January 10, 2021
Foursome
One of two water pumping stations at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, Agfachrome, 1983.
Ranger Derry reminds us to observe what Smokey says, even in Hawaii! 1986.
On Kauai in a cabin up at some altitude, Kodachrome, 1986.
Probably in Maine, Kodachrome, 1986.
permalink | January 10, 2021 at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 6, 2021
Three Buildings and a Flower
90 West Street in August 1988 (Kodachrome). The World Trade Center was immediately to the left of this building, but it survived the attack on September 11, 2001.
26 Court Street, Boston (on the right), Kodachrome, 1989.
John Hancock Tower, Back Bay Boston, Kodachrome, 1989.
permalink | January 6, 2021 at 06:32 PM | Comments (0)
December 31, 2020
Four From '87 and '88
RFK Bridge, better known as the Triboro Bridge in NYC. I shot this in August 1988 from an Amtrak train that sat a long time on Hell Gate Bridge just a little way north of the RFK Bridge.
A colonnade in Washington DC, but I don't recall exactly where. If you recognize it somehow, please let me know. Kodachrome, 1987.
The Crown Building in Manhattan, Kodachrome, 1988.
permalink | December 31, 2020 at 03:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 28, 2020
Three Kodachromes and an Agfa
Chicago, Kodachrome, 1988.
The San Remo, Kodachrome, 1988.
permalink | December 28, 2020 at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)
December 24, 2020
Four Old Ones From Boston
Quincy Market, Boston, decorated for the holidays many years ago.
Here Lyes The Body Of Sarah Stevens Wife To Thomas Stevens Aged About 59 Years Dec'd Nov the 30 1723. Copps Hill Burying Ground in the North End, Boston.
The Central Artery in Boston with Old North Church lighted in the far background.
The Custom House Tower in Boston.
permalink | December 24, 2020 at 06:24 PM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2020
Four On Ilford Ortho Plus Film
On October 29 this year I did a walkabout in Los Feliz to take photos. Part of it was a walking tour organized by the Museum of Neon Art. Each of these four photos were shot on Ilford Ortho Plus 80 film.
View from Griffith Observatory.
permalink | December 19, 2020 at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2020
Foursome
Fort Point Channel in Boston, Kodachrome.
The Art Institute and Standard Oil Building in Chicago, 1987.
A county courthouse somewhere in the midwest, 1991, Kodachrome. If you can identify this building, please leave a comment.
permalink | November 26, 2020 at 07:48 AM | Comments (0)
November 23, 2020
Four More
"The Breakers" in Newport, Rhode Island, 1987, Kodachrome.
Lake Point tower, Chicago, 1987.
The Dead River in Maine, 1987.
The Kodak Building, Honolulu, 1987, Kodachrome.
permalink | November 23, 2020 at 01:35 PM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2020
Half of my photos from my 1991 bicycle tour from Boston to Kansas City
In the course of scanning my old slides I came across some of the slides I shot on my solo bicycle ride from Boston to Kansas City in 1991. I found a loose leaf notebook containing pages 8 through 16 of my slides from that trip (20 slides per page). Pages 1 through 7 are somewhere, but I just haven't come across them yet. These pages cover the span from the Indiana/Ohio border to Kansas City, and include photos from around the Kansas City area. You can see all that I have here. They're not in strictly chronological order, but they tend to go from west to east generally. Below are a few samples:
Pretty obviously a county courthouse, but I have not been able to identify the specific location. It's likely to be in Indiana or Illinois. If you know, tell me!
Mike's Pizza in Royal Center, Indiana, where I had a great lunch.
Central Park torpedo in Henry, Illinois. The most recent Google streetview shows that it is still there.
Also in Henry, Illinois, but I can't find it on streetview now.
2nd Street in Clinton, Iowa, where I lived for three years.
The bike shop in Clinton where I bought my first 10-speed.
Crossing the Mississippi from Illinois to Iowa.
Entering Kansas from Nebraska.
The Liberty Memorial in Kansas City.
