Thursday, October 8, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) Controllers: FAA’s Computers Prone to Problems

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gEH8D_Erb_xPAm1zh411j6XfUI6AD9B6GTOG2

CARTOGRAPHY

2) Google Street View Arrives in 11 Canadian Cities

Link to CNET News article:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10370067-2.html

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

3) FHWA Publishes Final Rule on Interoperability Requirements for Automated Toll Collection

Link to notice in the Federal Register:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2009_register&docid=fr08oc09-5

MARITIME

4) Washington State Ferries May Get Corporate Names

Link to article in The Whidbey Examiner:

http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=3045

SAFETY / SECURITY

5) eCall Implementation Platform Meeting Held

Link to article from ERTICO-ITS Europe:

http://www.ertico.com/en/news/ertico_newsroom/eu_news_ecall_implementation_platform.htm

TRANSIT

6) New York MTA Station Agent Cuts Leave Some Riders Lost

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/nyregion/09subway.html

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

7) Bangalore Police Team with Private Company to Supply Free Traffic Alerts

Link to article in the Bangalore Mirror:

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=10&contentid=200910062009100601250162544315643

VEHICLES

8) From Cars to TVs, Apps are Spreading to the Real World

Link to CNN story:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/08/apps.realworld/

9) Ford Taps Web-Savvy Hipsters To Hype Fiesta

Link to article in Forbes:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/07/ford-fiesta-movement-cmo-network-ford.html

News Releases

1) ITS World Forum Launched

2) Transportation Safety Advancement Group Elects 2010 Leadership

3) FAA Announces Serious Runway Incursions Down by 50 Percent

4) Row 44 to Deliver First Ad-Supported In-flight Wi-Fi

5) Ford, Auburn Explore How GPS Satellites Could Help Prevent Auto Accidents

Job Posting

–  Deputy Associate Administrator for Research, Innovation and Technology – Volpe National Transportation Systems Center – Cambridge, Massachusetts

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/getjob.aspx?jobid=83773185

Upcoming Events

ITS California Annual Meeting – November 16-17 – Anaheim, California

http://www.itscalifornia.org/

Today in Transportation History

1829 **180^th anniversary** – In the Rainhill Trials, a contest involving various locomotives, the Rocket was declared the winner.

http://www.resco.co.uk/rainhill/

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to:  i95berniew@aol.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to:  TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) FAA Administrator Addresses Agency Communications with General Aviation Community

Link to article on The Aero-News Network:

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=b67454a4-d18c-4633-82eb-30c72b522fa2

CAMERAS

2) UK Conservatives Declare War on Speed Cameras

Link to Reuters article:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE59545X20091006

OTHER

3) Self-Service Kiosks Boom

Link to article from The Dallas Morning News:

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/technology/100609_kiosk_boom.html

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

4) Chattanooga Proposes New Driver Ed Program Funded with Revenue from Traffic Cameras

Link to story and video on WRCB-TV:

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11269611

ROADWAYS

5) Kentucky to Post Number of Road Deaths on Electronic Highway Signs

Link to article in The Courier-Journal:

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091007/NEWS01/910070435/Signs+to+cite+road+deaths

6) Nearly Half of Lahore’s Road Signs are Hidden by Ads

Link to article in The Nation:

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Lahore/07-Oct-2009/Hidden-road-signs-blind-motorists

7) No Need to Change Road Sign Colors in Adirondacks

Link to editorial in The Post-Star:

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2009/10/07/opinion/today/15340129.txt

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) Will Airports Screen for Body Signals? Researchers Hope So

Link to story and video on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/06/security.screening/

Link to further information on Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) Project from the US Department of Homeland Security:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1218480185439.shtm#9

9) Three Companies Bid to Revive Clear Airport Service

Link to article in the Orlando Sentinel:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bizclear-airport-service-100709100709oct07,0,6999616.story

