|
TRAINS
"Why High-Speed Rail is the Better Alternative to Flights" - RM Transit (2022)
0? - Tire Emissions make lies.....
"Governor Moore Delivers Remarks at the Launch of Maryland Transit Administration's Zero-Emission Bus Pilot Program" - Governor's
Office (February 27, 2024)
REPORT: Boosting Health for Children: Benefits of Zero-Emission Transportation and Electricity" - American Lung Association
(February 2024)
"Boosting Health for Children: Benefits of Zero-Emission Transportation and Electricity" - American Lung Association
ALA Advocacy does not include tire emissions: "Tell EPA: Time is Running Out to Make Cars and Trucks Cleaner" - American Lung
Association
"Zero Emission Buses, or ZEBs, are Welcomed by the MTA in Baltimore" - MDOT MTA Maryland (2023)
"Converting the MTA Bus Fleet to Zero-Emissions" - MTA
REPORT: "Maryland Zero Emission Bus Transition Act Legislative Report" - MTA (December 2022)
"Maryland Doesn't Want the Smoke and Neither Does the MTA" - WMAR TV 2 (February 27th, 2024) [7 "0" Emission busses unveiling
with Governor Moore]
Streetcar
"Modern Streetcars: Waste of Money or City-Building Miracle?" City Nerd (2023)
"Tempe Streetcar Exceeded Expectations in First Year" - Axios Phoenix (2023)
Poverty
Op-Ed: 'Doc' Cheatham Suggests a Brown Route for FREE Charm City Circulator Bus: Activist Suggests Free Bus Does Not Benefit
Blacks in a 63% Black city" - BMore News (2023)
Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Department of Labor
Americans 55% want to live in walkable neighborhoods, but only 8% do.
| NEW INFORMATION ~ BEING REWRITTEN & REORGANIZED |
|
| PLEASE VIEW WHAT IS AVAILABLE |
100 block of West Lombard Street
Vast parking lots serve no one.
"Switching to an Electric Vehicle Could Save a Child's Life: Lung Association Report Reveals Transition to Electric Vehicles,
Clean Power Would Prevent 137,000 Asthma Attacks in Ohio Kids"
"The proposed changes would discontinue bus service on eight routes, and reduce the total number of trips on 26 others."
"North Avenue Rising" - MDOT MTA Maryland (2017) [Mayor Pugh & Governor Hogan]
"Safety and Quality Issues of Counterfeit Lithium-Ion Cells" - ACS Energy Letters (2023)
"New to Maryland Titling and Registering Your Vehicle Information" - Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration
"University of Maryland Custom Plate Search Information" - Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 - HUD
Mary Anderson: Inventor of windshield wiper | Catherine Gibbon....:
"These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us" - Not Just Bikes (2023)
"I don't think that buses are superior to trains. We need a lot of investment in trains. We need new subway extensions,
commuter rail improvements and more light` rail. We also need a lot more bus service to complement that. We need a
strong spine of high-capacity transit, and then we have great arteries and bus lines running to many more neighborhoods
that have good service today. It's all connected. ....
We can take heart from some of those smaller victories and recognize that it's possible to do even more. We've been scaling
up car infrastructure for 75 years at this point. What it's done is leave a lot of people stranded and helped to heat
up the planet. We have a moral imperative to do something different. It can be done. We've got to grow
the movement of leaders who are working to change this. That takes government investment. It takes interest
and resources from philanthropy. It requires hard work and passion from everyday people, transit riders, and a
wide range of people who care about the future of cities.
Urban planner, writer, and transportation researcher. Currently directs the Union of Concerned Scientists Clean Transportation
program. Advocates for affordable and protective climate and public health transportation systems.
"'The business traveler who's riding an airplane has a bigger voice than somebody from a poor, rural part of the country
who needs basic transportation,' says Peter Pantuso, president of the American Bus Association. 'I always tell people, we're
like wallpaper, we just blend into the background. They just don't think about us.'"
To afford trips: less car rides, less electricity use, and tubas fit on streetcars, not busses.
"Man Smart ~ Woman Smarter" - Harry Belafonte
Trams are Rhino fast!