Checkout lines at the Walmart Hypermart in Kansas City. This was a Walmart experimental store before there were any Super Walmarts. It was, at the time, the biggest store of any kind I had ever seen and was at least as big as any Super Walmart today.
"The Scout," a sculpture by Cyrus E. Dallin who also sculpted the Paul Revere statue on the Paul Revere Mall in Boston.
I also traveled to the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation in southern Missouri. This was our Boy Scout summer camp location.
permalink | September 10, 2020 at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2020
More Photos
Tip O'Neill Federal Building behind the elevated Green Line, May 1985.
The John Hancocks in Boston, April 1986.
Marshall Field's clock in Chicago, September 1987, Kodachrome.
Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower, Chicago, September 1987, Kodachrome.
On Kauai, November 1986, Kodachrome.
Merchandise Mart, Chicago, September 1987.
On Kauai, November 1986, Kodachrome.
In Concord, Massachusetts, November 1984.
Somewhere in Boston, March 1985.
World Trade Center shadows, September 1985.
Calder's "Stegosaurus" at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford in the 1980s.
John Hancock, Boston, May 1986.
Provincetown Pilgrim Monument, June 1986.
Ilford SFX 200 film, June 2020.
Desert Hot Springs, Kodak TMax ASA400 film, June 2020.
Palm Springs, Kodak TMax ASA400 film, June 2020.
Desert Hot Springs, Kodak TMax ASA400 film, June 2020.
Covington Flats, Kodak TMax ASA400 film, June 2020.
Covington Flats, Kodak TMax ASA400 film, June 2020.
San Francisco Bay Area, June 1985.
The AIDS Quilt on display in Washington, 1987.
permalink | July 26, 2020 at 09:04 PM | Comments (1)
July 10, 2020
New Slide Scans
I've recently begun scanning slides again. Here are some of them.
Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, 1985.
Friends on Kauai, 1986, Kodachrome.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, including a bit of Harvard Yard, late 1980s.
Autumn leaves, 1986, Kodachrome.
Illinois East-West Tollway, 1980s.
Architectural detail, probably in Boston, 1980s.
Bill Shepardson in San Francisco, June 1985.
Boston, 1980s, on Polaroid PolaChrome instant slide film.
Brooklyn on the East River, 1980s, Polaroid PolaPan instant slide film.
Tanglewood, 1983, Agfachrome. The woman is using an Olympus XA camera which is the first 35mm camera I bought, but I shot this photo with a Pentax K1000.
San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts, 1985.
South Boston, 1980s, Ektachrome.
Seen in Hawaii, 1986, Ektachrome.
South End Boston, 1987, Kodachrome.
Michigan Avenue Chicago, 1987, Kodachrome.
You can see more of my slide scans by clicking here.
permalink | July 10, 2020 at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
May 31, 2020
Some Recent Photos (on film)
The city's newest marijuana dispensary.
The trailer park on 5th Street.
permalink | May 31, 2020 at 05:17 PM | Comments (0)
December 5, 2019
GoPro Hero5 Black, Night Mode
I recently acquired a used GoPro Hero5 Black. I am finding that when the price of a GoPro drops below $150, I feel like I'm getting what I pay for. I wanted to test the night mode, so I headed down to Palm Springs tonight to take a few photos of a friend's pool and then headed over to Village Fest for more photos. All of these photos are handheld. Almost all the photos turned out well, which is the opposite of what I expected. I would say I'm quite pleased with night mode. Here are some of the photos.
permalink | December 5, 2019 at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)
August 6, 2019
Los Angeles City Hall
Last month I went on an L.A. Conservancy tour of L.A. City Hall.
Union Station seen from the observation deck on top of L.A. City Hall.
The complete set of photos can be seen here.
permalink | August 6, 2019 at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)
November 3, 2018
Los Angeles Just After Sunset
permalink | November 3, 2018 at 06:16 PM | Comments (1)
October 15, 2018
Wende Museum Of The Cold War
I recently visited the Wende Museum of the Cold War in Culver City, which had been on my gotta-see list for quite a while. Open to the public Friday, Saturday and Sunday; no charge for admission; check the website for variations on that. It's right next door to Veterans Memorial Park which is right next door to Veterans Memorial Auditorium.