TELEMATICS

10) Onboard Trucking Systems are Safe, Providers Say

Link to article in Transport Topics:

http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=22901

TRANSIT

11) Near-Collision? Long Island Rail Road Doesn’t Have to Tell Authorities

Link to article in Newsday:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/near-miss-lirr-doesn-t-have-to-tell-authorities-1.1505814

12) IBM Makes Deal with 3 Transit Agencies to Use Software to Manage Repairs

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hkIjnV0iOKFx68pBPFNIKv4-G1PwD9B67BD80

13) New York City Transit Wait Times to Go Digital

Link to article in the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/transit_wait_times_to_go_digital_3Fh47K8O4RSCrCqEXHhe6K

News Releases

1) BART Offering Real-Time Information by Phone

2) Clemson Researchers Study Energy Savings with Electric Cars and IntelliDrive Technology

3) Federal Transit Administration Launches Bus Safety and Security Web Site for Small Urban and Rural Transit Agencies

4) US Transportation Secretary Announces Driver Pre-Employment Screening Program

5) Navteq Introduces First of Its Kind Animated 3D Visual Content for North America Map

6) The World’s First Commercial ITS Verification Test Carried Out in Changchun City, China

Job Postings

–  Community & Government Affairs Specialist – North County Transit District – Oceanside, California

http://www.transittalent.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=10105

–  Program Development Specialist – National Transit Institute – New Brunswick, New Jersey

http://www.transittalent.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=10061

–  Information Technology Specialist – Volpe Center – Cambridge, Massachusetts

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/getjob.aspx?jobid=83787233

–  Senior Researcher-Funding and Finance – Texas Transportation Institute – Texas

http://apps.system.tamus.edu/jobsearch/JobDetails.aspx?JobID=7621

Upcoming Events

T3 Webinar: National ITS Architecture Update: New Features of the Latest Version of the National ITS Architecture (Version 6.1) – October 27

http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/t3/s091027_arch.asp

Today in Transportation History

1959 **50^th anniversary** – Luna 3 became the first spacecraft to take photos of the far side of the Moon.

http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/luna3/Luna3story.html

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe please send an e-mail to:  i95berniew@aol.com

To unsubscribe please send an e-mail to:  TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN?  Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Source: Washington Post , FoxNews.com, & CNET)

A must-have iPhone application for people who drive a lot is “Trapster” the app for avoiding speed traps. Or a better description by Paul Carr before he was fired from The Guardian: “Yes, that’s Trapster: the mobile distraction for when driving at high speed isn’t fucking dangerous enough.”

The free program uses the GPS receiver built into new iPhones to track a driver’s location and warn of nearby speed traps and red light cameras. It’s also available for phones running Google Android and some BlackBerries.  Drivers can add new locations to the app by hitting buttons to mark speed traps and red light cameras for other drivers. Users can also rate the accuracy of speed trap reports, which helps weed out fake inputs.

It’s been nearly a year since the debut of Trapster, a controversial but popular app that alerts you of nearby speed traps, cameras, and the like. It’s had more than 1 million downloads, and is “getting about 50,000 downloads a day right now” to add to that.

Version 3.5 released back in September, bringing with it some impressive–and, for many users, long-awaited–new features. Here’s the rundown ((courtesy of CNET):

• Improved interface Five features (some of them new) are now accessible by tapping blue icons that span the right side of the screen.
• Bluetooth audio If your car supports Bluetooth, you can pair Trapster to your stereo to get audio alerts over your speakers. Even better, if your car supports A2DP (i.e. stereo Bluetooth), you can take advantage of:
• Built-in iPod controls Tap the little musical-note icon to slide open Trapster’s iPod audio controls. Obviously, you don’t need stereo Bluetooth to use them, but it sure is a nice combo.
• Rotating maps Trapster tacks your position in real-time on a moving map. Now, that map can rotate depending on your direction of travel rather than staying in “always-North” mode. The top blue icon toggles this feature on and off.
• Real-time traffic The bottom blue icon slides out a Google Traffic map, which shows you trouble spots in your area. Handy, but it’s too bad the developers could’t integrate this with the main map instead of requiring you to view a second one.

