Evolution of the DC Metrorail

This timeline was put together by David Alpert from GreaterGreaterWashington of the evolution of the DC metrorail system. http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=4835

The best part about this is watching how the system grew and expanded (and threatens to be curtailed due to finances) over the last 34 years. As you click through the timeline and watch the system grow, you can see how a lot of growth happens over very short periods of time. It's unfortunate when you compare this to the Baltimore system which grew very slowly, and still struggles with the best way to successfully expand service.

D.C.'s metrorail is a testiment to strong, consistent funding backed up by sound decision making, planning, and connectivity. The same cannot be said with Baltimore, where our funding has been much less, our planning being focused more on cheaper rather than most effecient, and our connectivity is lacking. 

Anyone interested in putting together something similar for Baltimore?

Snowpocalypse Now!

(photo credit, The Baltimore Sun)

I love the smell of snow in the morning, smells like...blizzard.

Just when you thought we couldn't get any more snow, here we go with another storm, and a hell of a storm at that! By tomorrow we could see anywhere between 20"-30" of the white stuff in the Baltimore area. This storm could easily give the February 2003 storm a run for its money. For all of us Loyola alums who were there at the time, we refer to that one as "Snow Week".

Right now, as of 11:15pm, we have blizzard like conditions with heavy snow and a whole lot of roaring, blustery wind. Looking out on the skyline the buildings disappear into the snow only a few blocks away. It is very incredible to watch!

More snow to come over night, the temperature is supposed to drop as the night goes on and the winds will continue to be strong and gusting. More snow throughout tomorrow into the afternoon. If you have any great pictures from today or tomorrow, please pass them along!

...the horror...the horror

Checking in on Changes at Penn Station

I'm not a daily commuter in-and-out of Penn Station, so I am rarely up there other then when I have to take MARC or Amtrak for business travel. Before the snow yesterday, I found myself up in that part of town while dropping into the UB Library to pick up a book on reserve. Since I had to wait for the Hopkins shuttle to pick me up, I decided to detour into Penn Station to see what improvements have been made since I was last in there.  To bring people up to speed Amtrak received stimulus money to make improvements and upgrades at the station.

The interior is seeing some major upgrades. Recently, the ceiling was upgraded, the water stained tiles have been replaced, so the ceiling is now uniformly white. Ceiling fans have been installed and are a great addition. Amtrak is apparently upgrading their train information systems as well. Gone is the auto-mechanical schedule board with its familiar flap-flap-flap sound as the schedule was updated. It has been replaces with an equally large LED display, which has not been put into service yet. New LCD monitors have been added in the many lobby, the sitting area, and the ticketing area, but have not been turned on either.

The biggest improvement so far has been the opening of the Java Moon Cafe (and bar!). This is definitely an attempt to capitalize on the growing number of travellers who travel through Baltimore. The addition of Java Moon fills a major hole at Penn Station where other stations (e.g. 30th Street, Union, NYPenn) have, an expanded place for travellers to sit and grab a bite to eat or have a drink while waiting for the train to arrive.

In the near future the windows will also be replaced through ARRA funds, and the long anticipated renovation for the Inn at Penn Station coming sometime this year.

If any of you readers out there are up by Penn Station in the future, or more frequently than I am, check in and let us know what you see, or if you have any photos.

Unexpected Snow Storm

What was forcast as a light dusting of snow for Saturday turned into a whole lot more than that in the Baltimore area. I awoke Saturday morning to the first snowflakes falling.  What I thought would pass by quickly turned into a lengthy, constant snow storm. The city wound up getting more than an inch or so, and the streets quickly turned into a slippery white mess.

Unlike our previous snowstorm that dropped 21 inches in December. This quick storm left many of us in Baltimore unprepared, and previously scheduled weekend plans were truncated. Thankfully, the DOT was on the roads early and often, salting, sanding, and plowing. By the afternoon most of the downtown streets were pretty clear.

If you have any snow stories from the weekend please let me know!