On the other end of the museum sits the House of Warrior Poetry (Dance. Parkour. Acrobatics. Action Arts. Yoga. Movement.).
Veterans Memorial Auditorium - the marker out front was placed in 1950, so call it 1950.
In the museum I thought the cover of this magazine said "1961." Only when I went to edit it did I see it was actually 1981! It sure has the look of 1961.
Yuri Gagarin hanging out with kids.
You can see all the photos here.
permalink | October 15, 2018 at 11:12 PM | Comments (0)
September 25, 2018
2018 Burning Man Photos
A view of my camp from the elevated deck at Box Office Camp. This was taken my second day on the playa.
Trago Peak on the eastern edge of the playa.
Burner Buddies Stephanie and Klank.
Every year there's one art piece that is obviously dangerous, and BMOrg will let people play on it until someone gets seriously hurt and then they make some changes. Before this one had been open for too many days, someone fell off and it was shut down.
The front of Box Office while we were setting up.
My first evening on the playa.
My truck in the Nugget Casino parking garage in Sparks.
A menorah constructed on a tandem bike.
At the Burner Buddies Little Black Dress Party.
The Champagne Bitches art car stopped in front of Burner Buddies for a while.
Customers at the Burner Buddies Drive-thru.
Aerial view shot by Frank with Burner Buddies camp highlighted.
Burner Buddies group shot by Ed.
My complete set of 2018 Burning Man photos can be seen here.
permalink | September 25, 2018 at 08:00 PM | Comments (1)
May 15, 2018
Photos of the Library of Congress
The ceiling in the grand hall where one enters the Jefferson building.
Naked baseball players on the ceiling of the Library of Congress. I've got another photo showing football players.
Down in the tunnels connecting the Jefferson and Madison (and I'm sure other) buildings.
Columns at the entrance to the Madison Memorial Building.
Click here to see all 22 of my photos from the Library of Congress.
permalink | May 15, 2018 at 09:04 PM | Comments (0)
April 9, 2018
Low Clearance On New York Parkways Results In Bus Crash
Here's the news story about a bus striking a low clearance bridge on the Southern State Parkway on Long Island. "Major David Candelaria of the New York State Police...estimated the height of the clearance to be less than 10 feet." The article says it was an 8-foot clearance, but the signs say 7' 7". I'm really surprised the state police are so far off estimating the bridge height. The parkways in NY state were intended for passenger vehicles only, so designers intentionally made the bridge clearances low in order to discourage any future legislature from opening up the parkways to trucks and buses. Here's an interesting article that discusses the motivations of Robert Moses, who designed this particular parkway, to make these bridge clearances even lower than they are on other New York parkways. The primary accusation made against Moses was that he was rabidly racist (apparently a proven fact) and he didn't want low-income people (who he assumed would be mostly black or Puerto Rican) to come by the busload to the parks and beaches that are connected by the parkways. The author identifies one beach that was obviously designed for bus access, so he thinks the racism story may not be true.
The comments are very interesting. The ones from locals are like "Driver's fault, everyone knows about NY parkways," "Driver's fault, everyone in the northeast knows about NY parkways," or "Driver's fault, there were warning signs." I've been on NY parkways just a few times (when I lived in the northeast), and while I greatly appreciated their aesthetics, I wasn't consciously aware of the bridge heights, so I think there's just a lot of New Yorkers who think everyone knows all about New York.
The article says the bus passengers were returning home from Europe. I assume, therefore, that they were coming from one of the NYC area airports and heading east (the accident site is east of any airports). In fact, it seems most likely they were coming from JFK airport because from JFK you can get on the Belt Parkway from either I-678 or the JFK Expressway. The Belt Parkway then takes you to the Southern State Parkway.
