Hardball talkshow host Chris Matthews had posed a very blunt question for President Obama, Democrats & Republicans, and America at large…
Posts Tagged ‘NY’...
Would We Build the Subway Today? Commentary By Chris Matthews
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010Tags: Chris Matthews, Hardball, high speed rail, highspeed rail, infrastructure, MSNBC, New York, NY, President Obama
Posted in Opinion, Transit + Infrastructure | 1 Comment »
Summer Subway FREEBIES! Free Rochester Wallpapers
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
I’ve never shared this with anyone before… but I have a disorder. I’m an excessive wallpaper changer. I’m in therapy (and doing a little self-medicating) but still, I have a hard time keeping one background graphic on my computer desktop for more than a day or two (at most). Maybe I have ADHD? Or maybe I just need a life. I CAN’T HELP IT! I just get bored staring at the same image for too long. I tear through so many wallpapers I’ve had to start making my own…
Tags: abandoned subway, abandoned subway tunnel, abandoned tunnel, City of Rochester, desktop backgrounds, desktop wallpaper, downtown Rochester, Erie Canal Aqueduct, free stuff, Freebies, Genesee Aqueduct, Genesee River, Graffiti, history of Rochester, Main Street, New York, NY, old photos, old photos of Rochester, pc wallpaper, photo, photography, Rochester, Rochester history, rochester images, Rochester NY, Rochester panorama, rochester photos, Rochester Subway, subway tunnel, trolley, vintage postcard, vintage views
Posted in Freebies, Rochester Images | 11 Comments »
‘Star Wars’ Invades The New York City Subway System
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010One of the wonderful things about living in New York City for an artist is having the opportunity to share your work with any number of people at a moment’s notice. No matter the time of day, whether you’re in the park, strolling along the sidewalk or traveling via mass transit, there’s always someone around, always a captive audience…
Tags: Imperial Stormtroopers, Improv Everywhere, MTV, New York, New York City, New York City Subway, NY, NYC Subway, Star Wars
Posted in New York City Subway, Subways Around the Globe | No Comments »
Powers Building & Four Corners, 1904
Sunday, January 31st, 2010We found this old photo of the Powers Building and Rochester’s four corners recently on a vintage photos website called Shorpy.com . Not only is this a photo of one of Rochester’s most celebrated structures at one of the greatest times in the city’s history, but it’s incredibly detailed for such an old photo—right down to the logos painted on the office windows (click on the image to enlarge).
Hey, here’s a bit of fun for you… we hid the RochesterSubway.com logo somewhere in the photo. Let’s see which one of you can find it first. And while you’re searching for our hidden logo, here are a few other things you should take notice of…
Tags: architecture, Ashley & Loewenguth, City of Rochester, downtown Rochester, Fidelity Trust, Four Corners, Grand-Union, intersection, Main Street, New York, NY, old photos, old photos of Rochester, Phoenix Mutual Life, Powers Building, Powers Hotel, Rochester, Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railroad, Rochester and Sodus Bay Railway, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Trust & Safe Deposit Company, Shorpy.com, State Street, trolley, vintage views
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure | 9 Comments »
The Electric Interurban Railways in America
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
Long before hybrid cars, SUV’s, JetBlue, and even Amtrak, travel between American cities occurred largely by rail. With the industrial and technological revolution around the turn of the 20th century, America’s interurban railway developed so fast and connected so many of us, it must have seemed like the future had suddenly arrived out of nowhere. So when Henry Ford’s Model T was introduced who could have anticipated the turn transportation history would soon take.