"Tram Ways" - A film by Leonie Dickinson (1992)
Makes case why dedicated laned streetcars with beautiful fences will not have the mixed traffic challenges the Yarra Tram
system have in Australia.
Adding service, more frequency, and ending redundancy (merging routes).
"Catch the Green and Yellow" - Roy Lewier and the Kew Groupies | From film, "Tram Ways (1992)
"Melbourne Trams" (1991) [Part 1]
"Melbourne Trams" (1991) [Part 2]
"Melbourne's Strangest Tram Stops" - Qazzy Transport (2023)
Population: 300,000 A city in Germany's transportation system - with half the population than current Baltimore City
"I told that girl that my prospects were good
And she said, 'Baby, it's understood
Working for peanuts is all very fine
But I can show you a better time'
Baby, you can drive my car
Yes, I'm gonna be a star
Baby, you can drive my car
And maybe I'll love you
Beep-beep, beep-beep, yeah"
Alice Henny lives on the 3500 block side of Southern Avenue in the neighborhood of Waltherson (intersection of Southern and
Walther Avenues). She needs to go to Kaiser Permanente in Halethorpe "South Baltimore" location. Alice needs to walk either
Northwest on Southern, and Southwest on Harford road (10 minutes) to stop near List Avenue on Harford Road to catch bus number
54 (State Center, 26 minutes, 30 stops). Get off on Lombard just before Howard Street (Arena) and transfer to the "Yellow"
bus (21 minutes, 26 stops) = ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES - IF YELLOW BUS IS ON TIME, DOES NOT COME EARLY AND MUST WAIT FOR NEST
YELLOW BUS (Specific , WHICH MAKES THE TRIP INSTEAD OF 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES, and additional 40 minutes, making the trip 1
HOUR 55 MINUTES.[Sunday Schedule] Weekday
Alternate route: walk to Bel Air Road (13 minutes)
The Interview: Robin Budish, community organizer for Baltimore Streetcar Campaign
Robin Budish is community coordinator for the Baltimore Streetcar Campaign, a grassroots group that wants to build a wireless
electric streetcar on a fixed rail, on North Charles Street in Mount Vernon. The group wants to see streetcars running a downtown
loop, from the Inner Harbor to University Parkway, where it would turn around to go southbound on St. Paul Street to Light
Street.
Baltimore Sun photo by Amy Davis Robin Budish is community coordinator for the Baltimore Streetcar Campaign, a grassroots
group that wants to build a wireless electric streetcar on a fixed rail, on North Charles Street in Mount Vernon. The group
wants to see streetcars running a downtown loop, from the Inner Harbor to University Parkway, where it would turn around to
go southbound on St. Paul Street to Light Street.
Author
By BALTIMORE SUN and LORRAINE MIRABELLA | lmirabella@baltsun.com
PUBLISHED: February 4, 2012 at 1:26 p.m. | UPDATED: June 19, 2018 at 1:48 p.m.
Robin Budish spends her days rallying support for an idea she says will make downtown Baltimore more livable —
building a streetcar line along Charles Street.
Budish was hired last fall as community organizer for the Baltimore Streetcar Campaign, a grass-roots group that believes
a fixed rail trolley system would attract residents, boost civic pride, spur economic development and benefit tourism, r ...
"In Baltimore, the era ended Nov. 3, 1963. On that day, the last streetcar carried passengers through the city. Newspapers
reported the visitors came from as far away as New York to watch."
"Greater Baltimore Committee 'History'" - Baltimore Lobbyist's Lobbyist Organization
Elkridge Club - Towson, Maryland
"Under an old brass paperweight ~ Is my list of things to do today
Go to the bank and the hardware store
Put a new lock on the cellar door
I cross 'em off as I get 'em done
But when the sun is settled ~ There's still more than a few things left ~ I haven't got to yet
Go for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It's time that I make time for that
Wade the shore and cast a line
Look up an old lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin', that's the next thing on my list"
"The Urban Institute calls for a greater federal role in public transit administration, to ensure its availability as
a public utility" up 16% 500 car wrecks a day highway administration
"Summary of Motor Vehicle Crashes"
"Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration OFFERS FREE RIDES For TRANSIT EQUITY DAY, Sunday, February
4" - MTA (February 3rd, 2023)
- "Does social capital matter? A study of hit-and-run in US Counties" - Social Science & Medicine (2023)
"From The Infrastructurist - 36 Reasons Streetcars Are Better Than Buses" - Rail for the Valley
Baltimore & Ohio: Pictures - The B & O Modeler
Ellicott City: A Timeline of Resilience Published: Jun 17, 2019
Radial-Based Cities: "Why European Cities are Insanely Well Designed" - Arkive (2023)
"If people don't want the city of Cincinnati having anything to do with Norfolk Southern, then they should vote for the sale."