I used Google Streetview to search for warning signs and the photo below shows the first (and only) warning sign that the parkway is for passenger cars only. This is coming from I-678. I could find no similar sign for those coming from the JFK Expressway.
First (and apparently only) warning signs entering Belt Parkway from I-678 leaving JFK Airport.
I used the New York State database of bridge heights that the Post author referenced. You've got to zoom in a lot before it becomes useful. I would expect a state department of transportation database of bridge heights to have both the highest and lowest clearance heights from both directions, a total of four heights. But the NYDOT only lists one height (the lowest) for each bridge. They only distinguish the different heights for either direction if the bridge has two arches. One arch bridges get only one height. IOW, inadequate.
Searching for info on the typical height of intercity buses, I found that the limit is 12 feet, but I didn't find any particular bus models taller than 133 inches (11' 1'). The extra 11 inches is probably a safety margin to allow for heavy snow on the road surface or changes in the height of the road due to repaving. I found a couple of trucker forums where drivers claimed that posted clearances in New York State are 12 inches lower than the real clearance. If those claims are true, then an 11' 1" bus ought to fit under any New York bridge with a labeled clearance of 10' 2", giving a tight one-inch safety margin.
Using that state database and following the route of the bus, the first bridge that appears too low for them is where the Belt Parkway passes under 130th Avenue. The photo below shows that underpass.
NB Belt Parkway under 130th Avenue. The 9' 8" warning sign is the lowest clearance in the right or left lane. If the bus had been in the center lane at this point, the clearance there might have been a nominal 10' 2" or more (11' 2" in reality, if we trust the alleged 12-inch safety margin) and the bus would have cleared it with an inch to spare.
As the bus transitioned from the Belt Parkway to the Southern State Parkway, it would go under the nominally 8' 6" bridge shown below.
First warning sign on EB Southern State Parkway coming from Belt Parkway. If 8' 6" means 9' 6", the clearance over the leftmost lane would need to be at least 17 inches higher than that over the right lane. It's possible.
BTW, the only height clearance warning signs I could find on the parkways were the single signs mounted on each bridge, small and usually white, although some were yellow as shown in the photo above. On entrance ramps I could usually find one standard "No Trucks" sign and two diamond signs showing the clearance of the first bridge to be encountered. The sign on I-678 is the biggest, flashiest warning I could find and even that one says nothing about low clearances. There were no "No Trucks" signs on the parkways, other than a single one at each entrance ramp. There were no "Trucks/Buses Must Exit" signs at any exit.
The next underpass has a nominal clearance of 8' 11", but that sign (white) is obscured by vegetation, as you can see below.
EB Southern State Parkway under Elmont Road. An additional 15 inches of clearance would be needed for an 11' 1" bus (again, assuming the NYDOT actually deducts a 12-inch safety margin from their signs). There might be 15 inches difference between the righthand edge of the road and lanes number 2 or 3 (counting from left to right).
Then we come to Fletcher Avenue where the nominal clearance is 7' 8" which is only one inch higher than the underpass at Eagle Road where the bus accident happened.
EB Southern State Parkway at Fletcher Avenue. Google Streetview sometimes pixelates the height signs because they appear to be similar to license plates, which Streetview routinely pixelates, but the NYDOT database says this one is 7' 8", and that does not appear to be inconsistent with the pixelated sign. There would need to be a whopping 28 inches of additional clearance in lanes 1 or 2 (left to right) for the bus to pass under it, but pass under it the bus did.
Continuing east, the next bridge at Corona Avenue is nominally 9' 3". The next very low clearance bridge is at Franklin Avenue where the nominal clearance is 8' 7". After that the bus passed through four underpasses that seemed to have a nominal height sufficient for the bus to clear. And then they came to Eagle Avenue which is nominally only 7' 7", shown below.
Eagle Avenue bridge across Southern State Parkway, eastbound..
Click to go to the Google aerial view of the interchange of Eagle Avenue and Southern State Parkway.
