Image via apolloalliance.org.
Change is definitely in the air these days. President-elect Obama is putting together his plans for some sort of New Deal-like program, which he has said will include massive investments in building public institutions like schools, renewable energy and infrastructure.
Yesterday Lloyd started a survey around the notion: “We have never had much luck convincing people that they should change their travel habits because of their carbon footprint, but is the economy making a difference?” Without wanting to prejudice our survey, we did observe that elsewhere Bloomberg.com was saying, ‘Yes, it has.’
According to the numbers they obtained from the AAA (American Automobile Association) this Thanksgiving holiday in the USA, will see the lowest volume of Americans travelling since 2002, even though fuel prices are lower than they were back in early 2005.
image source: raisethehammer.org
We didn’t hear it in the debates. We didn’t hear it on the campaign trail. And we didn’t hear anything about mass transit outlined anywhere in the economic bailout. It is difficult to recall anytime during the recent and ongoing economic struggle any mention of any economic stimulus for public transportation that would greatly lessen Americans' 2nd largest expense after housing....
Image from Airplane-Pictures.net
Date Set for Jatropha-Powered Test Flight
While California voters rejected Propositions 7 and 10—which though on paper would’ve expanded renewable energy mandates and given tax credits for alternative fuel vehicles, were seen by many as being so poorly worded as to be counterproductive—they did approve Proposition 1A: The Safe, Reliable High Speed Passenger Train Bond Act. As you might imagine backers of the bill were highly enthusiastic.
Quentin Kopp, chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority:...
It goes without saying that the results of this year’s Election Day will determine the course of history in a big way. However, also on the ballot this November 4 in California will be a proposal that could very well influence the future of transportation in the US for years to come.
Voters in California will be asked to decide on Proposition 1A, a $10 billion bond measure for high-speed rail in California. The biggest single infrastructure project ever built in the U...
When you think of freight trains, what comes to mind? Loud. Graffiti covered. Blocking your way for 10+ minutes at the intersection as it lumbers by. But what if I were to tell you it was one of the greenest methods of shipping, and at least when it comes to CSX, it's getting greener by the day?
Image credit: Greenpeace
UK Opposition Party Continues Stance Against Aviation Expansion
Image credit: Stephen Fung – a typical high-speed train in Taiwan
UK Conservative’s Plan for Trains No Planes – Green or Not?
(Photo from The Mainichi)
Today, we had the first snow of the year at Mt Tateyama in Toyama prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The Japanese Alps are a long mountain range with many peaks over 3,000 meters of still active volcanos. It reminds me of author Yasunari Kawabata's masterpiece Snow Country where he describes visits to these parts of the country by train, through long tunnels linking the west coast to Tokyo.
Open House London is an architectural orgy when 700 buildings and private houses are open all over London for the public to visit. Village Underground has to be one of the wildest: 4 recycled London Underground Tube (subway) carriages lifted up on top of old Victorian arches and turned into offices. Covered with graffiti, reached by a winding metal staircase and a spectacular view over the east end.
Check out pics of this superb renovation after the jump.
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High-Speed Bullet Train in Japan
Train lovers around the world are jealous of Japan's high-speed trains. For example, the 1,528 miles Shinkansen railways network has trains that go up to 188 mph (300 kph). "Test run speeds have been 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record of 581 km/h (361 mph) for maglev trainsets, in 2003."
Now Kawasaki Heavy Industries has unveiled plans to develop a new high-speed train which is expected to achieve a speed of 217 mph (350 kph). Read on for more details....
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