Baltimore Skyline

I was driving the other day and I saw a Light Rail train with a peculiar livery on it. Turns out it had the same new paint job as the new hybrid buses. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera on me, and I was driving, so I couldn't stop to get a better look. I was positive I saw this, so I checked what any of us would...youtube. Low and behold someone else saw it too! Digging deeper I emailed the MTA Maryland and the next day received a response from one of the directors in the Customer Information office. He said that right now it's a test to see how it looks. He continued that all light rail cars will begin their mid-life overhaul this fall and will be repainted at this time. Who knows if this will be the livery they choose, but it would be nice to see them match the new buses. I followed up by asking what will be redone during the overhaul, but was only told "The cars will be completely rebuilt from top to bottom". As we hit the fall and into next year, I...

I snapped this photo while exiting the JHH metro stop a while back. The dome of the Johns Hopkins Hospital remains a fairly recognizable piece of the Baltimore skyline from many parts of the city. Once very prominent, sitting atop Washington Hill in East Baltimore, the rest of the hospital complex has slowly obscured most of it. Now, only the very top of the dome can be scene from afar.  The original hospital was built in 1889 and opened in May of that year. It was designed by John Rudolph Niernsee and Edward Clarke Cabot in the Queen Anne style and features ornate chimneys that rise from the roof and steep peaks on the gables and dormer roofs. Of the original hospital only the main building and wings remain; the wards that lined Monument Street between Broadway and Wolfe Street are long gone. Replaced over time by newer and larger buildings. Today the original hospital serves as the administration building and offices, and is the major icon of the now sprawli...

(photo credit MyBikeLaneBaltimore ) With the recent hearings of bicycle legislation in Baltimore City Council, there cines big step forward in making Baltimore a more bike friendly city. So far, the City Council has been favorable of the 5 proposed bills. These include redesigning storm grates so that the slots run perpendicular to the curb, having bike racks in new developments, improving safety communication between police and cyclists, ticketing cars parked in bike lanes, and implementing a Complete Streets program in the city. The legislation is a great first step that will ensure that any future development planning includes the input of pedestrians and cyclists. However, there seem to be some essential flaws in plans. There isn't enough infrastructure to begin with. Police cannot ticket cars parked in nonexistent bike lanes. This is why the Complete Streets part of the bill is so important. It will ensure that in any new development that bike needs are addressed. Th...

Buried deep in the MTA website in the news section, and not on the main page of the website like many transit agencies do, MTA recently posted its 2009 Annual Report . Considerably short at 24 pages (Septa released its last week and covers 88 pages of information), the Annual Report doesn't leave us with a whole lot of information. In fact, I'm a little confused over some differences in numbers. The Annual Report lists the Metro Subway as having 45,497 average weekday riders, slightly down from 2008. Light Rail posted 28,152 average weekday riders, an increase from last year. I thought this was a bit low from some of the APTA statistics I've seen so far this year, so I check it out. APTA, in each of it's reporting quarters in 2009 never listed the Metro Subway below 50,900 average weekday riders and the Light Rail was never below 34,600. What accounts for this massive difference? I can only assume that both MTA and APTA have their own statistics recorders, but are t...

Today marked the return of the Baltimore Farmers Market under the JFX for the 2010 season! I have been anxiously awaiting the return since last winter, and awoke this morning with the anticipation of child waking up Christmas Day. From December - May, Sunday mornings are quiet in downtown Baltimore if you're away from the Inner Harbor. However, as soon as springtime hits and the local farms begin harvesting their crop and bringing them to market in Baltimore, the streets are hopping with people. The GF and I strolled down to the market early this morning to check out the atmosphere, and purchase some much needed fresh fruits and vegetables. No offense to the Harbor East Whole Foods, but sometimes you're too extensive for what I need. Needless to say the market was bustling, and some of the lines were long, but everyone was amiable and enjoying their Sundays. Moms were pushing strollers, a few people brought their dogs, while others left their ill-tempered pets at home. One mo...