“There’s a great story to be told of British and London transport expertise, which is being sought out once again” Andy Byford, then-CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), mused when we last saw him …
Continue readingAuthor: Long Branch Mike
Breathtaking evolution of Chinese metro networks (Arch Daily)
In 1990, China, then a country with a population of just over 1.1 billion inhabitants, had only three metro systems—located in Beijing, Hong Kong and Tianjin. Fast forward a mere 27 years later and the …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 29, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Schematic railway maps in advertising (Retours) • Elon Musk’s Tesla technutopia has a parking problem (StreetsBlog) • Heathrow Express adds blue platform gap lighting (Rail Advent) …
Continue readingBritish pay per mile road toll proposed (Politics Home)
The Government is considering introducing the UK’s first pay-per-mile system for drivers in a bid to cut emissions and traffic. The Department for Transport would charge lorry drivers using mileage and emissions-based charges in a …
Continue readingMetrolinx slashes $770-million Bombardier deal (Globe & Mail)
The regional transit agency Metrolinx is cutting in half a $770-million vehicle deal with Bombardier Transportation for the Toronto area, The Globe and Mail has learned, drawing a line under a long-running dispute between the …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 22, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • London waterways Tube-style map, with sounds (SoundSurvey) • Overhead footbridges of London (Londonist) • Land Registry reveals London secret tunnels (Who Owns England) • Successful cities …
Continue readingExperts skeptical of Elon Musk’s LA tunnels
Elon Musk has made no secret that he wants to solve Los Angeles’ traffic woes with underground tunnels, where cars could bolt below the city at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. The …
Continue readingShenzhen soon will have a 100% electric bus fleet (CityFix)
Shenzhen is set to become the first city in the world to have a fully electrified bus fleet. From a small collection of fishing villages 40 years ago to a metropolis on track for a …
Continue readingSolar could power significant share of railway (Global Rail News)
Solar panels could be used to power a sizeable chunk of Britain’s DC electric rail network, a new report has suggested. Climate change charity 10:10 and Imperial College London’s Energy Futures Lab looked at the …
Continue readingNYC Gateway Tunnel finally fully funded (Progressive Railroading)
Govs. Christie, Cuomo commit to their financial share of Gateway Tunnel project – The governors of New York and New Jersey on Wednesday pledged to fund 100 percent of their states’ share of the new …
Continue readingFriday Reads – December 15, 2017
Welcome to Reconnections’ Friday Reads. This week’s lineup: • Without Congestion Zone, London traffic would be 20% slower (StreetsBlog) • Melbourne Road Usage Study studies road charges (The Conversation) • Dublin Luas LRT line opens, …
Continue readingTfL eyes digital innovation as funding salvation (Infrastructure Intel)
TfL commissioner Mike Brown has highlighted how digital innovation is the “salvation” for the capital’s transport network and has urged those working in the industry to come forward with ideas that will keep the TfL …
Continue readingEuropean tram-train alliance formed (Tramways & Urban Transit)
The Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV – Association of German Transport Operators) and seven transport undertakings from across Germany and Austria have set up a joint group to procure tram-train LRVs to drive efficiencies of scale …
Continue readingUS transit agency large project integration problems (Pedestrian Observations)
The German/Swiss planning slogan, organization before electronics before concrete, means that transit agencies should first make sure all modes of public transit are coordinated to work together (organization) before engaging in expensive capital construction. In …
Continue readingKeep Calm and Think Blue (Rail Engineer)
Just over a mile south of Stirling station was what was once considered to be Scotland’s highest risk footpath crossing. St Ninian’s crossing was located on Millhall Road and, although it had been closed to …
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