Ladies and gents - this week APTA held a 3-day annual meeting in Charlotte, followed by a meeting open to the public titled "STREET SMART: Streetcars and Cities in the 21st Century."

While APTA is much more representative of actual transit agencies than preservationists, there's a lot to be learned at these functions.

I missed this APTA meeting, but have attended a previous one in Little Rock. The STREET SMART program I did attend is new, and generally follows up on the content of the book STREET SMART published by APTA and the Community Streetcar Coalition.

Here's the reason you should attend if you can: probably half the program is devoted to development and funding, with a lot of attention paid to profitable partnerships with community stakeholders, and the nuts and bolts issues relating to SAFTEA-LU programs, which have substantially replaced the familiar TEA 21 - ISTEA federal grants programs many of us have used for preservation purposes. Given my background as a nuts-and-bolts railroader primarily involved in shops and ops, I have always found the grants end of the industry a bit mysterious. I know a lot more now, and have many more resources to consult with from agencies accustomed to dealing with real transit funding programs, some of which may be adaptable for preservation projects. There are some really smart people out there who talk freely about their success attending these meetings, who say a lot worth hearing, both as presenters and informally.

The book, which is a compilation of articles, is available from www.reconnectingamerica.org. I have no interest in the book or the publisher - just passing along what was for me a valuable resource.

dave