Trapster crowdsources the data from its users who report speed traps.  This information is stored in the server and sharing with other Trapster users who come later near the same location, thus making the road safe . The more users, the more data, and the safer the roads are for speeders. The app potentially can help users speed or run lights more often. Nonetheless, police are largely supportive of Trapster, because they hope it will get users to slow down.

“Anything that gets people to slow down on the highway, or drive in a more responsible manner, is a good thing,” said Corinne Geller, public relations manager for the Virginia State Police.  She said the state itself uses that logic to announce some red light cameras and speed-limit enforcement areas.  “We don’t hide,” Geller said.

Here are some interesting stats from the Trapster website (as of Sep 10, 2009)

• 1,621,254 Total Trapster users world-wide
• 1,402,349 iPhones using Trapster
• 818,205 Traps reported world-wide
• Trapster is the 20th most downloaded app for the iPhone out of all 85,000 odd apps.
• Everyday more people download Trapster for iPhone than all other traffic/driving related apps COMBINED.

Click here to read more.

To promote greater cooperation between the U.S. and Indian aviation sectors, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), in cooperation with the India Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, US. Transportation Security Administration, U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program, and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE)/International Association of Airport Executives (IAAE), is sponsoring the U.S.- India Aviation Partnership Summit. The event will take place December 7-9, 2009, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The summit will include participation from India’s three key civil aviation agencies – Ministry of Civil Aviation, Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Airports Authority of India – key industry members in the aviation sector, the U.S. government (USTDA, DOT/FAA, TSA, Departments of State and Commerce), and select members of Congress.

• Registration
• Agenda
• Hotel
• Transportation
• Sponsors
• Exhibitors
• Contacts

The 2009 U.S.-India Aviation Partnership Summit is designed to foster high-level dialogue on key issues related to India’s ongoing modernization: aviation safety, air traffic control management, aviation security, airspace utilization, sector environmental practices, and sector training. The summit will serve as a technical, policy and commercial symposium to assist Indian civil aviation agencies and aviation industry representatives in identifying advanced technology and practices that would best suit its expansion and modernization needs. The summit will provide momentum to the growing strategic and commercial relationship between the Indian and U.S. aviation sectors for the long term.

The U.S. India Aviation Partnership Summit will include a two-day conference in Washington, D.C., followed by two days of site visits to FAA and industry facilities in the Washington, D.C., area, and the FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J.

Topics To Be Covered

. Current State and Future Prospects of the India Aviation Industry
. Air Traffic Management Modernization in India: Opportunities and Challenges
. Airport Infrastructure Development/Financing
. Aircraft Maintenance and Certification
. Aviation Security
. Aviation Environmental Best Practices
. General Aviation Update (General Aviation Development in India and Helicopter Expansion)
. Aviation Training in India

Click here for more details

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Navigation Upgrade Uneven at US Airlines

Link to Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE5945HS20091005

2) Airports Spread Out Check-In Kiosks to Cut Down on Lines

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2009-10-05-airport-kiosks_N.htm

3) Airports Get Aid for Device to See Debris

Link to article in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/06debris.html

Link to advisory from the Federal Aviation Administration:

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/99719

4) French Pilots Blast Inaction on Sensors

Link to UPI article:

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/10/05/French-pilots-blast-inaction-on-sensors/UPI-55231254757787/

Link to article in Journal du Dimanche:

http://www.lejdd.fr/Societe/Justice/Actualite/AF447-Le-crash-du-Rio-Paris-etait-evitable-139236/ (in French)

Link to news release from Syndicat des Pilotes d’Air France:

http://www.spaf.aero/index.php?ac=view&i=58&b=actualite (in French)

5) FAA Committed to NextGen Recommendations

Link to article in Aviation Week:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/SHAPE100509.xml&headline=FAA%20Committed%20To%20NextGen%20Recommendations%3C/p%3E

6) Lost Bag at Indian Airport? Log On

Link to Indo-Asian News Service article:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Lost-bag-at-airport-Log-on/H1-Article1-461658.aspx

Link to CISF site: http://www.cisf.gov.in/airports.htm

7) Qantas Has Called for ‘Smarter Skies’

Link to article in The Australian:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,26175113-643,00.html

CAMERAS

8) What if Google Earth Had a Live View of Traffic and Pedestrians?