If you’re interested in understanding the history of rail travel in American (its rise and quick fall), we’ve got a book for you. One of our readers, Laurence Keefe, recently brought this one to our attention. The following is Larry’s review…
“When we were children on summer vacation, the highlight of the day was when Dad got home from work. We would eat dinner at six o’clock, when the news came on the radio. That was because it took him 50 minutes to get from his office near the Four Corners in Rochester, NY to our farm in Victor…
Tags: Alexander Street, Amtrak, automobile, Averill Street, Canandaigua, Clyde, Court Street, Exchange Street, General Motors, George W. Hilton, GM, Great Depression, Henry Ford, hybrid car, I-490, industrial revolution, interurban, JetBlue, John F. Due, Laurence Keefe, mass transit, mass transportation, Model T, New York, New York Central Railroad, NY, public transportation, rail, rail transit, railroad, Rochester, Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railroad, Rochester and Sodus Bay Railway, Rochester Syracuse and Eastern Railroad, SUV, Syracuse, The Electric Interurban Railways in America, train, trains, transportation, vintage postcard, War Memorial
Posted in Opinion, Train/Railroad Stuff, Transit + Infrastructure | No Comments »
Happy New Year Rochester. 24 Ways to Give Back in 2010.
Thursday, December 24th, 2009When I started this web site a little over a year ago I made a personal commitment to make sure I gave something back to Rochester. So I identified some of the things I value (education, community, family, etc.) and I did a little research to find local charities and organizations that matched up with those values. It wasn’t very hard really and didn’t even take that much time. Once I picked out a few good groups, the actual act of “giving” turned out to be the easy part!
So it’s the holidays and the curtain is drawing closed on 2009… maybe you didn’t give as much as you would have liked to in 2009. And now you’ve just sucked down a quart of eggnog so you’re suddenly feeling generous? Or maybe you’re looking for some volunteer ideas for next year. First, I’ll tell you about 4 things that RochesterSubway.com (that’s me) did in 2009 to give back. Then I’ll list 20 additional Rochester based charities and organizations that need your help…
Tags: charities, charity, donate, holidays, JA, Junior Achievement, new year, New York, NY, R.E.F., Rochester, Rochester charities, Rochester Education Foundation, Rochester NY, Rochester Regional Community Design Center, RRCDC, volunteer, WXXI, YMCA, YWCA
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News | No Comments »
Today, December 21, in Rochester History: The Rochester Disaster.
Monday, December 21st, 2009On this day, December 21, 1887 in Rochester history…
On the afternoon of December 21, 1887, the Vacuum Oil Works attempted to transfer 14,000 gallons of naphtha (petroleum ether) through a pipeline running underground to the Municipal Gas Company on Canal Street (one mile from the falls). Unfortunately, the companies were unaware that construction on the sewers at Atkinson street (a mile and half away from the falls area) had ruptured the pipeline.
The flammable gas filled the sewers and drifted down the line towards the High Falls/Browns Race district. (more…)
Tags: Atkinson Street, Browns Race, Canal Street, Clinton Flour Mill, High Falls, Jefferson Flour Mill, Mill Street, Municipal Gas Company, naphtha, Naphtha Explosions, New York, New York Times, NY, NY Times, petroleum ehter, Platt Street, Rochester, Rochester disaster, Rochester history, Rochester NY, this date in Rochester history, Vacuum Oil Works, Washington Flour Mill
Posted in Rochester History | No Comments »
The Rochester Public Market to Get More Parking and a Shuttle
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
My family has a Saturday morning tradition. We all grab our eco-friendly shopping bags and pile into our not-so-eco-friendly family car. But that’s alright. Even if my car is a clunker I usually feel a lot better about myself after a trip to the Rochester Public Market. I can’t explain it—this place just makes me feel good. So how do you improve on a good thing?
I recently heard a rumor that the cool people down at Rochester’s very cool Public Market were considering buying a trolley. Yup, that’d be an improvement! Is the rumor true? I asked James Farr, Assistant Director of Recreation for the City of Rochester.
Tags: City of Rochester, CSX, Friends of the Market, James Farr, Juan & Maria's Empanada Stop, Marketview Heights, New York, NY, railroad, Rochester, Rochester NY, Rochester Public Market, Rochester Regional Community Design Center, RRCDC, things to do in Rochester, tram, trolley, Union Street, urban planning, urban revitalization
Posted in Interviews, Rochester Destinations, Rochester News, Urban Development | 2 Comments »
Hot New License Plate Design or Hot Pile of #@&!?
