I'm a fan of public transit

Regarding the Station Square derailment on Sunday 8/5/18 in Pittsburgh

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2018/08/05/Freight-Train-derails-Pittsburgh-Station-Square-South-Side/stories/201808050144

There was a recent photo essay in the Guardian, posted on FB by others, about the "melancholy" jobs of Pittsburgh parking lot attendants (Search 'melancholy isolation'). It started with these words: "Given Pittsburgh’s poor public transport, many commuters choose to drive. Tom M Johnson photographs the city’s parking attendants in the confines of their booths." A commenter to that article described the Light Rail system as "going nowhere."

Now we have the reality of an awful lot of nowhere and nobodies being affected for a long time. I did not respond to that comment, but as someone who has used the Pittsurgh transit system consistently since the 1980s, and who recognizes its drawbacks, I really dislike the Guardian article's description of the public transit system as "poor" and of the commenter's description of Light Rail as "going nowhere."

I'm not up on the funding, though I have read that a lawsuit over fees that the PA Turnpike must pay to Port Authority and SEPTA is delaying some revenue, but I can't help but think that anything that gets more cars off the road is worthwhile.

I agree that travel by bus with various transfers is time consuming and draining. (Would I do it to get from South Hills to Oakland? No, not now. On the 44U express, though, I most definitely would have. That route is history, unfortunately, as is the PATrain). But I'd appreciate a discussion of how that is less time-consuming and draining than sitting in endless traffic jams of one car, one person. 


One advantage of the transit system here (and elsewhere) is the East Busway and the Light Rail operate outside of car traffic. There are problems (disoriented driver on the EBA), and near disasters, (like Sunday's on the LRT), but in general, they serve well to keep a few more cars off the road. And I always appreciated the time to read, study or just watch the passing scenery without having to focus on the traffic around me.

 There is a giant rabbit hole of laws passed by Congress adressing transportation funding, starting with Ice Tea, (at least in my memory) but it's hard to figure out what they have to do with double stack trains (fewer trucks on the highway. Sounds good, but what about safety?)

(Written but someone who hates to drive.)

Quotidian music

Parked on the Mon Wharf this morning, for $8. The going rate at the lot across the street from the office, because the Steelers play the Browns across the Point tonight, was $20.

So.

The wharf has a sort of nice trail along the river that someday will connect to something, but for now, it is just a trapped expanse of Pennsylvania blue stone that gets flooded frequently and covered with goose poop even more often. Still, if you have to park on the wharf, the trail is a much nicer stroll to the steps up to Fort Pitt Boulevard than the lot's dirty drive lanes.

I walked west toward the office and on the other side of the Mon, a coal train, its warning horn blasting on, off, on, then off again in long and short bursts chugged past Station Square heading east.

Not a very long train, but quite loud. I wonder what it would be like to be an engineer, sounding notes of the symphony of a day?

I love the music of trains. One of my favorite songs, from a favorite album from long ago, is "City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie. I still have this vinyl LP.

Saturday quickie

Quick post.

It takes 20 minutes to walk briskly from the intersection of the Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette at 34 Blvd. of the Allies and Commonwealth Blvd. east on Fort Pitt Boulevard then south on the Smithfield Street bridge to the Station Square cheapie parking lot.

I did the walk this evening after work and the northwest breeze from the Ohio River was a tad chilly.

Station Square has some of my favorite pieces of salvaged Pittsburgh art. Including the pictured with this post.