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Nov 11, 2009
History, Oddities

Sky-Riding Bus

They say truth is stranger than fiction, and this is certainly no exception: This system was actually built.  It was designed so that it could propel itself along the support cables without need of a wheelhouse. It is easily one of the most bizarre cable contraptions I’ve ever encountered and I’ll admit to having scant...

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Nov 02, 2009
Aerial Trams, History, Portland Aerial Tram, Roosevelt Island Tram

No City Wants To Be First . . .

but every city wants to be second. The competitive drive to be number one just doesn’t seem to permeate City Hall and that’s understandable.  Infrastructure is terribly expensive and no politician or planner wants to embarrass themselves by green-lighting a future white elephant. Cities are therefore remarkably conservative when it comes to infrastructure.  Cities tend...

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Nov 01, 2009
Background, History

One Summer In Switzerland . . .

. . . after graduating from planning school, I was visiting my partner’s family when plans arose to go hiking around her local ski resort. Let me make this clear from the beginning:  I am no skier.  I’ve skied twice in my life with little success and those occurrences were on hills of inconsequential size....

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