A two line, 20 km Tramway in Dijon – […]

Why Are North American Engineers So Afraid Of European Transit Developments?

Answer: They can't plan for $1.4 Million a mile rail transit schemes, like what their European friends are doing! The Valley Rail naysayers abound, but when faced with undisputable facts that light rail and/or its many variants can be built very cheaply indeed; much cheaper than $125 million/km SkyTrain or even $20 million/km highways, they […]

Fords condemnation of St. Clair streetcar is off-track

TheAi??Globe & Mail article by Marcus Gee; Ford’s condemnation of St. Clair streetcar is off-track http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/marcus-gee/fords-condemnation-of-st-clair-streetcar-is-off-track/article1859391/ published on January 5th, shows how the successful St. Clair streetcar line speaks against mayor Rob Ford’s plans to cancel Transit City and most LRT projects. It is depressing to see that the same dunderheaded opposition to light rail […]

The War on Cars

Is there really a “war on cars” in Seattle? Politics Northwest The Seattle Times political team explores national, state and local politics. Posted by Jim Brunner Has Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn really declared a “war on cars?” Or is that just a manufactured right-wing talking point? http://tinyurl.com/34thhyo At the blog of the green think tank, […]

High density urban living, not neccessary for good public transport

Units not crucial for good public transport, study finds Andrew West, January 5, 2011 RESIDENTS of Australia's outer suburbs do not have to wait for higher housing densities before getting better public transport, according to new research, which could defuse one of urban planning's biggest controversies. In a paper for the journal Australian Planner, Dr […]

A 2010 retrospective and a happy New Year!

Itai??i??s traditional for the media and bloggers alike to wrap up the retreating year or welcome in the New Year with a retrospective of all that was bad, depressing, frustrating, good, humorous, irritating, scandalous or just plain bizarre in the twelve months that finished on the stroke of midnight on 31st December. Stephen Reesai??i??s blog […]

Transit Planning In Metro Vancouver – Where Have We Gone Wrong?

The release of TransLink’s $400,000.00 Fraser Valley Transit Study continues over three decades of transit denial by politicians and bureaucrats alike. The SkyTrain driverless light metro system has brought with it, the seeds of a regional transportation debacle, where the invented claims by the SkyTrain lobby has infected all regional planning, including the universities with […]