Link to blog and video in Government Video:

http://www.governmentvideo.com/Blogs.aspx?id=87892&blogid=524

ELECTRONIC TOLLING

9) EU Sets Rules for Electronic Payment of Road Tolls Across EU

Link to Dow Jones Newswires article:

http://english.capital.gr/News.asp?id=826878

Link to news release from the EU:

http://thegovmonitor.com/world_news/europe/europe-to-launch-electronic-toll-service-8575.html

10) National Highways Authority of India to Install Electronic Toll Collection System

Link to article on Zee News:

http://www.zeenews.com/news568791.html

MARITIME

11) Bahrain Joins Global Tracking System

Link to UPI article:

http://www.upi.com/Security_Industry/2009/10/05/Bahrain-joins-global-tracking-system/UPI-59341254780943/

12) Transportation Policy Blog has Focus on Marine Transportation System

Link to MTS Matters:

http://mtsmatters.com

OTHER

13) ITS Research Strategic Plan Update #2

Link to update from the director of the US DOT ITS Joint Program Office:

http://www.its.dot.gov/press/2009/row_stakeholders.htm

RAILROADS

14) Rail’s 150-Year Wait for Safety

Positive Train Control is still years away from full implementation in the US.

Link to article in Miller-McCune:

http://miller-mccune.com/business_economics/rail-s-150-year-wait-for-safety-1513

ROADWAYS

15) ‘Smart’ Speed Bumps Being Developed in Mexico

Link to article in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-10-05-speedbumps_N.htm

SAFETY / SECURITY

16) EU Parliament Set to ‘Re-open’ Visa Deal with US

Would include allowing the transfer of data on transatlantic airline passengers.

Link to article on EurActiv:

http://www.euractiv.com/en/justice/eu-parliament-set-open-visa-deal-us/article-186093

TRANSIT

17) Columbus, Ohio Transit Chief Joins Riders for Bus Service Apology

Link to article in The Columbus Dispatch:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/10/05/COTA.html

18) Riding Seattle’s Rails, Ferries, Buses, ORCA Style

Link to article on ContactlessNews:

http://www.contactlessnews.com/2009/10/06/riding-seattles-rails-ferries-buses-orca-style

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

19) TrafficTalk Unveils Voice-Based Traffic Information Service

Link to article on TMCnet:

http://ivr.tmcnet.com/topics/ivr-voicexml/articles/65866-traffictalk-unveils-voice-based-traffic-information-service.htm

News Releases

1) Sensis Innovates Aircraft Departure Sequencing Tool

2) G-Map Launches First Real-Time Traffic iPhone GPS App

3) Ford Using Virtual Reality to Fine-Tune Sound Quality Inside Vehicles

Upcoming Events

US-India Aviation Partnership Summit – December 7-9 – Washington, DC

http://events.aaae.org/sites/091001/

Today in Transportation History

1884 **125^th anniversary** – The first class of the US Naval War College met in Newport, Rhode Island.

http://www.nwc.navy.mil

======================================================================

The Transportation Communications Newsletter is published electronically Monday through Friday.

To subscribe send an e-mail to: i95berniew@aol.com

To unsubscribe send an e-mail to: TCNL-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

TCN archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transport-communications

Questions, comments about the TCN? Please write the editor, Bernie Wagenblast at i95berniew@aol.com.

© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast

(Sources contributing to this hybrid report: Boston.com, ULTraPRT.com & ABC7)

The city of San Jose is planning to build a PRT system that will run between the airport and a Bay Area Rapid Transit station as well as a nearby light rail station. They say it will include up to five stations, but this and other details are still being worked out.

