Friday, June 26, 2009

Transportation Communications Newsletter

Friday, June 26, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

AVIATION

1) Israel to Install Air Defense in Passenger Planes
Link to UPI story:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/25/Israel-to-install-air-defense-in-planes/UPI-29191245948681/

GPS / NAVIGATION

2) Boeing: Urgent GPS Satellite Launches on Schedule
Link to story in Computerworld:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9134866

OTHER

3) Summer Issue of National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research & Education Newsletter Online
Link to newsletter:
http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/news/newsletter/Summer09.pdf

RAILROADS

4) Historic Steam Locomotive Goes High-Tech on Way to Railroad Days
Union Pacific engine can be followed by GPS and Twitter.
Link to story in the Lincoln Journal Star:
http://journalstar.com/articles/2009/06/18/news/local/doc4a384c642502b044637609.txt
Link to GPS tracking: http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/excurs/trace.cfm
Link to Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/up_steam

SAFETY / SECURITY

5) Unclear what Happens to Personal Info with Clear
Link to AP story:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Unclear-what-happens-to-apf-690267501.html?x=0&.v=4

6) GIS Maps Prevent Vehicle Collisions with Elk and Deer
Link to story in Government Technology:
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/691425

TRANSIT

7) A Metro Train Control System Fails a Post-Crash Test
Link to story in The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062501073.html

8) Operational Test for the Implementation of Advanced Technologies in Rural Transit Service
Link to report from the Federal Transit Administration:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/OperationalTest_Implementation_of_Advanced_Technologies_Rural_Transit_Service_(FinalReport).pdf

VEHICLES

9) Ghosts in the Machine
Robots are taking the place of human drivers in an increasing number of vehicle test scenarios.
Link to story in Vehicle Dynamics International:
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/f0bbbaf8#/f0bbbaf8/30


News Releases
1) BART Unveils News Web Site to Keep Riders, Public Informed on Labor Negotiations


Upcoming Events
Western Snow & Ice Conference – September 22-26 – Estes Park, Colorado
http://www.westernsnowandice.com/


Friday Bonus
I thought Batman Airport was in Gotham City.
http://news.skyscanner.net/articles/2009/06/002552-worlds-funniest-airport-names-rudest-weirdest-and-strangest.html


Today in Transportation History
1959 **50th anniversary** - The St. Lawrence Seaway is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and President Dwight Eisenhower.
http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/seaway/history/index.html

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© 2009 Bernie Wagenblast