There’s an early scene in 2006 hit film “The Pursuit of Happyness” in which Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, races to catch a San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train with the bone density scanner he’s hawking. Gardner makes it on the train, but the doors slam shut on his hand that holds the prized scanner.
Editor’s Note: In another rather offbeat story, Bay Area Rapid Transit employs goats for brush cutting and “lawn maintenance” on some portions of its right-of-way prone to trackside fire. We thought this rather innovative use of natural resources would grab your attention, not get your goat. — William C. Vantuono
Editor’s Comment: Here, courtesy of Bay Area Rapid Transit, is an inspiring story of a young Vietnamese immigrant who, seeking a better life, came to the United States. Thu Nguyen is just one example of how the rail industry is embracing ethnic, cultural, racial and gender diversity. She, and others like her, are the future, not only of rail, but of America. This story was written for the general public—hence, the simplified, “non-railroad-jargon” language, but it’s well worth reading for us “industry folk.” – William C. Vantuono
Editor’s Note: In this rather offbeat story, Bay Area Rapid Transit has turned to a hawk for ridding pesky pigeons from perching and dropping “presents” on unsuspecting passengers on the train platform. — William C. Vantuono
Upholstered seats, gold plush carpet, tinted windows—the original San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) cars were the epitome of stylish design and comfort.
Deep in the BART archives at Lake Merritt Station, an unassuming large format book has been gathering dust. Just over 100 pages, the green cover has now faded, the pages yellowed. The