The Underline – Miami’s new park under its train tracks – is now open
Until recently, the land under an elevated Metro line in Miami was little-used, wasted urban space. Now it’s becoming a park, with the first stage of the Underline – a 10-mile-long space for bikes and pedestrians in a car-centric city – having opened. The first stage of the Underline, stretching half a mile, includes green space with river views; butterfly gardens; recreation space; tables for dining; and a stage for community events. It also includes dedicated bike and pedestrian paths in an area where people might normally have chosen to drive, even if they were just trying to get to the train station. [travelandleisure.com]
Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station?
Located beside the Mississippi River on Hennepin Avenue, the Great Northern Depot was a de facto welcome mat for Minneapolis for many years. When it opened in 1914, the bustling station serviced more than 100 trains a day, traveling everywhere from St. Cloud to Vancouver. Harry Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dean Martin, Jimmy Durante — the Great Northern was host to all manner of celebrities and everyday travelers. It was the site of jubilant homecomings and the starting point for many parades. But when the wrecking ball came for the Great Northern Depot in 1978, no one stepped forward to save it. [startribune.com]
The uncertain future of commuter friendships
On a recent Monday, in the Moynihan Train Hall across from Penn Station in Manhattan, things looked a lot like you’d expect them to these days — pretty empty. A small stream of masked passengers were boarding the Amtrak Empire Line to begin the long trek upstate. Even though it was a weekday after work, suitcases outnumbered briefcases. It’s hard to imagine, but the Empire Line used to be a rolling party. There were even baby showers on the train. [marketplace.org]
Before Air Force One there was Train Car One
“You ride along here at night going home. And you look out. You look in the windows and you see the lights on and think… What is going on at that kitchen table? What are people thinking about? What are their real worries?” Such thoughts would occupy Senator Joe Biden’s mind on his homeward commute from Washington D.C. to Wilmington, Delaware. The 46th President of the United State’s relationship with trains reads like a romance. Biden has traveled over two million miles on Amtrak alone, often chewing the fat with passengers — sometimes even buying the coffees. [cnn.com]
