The Third Rail Podcast

In this episode of the Third Rail, Adam and Owen take turns sharing their hottest transit takes -- Are highway median stations actually good design? Should downtown Chicago be pedestrianized? Tune in to hear how spicy the takes actually are -- and comment below with your own hottest transit takes!

After a recent visit to Denver, Colorado, Owen and Adam break down the state of transit in the Mile High City. Although a sprawling metropolis with a reach up-and-down the Front Range, Denver has several modes of public transportation, including light rail, commutter rail, urban bus and inter-city motorcoach. Adam and Owen discuss what Denver does well, where it could improve, and how the transit-...

In Episode 4 of the Third Rail Podcast, Adam and Owen tackle two large transit headlines from the past month. First, Owen leads a discussion about the Los Angeles Metro's latest extension to the D Line, providing subway service along the Wilshire Corridor and glitzy Beverly Hills, an important transportation project ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. And then Adam breaks down WMATA's recent d...

In the third episode of The Third Rail, Adam and Owen welcome on William as the podcast's first ever guest host. William, a Michigan native, discusses the transit landscape in Detroit and some possible strategies to turn things around for public transportation in the motor city. And then William shares his experience traveling across Europe and the United States, and identifying common aspects of...

In episode 2 of The Third Rail, Adam and Owen unpack WMATA's $913 million initiative to automate the Red Line on the Washington Metrorail, with major implications about the system's reliability, safety, operational efficiency and labor relations. And then, they discuss a recent audit from Brightline in Florida, the nation's only privately-owned and -operated intercity passenger railroad, casting d...

All Aboard on the inaugural episode of The Third Rail Podcast! Adam and Owen introduce the series and then dive into local headlines across the country, from Seattle, to the Bay Area and then the Meadowlands. And the main topic -- can public transit adequately serve sports venues? What conditions are essential to successful collaboration between mass transit and major sports events? Tune in as Ada...