Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Amtrak

Klobuchar & Webb: Dems’ Unlikely Opponents of Bike-Ped Investment

By Elana Schor | Sep 16, 2009 | 4 Comments

Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) attempt to curb federal investment in bicycle and pedestrian paths, as well as other "transportation enhancements," was defeated on the Senate floor today — but it managed to pick up two unlikely Democratic supporters in the process. A college-age Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), with her father. Photo: Klobuchar for Senate Sens. […]

The High-Speed Rail Numbers Game: Is $13 Billion and 110 MPH Enough?

By Elana Schor | Jun 24, 2009 | 11 Comments

High-speed rail is one of the Obama administration’s most prized policy goals, with $13 billion getting earmarked in the coming year alone to help break ground on up to 11 proposed regional corridors. But what will the U.S. get for its money? A lively Senate hearing yesterday attempted to answer that question. Will all 11 […]

Meridian, Mississippi: What Trains Can Do for a City

By Sarah Goodyear | Jun 3, 2009 | 4 Comments

When President Obama announced his plan for a national high-speed rail network earlier this year, one of the people invited to attend was the Republican mayor of a city you’ve most likely never heard of — Meridian, Mississippi. And one of the rail routes, running from Atlanta to New Orleans, went right through Meridian. The […]

Amtrak Bill Clears the Way for Bike-Friendly Trains

By Ben Fried | Oct 7, 2008 | 14 Comments

The five-year Amtrak authorization that Congress passed last week includes a nice inter-modal touch. It states in no uncertain terms that funding can be spent on making trains accessible for bikes: NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND STORAGE. — Grants under this chapter may be used to provide access to rolling stock for nonmotorized transportation, including bicycles, […]

Rail Advocate: Biden Ascension Wouldn’t Necessarily Help Amtrak

By Brad Aaron | Sep 2, 2008 | 6 Comments

The Washington Post today has a piece summing up Joe Biden’s ties to Amtrak. There’s not a lot of new material in the story (Biden takes the train between Delaware and DC, he has a pro-rail record in the Senate, his son serves on the Amtrak board, etc.), but what caught our attention was a […]

How Do We Make Clean Transportation Part of the National Discussion?

By Brad Aaron | Aug 29, 2008 | 22 Comments

Like Joe Biden, Barack Obama also mentioned Amtrak in his acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention, but only in reference to his running mate’s preferred mode of transportation. There were many, many things to be excited about yesterday, but any livable streets advocate anticipating a call to rebuild and expand our nation’s transit infrastructure, […]

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