[Norfolk Southern will then own the rails and Ohio land. Boldface Lie.]
"Say Goodbye to the Last City-Owned Interstate Railroad: Voters Backed the Sale of Cincinnati Southern Railway, the only City-Owned
Railroad in the Country. The City plans to Put $1.6 Billion From the Sale Into a Trust Fund for Infrastructure Maintenance."
- Governing (November 20th, 2023)
peresoni built for climate disclosure SEC Compliance
"The real problem was that once cars appeared on the road, they could drive on streetcar tracks, and the streetcars could
no longer operate efficiently." - Joseph Stromberg (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u4f52w4qgQ%20T
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2B85SQc0j0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mVza6L3DHU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSQSBoHmG8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnjX0O9dPMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92BoQf0-0TQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Icyahslf-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGXWYNAjGOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGXWYNAjGOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92BoQf0-0TQ
"From 1st of January 2010, the placing on the market of tyres manufactured containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) in Europe is banned.
Placing on the market means any supply of tyres or making them available, whether for payment or free of charge
to a third party. Import is also deemed to be placing on the market. PAHs are a group of chemicals with hazardous properties,
used in extender oils for the production of tyres.
"That Was Fast! First Sodium Ion Battery Cars Hit the Market" - Aptera Owner's Club (2023)
"Sweden's NEW Sodium-Ion Battery SHOCKS The EV Industry!" - Ultium Tech (2023)
"China's Shocking New Export Ban Will Destroy The E.V. Industry! - UltiumTech (2024)
"Sodium Hydroxide" - Wikipedia
Board of Estimates Meeting; January 10, 2024 "Beer procurement sodium hydroxide caustic soda" Baltimore?
City Council Hearing; January 9, 2024: Advocacy for Automobile Parking Blame it on the kids....
PNNL team develops electrolyte for high-voltage sodium-ion battery with extended longevity
"SEPTA’s newly renamed Media-Wawa line is now 3.5 miles longer, after three years of construction on a new transit
hub near the convenience store chain’s headquarters. The new Wawa Station, located at 1490 W. Baltimore Pike, is the
first expansion of rail service since the 1980s, said Richard Mahon, SEPTA’s chief of railroad operations. The expansion
cost $197 million.
'We want to partner with our county, bring some more stars out here because this has really been an underserved region for
us,' Mahon said.
Commitment to Tramways Makes France a World Model for New Urban Rail
https://baltometro.org/sites/default/files/bmc_documents/general/transportation/transit/transit-governance-and-funding-study_1_history.pdf
https://baltimorestreetcarmuseum.org/collection/
https://www.amazon.com/Baltimore-Streetcars-1905-1963-Semi-Convertible-Era/dp/B003BLZI20
“semi-convertible” streetcar
https://www.theautopian.com/a-man-tried-to-save-americas-forgotten-streetcars-now-theyre-headed-to-the-scrapper/
https://www.facebook.com/mtamaryland/posts/1963-was-a-pivotal-year-for-public-transit-in-baltimore-the-baltimore-transit-co/4489672757722222/
https://www.roads.maryland.gov/OC/Snow_Fact_Sheet_2023_2024.pdf 26% brine
"Any system that’s not used widely and only made by one company is inevitably less reliable and more expensive than
a more widespread system. Bordeaux also gets much less snow than Washington. Further, Alstom has insisted, at least in
the past, that a city using its technology buy all of its vehicles and equipment from them, including the overhead wire portion,
removing the opportunity for the city to negotiate for better prices."
"'The city wanted to connect to lower-cost remote parking lots … and area employment and visitor destinations
within an easily understood network. MTA service was routed and scheduled for longer trips.' The Circulator's major goals
were limiting downtown traffic congestion, reducing air pollution, and encouraging drivers to use more remote (city-owned)
parking garages on the edges of downtown." ....
