The Acela, a high speed premium train for the Northeast, is breaking down with great regularity.
"The Acela Express, the premium high-speed train that Amtrak has counted on to bring in badly needed additional revenue, is breaking down so often that the railroad may cut back on its use until the manufacturer can make numerous modifications."The extremely popular train is suffering from an average of one cancellation or en-route breakdown for mechanical reasons every day, and it has the worst on-time record on the Northeast Corridor .[Two personel comments: Amtrak employees I talked to years ago really liked the Swedish X2000 train when it was here for tests. And the original Metroliner trains, also designed for high speed operations had many problems, eventually resulting in their banishment to commuter service. -- Ken Firestone]
Thanks to Ken Firestone
FULL STORY: Acela Rapidly Disappoints New Amtrak Trains Fast but Unreliable

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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