Breakfast links: Congratulations, it’s a train!

Birth of a Metro car

The new 7000 series Metro railcars debut on Tuesday. The new cars are built in Lincoln, NE in a factory surrounded by a cornfield. You can also watch a video of workers assembling and testing the brand new cars. (Post)

Deja vu?

Two of Mayor Bowser’s close aides are running for DC Council seats in the April 28 special election. Critics worry their support would give the mayor unchecked power, but they will be hard to beat. (Post)

I can’t see them

Unable to find the tiny endangered shrimp near the Purple Line, opponents continue their lawsuit to stop the project anyway. (Bethesda Now)

In n’ out

DC’s many homeless families are leaving the shelter system, but at much higher rates than expected. This winter there were more families in shelters in the first place which could mean more cycling out.  (City Paper)

Diet commitments

A road diet and bike lanes along Kingstowne Village Parkway is under threat despite being in Fairfax County’s master plan. Residents are concerned about congestion, but traffic counts say otherwise. (FABB)

Marines on the move

The Marines are looking for new space near Barracks Row and have proposed five alternatives all walkable to the historic barracks. (JDLand)

The library goes to school

Charter schools lack libraries and librarians compared to traditional public schools. Now, a partnership with the DC Public Library will help by opening a branch inside a charter school, part of a trend to boost reading. (Post)

Cooped up

Montgomery County Child Protective Services once again took custody of the now well known, “free-range kids.” The Meitiv family prompted a debate about how much freedom children should have to walk alone. (Post)

Gotta go

A pilot program that rolls out portable bathrooms, along with attendants, to serve the homeless is keeping San Francisco clean. Previous, unattended bathrooms were misused and became too dirty. (ABC, LEW)  (Tip: LEW)

“Up” house floating away

A Seattle house that stayed put as commercial development surrounded it will finally meet its end. It had become an anti-corporate rallying point and resembles the house in the Pixar movie “Up.” (NYTimes)

And…

A USDA survey finds that most people drive for groceries, and typically do not go to the closest store. (Streetsblog) … How the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority makes its choices of projects to fund. (Post) … Vancouver commits to running on 100% renewable energy in 20 years. (Guardian)