Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Amtrak

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, […]

From Denver: Dems Discuss Funding Woes; Biden Says “Amtrak”

By Brad Aaron | Aug 28, 2008 | 7 Comments

Last night saw what might one day qualify as an historic moment in transportation circles, as vice presidential candidate Joe Biden used the "A"-word during his speech to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. From a transcript of Biden’s address, via CNN: You know, John McCain is my friend. And I know you hear that […]

Obama Builds Rail Cred With Biden Pick

By Brad Aaron | Aug 26, 2008 | 10 Comments

Barack Obama’s standing as an advocate for investment in US commuter rail looks to have gotten a boost with his selection of Joe Biden as his running mate. Whereas John McCain is the Senate’s sworn enemy of Amtrak, his colleague from Delaware is known as a "Champion of the Rails." Notes Daily Kos diarist MissLaura […]

McCain Impressed by US Trains, So Long as They Don’t Stay in US

By Brad Aaron | Aug 13, 2008 | 14 Comments

Our friend Sean Roche sent us a link to this brain-bending video of John McCain stumping in Pennsylvania. Just before the 1:00 mark, after McCain gives an ambiguous plug for electric cars, he unloads this doozy: "I was with Governor [Tom] Ridge yesterday, and we visited a General Electric plant in Erie that makes — […]

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