Robert Pence

We're not likely to give up militarism, even if we have to revert to cavalry and infantry charges and horse-drawn, wooden-wheeled, muzzle-loading cannon, and after that, to axes and swords and spears and bows and arrows. Blood battles will be the last vestige of human activity to vanish from the earth. :whip:

Neat thread; the b&w images really carry the theme of the poems. Reading them, I was reminded of a former neighbor of ours who died in her 70s after a life made miserable by a mean drunk of a husband. The sentiment expressed by many who knew her was that at least the old bastard could have died first, and given her a few years of peace. I don't think anyone lamented his passing when at last he went to the grave -- not even his children.

It's been a long time comin'. First they had to gut the original station and set up supports for reconstruction of the street overpass that runs above it, and then completely reconfigure the station area. When I was there probably fewer than half the shops were complete and open; that was still a great improvement to the ambience of the place. I'd still like to see them spruce up the boarding areas. The Metra lower-level platforms are dim, dreary and dingy; the South Shore boarding area is mostly new, so it's nicer, but it's all sterile gray concrete and needs sprucing up somehow, and lighting with a less industrial feel. I'm thinking along the lines of the photos I've seen of overseas subway stations where the platforms are enclosed and colorfully tiled and have glass walls with sliding doors between the platforms and the track pits. I know it's just maudlin sentimentality, but in a way I miss the seediness of the old station with its old-school food shops and vendors, and the open-air South Shore platforms, especially when waiting to board an Indiana-bound train at night. The reflection of platform lighting off shiny stainless-steel trains, with the backdrop of lighted towers and the sound of traffic coming and going, frequently punctuated with sirens, was a quintessential Chicago experience. The platforms before Millennium Park - now that they're in a cave, something should be done to make them less claustrophobic.

Impressive!

ha, I'm older than both of you. So be respectful toward your elders. Good job, Shawn. The first thirty-five have been good to you, and take it from an old fart who's closing in on the second thirty five, so far it's been better than the first one.

Alpha looks quaint and charming, although I don't know if I could take the excitement of living there. Much of Beavercreek does look like the promised land, though -- where the developers promise paradise and then, bit-by-bit, create a new definition of living in hell.

Excellent shots. The neighborhood looks pretty interesting.

Good stuff! It's been nearly 45 years since my first visit to Philadelphia, and the Art Museum and surrounding area were the first parts of the city that I saw. I still have good memories from those times.

Still Life #1 (shot as found)

One of many treasures I saw last Sunday. With a little work, it could be beautiful.

No one could be more fabulous than MayDay! Have a happy!

Neat shots!

That does it. I gots to get me some more Pittsburgh!

Good stuff! Pittsburgh is .... well, Pittsburgh. And I love it.

Yep. These should bring back some fond memories of the South Shore and Randolph Street in the "good ol' days". Millennium Park now occupies this space, with underground parking garages where the freight cars sit in these photos.

I remember seeing those, but I never rode them. That photo looks like it was taken at Van Buren, by the Art Institute. I have a slide that I shot near there, probably around 1971. I think they were a very dark green, and you're right about the AC. The windows were opened to get some air flow. The old South Shore cars were a similar design, I think, but they were orange and some of them had been retrofitted with air conditioning.

I can almost echo the property owner's sentiment. I don't own a dog, but I live at the intersection of the two most popular dog-walking routes in my neighborhood, and my yard is public doggy latrine. Despite my vigilance, all too often I step in something when mowing the lawn, and don't notice it until I'm back in the house or in my car. I had a drunk neighbor who had a big German Shepherd, and he got in trouble with the public health inspectors because of the accumulation of dog feces in his back yard. He cleaned it up, and started taking his dog into my yard when I wasn't home. I came home early one day and caught him, and went after him like I was going to physically assault him, and the problem went away. At least from my yard.

I wish! On arrival by South Shore and after passing through that classy station, it's a comedown to encounter the somewhat dingy stairway up to Randolph Street. There's an elevator for handicapped access between street level and concourse level, and the South Shore platforms are at concourse level. Some of the transit elevators require that you request activation via an intercom; I think that one may be set up that way. There's a ramp between concourse level and the lower-level Metra Electric platforms, but I never noticed whether there's an elevator. The Metra platforms and ramp are adequate to their purpose, but they sure could benefit from a pressure-washing and an update to the lighting. ... and they've eliminated the turnstiles and mag-strip tickets. The electric lines were the only place Metra subjected riders to the aggravation of passing a ticket through a turnstile to enter/leave a station. Arriving South Shore passengers sometimes had to holler, "South Shore" to get the agent to unlock the turnstile. The Pedway has been there for years, but it was closed until recently for renovation. I used it and the tunnel between the CTA State Street and Dearborn subways around 1995 to connect between in incoming South Shore train and a subway to O'Hare, and it showed many years of use then. I haven't checked it out since they reopened it.

South Shore train 12 arrives at Metra Electric 55-56-57th Street (Hyde Park) Station Metra Electric new bi-level cars - pretty spiffy. I think the 14 new cars on order for South Shore are similar. Older Metra Electric cars I stopped at the Meta desk and obtained permission to take these photos inside Millennium Park Station (Formerly Randoph Street Station). South Shore and Metra Electric trains terminate in this below-ground station at Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street. The retail shops are starting to open up, giving the station a more complete look. Several are still under construction, but yay for Starbucks and a Vente Caramel Macchiato! There were some wonderful colors inside the flower shop, but the employees declined my request for permission to take photos inside. South Shore trains lined up ready for passengers to Indiana. Looking from the entrance onto Randolph Street

One more, if you please ... S C R O L L > > > >

Lying along the southern tip of Lake Michigan, west of Michigan City, Indiana, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1966 after efforts by local activists that began in 1899. The first photos were taken at Central Beach, accessed off US 12 via a drive marked by two stone pylons. The weather during my brief stopover was chilly and extremely windy, and the sky was typically overcast for this time of year. The NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company) coal-fired power plant at Michigan City :? Your guess is as good as mine. There was once a station where the South Shore rail line crosses this road. South Shore trains provide frequent service between South Bend / Michigan City and Chicago. Indiana Dunes State Park offers good beaches, camping and picnic facilities and a nature center where Dune Creek flows into Lake Michigan, just west of Central Beach. Dune Park Station on the South Shore line is about a mile from the beach and campground via a trail and park roads. The beach house at the state park was built in 1923 and is well maintained. It has a cafeteria and concessions that are open during the summer season. Northwest Indiana's steel mills are visible west of the state park beaches.

Me, too.

Excellent shots! I love the collection of vintage trolleys.

I hope that Huntington becomes a great success story and an example to other burnt-out industrial cities that are neglecting their potential.

Good-looking downtown, actually. There are some great buildings, and the place looks pretty orderly and clean. I especially like the movement to return downtown thoroughfares back into local streets and calm the traffic.