Engy's Experiment - Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/ If you build it, will they come? en-us Jason Engstrom Wed, 19 Apr 2006 14:25:12 GMT newtelligence dasBlog 2.1.8102.813 jengstrom@gmailNOSPAM.com jengstrom@gmailNOSPAM.com http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa 1

One of the least enjoyable aspects of my job is the commute.  I have a 30+ mile drive everyday, and the direction I have to travel on the expressway that I would normally take is notoriously one of the worst routes in the Chicago area. 

Through some experimentation, I've been able to sidestreet my way to a "manageable" drive of about an hour in normal driving conditions.  Unfortunately, there is no way for me to take public transit and at least reclaim those 2 hours a day into reading, sleeping, or portable video game playing.

However, this article is a nice little reminder that it could be worse.  WHO does this?  Unbelievable.

It could always be worse... http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa.aspx Wed, 19 Apr 2006 14:25:12 GMT <p> One of the least enjoyable aspects of my job is the commute.&nbsp; I have a 30+ mile drive everyday, and the direction I have to travel on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/miscil/edens.html">expressway</a> that I would normally take is notoriously one of the worst routes in the Chicago area.&nbsp; </p> <p> Through some experimentation, I've been able to sidestreet my way to a "manageable" drive of about an hour in normal driving conditions.&nbsp; Unfortunately, there is no way for me to take public transit and at least reclaim those 2 hours a day into reading, sleeping, or <a href="http://www.us.playstation.com/psp.aspx">portable video game playing</a>. </p> <p> However, <a href="http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2006/04/10/daily41.html">this article</a> is a nice little reminder that it could be worse.&nbsp; WHO does this?&nbsp; Unbelievable. </p> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,ca0449fe-23fe-4400-967b-fe7f8e8a0eaa.aspx Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be

Check out this artist's incredibly cool Photoshopped recreation of the Damen blue line stop.  Looks amazingly life-like! (Warning: Site may be VERY slow)

Doors open on the right at Damen http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be.aspx Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:00:22 GMT <p> Check out this artist's <a href="http://www.bertmonroy.com/fineart/text/fineart_damen.htm">incredibly cool</a> Photoshopped recreation of the <a href="http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/damen-ohare.html">Damen</a> blue line stop.&nbsp; Looks amazingly life-like! (Warning: Site may be VERY slow) </p> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,32cdfbab-f9d9-4f1e-9f0d-2c43029867be.aspx Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4 http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4

Found a map of all the urban rapid transit systems in North America.  Very cool, although a similar map of Europe would simply blow this one away.  Supposedly the systems are drawn to scale.  The map is posted at RadicalCartography.  Click it to view the full pdf.

[via Gothamist]

Transit Geekery, continued http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4.aspx Tue, 17 Jan 2006 17:46:37 GMT <p> Found a map of all the urban rapid transit systems in North America.&nbsp; Very cool, although a similar map of Europe would simply blow this one away.&nbsp; Supposedly the systems are drawn to scale.&nbsp; The map is posted at <a href="http://www.radicalcartography.net/">RadicalCartography</a>.&nbsp; Click it to view the full pdf. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.radicalcartography.net/subways.pdf"><img src="http://www.jasonengstrom.com/Blog/content/binary/subways.gif" border=0></a> </p> <p> [via <a href="http://www.gothamist.com">Gothamist</a>] </p> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,f363692f-7011-4602-aac9-dbc99a7bd9e4.aspx Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9 http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9 1

Just ran across Chicago Bloggers, a blog directory that organizes blogs according to their writer's proximity to CTA/Metra rail stations.  Looks like I'm one of 30 people living near the Loyola Red Line stop.  Kind of a cool experiment in social networking. 

While we're on the topic of transit, check out Chicago-L.org.  It's an excellent site dedicated to the history of public transportation in Chicago.  The transit nerd in me loves the fact that this site provide everything I ever wanted (and couldn't possibly care) to know about Chicago's beloved (and often despised) El system.

[via CTA Tattler]

Blogs, Trains, and Social Networks http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9.aspx Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:13:32 GMT <p> Just ran across <a href="http://www.chicagobloggers.com/">Chicago Bloggers</a>,&nbsp;a blog directory that organizes blogs according to their writer's proximity to <a href="http://www.transitchicag.com/">CTA</a>/<a href="http://www.metrarail.com/">Metra</a> rail stations.&nbsp; Looks like I'm one of 30 people <a href="http://www.chicagobloggers.com/station.php?station_id=116">living&nbsp;near the Loyola Red Line stop</a>.&nbsp; Kind of a cool experiment in social networking.&nbsp; </p> <p> While we're on the topic of transit, check out <a href="http://www.chicago-l.org/index.html">Chicago-L.org</a>.&nbsp; It's an excellent site dedicated to the history of public transportation in Chicago.&nbsp; The transit nerd in me loves the fact that this site provide&nbsp;everything I ever wanted (and couldn't possibly care) to know about Chicago's beloved (and often despised) El system. </p> <p> [via <a href="http://kjo84.typepad.com/cta_tattler/">CTA Tattler</a>] </p> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,e9d0b72c-db47-44a4-9ca4-78b5cb8946b9.aspx The Blogosphere Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216 http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216

Can hardly wait for the commute home tonight:

 

I'm seeing a whole lot of RED http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216.aspx Thu, 08 Dec 2005 22:11:06 GMT <p> Can hardly wait for the commute home tonight: </p> <p> &nbsp; </p> <img src="http://www.jasonengstrom.com/Blog/content/binary/map.gif" border=0> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,79327f76-dacb-4dd5-b03e-39501646e216.aspx Transit http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/Trackback.aspx?guid=1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/pingback.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c.aspx Jason Engstrom http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/SyndicationService.asmx/GetEntryCommentsRss?guid=1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (my parent's current town of residence) may have the coolest feature on any transit system in the country.  Looks like the Five Seasons Transportation system has recently added WiFi service to all their bus routes!  It would be pretty sweet to spend your morning commute reading the latest blogs and doing so without using a GPRS connected mobile phone.  Granted, my dad's 5 minute drive to the office wouldn't make it very worthwhile, but something like this could be very useful in a city like Chicago.  However, big props to CR for taking the initiative - I'm sure many will find it useful.

Could we be one step closer to eliminating the daily newspaper? 

[via Live From the Third Rail]

Way to Go, Cedar Rapids! http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c.aspx http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c.aspx Thu, 15 Sep 2005 15:30:47 GMT <p> <a href="http://www.cedar-rapids.org/">Cedar Rapids</a>, Iowa (my parent's current town of residence) may have the coolest feature on any&nbsp;transit system in the country.&nbsp; Looks like the <a href="http://www.crbus-parking.org/index.htm">Five Seasons Transportation</a>&nbsp;system has <a href="http://www.metro-magazine.com/t_newspick.cfm?id=9061683">recently added WiFi</a> service to all their bus routes!&nbsp; It would be pretty sweet to spend your morning commute reading the latest blogs and doing so without using a GPRS connected mobile phone.&nbsp; Granted, my dad's 5 minute drive to the office wouldn't make it very worthwhile, but something like this could be very useful in&nbsp;a city like&nbsp;Chicago.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, big props to CR for taking the initiative - I'm sure many will find it useful. </p> <p> Could we be one step closer to eliminating the daily newspaper?&nbsp; </p> <p> [via <a href="http://thirdrail.smorgasblog.com/">Live From the Third Rail</a>] </p> http://www.jasonengstrom.com/blog/CommentView,guid,1ae15a53-80c2-403a-bbf1-cd2672067c2c.aspx Transit