Manchester, Georgia 07 06 07

Cities with direct rail access from the airport to and from downtown receive nearly 11 percent more revenue per room than hotels in cities without such a connection, according to a report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and the U.S. Travel Association. The study, A New Partnership: Rail Transit and Convention Growth, shows higher revenue per room translates to a potential $313 million in revenue per year for so-called “rail cities.” In the post-recession period, rail cities commanded 16 percent higher revenue per room than hotels in non-rail cities, the organizations said. “Clearly investment in local rail systems

ATLANTA — MARTA police today arrested a 42-year-old man, charging him with assaulting a four people, including a “high-ranking military official” on a train at the Airport Station and an elderly woman, officials said. “At 11:17 a.m., a U.S. Army major boarded a southbound train at the MARTA Lakewood-Fort McPherson Station to pick up his family from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. While sitting on the train, an African American male dressed in a white robe and head dress, began staring at the major, pacing back and forth. He then headed towards the major yelling, screaming and swinging punches at him,” said

ATLANTA — The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is looking to expand its system to include “high-capacity transit” along a major thoroughfare into the city’s northern suburbs. Transit options for the 12-mile corridor along Ga. Highway 400, according to a notice published in the Federal Register, could include bus or rail. While MARTA officials have looked to expand the city’s subway system, new tracks haven’t been brought into service since 2000. “MARTA has identified an alignment that would provide approximately 11.9 miles of transit service along the GA 400 corridor within existing right-of-way from the existing North Springs MARTA