The crux of the CCC’s problems is that millions were spent on faulty buses, which broke down frequently and were
costly to repair, putting the CCC system in debt almost immediately. The buses’ manufacturer went bankrupt not
long after. This drastically slowed down the system’s reliability, sending it into a years-long cost-cutting and service-cutting
spiral."
Author does disclose that she rides CCC, meaning she enjoys free transportation, but does not disclose whether she
drives/owns automobile.
"600-750 volts DC
Trolleys traditionally operate on 600 volts direct current, drawn from an overhead wire (by means of a trolley pole) and
returned through the rail (by the wheels). Modern light rail lines typically use somewhat higher voltage (750 or 1000 volts)
to power the higher performance and heavier light rail equipment. Thus if a streetcar operation plans to use the track of
a light rail system, and if historic cars or replica cars with traditional equipment are to be used, then the cars may have
to be modified to operate at this higher voltage. Dedicated heritage trolley lines can simply be built to use 600 volt power.
Modern streetcar lines are typically built to use 750 volts."
"7 Questions: AC vs. DC Charging" - BP Pulse (2023)
"Based on our results, green tramways were valued five times higher by residents than conventional tram tracks. ... The
results of our research indicate that low-maintenance green tram tracks are an economically feasible solution for introducing
more green areas into cities." ....
"Modern tramways are comfortable for users, and compared to buses, they are generally more punctual and are more
conducive to urban life. They are characterized by higher efficiency than cars, are independent from urban traffic, have relatively
low maintenance costs and low environmental impact and are more seldom involved in accidents (Castanier et al., 2012; Kobaszyńska-Twardowska
et al., 2016). Apart from being an effective means of transportation in city centres, tramways have recently also gained more
attention as potential sources of additional green spaces in densely built-up areas of cities by being converted into 'green
tramways' by replacing sealed concrete with vegetated surfaces. Although the concept was introduced over a century ago, it
has recently undergone rapid expansion in many European cities as an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly solution.
Vegetated tram tracks fit well with the EU goals to ensure more resilient infrastructure in cities through the support of
ecosystem-based approaches and the development of green infrastructure (EC, 2013a,b)."
"Why Your City Needs Green Tram Tracks" - City for All (2023)
"Green Tram Tracks: The Advantages of Implementing Vegetation Systems in Tram Tracks" - National Association of City Transportation
Officials (2016)
"Streetcars vs Light Rail - Is There a Difference?" - Human Transit
Federal Support for Streetcars: Frequently Asked Questions - Congressional Research Service (2014)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rudysalo/2023/01/04/2023-transportation-trends-that-could-impact-the-future-of-transportation/?sh=2d76fdef6a74
https://www.autoblog.com/2019/10/13/future-transportation-not-cars-autonomous/
The Moore Administration and the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) need to move forward swiftly with proposals and policies
that do not require new funding sources, including;
+ Removing manufacturing exemption from state GHG accounting
+ Removing municipal waste incineration from the state’s RPS
+ Shifting the goals of the state’s energy efficiency program
+ Reducing the total vehicle miles traveled across the state
The Price is Right - March 15, 1961
The Price is Right - March 22, 1961 - Milkman
"I Remember the "Cool-Off" Rides on the Streetcars" - Owens Pomeroy
Page 10: Statistics for Pedestrian deaths and injuries listed only through 2020, yet report written in 2022. When will they
release the numbers?
"A simple and inexpensive new process can transform ANY type of wood into a material stronger than steel; and even
some high-tech titanium alloys. Besides taking a star turn in buildings and vehicles, the substance could even
be used to make bullet-resistant armor plates.
Wood is abundant and relatively low-cost—it literally grows on trees. And although it has been used for millennia to
build everything from furniture to homes and larger structures, untreated wood is rarely as strong as metals used in construction.
Researchers have long tried to enhance its strength, especially by compressing and 'densifying' it, says Liangbing Hu, a materials
scientist at the University of Maryland, College Park. But densified wood tends to weaken and spring back toward its
original size and shape, especially in humid conditions."