Monday, November 16th, 2009If you’re a New York motorist you’ve probably heard about Albany’s latest attempt to use your wallet to fix their budget gap. Beginning in May 2010 you may be required to buy a new set of plates for your ride (starting at $25). I say “may” because this is not a done-deal and lawmakers just might buckle under the pressure from protesters and decide against the whole idea. But if Patterson has his way, your car may soon be adorned with lovely new blue and gold plates… GAG!
Perhaps being a graphic designer disqualifies me from passing judgement, but based solely on the proposed design, I say this is a bad idea. But let’s take an informal poll…
Leave a comment and let us know what do you think.
Tags: Albany, automobile, Governor Patterson, graphic design, license plates, new plates, New York, New York state, NY, NY state
Posted in Opinion, Rochester News, Transit + Infrastructure | 11 Comments »
Subway Confessions: Rochester’s Boys of Summer, 1952
Sunday, November 1st, 2009Our recent article about the City’s initiative to fill the abandoned subway tunnel drew many interesting comments from our readers. I wanted to highlight one of those comments from Patrick Eagan—a native Rochesterian who has since relocated to south Florida (RochesterSubway.com receives almost as many emails from people now living outside Rochester as we get from current residents). When Patrick was a kid he used to play softball with the Kodak Park Athletic Association. And when you’re a kid what could go better with a game of softball than a ride on the Rochester Subway?
Patrick agreed to let us post his subway story here—but do check out his great blog and original post.
Tags: 19th Ward, abandoned subway tunnel, Cameos, Dewey Avenue, Emerson Street, Exchange Street, Four Corners, Jefferson High School, Kodak Park Athletic Association, KPAA Softball, New York, NY, Patrick Eagan, Rochester, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway story, Rochester's northwest quadrant, softball
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway Stories | 1 Comment »
New Old Photos of Main St. Rochester
Thursday, October 1st, 2009Last year sometime, Fred from Webster shared with us a few subway stories from when he was a kid. Fred contacted us again recently and this time shared a few old photos from the Main Street and Clinton area. When I get some time I’d like to go out and photograph these same locations today to see just how far we’ve come (or fallen). In the meantime take a look at these shots—and holler if you recognize any of these buildings…
Tags: Clinton Avenue, downtown Rochester, Main Street, memory, Monroe County, New York, NY, old photos, photo, photography, pictures, Rochester, Rochester history, storefronts, views, vintage, vintage views
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 1 Comment »
Rochester and Cincinnati transit maps shine in Monocle Magazine
Friday, September 18th, 2009No it’s not for people with one eye. Monocle is a global current affairs magazine (published in the U.K.) with a sharp aesthetic and an editorial tone that suggests we can build a better world if we just think creatively about global problems. And wouldn’t you know, they took notice of our little Rochester Subway map in their September issue. Brilliant!
Tags: abandoned subway, article, Cincinnati, Cincinnati Subway, Cincinnati Transit Map for Optimists t-shirt, Dream Machines, Monocle Magazine, New York, NY, OH, Ohio, Rochester, Rochester Subway, Rochester Subway map, Rochester Subway Poster, Sasha Issenberg
Posted in Rochester Gifts, Rochester News, Rochester Subway | No Comments »
The NYC Metro Cuff
Saturday, August 29th, 2009By now everyone knows that if you want to project yourself as an über-urbanite, you need to have a subway map hanging on your wall. And if you want to take your überness to the streets you need something like a subway t-shirt. But if a transit t-shirt sounds more über-geek than über-chic, feast your eyes on the new NYC Metro Cuff…
Tags: accessory, bracelet, Cincinatti Transit Map t-shirt, Design Hype, gift idea, jewelry, magic 8-ball, Manhattan, map, New York City Metro, New York City Metro Map, New York City Subway, New York City Subway Map, NY, NYC Metro, NYC Metro Cuff, NYC Subway, Pennssylvania based company, Rochester Subway map, urban
Posted in Rochester Gifts, Transit + Infrastructure | 2 Comments »
A REAL Small Town: Rochester Miniatures
Thursday, August 27th, 2009A few weeks ago we showed you an amazing model railroad in Hamburg Germany called Miniature Wunderland. After we posted that story, let’s just say we were inspired.
