Railroads

Your morning transportation speed-read:

An email sent by transportation officials in Georgia contained links to porn.

Proposed expansion of the San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., Bay Area Rapid Transit system has been recommended for approval.

A state lawmaker in California who is authoring a bill to allow for a re-vote on a proposed high-speed railway there called the plan a "fantasy train."

Washington, D.C.'s MetroRail is saying it would hire 1,000 new employees with money from proposed fare hikes.

The national passenger rail service, better known as Amtrak, said Wednesday that it would be "aggressive" in efforts to improve and expand this year with "demand for intercity passenger rail service on the rise as demonstrated by yet another year of record ridership."

Amtrak announced last year that it had more than 30 million passengers, which put it on track to have more riders than it had in any of its previous 40 years of operation. Democrats and advocates of government spending on rail projects used the numbers to argue against a Republican plan to privatize some of Amtrak's most profitable service.

Having thwarted that plan by the end of 2011, the agency announced Wednesday its goals to focus on growth in 2012. Among the proposals Amtrak said were coming down the line are 70 electric locomotives and 130 new long-distance rail cars and electronic ticketing on all trains. 

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Subway riders celebrated "No Pants Day" 2012 on public transportation systems across the world.

A proposed high-speed railway in California is being met with apathy by some in the city of Fresno.

The National Transportation Safety Board is looking at the safety of air shows.

Car sales are predicted to increase in 2012.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

An Atlanta rapper is opening a restaurant at the city's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

A cracked rail caused delays on Washington, D.C.'s, MetroRail.

Illinois is getting $186 million for high-speed rail.

An effort to kill a rail authority in New Hampshire has been derailed.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Airlines are protesting a new Department of Transportation rule that requires them to include taxes in their advertised prices.

A California panel has recommended state lawmakers reject $2.7 billion in bonds that would fund a proposed high-speed rail there.

Public transit riders in Boston could be in for fare hikes.

U.S. Airways has added flights to Washington, D.C.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Republican presidential candidates are not talking much now about transportation, but they have in the past.

The Transportation Security Administration says it caught a former military member trying to carry explosives through airport security in Texas.

A plane slid off a runway after landing in Ohio.

Miami is about to get a new Metrorail line to its airport.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Massachusetts is considering a law to force auto manufacturers to share information with repair shops.

A new report questions the potential for job creation by a proposed high-speed rail in California.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be offering free rides for Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Police have been deployed in an airport security strike in Paris.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

Swedish automaker Saab has officially filed for bankruptcy.

Japanese automaker Honda is scrambling to redesign one of its long-running models.

Rail prices in the United Kingdom are on the rise.

Washington's MetroRail experienced a shutdown on two of its rail lines.

Your morning transportation speed-read:

A company is offering suites for napping during airport waits.

Airports are increasing their nutritious food options, a new poll finds.

Detroit has killed a proposed light rail.

Idado's transportation secretary is retiring.

Lawmakers from California debated on Thursday a high-speed rail proposal in their state before a House committee in Washington that has been a lighting rod for GOP critics of President Obama's rail proposals.

It was a debate, before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, that broke down much like discussions about high-speed rail have all year in Congress: along party lines.

California Democrats argued that the project, which the Obama administration has given $3 billion, was vital. Golden State GOPers countered that it was a boondoggle, citing recent reports the cost of building the railway had increased from $33 billion to $98 billion. 

Neither side appeared to sway members of the other on the panel. But it was not for a lack of effort.

"We as Californians who use the (transportation) system understand we need an alternative," Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D) said. "It is never an easy thing to do invest. People get voted out of office because they voted to invest in a new railroad, or a new highway or a new airport, because we take people's homes."