Back in 2008, the city has issued a request for proposals and allotted $4 million to conduct an economic and technical evaluation, and then to work with a vendor. When San Jose compared PRT with an automated people mover, the kind of large, driverless shuttle that is common at airports, officials decided that PRT would be cheaper and more convenient for passengers. The government has not sworn off other options during this exploratory phase, but officials say they will most likely proceed with a PRT system.

One of the vendors, ULTra PRT whose first deployment is scheduled for London Heathrow Airport in Spring 2010, expected to serve Heathrow’s new Terminal 5, has published more details on this project.  The website notes ULTra PRT is an electric, 200-mpg-equivalent, elevated transit system with many 5-person vehicles.  Working as circulator transit for office parks, airports, universities, and other major activity centers, PRT is faster than a car. In these applications, PRT makes carpooling and transit more effective, by solving the “last mile problem.”

Laura Stuchinksy is a sustainability officer for San Jose’s Department of Transportation. She and other city officials are considering the idea of having such a public pod system link the Mineta San Jose International Airport with area businesses, hotels and other nearby transit options, like Caltrain, BART and the VTA Light Rail.

PRT also enables longer bike commutes and shopping trips.  The only existing, functioning example in the world is an eight-mile network built in the 1970s to move people around the West Virginia University campuses (which also happens to be TransportGooru’s Alma Mater; enjoyed riding this system while studying there back in the 90s).

San Jose is anticipating population growth of a half million people over the next 30 years, so an automated pod transit system could certainly improve quality of life in the city – plus generate thousands more clean-tech jobs. Here is a video  coverage of this story (courtesy of ABC 7).

Thanks to Rod McKenzie, the Chief Technology Officer of Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), for sharing his summary of observations from the Distracted Driving Summit (See below for Rod’s bio).  Rod was also among of the distinguished panelists that participated in the Summit, which makes this article even more compelling.  Also, don’t forget to check last week’s article by Adam Hoops, a Transportgooru supporter & ITS industry whiz, who shared with us his views and notes from the Summit (he participated virtually, watching and listening to the proceedings online).

Note: Please register your comments/kudos below for Rod in the comments box below.

——————————————————————————————

Last week I had the honor of participating in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Distracted Driving Summit. Our panel was focused on technology’s role in both preventing and contributing to distracted driving. I was accompanied by my other panelists in highlighting how technology can help address distracted driving, and must not be demonized in our efforts to end what Secretary LaHood described as an epidemic of driver distraction.

Over the course of the Summit one of the prominent topics was legislation, with discussion on how we as a nation can legislate and enforce against dangerous practices such as texting while driving. While these bans are clearly an essential part of the campaign to reduce the fatalities that distracted driving causes, the American Automobile Association (AAA) amongst others presented data that demonstrated we must do more than just legislate. A survey of AAA membership demonstrated that even though a large majority of people acknowledged the extreme danger of texting or dialing on a cell phone while driving, many of these same people surveyed admitted they themselves had recently done these very actions while driving.

New technologies such as cell phones, PDA’s, after-market GPS systems, and MP3 players have become such a strong part of our lives that we are apparently not willing to stop using them even behind the wheel. Legislation, enforcement and education are extremely important in changing dangerous behaviors and making our roads safer, but we can also integrate many of these technologies into our cars to minimize distraction. Technologies such as hands-free phone and GPS navigation systems must be integrated carefully and seamlessly into the vehicle driving environment. Displays must be easily visible without having to take your eyes off the road and controls must be simple and intuitive, avoiding the need for hands off the wheel. Conversational voice technology is developing rapidly creating new systems that allow text messages to be read to the driver, who can then dictate and send a response using voice command.

Additionally, preventative technologies are already keeping drivers focused on the driving task, helping to prevent accidents caused by distracted driving. Lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, fatigue detection and other technologies ensure driver mistakes don’t turn into accidents. Of course, these technologies must be carefully developed and integrated into the vehicle so that the communication of the additional information they can provide does not itself become a distraction.

