We spoke to Jay Flynn, officially “Bus Lead” but generally known as one of the TransitMatters gadflies. Jay worked in government for years before becoming a transportation advocate with TransitMatters. We’ve observed that TransitMatters seems to be good at holding feet to the fire. Flynn laughed and said, “Speaking truth to [...]
Just over a year ago we interviewed Massachusetts Senator Eric Lesser about his efforts to bring frequent, fast passenger rail service from Boston to western Massachusetts. This week, we caught up with him again, talking about the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for his constituents and our nation. We asked if the crisis [...]
It’s Time For America To Get Serious About Fixing The Trains This article by Amy Crawford explains that "Instead of spending billions to bail out airlines, advocates argue for a more carbon-friendly pandemic investment: railroad travel." Rail is the mode that “best supports 21st-century development in bustling urban centers, walkable downtowns even in much smaller cities [...]
Here's our interns' report on the East-West Rail Study meeting last week. They are also participating in our weekly "Office Hour," an informal meeting that anyone can join. Today, at 2pm, we'll be talking about the economic benefits of rail. The Zoom link is below, along with a list of other events, including a program in partnership with [...]
It’s been a painful week in America and for America. Our hearts go out to those who are suffering, and our thanks to all those who are stepping up to make a difference. Our country now has to deal with the challenge of economic recovery, face up to long-standing issues of racial discrimination and social [...]
Karen Christensen, founder and president of the Train Campaign, writes: I cannot send this email without saying something about my grief over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the racism that continues to haunt and damage our country. W. E. B. Du Bois grew up in Great Barrington, the small town where I live and [...]
Today, we’d like to introduce the Train Campaign’s 2020 summer interns, Graham Lewis (below right) and Ethan Michalowski (below left), who are working with the Train Campaign this summer. Graham is in Georgia and Ethan is in Wisconsin, but they couldn't be more enthusiastic about the projects underway in our region. You’ll also find a summary [...]
I remember my first visit to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1992. I was newly arrived in Berkshire County from London, in England, where I had worked for nearly a decade after college. I’d landed in a little New England town called Great Barrington. My head was full of utopian ideas. I’d been reading an American writer [...]
The tracks are humming! We’re expecting further news about the East-West (or West-East) Rail Study soon, and SB2096 “An Act Special act funding a study of passenger service on the housatonic rail line” sponsored by Sen. Adam G. Hinds (D) was referred to Joint Committee on Rules on Thursday, April 30. Thanks to Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, too, for [...]
Work continues on the Housatonic (Berkshire) Line during COVID-19 crisis, 17 April 2020. Photo taken in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. While we're sheltering in place, and flattening the curve, there's a lot going on that suggests a bright future for rail, for our region, and for the planet. (By the way, the 50th anniversary [...]
A big thank-you to the companies that sponsor the Train Campaign