"Commuting: 'The Stress That Doesn't Pay': Commuting harms our psychological health and social lives." - psychology Today
"Zero-Emission Powertrain Certification" - California Air Resources Board | California Environmental Protection Agency
| BALTIMORE'S INNER HARBOR |
|
| OCTOBER 20, 1948 ~ Robert F. Kniesche |
Enter content here
JOB SPRAWL: "The Worst type of Urban Sprawl" - RM Transit (2023)
IN 2001, Baltimore, Maryland ranked, "DECENTRALIZED EMPLOYMENT METROPOLITAN" City Grouping: 10-25 percent of metro live within
three miles of Central Business District (CBD). Less than 60 percent live within ten miles of CBD Leaving 15-30 employees
living well beyond 10 miles of CBD.
- Employment within 35 miles: 890,673
- 3-Mile Employment Share: 17.60%
- 10-Mile Employment Share: 56.46%
- Share outside 10 mile ring: 43.54%
[Remember, this is 2001. Extreme loss of small businesses. Mass exodus of city residents....
"Job Sprawl: Employment Location in U.S. Metropolitan Areas" - Brookings Institution | Harvard University | Tufts University
| Stanford University
"The air pollution data is so sparse we really couldn't even see very many patterns because the EPA only has three air pollution
monitors in the state. Trying to model what air pollution is like at the neighborhood or census tract level is virtually
impossible." - Environmental health researcher Megan Weil Latshaw, J.H.U.
REPORT: "Transit Equity & Environmental Health in Baltimore City" - including Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition and Johns
Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health (2021)
"Transit Equity & Environmental Health in Baltimore: Interim Report" - including Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition and Johns
Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health (2021)
"Why Privatizing Public Transport Doesn't Work" - City Moose (2023)
"Why Privatizing Public Transport Doesn't Work" - City Moose (2023)
"Why Americans Live So Far Away From Everything" - City Nerd (2023)
The Roosevelt Island Tramway runs every 7-15 minutes from 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt
Island.
"MTA to Resume Light Rail Services Saturday; Rides are Free Until January 2" - Baltimore Sun (December 22nd, 2023)
Feb 1, 2019 The long-time mayor of Baltimore (from 1947-59) and Little Italy. William ... Streetcar service ended here in
November 1963. The mansion of
"New Coalition to Seek Creation of a Transit Authority for the Baltimore Region" - Maryland Matters (2022)
"The Democratic platform said:
An effective national transportation policy must be grounded in an understanding of all transportation systems
and their consequences for costs, reliability, safety, environmental
quality and energy savings. Without public transportation, the rights of all citizens to jobs and social services cannot
be met."
"Baltimore is a fairly walkable city with a confusing public transit system.
While its layout and size make it easy to navigate on foot, Baltimore can be overwhelming if you're driving or trying to choose
between the many forms of transport available. There are four different types of buses alone, and their schedules
are notoriously haphazard. Cycling has never taken off either; despite having designated lanes, several failed bike-sharing
programs have kept cyclists mostly off the roads."
"Maryland Budget Cuts Spell More Trouble for Transit" - Governing (December 19th, 2023)
"Wooden Streetcar Toy for a City Child" - Instructables
Baltimore Regional Transportation Board - Baltimore Metropolitan Council
Baltimore Streetcar Campaign
Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition
(Central Maryland) Transportation Alliance
Charm City Circular
The Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) is the leading voice for the private sector in the Baltimore region, providing insightful
economic and civic leadership to drive collective impact. Composed of more than 500 organizations, including large, mid-size,
and small companies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational and healthcare institutions, the GBC is dedicated to fostering
the prosperity of the Greater Baltimore region.
Greater Washington Partnership [Of course - Overstepping! :( ]
Maryland Transit Administration
Regional Transit Plan (RTP) - MTA
Regional Transportation Agency (of Central Maryland)
Transform Maryland Transportation Coalition: "New Coalition to Seek Creation of a Transit Authority for the Baltimore Region"
- Maryland Matters (2022)
Was, "Save Maryland Transit"
Transit Choices
Transit for Maryland OR? Maryland Transit Opportunities Coalition
Transportation Alliance 2023 Report is - "F"
More organizations were Get Maryland Moving, Baltimore Transit Alliance or Greater Baltimore Committee,
"Thus, Baltimore, led by its profane and esteemed mayor, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., began tearing up trolley tracks
and replacing its cobblestone streets with asphalt for a smoother ride in those tail-finned, wrap-around windshield Packards,
Chryslers, Ramblers, Oldsmobiles, Studebakers, DeSotos and Edsels.
