The MTA is taking seriously a proposal to bring Metro-North and 28,000 more commuters to Penn Station. Trains on the Hudson and New Haven lines would use existing Amtrak lines to service the West Side, but the LIRR would be forced to cut some service to make room for Metro-North, a move that advocates for the plan say is only fair given that the LIRR will serve Grand Central in 2018. Naturally, some (read: Long Islanders) are skeptical. "It's the old saying," the executive director for the Association for a Better Long Island tells Newsday. "Once it's gone, it's gone forever." Yet this assertion was famously disproved by the McRib and the Mickey Rourke Accords of 2005. more ›

In a scene described as "total destruction," a rush hour commuter train in Los Angeles carrying 225 passengers collided head on with a Union Pacific freight train. As of the latest update, 15 people are confirmed dead and 135 injured (45 critically) as rescue teams worked into the night. "They are in there removing dead bodies that are lying on top of survivors," Fire Captain John Virant said. Currently there is no word on the circumstances that allowed the accident to occur. LAist has extensive ongoing coverage of the accident and its fallout, including photos from the scene. more ›

With the approval of its budget yesterday, the MTA officially raised the rates on subways and buses, MTA bridges and tunnels, and commuter rails. While the increase in fare was inevitable after both Governor Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg approved of them, the big news today is how the MTA is actually going to bring in extra money with the bonus scheme on the pay-per-ride Metrocard for subways and buses. The base fare for a ride remains at $2, but starting March 2nd, 2008 bonuses will be 15% instead of the current 20%. more ›

Protests are expected over anticipated fare hikes for subway and bus rides, and the MTA is prepared to listen. The other day, MTA head Dale Hemmerdinger said "We're not deaf," in response to rider complaints about the boost in prices. Riders will get a chance to test that assertion tonight in Brooklyn, as hearings are held about a jump in fare hikes to $2.25 and a boost in weekly and monthly unlimited passes of... more ›

We've all heard how 3,000 surveillance cameras, not to mention at least a hundred license plate readers, will be installed in downtown Manhattan, as part of the city's ring-of-steel like security initiative to prevent terrorist attacks. But the NYPD also announced that radiation detectors will be put into place as far as 50 miles from the city to help identify dirty bombs. more ›

Finally, proof that public transport is crowded for a reason: The MTA says that ridership has grown 36% in the past ten years. From amNew York:

Trips on New York City Transit subway trains and buses have grown 36 percent, from 1.6 billion in 1995 to 2.2 billion in 2005. Meanwhile, the population of the city grew 7 percent from 7.6 million to 8.2 million. more ›

Starting next week one of the biggest shifts in commuter rail in the past two decades will begin. In response to rider demand Metro-North, New Jersey Transit and the LIRR are all in the process of seriously upping their pre-dawn service. more ›

If there is one thing Gothamist loves it would have to be, well, Gotham. But if there are two things that Gothamist loves, well, it would have to be Gotham and ... Bridges. Yeah. Bridges. We really do love us some bridges. So much that we try to walk over at least one a week (seriously, great way to blow off steam). We're the kind of people that do Bike New York just for the excuse to go over the 59th Street and the Verrazano Bridges. more ›