light rail

7 Stories

In Tech Mecca, the Trains Run on Floppy Disks

San Francisco's train system needs a costly reboot

(Newser) - Despite its location in the nation's hub of cutting-edge tech, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) relies on an aging piece of tech to keep its trains moving. While the 5 1/4-inch floppy disks used to run Muni Metro's Automatic Train Control System were innovative back when...

Passengers Stop Runaway Tram
Passengers Stop
Runaway Tram
Dec 24, 2019 12:59 AM CST

Passengers Stop Runaway Tram

It sped through stations after driver passed out

(Newser) - Passengers on a tram in Germany forced their way into the cab and stopped the speeding vehicle after the driver passed out and they couldn't get the emergency brake to work. Police in Bonn said several passengers called the emergency line shortly before 1am Sunday to report that they...

'Samurai Vigilante' Breaks Up Train Fight

Video of Phoenix train attack has already gone viral

(Newser) - Two men punching and kicking a guy on a Phoenix train a couple weeks ago got a little surprise—when a passenger threatened them with a Samurai sword, the Huffington Post reports. The Bushido vigilante, wearing a baseball cap and headphones, inched forward until the terrified attackers fled the light...

Arabs, Jews United Against Jerusalem Tram

Streetcar none desire creates common foe for city's eternally feuding people

(Newser) - Jerusalem's bitterly divided residents have finally found something they can agree on, the Wall Street Journal reports. From ultra-orthodox rabbis to the PLO, just about everybody has found cause to dislike the new tram system currently under construction. Even the city's secular mayor has questioned the wisdom of continuing the...

Transit Ridership Soars—for Now

Plummeting gas prices haven't driven us back to cars ... but now fewer have jobs to commute to

(Newser) - Dramatic increases in public transportation ridership have outlived sky-high gas prices, but the souring economy could reverse the trend, USA Today reports. Nationwide, third-quarter ridership was up 7% compared to last year, spurred by $4-a-gallon gas in July. Some municipalities saw almost 20% more commuters on their trains and buses....

The New Generational Shift: Suburban Flight

After 50 years of sprawl, suburbanites gravitate toward cities

(Newser) - Changes in lifestyles, economic conditions, and demographics are leading to a reversal in urban flight, The Wall Street Journal reports. Four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline and the subprime crisis have driven many to cities from suburbs, where commutes are longer and houses have lost the most value. Boomers are simplifying their lives with...

Siemens Brings Trams to America
Siemens Brings Trams to America
Feb 22, 2008 8:34 PM CST

Siemens Brings Trams to America

EU giant starts US plant, takes 200 rail orders from congested cities

(Newser) - Siemens is importing eco-friendly trams and light-rail transport to gas-guzzling America, Der Spiegel reports. The conglomerate has been making them in Sacramento for 2 years, and is seeing a brisk increase in demand from the almost 30 tram-loving US cities. The California plant has 200 orders already and expects more...

7 Stories