I know, I know, making fun of USA Today is a little easy. But even this story is basic beyond belief: “City’s design, transit system can ease gas costs“.
Key quote:
Some cities in the USA are better positioned to deal with rising gas prices than others because of their design and transit systems, according to basic common sense.
Okay, okay, I changed the last line. But seriously, a whole article about how transit saves people gas money? C’mon!
Awww. AWWW!
“Study: High-speed train would have made money“.
Key quote:
The Orlando-to-Tampa high-speed train scuttled by Gov. Rick Scott as a multibillion-dollar boondoggle would have made money from Day One, according to a ridership study released Wednesday by the state.
More than 3.3 million people would have used the 84-mile line, generating almost $63 million in ticket sales during its first year of operation in 2015-16, the report said, leading to a $10 million operating surplus.
I’m going to punish you with some funky transit. It’s from a few months ago, but I just saw it now. It’s called “tubular rail”. Check out: “What The Rail?!?!”
Key quote:
In this vision for an alternative train type, there is no track. Stanchions, 100 feet apart, house rollers that propel the train as it passes. The train doesn’t fall even as it’s nose is suspended unsupported in the same way that a pencil on the edge of a tabletop won’t begin to tip and fall until more than half of it is dangling past the precipice.
Nobody would ever build this, but dang is it kind of cool.
I just read a blog post about the possibility of selling naming rights to infrastructure that was cute enough, but then they made a good jab at the KFC Yum! Center and I had to share it.
Check out: “Should We Sell Naming Rights to Infrastructure?”
The joke:
But once the commercialization process is in place, standards inevitably start to slip. Just look at sporting facilities: one day you’re walking to august Wrigley Field, the next day you’re heading to the KFC Yum! Center, looking for your dignity. (It’s always in the last place you look.)
You might remember I poked fun of that name back in November (see KFC Yum! Center).
I’ve been dreaming of maglev transit since I was in 8th grade (where I won the Science Fair, you may note).
Now today I just saw this article: “Maglev Rail Transportation system moving closer to reality.”
Well that only took 20 years …
So there’s a proposal to extend train service northward from Portland to Brunswick. Apparently they’re looking for a new train station in Portland … and are seriously looking at Commercial Street and Center Street.
From The Forecaster: “Center Street train station a front-runner among Portland North transit proposals.”
Weird location, and then have the train go down Commercial?
Weird.
Josh finally lives in Maine again
after four years at Boston University, a stint in Southern California with
Walt Disney Feature Animation,
and two years in Dubai, UAE,
where he created and wrote
Newlywed in Dubai.
