The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "rail transportation" ...
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Terror on the Tracks
Prine investigated the reality of how secure rail shipments of poisons and explosives were. The investigation " uncovered shoddy security at facilities and rail lines previously inspected - and found wanting= by the Federal Railroad Administration." Prine created a database and shared it.
Tags: railroads; transportation; terrorist attacks; federal government; security; chlorine; poison; EPA; FRA
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Off the Rails
In late 2004 the Washingon Metro system was granted money to upgrade its system. Of that money, reporters discovered that roughly $1 billion was squandered. Often the new equipment was worse than the old, the old equipment that was fixed up came out worse, and there was a high increase of overtime costs. The Metro managers had hidden this from its board members and funders.
Tags: tax dollars; Washington metro system; transportation; money misallocation
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Toxic Cargo; Crowded Inland Rails at Risk for Dangerous Chemical Spills
The investigation showed that Inland Southern California faces increasing risk of toxic spills from freight trains carrying chlorine, anhydrous ammonia and other deadly chemicals. The authors found a public unaware of the risk, local authorities unprepared and an industry with a questionable safety record.
Tags: chemical transportation; chemical spills; rail transportation; California; freight trains; public safety; FOIA
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MetroLink Expansion Aims at Attracting New Riders
Getz discovers that more residents who live along a cheaper light-rail line in north St. Louis would use it more than the light-rail line that is being built "through one of the richest parts of central St. Louis." Getz explored the light-rail transit system in St. Louis after ongoing debates about taking the next costly step in building the light-rail system in the city. Critics said that low-income residents in north St. Louis, those who would most likely use the public transportation, were being ignored.
Tags: MetroLink rapid transit train system; St. Louis transit; public transportation
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King of the Commute
"Despite years of spending on public transit, Americans are driving more than ever. Some analysts say policy makers are mistaken to persist in emphasizing subway and rail construction, resisting road construction and urging commuters to carpool or take mass transit."
Tags: mass transit; transportation; public transportation; Portland; Oregon; commuting
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On the Borderline: Nafta Reality Check: Trucks, Trains, Ships Face Costly Delays
The Journal reports that "trade among the U.S., Canada and Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement is hitting a giant pothole: There aren't enough bridges, rails and docks to handle the goods, and the existing structures are often in the wrong places, mired in the traffic of busy downtowns. The result can be hours-long delays for billions of dollars of goods crossing North American borders."
Tags: cargo; infrastructure; ports; Mexico; Veracruz; transportation; international trading
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How to avoid being railroaded
Governing magazine looks at the effects that railroads and train traffic increases have on a community. It highlights how communities like Cleveland, Reno, Witchita and Rochester, MN have dealt with the impact.
Tags: railroads; trains; transportation; train traffic; commercial rail transportation; derailment; traffic impact; Surface Transportation Board; STB
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Amtrak: The Price of Safety; Staying on Track: Ridership steady on ailing Amtrak
This two-part series investigates the impact the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had on Amtrak, the national passenger rail service.
Tags: Amtrak; transportation; safety; Sept. 11
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Railroaded
The American Press sheds light on how railroads in Southwest Louisiana have become a threat to public safety, and have raised concerns about devaluation of local residents' properties. Union Pacific has planned on building a storage-in-transit station in spite of the objections of the homeowners in the vicinity. "Public officials on the state and local level ... have battled for years to toughen regulations governing the rail industry," the Press reports.
Tags: Federal Railroad Administration; zoning; hazardous waste; roads; transportation; highways; Southern Pacific Railroad; traffic; legislation; FOI request; noise pollution
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The Buses Don't Stop Here Anymore
The American Prospect looks at the deteriorating quality of mass transit in America. The reporter points to statistics that show that fewer and fewer people use public transportation. "The falloff in bus ridership, which is much steeper than that in train ridership, is directly linked to declines in bus service," the Prospect reports. The story examines how some cities have revived and expanded their transit systems and ridership despite suburban sprawl. Others have cut off transit service on all but the most cost-effective routes, thus reducing the value of the transit system.
Tags: suburbs; Chicago Transit Authority; Regional Transit Administration; urban development; commuter rail model; Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority; Boston; Seattle; Toronto; subway; trains; buses; railroads