Lights Out

There are some profound truths in the world that we all just know as fact. There are also these in the urban world. "Pedestrians should use the sidewalk", "Turn signals are best effective when used", "Green means go". There is another one that seems little used in Baltimore though, "Street Lights are most helpful when turned on". Swing-and-a-miss for our city.

I bring this up, because I've noticed one glaring thing almost everyday from my walk back to work. Not too long ago, over the late summer and fall, road workers were busy repairing a stretch of E.Saratoga St between Calvert and Cathedral as a part of a streetscape improvement program. In addition to street work, the sidewalks were replaced, and new pedestrian street lamps were installed. You know, the nice tall black ones with the clear glass bulb at the top, typical of the rest of Baltimore.

After the construction was finished, it looked greatly improved, except one little, minor oversight. The street lights were never, I'm guessing, plugged in. Now, I've walked this route at 5pm when the sun is just setting and the street lights aren't on, because we know that sometimes the lights are triggered at a certain hour. However, I've walked Saratoga Street at 8, 9, 10, 11pm, and have never seen them lit!

Is this just a minor oversite, negligence or is there another step of the process that I'm just not getting. Thoughts?

UPDATE: Jamie Kendrick from Baltimore DOT left a comment regarding the lights. Thanks for the news!

Charm City Circulator on NextBus

You can get realtime information for where the CharmCityCirculator is now on NextBus. I knew that the CCC was going to have next vehicle arrival technology, and eventually ever stop would have a nextbus sign, but I don't know when that will be active. In the meantime you can check out NextBus on the web. I have heard that mobile alerts feature works similarly.

Why CCC doesn't have this posted on their website already is beyond me. There is a BusTracker feature, but is labled "coming soon".

This is Why I Love My Hometown

I saw this first on Greater Greater Washington, and I thought I would share it seeing as it depicts cars at an intersection in my hometown of Philadelphia. We hear a lot of stories about how drivers complain that bicyclists don't obey the traffic laws, run stop signs,  and cause problems for motorists. Or pedestrians, for that matter, attempting to cross the street. GASP! How dare they! Just take a look at this video then. Can you count how many cars make a full stop when there are 3 stop signs and a flashing red light?

The best is the video commentary, wait for the SUV with the duct-taped window.

Poe Toaster a No Show?

(photo credit, The Baltimore Sun)

Now this is very intriguing. For the first time since 1949, the mysterious caped man who visitied Edgar Alan Poe's grave at Westminster Hall on the anniversary of Poe's birth, January 19th, didn't show up. For the past 61 years, the unidentified toaster would leave a half-bottle of cognac and a rose on the grave of the poet who for a while live, and famously died in Baltimore. He generally comes overnight and by early morning the offering has been laid, but this morning, no cognac, no rose, nothing.

Has this minor tribute come to a conclusion? Last year was the bicentennial of his birth, potentially a fitting end to the toasting.

The Sun has a full article about this.

Hollywood Diner (Crema Coffee Co) Now Accepts Plastic

Good news on the Hollywood Diner front, they got their credit/debit card machine going. Now, you don't have to walk in there, see the Cash Only sign, quickly check your wallet and notice it's devoid of paper currency, curse yourself mildy, and then with slumped shoulders walk back out the door. This is good news, indeed. I cannot tell you how many people I see just walk by in the mornings because they've probably already had the aforementioned encourter once or twice before.

This place is a real hidden gem of Baltimore. Enjoy it if you can!

Crema Coffee Co. at the Hollywood Diner at 400 E. Saratoga St is open Monday through Friday, 7am-5pm. When the Baltimore Farmers Market is season, they are open on Sundays too.

Circulator Circulating Misinformation

Big thanks to Mike Dresser with his Getting There blog on The Sun. Apparently the CCC is giving out some band information that can strand riders. The brochures and bus announcements don't let people know that Purple and Green Routes AREN'T OPEN YET. Minor oversite, right? Sheesh, delayed seven months and still things are wrong!

Here is is full blog post at Getting There. Thanks Mike for the news. If you're reading out there, remember only the Orange Route is open, the other two start sometime in the Spring.