Congress needs to create a stable fund for passenger rail.

This thread is a great primer on how one county made it happen.

Rail transit is a proven economic accelerater.

(Gift Article) NYT travel reporter Gabe Castro-Root heads to Northern California to check in on the building of Amtrak's new Airo fleet.

American cities used to have some of the longest per-capita rail networks in the world. Not anymore.

Another way to make this point: Every time an American decides to ride Amtrak instead of drive a car, the US transportation network gets a little safer. NHTSA never says this, but they should.

NEW STUDY: “Thanks to the influence of the road lobby, the harms of driving are underestimated & overlooked, while measures that make walking, cycling, & public transport the easiest option are viewed with suspicion. Policy responses to reducing population-level driving…can create positive change.”

Americans are addicted to cars, but in many ways it's a forced addiction. Decades of policy have made cars the dominant mode of travel at the expense of others, and marketing reinforces the car as the "best" choice. This isn't to excuse individual choices, but car dependency is a systemic issue.

The US is thus already struggling with actually getting rail lines under construction. The administration is making the whole situation more difficult. Our research @urbaninstitute.bsky.social lays this all out: www.urban.org/urban-wire/r...

If gas prices are going to the moon, maybe it's time for places to start finally funding an alternative

Amazing that this essay never even mentions public transportation @thewaroncars.bsky.social

After @amtrak.com’s year of record ridership, T&I Dems are working to continue the momentum—investing in intercity passenger rail that is efficient, reliable and accessible.

Valuable information in the fight for Austin-to-San Antonio rail.

Long-term rail planning requires a reliable funding stream.

“Traffic models are frequently full of faulty assumptions, and rarely understand actual human behaviour in the context of change and choices. Never let a traffic model tell you what to do. Decide what you WANT to happen, and design how to get there.” — @brenttoderian.bsky.social #UrbanTruth

The USDOT is putting over $100M into the public transit systems of World Cup cities to help them get ready to host matches this summer. www.transit.dot.gov/...

The research committee is meeting this Saturday, March 7, 12-1 pm, at the Double Standard, 100 W. Houston St. This is primarily for committee members who missed last week's meeting, anyone interested can attend.

“States across the political spectrum are demanding more transit, not less. This latest move by the Trump administration accelerates a long trend of Republican attacks on transit as a public good.” jacobin.com/2026/02/trum...

Highways make cities poorer and suburbs richer - for now.

In with the new procurement, out with the old procurement. Amtrak has officially announced their plans to move forward with a single-level long distance fleet after an industry review with the FRA and recommendations from the USDOT media.amtrak.com/202...

Keep it simple.

Amtrak has released a video showing the extensive work being done to their new maintenance facilities in Seattle, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and upstate New York to handle the brand new Airo fleet.

The "Passenger Rail Planning Act," led by IL Rep. Rita Mayfield, seeks to establish hourly train service across the Land of Lincoln and improve interstate connections. It also directs IDOT to prioritize these goals in FRA Corridor ID submissions Source:

Tomorrow night!

The Saint Paul City Council joined several other cities in passing a resolution in support of studying passenger rail to Kansas City 🎉 www.bizjournals.com/twincities/n...

Happy 225 Day, Baton Rouge! (Date: 2/25; 225 is the BR area code) Let’s make 2026 the year we have an announcement of restoration of passenger rail between Baton Rouge & New Orleans!🛤️🚆 My photos below at the proposed Baton Rouge station site, Prairieville, Gonzales & the Bonnet Carré Spillway.

Meet SART co-chairs Sam Haas (center) and Jesse Harasta (right), with podcaster Jacob Davis on the San Antonio Riverwalk. Jacob recorded an episode of his pod Cities in Motion with Sam and Jesse, to be dropped in April. Stay tuned for more information as the date gets closer.

Join us at this month's general meeting! Thursday February 26 at 7 p.m. at EcoCentro, 1802 N. Main St., San Antonio. Meetings are open to everyone. Bring a friend!

Construction is set to start in 2027. (Note obligatory HEB appearance.) www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/t...

“Author @grantennis.bsky.social breaks down the specifics of how automakers, fossil fuel companies and roadway engineers, have lied about the dangers of car dependency— & manipulated the public into believing them.” ICYMI @keawilson.bsky.social gets into #DarkPR in @usa.streetsblog.org. #UrbanTruth

1) Amtrak Mardi Gras Beats 1 year ridership projections in only 6 months🚆 2) Doing so in the reddest of red states 3) Now extend it to Baton Rouge (already connecting bus 🚌), get Pensacola connecting bus 🚌 service going & then extend to Pensacola. www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Restructuring of Amtrak could have devastating consequences at a time when demand for passenger rail has never been higher.

It looks like Brightline West will miss their LA28 target and open after the Olympics have long wrapped up - and for nearly double the cost.

Great to see the progress for our neighbors.

And the streetcar is electric. Wichita Falls, Texas, 1927.

A partnership between firms with local and national experience has been chosen to plan and build Austin's fully electric, 10-mile, 15 station light rail system.

Once upon a time, did Americans flock to dealerships out of pure need—or were they herded by subversive forces? Was it free will or predestination? www.fastcompany.com/91480898/psy...

A New Orleans couple hopped on Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service for their first‑ever celebration in the Port City - a very different vibe from what they are used to in the Big Easy

"The counties are asking the state to “fund and initiate” a feasibility study looking at using the CSX West Shore Line for passenger trains. The river-adjacent rail line passes through NY & NJ. Legislators did not estimate how much the study would cost or how long it would take to complete."

Vital information for pro-rail voters in the Austin area.

"Congestion, at root, is a geometry problem. Solving it, however, is a political one." It's an uphill battle in Texas, but one we can win. www.strongtowns.org/journal/2026...

This is a great opportunity to meet other rail fans and learn about the most promising project in Central Texas.

The bill provides legislative direction for the study of two new rail corridors, helping us get that much closer to daytime service to Fargo/Moorhead and new passenger rail service to Kansas City. buff.ly/ZRbiMvg

It's way past time to remove the barriers to building passenger rail in the US.

Demand that Texas stop building more lanes that make the climate worse and start building rail transit to make people, cities, and the climate healthier.