Ironically, it was those flashy, chrome-crusted cars and their accommodating roads that would accelerate the flight to the
suburbs and the gradual shrinking of the city’s population in the 1950s diaspora."
|
| Baltimore Transit Company ~ 1950 Streetcar Map |
United Streetcar - Learn
"Nancy Pelosi Refuses to Denounce Father Thomas D'Alesandro Jr's Complicity in Racism" - The Washington Times (2021)
Streetcar Supporters - 1950 BTC Map
"How Baltimore Invented the Modern World" - Baltimore Magazine 110 Anniversary Edition (2017)
"Baltimore, as it had in so many wars, served as a major military supply center. Men, food, and supplies moved rapidly through
the port. Two local industries, shipbuilding and aircraft, and their suppliers were especially important. As early as the
fall of 1941 the Bethlehem-Fairchild Shipyards received contracts to build 62 ships. Before the war was over, the company
had hired forty-seven thousand workers to construct 384 Liberty ships, 94 Victory ships, and 30 ISTs. The Maryland Drydock
Company hired twelve thousand new employees to work on conversion and repair orders received before Pearl Harbor. At the same
time, Glenn L. Martin Aircraft was backlogged with orders worth $743 million and hired six thousand people to work on them.
This rate of production continued throughout the war.
Thousands of men, women and children poured into Baltimore from rural Maryland, Appalachia and points south to work in the
war industries. Women and blacks were hired in jobs previously closed to them. The burgeoning population placed a burden on
all city services: schools, health, sanitation, transportation. Ten thousand new housing units were needed. Military needs,
of course, took priority.
Everyday life in Baltimore quickly reflected those military priorities. Sugar shortages hit early. Waitresses in restaurants
asked "how many?" if a person ordered sugar with coffee and often refused to give more than two cubes. The {Baltimore}
Sun reported in April 1942 that tea was getting scarce and so were lawn mowers. Tires were rationed. Price ceilings were
established for tires, retreads, sugar, electrical appliances and much more, so people had a fair chance at purchasing the
limited supplies that were available. Favorite soft drinks were unobtainable at the end of each month as that month's quota
ran out. Rubber heels were more expensive. Razor blade production was curtailed. People carried old tubes to the drugstore
to get refills of toothpaste and shaving cream. Home heating oil deliveries were limited. The Baltimore Transit Company's
{Streetcar} ridership grew by leaps and bounds as more and more people saved their cars and gasoline for special uses.
....
Shortages of schools and recreation facilities had worsened during the war. Inner-city decay and post-war prosperity accelerated
suburban growth. People who could afford to were abandoning the inner city to people whose needs for city services were greatest.
The central business district suffered heavily as fewer people shopped downtown. Traffic congestion and lack of parking kept
increasing numbers of Baltimoreans away. Its assessed value declined heavily. ....
The events of 1954, the year of the Supreme Court school integration decision, signaled a new beginning for Baltimore's black
community. Just under a third of the total population at this time, Negroes had been without elected political representation
since 1931 when the last black Republicans served on the City Council. As blacks moved into the Democratic party in increasing
numbers during the 1930s, a small number of patronage jobs were distributed among them, but the policy-making positions were
retained by whites. Then in 1954, a group of Negroes led by a Republican, Harry Cole, successfully challenged Jack Pollack's
domina tion of the 4th District. Harry Cole won election to the State Senate. Emory Cole, also a Republican and no relation,
and Truly Hatchett, a Democrat, gained seats in the House of Delegates.
"Public Affairs and the Multifront Attack on Climate Change" - Syracuse University (2019)
Community Architect Daily (2017) [Too many groups and Government Think Tanks....]
