(((Alex Holt)))

My latest piece for @ggwash is a look at some of the biggest transit, housing, & environmental bills of #MDGA26: ggwash.org/view/102817/wh…

This was a vote to make it an official policy of the Liberal party, it's a small step but a pretty good one. As for operations, it appears that the service wouldn't be operated by Via Rail but instead a new Crown Corporation... Although this sets up a return of the Bras d'Or

The Canadian Liberal party has voted to support a new "Maritime Rail Corridor" Passenger trains would run from Halifax to Saint John & eventually to Fredericton, Sydney & Prince Edward Island. The federal support paves the way for potential future funding: tj.news/new-brunswick/…

Amtrak Borealis projected annual ridership: 125k Actual ridership: 215k Amtrak Mardi Gras projected annual ridership: 52k Ridership 8 months into service: 100k Don't let people tell you we "Don't need trains, no one would ride them"

Things that are simultaneously correct: •There are more passenger rail services connecting more communities in the U.S. now than the last 75 years, and in some places, ever. •Given our resources and by international comparison, we’re still way behind many other countries.🛤️🚉🚆

Amtrak Borealis MBTA S Coast Rail to New Bedford, Fall River Amtrak Mardi Gras Honolulu Skyline Phase II KC Streetcar Main St. extension LA Metro Gold Line Pomona ext. Valley Metro S Central corridor DART Silver Line Seattle Crosslake Connection South Shore Line Monon Corridor

WMATA Silver Line Phase II Honolulu SkyLine LA Metro Regional Connector Milwaukee Streetcar extension LIRR East Side Access Tacoma Link Hilltop extension Brightline Ft. Lauderdale-Orlando Airport Tri-Rail to MiamiCentral SunRail to DeLand Seattle Link 2 Line Phase 1 Cont

Over on Bluesky yesterday, I compiled all the new U.S rail openings since 2020: Denver N Line BART-Berryessa Charlotte CityLynx Phase II San Diego Mid-Coast Blue Line Seattle Link - Northgate MBTA GLX Medford & Union Squ LA Metro K Line SEPTA Wawa Extension Tempe Streetcar

On a couple Brightline trips I’ve been on, the conductors/attendants have started announcements while the train was slowing down, let alone stopped. Statements like “we apologize for this delay, once we have more information, we’ll let you know…” can make a big difference…

The on-board communication for passengers on @Amtrak is terribly inconsistent. Some conductors are great and others never say a word. Even if an update is “we don’t know the issue or length of delay yet” riders need an announcement before too long. Brightline’s way better at this

No I’m not crying because RJ’s family got to beat the drum 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

So much of who I am and what I know about the struggle for justice came from my mom. Since her death, I’ve picked up the phone to ask her advice. Then I realize she is gone, physically, and each time it hurts. But as this beautiful obituary from the @BaltimoreBanner captures, her legacy lives on — and so does she, in me and in this work.

The Baltimore City Council is fighting back against the proliferation of smoke shops in our communities. Many of these places are preying on our kids. Grateful to @blanchard4bmore + my colleagues for using our zoning powers to restrict where they can go. wbaltv.com/article/politi…

CO should have an asterisk because they're on the verge of having two new state-supported routes and have some funding already in place. Also, NM & UT don't appear because their existing commuter/regional rail systems (RailRunner & FrontRunner) cover much of their populations.

States that should invest in (or grow investment) in intrastate/intercity passenger rail: -Ohio -Georgia -Tennessee -Texas -Florida -Arizona -Colorado -Indiana -Kentucky -S. Carolina -Wisconsin -Louisiana (all states already funding🚆s)

BREAKING: Today, a federal court granted a preliminary injunction halting construction on the proposed ICE Facility in Washington County. This ruling is a major and welcome step forward. We’ve been clear from the start: this project raises grave concerns for Washington County — from environmental damage, to water and sewer capacity, to emergency services, to the loss of economic opportunity, to the broader lack of transparency around this process. Those concerns deserve to be fully heard before irreversible construction moves ahead. My administration will keep working with @OAGMaryland, local leaders, and Maryland’s federal congressional delegation to ensure full compliance with the law and to protect the well-being of Marylanders.

Amtrak @PacSurfliners to add third daily trip from LA to San Luis Obispo starting May 4 | @CPMustangNews - mustangnews.net/amtrak-pacific… #trains #rail #CA #SoCal #LA

Dear Oklahoma & Texas legislatures: your annual operating expense is for this train is absurdly low compared to what you spend on any surface transportation programs. Riders: 22: 63,051 23: 72,379 24: 80,371 passengers 25: 80,876 passengers Even more would ride with⏫service.🚆

Last year, the Regional Transportation Council in TX stepped up to support the Flyer when the state legislature could not. Now, with the Texas chambers not in session until next January, it's their counterparts in Oklahoma that are failing passengers. twp.ai/9OVNMN

the pope—deeply suspicious of thinking machines—is cultivating desert power. it's happening out of order but it's happening.

It’s 6pm on a Saturday. Do you know where your Baltimore City House Delegation members are? Yes, we are hard at work debating and voting on important legislation for the entire state of Maryland. We started at 10am and are still going strong! We will sleep eventually…