list 3 things you can talk about for 3 hours without prep (no trains) 1. Urbanism(*), urban history, etc (duh) 2. Aviation, general or commercial 3. Good food and drink (cooking, mixology, restaurants, etc)

Sometimes, you learn cursed pieces of information you know you would have been happier had you known it existed. (And yet this somehow still feels easier to comprehend and better thought out than NJT bus fare zones...)

Love this, down to the details like corners and near schools and parks. Making cities urban again.

This is one of those great NY transit victories that probably isn't celebrated enough: fixing a connection that is now incredibly well-used. (I know before hand I rarely thought about using the transfer there, now I use it somewhat regularly).

Been thinking a lot about this piece and in particular, the ways to build excitement for transit construction. It's so much easier to build regional excitement (and to be able to downplay temporary construction concerns) when you have the ability to build so much, so quickly.

Discovered a new person today. If you are on a moderately crowded commuter rail train and sit in the blue location with the other seats in the set empty*, you are a psychopath. (*Picture for illustration only, imagine no woman in the far seat)

A, dare I say, ministerial look at the history of proposals for expansion of the New York City Subway under Horace Harding Blvd (today's Long Island Expressway), including a proposal for a modern version. Excellent stuff; cannot recommend Andrew Lynch's work enough.

Somehow this piece had slipped me by, but it is well-worth reading: how Madrid built 126mi/203km of metro, tripling its system, for an incredibly low cost, quickly. In one four year project, 35mi/56km was built in 4 years for only $2.8B (adjusted 2024). worksinprogress.co/issue/how-ma...

Given how frustrating the Yankees have been this year (plus some other things), maybe I need to have room for a new favo(u)rite team. Congrats, Islanders! www.saltwire.com/prince-edwar...

While there is so much metaphorical about this that is bad, as a New Yorker, can I just say: I love this. Very NY moment. Doesn't matter who you are, we're all in it together sometimes.

Having spent a fair bit of time in DC, I love how "advertisement for a very specific target audience" is the same in a different capital.

So on our way to the airport today, I realized that there was only one more station to go to say we've ridden all on Line 1 / the Confederation Line... so did we do the silly thing and go a by our of our way to do it? You know we did.

"Can we go visit Terminal Tower? Mom: "We have Terminal Tower at home" Terminal Tower at home:

So, I had to make a pilgrimage.

obscure philosophy memes

Even in Canada's National Gallery, I can't fully escape that pesky Island in the Center(re) of the World. (I love the description).

It's okay, everyone, I put in a good word about the dangers of this policy.

Take this (FWIW) from an American who has had to deal with years of "Buy American" in transit procurement: it has led to cost increases and long lead times that haven't really stimulated anything but a Potemkin economy of reassembling things built elsewhere.

If you’re an urbanist and get a chance to see a Gustave Caillebotte exhibit you should probably do it. Great city scenes.

Sun was in the exact wrong position, but who is in the mood for some infrastructure? It may be the low season, but the Chaudière Falls and Ring Dam in Ottawa are gorgeous. The structures around provide hydro power for the metro area.

If I had a nickel for each time I wanted to make a "We have [CITY] at home" joke this week, I'd have two nickels*, which isn't a lot, but it's surprising that it happened twice. (*In two currencies, no less)

It's been a long day. So here: have the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill.

Okay, I knew this before coming, but with the signs and announcements, this could be a problem.

At YYZ and doing some planespotting between flights. I was drawn in by the retro livery but... what's that in the background!? The Antonov An-124 that Canada impounded after Russia's invasion of Ukraine is on the move!

It's too bad the wires are going to ruin this beautiful, historic structure. Won't be able to see it at all. Nope.

Hey all. Partner and I are heading to Ottawa for a long weekend. Any urban suggestions of things I should see? Or just suggestions, period?

Doing some research on an RPA plan for through-running regional rail in NYC from 1996 (pre their T-Rex plan) and came across this. Oof. Suffice it to say ESA has not lived up to expectations—to say the least. Remote work, depth, service splitting... rpa.org/work/reports...

I know this is a bit tongue in cheek, but I actually disagree that there is headway level that makes an absence of real seating acceptable. There will always be occasional service issues, always be things like late-night travel when headways are an issue, always be people with mobility issues.

Sometimes the internet leaks out into everyday life and it makes me really uncomfortable. Then again, this seems to have an appropriate feel: of a man holding a sign saying "The End of the World is Nigh."

You learn something new every day.

Is this horse race politics? 🤔🦊 Or would that be limited to further redevelopment of Aqueduct? I'll see myself out...

Metro-North conductor: "Now arriving at Grand Central Terminal, track number... I don't know. But we're on the lower level. Have a good day!"

Once again, it seems that the MTA's EAGLE teams are punishing normal riders because they are not using the common fare verification tools (handheld scanners) used by almost every other proof-of-payment system in the world. www.reddit.com/r/nycrail/co...

Just to be clear: this is the timeline for some sidewalk extensions and the installation of some turn lanes.

I am here for Ebenezer Howard shitposting.

'Not a good idea, but a very Albany idea' is an amazing turn of phrase. And these now cancelled casinos are the perfect example.

Really enjoy this piece from @hawthorne.bsky.social on the World Trade Center site 24 years later. (h/t @henrygrabar.bsky.social). The title sums it up well: "Shockingly enough, the World Trade Center site is turning out just fine" www.punchlistmag.com/p/shockingly...

Harsh but fair punishment for illegal parking.

"Our scientists have developed this projection of what an AMC Gremlin will look like by the year 2000..."

The deep anti-urbanism of American culture. Statistics show mass transit is orders of magnitude safer than driving... but those numbers simply don't matter. It's just baked into us that the public realm must somehow be a dangerous place, even when, especially now, it is not.

I need this today, you need this today, we all need this today.

Okay, so I saw this pin at the Queens Museum and started doing research. Apparently Chicken Delight was founded the same year as KFC and expanded much faster before collapsing. The weird part: the only survivors are the tiny Canadian subsidiary... and 6 stores in the NY area using the old logo!?!?

Good hat on train

"Can we go visit New York?" Mom: "We have New York at home." New York at home:

In Charlottetown, PEI news: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... A waste-to-energy facility actually makes a lot of sense on a small Island, where landfill space is limited and shipping costs high. Carbon emissions are always hard to calculate vs landfills and methane, of course.

Mastodon, here with the features that might have helped it be relevant if they had been implemented years ago. techcrunch.com/2025/09/12/m...

I had sorely, sorely hoped this would not be the case. But it's hard to deny what's right in front of you.

TONIGHT, come out and meet with ETA for TOD: Transit-Oriented Drinks, September! Join us for drinks, transit discussion, and transit advocacy! TONIGHT, Friday, September 12, 2025 from 6-8pm at Vanderbilt Market 45th St & Vanderbilt Ave Behind Grand Central. All are welcome!

This is probably one of the most important story in the New York region right now that is not getting anywhere near the attention it deserves: a stoppage would bring major parts of the region to a standstill. Info bubbles and all that, but if this is barely popping up in my NY transit info bubble…

Sometimes urban scenes just make me say, "Good lord." So pretty.