"The New Camden Station - Something the MTA got Right" - Community Architect Daily (2019)
BOOK: "The Great American Transit Disaster: A Century of Austerity, Auto-Centric Planning, and White Flight" (2023)
There's news that Baltimore's public transit system is likely to be trimmed as a cost-cutting measure now that so few people
have been riding it during the pandemic. This round of cuts brings up another time and another set of urban planning priorities.
Baltimore was once girdled by streetcar lines that wrapped from Bay Shore Park on the Chesapeake Bay in eastern Baltimore
County to Ellicott City in Howard County.
The Baltimore Transit Company (BTC) annual report of May 1960 tells a revelatory tale about how public transit in Baltimore
was treated 60 years ago, when there were still 101 individual streetcars operating on 56 miles of trackage. <U>It was
a system that patrons, sometimes grudgingly, admitted worked pretty well</U>.
But those who drove to work in their own cars felt that individual streetcars, which often carried more than 100 persons,
needed to disappear.
--------
reenmount Avenue, crossed downtown and then headed to Catonsville via Frederick Road. The No. 15 served Northeast and
West Baltimore, via Belair Road and Gay Street, downtown and the heart of West Baltimore.
These routes were popular with riders because the cars, traveling on fixed rails, were so reliable. Literally, if a passenger
missed a streetcar, there was usually another visible in the offing.
Both of these trunk lines crossed downtown Baltimore on Fayette Street, which then accommodated two-way traffic.
And it was this street, Fayette, that became a contentious issue. Fayette Street passed through the freshly rebuilding
Charles Center, which was emerging as the business community’s dream of what a modern and progressive city should
be. Streetcars were deemed old-fashioned and ill-suited to Mid-century Modern architectural ideals.
The report forecasts why Baltimore’s streetcar system would be sacrificed entirely.
The report stated: “The reason for the proposed conversion of these lines [to buses] is not the condition of
the streetcar system or the prospect of the operating economy but the insistence of the city upo
----------
Who killed Baltimore’s streetcar system?
NEWS
Who killed Baltimore’s streetcar system?
Previous
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
Next
Baltimore Sun historical photo / Baltimore Sun
1 of 2
Streetcars on Fayette Street near Calvert Street in 1952.
By JACQUES KELLY | jkelly@baltsun.com
September 12, 2020 at 6:00 a.m.
There’s news that Baltimore’s public transit system is likely to be trimmed as a cost-cutting measure
now that so few people have been riding it during the pandemic. This round of cuts brings up another time and another set
of urban planning priorities.
Baltimore was once girdled by streetcar lines that wrapped from Bay Shore Park on the Chesapeake Bay in eastern Baltimore
County to Ellicott City in Howard County.
The Baltimore Transit Company (BTC) annual report of May 1960 tells a revelatory tale about how public transit in Baltimore
was treated 60 years ago, when there were still 101 individual streetcars operating on 56 miles of trackage. It was a system
that patrons, sometimes grudgingly, admitted worked pretty well.
But those who drove to work in their own cars felt that individual streetcars, which often carried more than 100 persons,
needed to disappear.
Auto (225p)
The BTC had converted dozens of streetcar lines to bus operation at this time, but two heavily patronized trunk routes
survived, and the transit company (it was still privately owned and, to read the complaints in the report, heavily taxed)
did not want to surrender them to bus operation.
“The heaviest traveled lines …. are the two remaining streetcar routes. Catonsville-Towson and Belair
Road-Edmondson Avenue are radial routes extending from the central business district through the more densely populated parts
of the city … Each is served by feeder bus routes in the suburban areas and crosstown lines within the city.”
The annual report also said, “The remaining streetcars used on these two lines are modern and attractive. They
are the largest vehicles in the company fleet, seating 56 passengers. The inside of these cars is well lighted, comfortably
heated and has ample aisle space.”
The two routes were the backbone of traversing Baltimore in 1960. The No. 8 traveled York Road, Greenmount Avenue, crossed
downtown and then headed to Catonsville via Frederick Road. The No. 15 served Northeast and West Baltimore, via Belair Road
and Gay Street, downtown and the heart of West Baltimore.
These routes were popular with riders because the cars, traveling on fixed rails, were so reliable. Literally, if a passenger
missed a streetcar, there was usually another visible in the offing.
Both of these trunk lines crossed downtown Baltimore on Fayette Street, which then accommodated two-way traffic.