Distracted Driving is one of the oldest new problems we have, and while the misuse of new technologies has contributed to the problem, technology and innovation are also a key part of the solution. The multi-pronged approach of legislating behavior, public education and making our technology smarter and safer is the key to ending distracted driving. Just as anti-lock brakes and stability control have been proven to help drivers avoid accidents, technology will continue to adapt to the modern driver’s needs to provide a safe driving experience.

————————————————————————————————-

Author’s Bio:  Rod MacKenzie provides oversight for ITS America’s technical and business development programs. As vice president for programs, he is responsible for leading the program staff and providing day-to-day guidance on program management, project execution, and resource allocation. In his role as chief technical officer, Rod monitors new technologies and assesses their potential to become new products or services within the ITS marketplace, overseeing the selection of technical projects to ensure that they have the potential to add value to the organization and its members.

Rod has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive, telematics, navigation, and mobile infotainment industries. Prior to joining ITS America’s staff in April 2009, Rod was the vice president of advanced applications and services at XM Satellite Radio where he led the development of new telematics capabilities and infotainment services, including real-time traffic and weather, with particular focus on the company’s core automotive business and OEM partners.

Rod holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Brunel University in Uxbridge, England.

About ITS America: ITS America is a non-profit organization engaged in promoting & fostering the  use of advanced technologies in surface transportation systems.  ITSA is the leading advocate for technologies that improve the safety, security and efficiency of the nation’s surface transportation system.

(Source: Times of India; XinhuaNet)

Even as Chinese president Hu Jintao was telling an audience in Beijing that the government will stick to the path of socialism on October 1, a quite capitalistic revolution was taking place in distant Sanxi province in north China.

The first-ever private railway project began construction on the 60th anniversary of the Communist revolution. It may seem like a modest beginning for the project’s private owners but the business focus is clear as the project will link coal mines of Sanxi.

Another project that will bring China’s rail network very close to the border of Myanmar went in into operation late September. This project connecting two towns in Yunnan province is now being extended to connect Ruili, the Chinese outpost on the Myanmar border.

It is expected to cost 2.3 billion yuan (about 0.34 billion U.S. dollars), and will be finished in three years.  The railway was co-funded by the Broad Union Investment Management Group Co., Ltd, the Yufeng Railway Construction Investment Co., Ltd and the Railway Bureau of Zhengzhou.

Song Xiude, chief of Kunming Railway Bureau, recently told reporters in Yunnan that the line will be linked to the South East Asian rail network via a 350-km-long railway being constructed between Dali and Ruili, a city on the Sino-Myanmar border. Construction of the Dali-Ruili railway began last year and is slated for completion in 2014, the official media said.

China’s first privately funded rail project will link the towns of Jiafeng and Nanchenpu over a stretch of 64.29 kilometers. The $340 million rail line will have six stops and pass through six counties in Sanxi province. It has been funded by two private companies-the Broad Union Investment Management Group Co., Ltd. And ufeng Railway Construction Investment Co., Ltd. –besides the local state run Railway Bureau of Zhengzhou.

Click here to read the entire article.

(Source:  WUSA9.com & Moving Momentarily)

Washington’s aging Metro system will be getting a 21st century security makeover that will include video cameras capable of integrating with other “facial recognition” systems in use in the National Capital region.

Some $78 million in grants for enhanced security were recently approved by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.  Grants also include money for 20 additional transit police officers, 3 bomb-sniffing dog teams and security training for 9,000 “front line” employees. The lion’s share of of the grant money will be spent on enhanced video surveillance of Metro’s sprawling rail and bus system.

And $27.8 million in grants from the Department of Homeland Security will pay for cameras on buses, in ventilation shafts, at station entrances and near the end of platforms over the next few years. $7.1 million is designated to monitor passengers inside rail cars. Metro Transit Police officers will be able to view in-railcar cameras in real-time on portable computers.

Moving momentarily editor poses an interesting question to the readers and riders: How do you feel about Metro getting federal monies for facial recognition technology at stations? Does it make the system safer?  Register your thoughts below in the comments section.