A Streetcar thought undesirable
St. Louis’s ill-fated Loop Trolley rolled for the last time in late December. It died in infancy, at the chronological age of 13 months and 14 days, with an actual service life of only 235 days. While it is difficult to determine the actual cause of death, it appears that the little streetcar that couldn’t never had a chance. [railwayage.com]
The forgotten London Underground line that was abandoned halfway through being built
The extension was announced in 1935 and construction began shortly afterward. But then history intervened. After all the 30s weren’t a great decade for economic and political stability. WWII started and when the free world is at stake Tube extensions into Hertfordshire are sidelined. [mylondon.news]
Amsterdam tests green tram stops
Amsterdam is testing newly designed tramway stops that are covered with greenery on the roof and walls. The newly designed stops have pump cellars in the ground where rainwater is collected and then used to automatically water the plant walls. The green stops also attract insects like butterflies and bees, which increase biodiversity in the Dutch capital. [themayor.eu]
This MBTA fashion shoot was so good it made people appreciate the Green Line
“Perfect.” “Flawless.” “Beautiful.” No, the uncharacteristic adoration for Boston’s MBTA that flooded social media on Christmas Eve wasn’t in praise of the T’s service; it was in response to photographs of model Nicelyne Georges, who staged a fashion shoot on several trains throughout the system and turned the T into her own personal runway. [bostonglobe.com]
New Jersey’s train stations are turning into gambling hubs for New Yorkers
Julio Carrasco, general manager of a sports bar near the train station in Hoboken, New Jersey, has welcomed a new sort of clientele in the past few months. Some are reps for sports-betting websites, like DraftKings or PointsBet, there to promote online wagering via events in the bar. The others are New York gamblers, typically single men, who come in by train just to bet. [time.com]
Cafe and taproom keep Lamy train depot lively
It’s a weekday afternoon, and the 1:54 Amtrak Southwest Chief train headed west is running late. But here in the bustling Lamy, New Mexico train depot, nobody minds much. There’s too much going on. You’re forgiven for assuming Harvey’s Cafe is named for famed hospitality entrepreneur Fred Harvey. No, Harvey’s Cafe is named for a cat. [santafenewmexican.com]
A history of Chicago’s Union Station architecture
Considering its place in Chicago now, the Neoclassical exterior is in stark contrast to the glassy contemporary structures that now surround it. Its stocky first two floors take up a full city block. Monumental colonnades and wide porticos dominate the entrances. It’s a space so big it feels divine. [chicago.curbed.com]