May I present to you… Rochester Miniatures…
Tags: Bausch & Lomb Headquarters, downtown Rochester, fake miniature photography, Genesee Aqueduct, George Eastman House, Germany, Hamburg, miniature, Miniature Wunderland, New York, NY, Photoshop, Rochester, scale model, tilt-shift, U of R, University of Rochester, UofR, Xerox Tower
Posted in Rochester News | 1 Comment »
Tokens of Rochester’s Past
Sunday, August 16th, 2009We’ve been scouring the internet, libraries, archives, and antique shops all over western New York in search of anything we can get our hands on that may have had anything to do with Rochester’s subway. It’s all fair game— from old photos, postcards, tickets and passes—even stories and opinions from our readers. In our searching we’ve learned that the tiniest subway finds are usually the coolest. Case in point—tokens—at just 16mm (that’s millimeters), many of these coins are small enough to get stuck up your nose. But don’t try it. Trust us.
Tags: collectible coins, Donald Byrne, history of Rochester, Jim Dierks, New York, New York Museum of Transportation, New York State Railways, NY, NYS Railways, Rochester City and Brighton Railway, Rochester history, Rochester Railway Company, Rochester Subway, Rochester Transit Corporation, rochestersubway.com, RochesterSubway.com Token T-shirt, token roll, tokens, transit tokens, trolleys
Posted in Rochester Gifts, Rochester History, Rochester Subway, Train/Railroad Stuff | 2 Comments »
Rochester Subway on StrangeMaps
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009Recently, a popular blog known as Strangemaps posted an article about our 2008 Rochester Subway map called “Pipe Dreams, or the Rochester Ghost Subway” .
Tags: article, blog, Buffalo, George Eastman, history of Rochester, New York, Nick Tahou, NY, or the Rochester Ghost Subway, Pipe Dreams, Rochester history, Rochester Subway map, Smugtown USA, Strangemaps
Posted in Rochester Gifts, Rochester History, Rochester Subway, Transit + Infrastructure | 4 Comments »
Harry Davis for Rochester City Council
Sunday, August 9th, 2009On September 15, 2009, there’ll be a gentleman on the Democratic primary ballot for Rochester City Council. Harry Davis is a big advocate for Rochester, sustainable urban planning, and rail transit …That’s all it took for us to take notice. Mr. Davis doesn’t have a long political resume or a lot of connections with big names. He’s a graduate of Brighton High School (1969), owned an antique store on Park Avenue, ran a small alternative Rochester newspaper called The Journal, and traveled around a bit while working as a video producer for Greenpeace. From my brief conversation with Mr. Davis, I’d say whatever he lacks in political experience he more than makes up for with heart and enthusiasm. Take this self-produced anti-RenSquare ad for instance…
Tags: Bill Reed, Brighton High School, Democrat, design charette, election, Evan Lowenstein, Greenpeace, Harry Davis, High Falls, high speed rail, Joni Monroe, Mayor Duffy, New York, NY, Renaissance Square, Rochester City Council, Roger Brown, The Journal, urban planning, vote, Working Families Party
Posted in Interviews, Rochester News, Video | 5 Comments »
This Sunday July 19, Is Trolley Time…
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009This Sunday, July 19 2009, RochesterSubway.com will be in Rush NY at the New York Museum of Transportation . The only trolley operation in New York State will be celebrating the energy-efficient traction era with a day of special trolley activities. Slide shows, substation tours, the Chevy Equinox hydrogen fuel cell electric car, and exhibitors supporting rail transit will be featured, along with unlimited trolley rides—all included with museum admission.
Tags: Chevy Equinox hydrogen fuel cell electric car, New York Museum of Transportation, NY, rail transit, Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, Rush, substation tour, trolley, trolley rides
Posted in Events, Rochester Destinations, Train/Railroad Stuff | No Comments »