And it was this street, Fayette, that became a contentious issue. Fayette Street passed through the freshly rebuilding
of Charles Center, which was emerging as the business community’s dream of what a modern and progressive city should
be. Streetcars were deemed old-fashioned and ill-suited to Mid-century Modern architectural ideals.
The report forecasts why Baltimore’s streetcar system would be sacrificed entirely.
The report stated: “The reason for the proposed conversion of these lines [to buses] is not the condition of
the streetcar system or the prospect of the operating economy but the insistence of the city upon elimination of them to accommodate
automobile traffic in downtown Baltimore.”
When the report was issued, downtown Baltimore was in the midst of a campaign to tear down blocks of old buildings and
replace them with new office structures and underground parking garages.
“Traffic-Transit Commissioner Henry A. Barnes states that the success of the Charles Center and Civic Center
programs is dependent upon the conversion of the two remaining rail lines to bus operation,” the document said.
The report also cited David A. Wallace, director of the Greater Baltimore C
REPORT "Connecting_Our_Future" - RTP Central Maryland | MTA (2020)
"Chicago by 'L' with Geoffrey Baer" - WTTW (2021)
"The average monthly cost of owning a car has surpassed $1,000. Use our calculator to see how much you’re spending."
"Average Annual Cost of New Vehicle Ownership" - AAA
Location Efficiency: "10 Cities Where Housing and Transportation Costs Are Crushing" - CityNerd (2023)
"Why are Canada and United States of America are Addicted to Cars?" - Answer in Progress (2023)
"Just Buy Everyone a Car" - Alex Davis (2023)
"Two years ago {2017}, a new set of traffic rules went into effect here. 'Basically, what we've done is, we've limited
through-traffic for cars,' Keesmaat says. It forced cars away from King Street and launched a whole cascade of changes.
The streetcars that run down the middle of King Street weren't stuck in traffic anymore. They became the best
way to get across town at rush hour. 'The volume of people being moved is astronomical!' Keesmaat says,
as one rolls by. The streetcars, of course, are powered by electricity, and one passes every two or three minutes.
....
'When we provide people with real choices, better choices, it can open up our minds!" she says. "We can change our
minds about what we thought was the only way to live.'"
"Canada Warming Twice as Fast as the Rest of the World" - BBC (2019)
"Top 10 Transits That Will Make you Fall in Love with Its City!" - Timosha21 (December 4th, 2023)
"Top 10 Most Bizarre/Interesting Transit Systems Around the World!" - Timosha21 (2023)
"Zones Versus Flat Fares: What's the Better Transit Fare Scheme?" - RM Transit (December 5th, 2023)
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
"Safe Routes to School (SRTS): Helping students get physically active while taking cars off the road." - Fairfax County Public
Schools
Automobiles; all motor vehicles and bicycles are privately owned. When the streets return truly to the people, and streetcars
return to their rightful places, the Superior - 0nly True Zero Emission vehicles on dedicated lanes which also bring billons
of tax $$$$ wth brick and mortar shops, and trans retake trucks, and we travel on foot on continuous sidewalks and wombat
crossings - that is only when we will be safe from motor vehicle maimings and killings.... - Shaiyel Seltzer, November 29th,
2023 in answer to posting about a car crash picture on 28th street just before Thanksgiving. Baltimore City Transportation
Facebook - November 27th, 2023
A "Streetcar City" is crucial to sustainability
"Mechanical horse pulling a wheeled chair" (2018)
"A Homemade Mechanical Horse" - CNET (2025)
Zero Emissions
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| THE HERO'S JOURNEY |
"You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so we can fly away?
We gotta make a decision
Leave tonight or live and die this way
So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car
Speed so fast it felt like I was drunk
City lights lay out before us"
"CTA Makes More Changes to Tackle 'Ghost Bus' Problem" - WMAQ TV 5 Chicago (2023)
"What the Twin Cities Do Better Than Anywhere Else in the US" - City Nerd (2023) St. Paul/Minneapolis
NAMES
"Why I Don't Like 'Transport for London'" - Jago Hazzard (2023)
"17-Year-Old Boy Fatally Run Over By 2 Cars In Laurel" - Howard Daily Voice (November 19th, 2023)
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