There are already a lot of new threads in this forum at the moment, but I will go ahead and post this second installment anyway.  I think everyone can keep up. :-)

 

It's been more than a year since I collected lots of photos from downtown (except that crazy "corners" thing), so I thought I'd get some random new ones on sunny Thursday, January 12.

 

 

 

 

Look at all those wires!

 

 

 

 

 

What kind of 'scape?

 

That kind!

 

"Arc de Square"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at ya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until part 3, signing off from Woodland Cemetery.

PigBoy, as always, outstanding!

Great thread, Pigboy, interesting shots.

 

I have always kind of been distressed about all the electric and streetcar lines in Dayton and suburbs, but some of your pics give them a distinct role in the urban fabric of Dayton, so in that way, you have greatly improved my already positive image of the city.

 

Take this one for example:

Nice & crisp! Great photos!

 

I have always kind of been distressed about all the electric and streetcar lines in Dayton and suburbs, but some of your pics give them a distinct role in the urban fabric of Dayton...

 

I think above-ground power lines, phone lines, cable TV, etc. are a blight on the landscape, both urban and rural, and should be run through buried conduit both for scenic improvement and to reduce disruption from weather events. Trolley catenary, whether it's bus or streetcar, is a different story. To me, it belongs and indicates the presence of clean, efficient public transportation.

 

Because of an ordinance prohibiting overhead wires in the District of Columbia, streetcars there drew power from a conduit or third rail beneath a slot between the tracks. I don't know if that would work in places where the winters are more severe, but it worked there for many years. Trying to run trolley buses that way would present a special problem because they don't follow a precise, repeatable path in the street. </ramble>

^Yeah, I would rather all power lines were buried, but Dayton is so far behind, it would cost millions. I remember around 5/3rd field they redid the streetscape with new light poles that had brackets to hold the streetcar wires instead of a wire between two poles on either side of the street. They buried almost all of the wires and it looked great. About a year later, crews started running other lines on the new metal light poles and now the area isn't much different than the rest of downtown.

 

In Hamilton, they installed a new streetscape and shortly after, the underground wiring went bad. The city's solution:

Beautiful pics PigBoy.  Dayton is looking might urban in those shots.  I think the clutter look of all the wires kind of adds to the hustle and bustle feel (even if only in my perception).  You had me after that first pic, it's a dandy.  Thanks.

Thanks, guys!

 

The trolley bus wires are great, but downtown Dayton could stand to lose a lot of the other wires.  For starters, some kind of poles for the taffic lights might be nice.

 

Ink, after reading that last post of yours, I reviewed my pictures to see what kind of wiring solutions (for the trolley buses) were visible.  I noticed that Main Street between 4th and 5th (see the third pic from the bottom, for example) has the wires held the same way as your example by the baseball field.  In all likelihood, that's because of that roller coaster "Flyover" thing in the middle of the street.  But I also see the same kind of thing in one of the pictures of 4th Street and can offer no similar explanation for that.  Every place else seems to have them on the wires strung across the street.  Something else that stikes me as a little interesting--although probably not unusual in any way--is the way the wires are attached to the underside of the railroad overpass at the entrance to the Oregon District (a picture I didn't post, but you could probably see it in a ColDay photo somewhere).

 

This stuff is interesting, and I'd never really paid close attention to it before.  Ink, you should do a photo tour of Dayton's trolley bus wires!

Haha. I might have to do a streetscape/infrustructure thread however. Some of Dayton's streets are lined with so many poles that you think there is a fence between the street and the sidewalk. First street still has separate lightpoles and poles for the streetcar lines, making it a perfect example. In many areas of the city however, I have noticed that when they replace the light poles/streetscape, they install poles that double as both, which help to clean up the area.

 

This photo by dfly shows the typical overuse of poles in older areas

 

Last year they replaced the traffic signals at dozens of intersections downtown, and all were still wire supported systems, I just wonder if the streetcar lines somehow prevent mast poles like other cities.

Nice shots!  It's amazing how much more beautiful things in the city look on a sunny, bright day.

 

Hey, where is that mural of the woman with the camera? On what building, street?

 

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Future Photo Opportunity for you Daytonians - perhaps one of you can go to the 2nd street public market on Feb. 24th for their upcoming "Mardi Gras" event.  Should make some interesting photos plus you'll hear some great music.  I plan to be there.  (If you go on a regular market day, try the German red wine from the market wine vendor and the garlic-cheddar or sin-a-mon bread from Big Sky.  It's to die for...)

Hey, where is that mural of the woman with the camera? On what building, street?

It's on the east side of St. Clair Street, between 1st and 2nd, I think.

^Bingo.

Amazing photos of an amazing city... Dayton is a real city, with a real downtown. I don't think some people know that.

Fantastic shots, PigBoy!  You somehow managed to make a shot of a parking garage interesting.