Being a train conductor seems like a simple, boring job: collecting tickets, opening and closing doors, reminding people to keep their feet off the seats. Yawn. But there’s a lighter side to the job, as I wrote a few years ago, based on former conductor Michael Shaw’s great book, “My Rail Life,” after he retired from a 36-year career on the New Haven line. He clearly loved … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Memoirs of a Metro-North Conductor
Talking Transportation: Blinded by the Light
“Blinded by the lightRevved up like a deuceAnother runner in the night”- Manfred Mann Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving on a narrow road in the dark, when the headlights of oncoming traffic suddenly blind you, leaving you wondering where is the road and whether you might crash. With sunset now coming as early as 5 p.m. (thanks to the return to Standard Time), … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Blinded by the Light
Talking Transportation: Dangers of the Fall
I love the fall. But I hate the leaves! Sure, they look pretty as they change colors, but when those leaves are spent and fall to the ground, they present real problems for travelers. Whether you rake your leaves yourself or have someone “blow” them for you, disposing of leaves is a hassle. Growing up (many years ago) I remember we used to burn our leaves, heedless to … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Dangers of the Fall
Talking Transportation: Rules Vary for Bikes on Board
Taking mass transit is great. But when you step off your train or bus, what do you do to get to your final destination? Increasingly, that means BYO wheels: a bike, e-bike or scooter. The problem is the rules for bringing your “wheels” are much different depending on your carrier. METRO-NORTH: You can bring your non-electric-powered bike on the train anytime except … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Rules Vary for Bikes on Board
Talking Transportation: The Folly of a Bridge to New York
Why is much of Connecticut talking about a bridge from Bridgeport, across Long Island Sound, to New York State? How did we get sucked into a debate about a project that every transportation expert I spoke with said just won’t happen? You can blame (or maybe credit?) Connecticut housing developer Stephen Shapiro for this distraction as he pipe-dreams way outside his area of … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: The Folly of a Bridge to New York
Talking Transportation: Is This Leading by Example, Governor Lamont?
What would happen to you if you borrowed your company’s car and, thanks to built-in tracking technology, were caught driving 113 mph? Or how would your HR staff “dialogue” with you if the car’s mileage wasn’t properly logged, you had apparently used it for personal trips, then left it sitting in a garage and when you did return it to the motor pool it had $3,500 in … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Is This Leading by Example, Governor Lamont?
Talking Transportation: Jim Cameron Finally Boards the NextGen Acela
I finally had a chance to ride the new NextGen Acela and I have to admit, I was wrong: This really is Amtrak’s train of the future. But here are a few tips for making your next ride frictionless. These tips are mostly about riding Acela, but many hold true for slower Northeast Corridor trains. WHAT’S A NEXTGEN ACELA? These are the new trains built by Alstom, previously … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Jim Cameron Finally Boards the NextGen Acela
Talking Transportation: Travel Now, Talk or Text Later
How many of you remember “Car Talk”, the wildly popular NPR show with Tom and Ray Magliozzi, also known as "Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers"? Not only were they brothers, but both graduated from MIT. They were walking encyclopedias of automotive wisdom. And common sense. To them, car safety meant more than just mechanics. It meant drivers should be smart about their … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Travel Now, Talk or Text Later
Talking Transportation: Increased Mobility via E-Scooters, E-Skateboards is Great, but Safety Must Always Come First
As if our roads weren’t dangerous enough already, there’s a new generation of “personal mobility vehicles” (PMV) silently swishing around our streets for us to worry about — electric scooters and skateboards. The scooters (about $1400) can go 30 mph. The skateboards (about $700) top out at 32 mph. But following simple instructions on the web, the speed governor can be … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Increased Mobility via E-Scooters, E-Skateboards is Great, but Safety Must Always Come First
Talking Transportation: Walking the Appalachian Trail
Rounding out our summer rerun series, here’s a column from 2023 about a most determined hiker ... Five years ago now, Diana Jackson was walking 2,192 miles. The Darien native is one of over 3,300 people each year who try to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (the AT) from Georgia to Maine. But she’s one of the 25% of them that actually completed the … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Walking the Appalachian Trail
Talking Transportation: Marking the Centennial of Civil Rights, Railroads Intersection
First Predominantly African-American Labor Union Formed in August 1925 In the history of American transportation, there is one crucial intersection between the railroads and civil rights: the formation, exactly 100 years ago this week in August 1925, of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters by A. Phillip Randolph. This was the first predominantly African-American labor … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Marking the Centennial of Civil Rights, Railroads Intersection
“Talking Transportation:’ Amtrak’s ‘New’ Acela Train Service Starts Aug. 28, But Was it Worth the Wait?
Amtrak’s oldest new trains are arriving shortly: the NextGen Acela (finally) starts running between Washington and Boston on August 28. Ordered in 2016 for $1.8 billion, the first trains arrived from the Alstom assembly facility in Hornell NY in 2020. That meant jobs there for 1300 workers and business for 180 suppliers across 29 states. These new trains are 95% … [Read more...] about “Talking Transportation:’ Amtrak’s ‘New’ Acela Train Service Starts Aug. 28, But Was it Worth the Wait?
Talking Transportation: Experiencing Woodstock While Working on the Tappan Zee
Continuing our summer reprise of some older columns, here’s an update on memories of years past … This week marks the 56th anniversary of the grand-daddy of all rock festivals … Woodstock. I was in my teens the summer of 1969, but couldn’t get off from my job to join the swarms of rock fans. But I did see most of them. That summer I was as a “temp seasonal” toll collector … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Experiencing Woodstock While Working on the Tappan Zee
Talking Transportation: Higher Fares, New Ticket Rules on Metro-North Offer Passengers No Improvements
As predicted, fares are going up on Metro-North by 5% starting Sept. 1, with another 5% hike coming next July. The final approval came days ago from the MTA, parent of Metro-North, which rubber-stamped CDOT’s fare hike decision. At least one MTA Board Member called the hikes “scary” and another exclaimed that he was “actually kind of offended”. But, hey … there is nobody … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Higher Fares, New Ticket Rules on Metro-North Offer Passengers No Improvements
Talking Transportation: Congress Giveth (Renewed Life to AM Radio), But Also Taketh Away (Cutting PBS, NPR)
Remember when commuting was fun because you could listen to the radio? Earlier in my career I may have been the guy you heard, both on WHCN / Hartford and later on NBC. When I started in radio in 1967, AM Top 40 was king and FM was just getting started. But in 1961 the FCC decreed that all radios should have both AM and FM bands … and that FM should broadcast in … [Read more...] about Talking Transportation: Congress Giveth (Renewed Life to AM Radio), But Also Taketh Away (Cutting PBS, NPR)