The photos of the wrecked bus in the Post article show much greater damage on its right side than on its left, so I think it was in the right lane and hit it at 7' 7" (or 8' 7" in reality) which would be about 23 inches lower than the top of the bus.
The bus driver is a professional, so he should have noted the one warning sign he went under when going from I-678 to the Belt Parkway (if indeed that was his route). And he should have known that buses were prohibited from parkways. The bus company is based in New Jersey, so I think it's save to assume they do a lot of driving in New York State. In addition, the driver should have noticed his hairbreadth clearance under some of the bridges before he got to Eagle Avenue. If he'd been paying attention, that alone should have caused him to question the wisdom of his route.
The signage, however, erected by the NYDOT is all consistent with the assumption that every driver knows you can't take a bus (or truck) onto a parkway, and every driver knows there are very low clearance bridges. But that's a bit like the reasoning "but I had the right of way" as you lie dying on the pavement somewhere. Three vehicles a year strike this bridge! How many hit the other very low clearance bridges on this parkway? Construction of the Southern State Parkway began in 1926. It's been 92 years and no one has ever felt the need to upgrade the signage?! "In December [2017], Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a $4.3 million project to install an electronic warning system that detects when oversize vehicles enter parkways." Here's what the NYDOT claims in that article: "An over-height vehicle entering would break the beam, triggering a warning message on a full color LED variable message sign display. The warning would indicate that the vehicle is over height and alerts the driver of impending bridge strikes ahead," but if you look at the photos you'll see the sign falls far short of what they claim.
Full color LED? I don't think so. This is old technology, certainly not any color but amber. I don't think these lights are LED or I wouldn't see so many burned out elements both out on the road and in this photo. If they are truly LED, they could do a lot more with them than simply display crude dots. As for "The warning would indicate that the vehicle is over height and alerts the driver of impending bridge strikes ahead," uh, I don't think so. If the sign in the photo actually does that, it's going to have to scroll three or four message displays to do so, and the offending vehicle will have passed by the sign already. In addition, the sign is placed too late. Is the driver of the truck or bus supposed to back up or do a u-turn across the grass or just stop and call the highway patrol to assist? In the photo it appears that the detector is actually placed AFTER the warning sign, so its only real function would be to alert following drivers to get their cellphones ready to record the expected crash.
The NYDOT seems to work on the assumption there are no stupid or ignorant drivers on their roads. Most other states have learned the folly of that assumption when dealing with potentially life-endangering road hazards. In California there are generous warning signs where stupid or ignorant drivers might do the wrong thing. The bus driver is technically at fault in this case, but the NYDOT is doing less than the minimum to try to mitigate the risks of these low clearance parkway overpasses. The very least they could do is use the standard big yellow signs that are mounted on bridges directly over the roadway...and clear the damned vegetation!
There are at least a couple of low clearance bridges elsewhere in the United States that are routinely struck by high clearance vehicles. Go here to read and view videos about the infamous 11' 8" bridge in Durham, North Carolina. Note the extremely generous warning signs for the stupid or ignorant. Even so, plenty of drama still happens.
permalink | April 9, 2018 at 02:07 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2018
Slide Photos Of The Past (well, we couldn't have future, could we?)
Somewhere in New England (Maine, most likely).
A view of the skyline of downtown Boston from Alewife Station on the Red Line. I think the very white steeple you can see towards the left part of the downtown skyline is a church that used to stand in Porter Square. You can see the Federal Reserve building on the righthand part of the skyline.
My brother's stepdaughter at the wedding between her mother and him in 1986, Fremont, California.
Polaris and the star trails around it. I probably shot this while out camping, which means it's probably Maine.
I can't remember where this is, but I'm tempted to say Chicago. Kodachrome, 1987.
Prometheus in front of the Prudential Center in Boston, 1986.
The old John Hancock, Back Bay, Boston. Kodachrome, 1986.
The reflecting pool at the Christian Science Center in The Fenway, Boston.Agfachrome, 1985.
Chicago City Hall, Kodachrome, 1987.
The Christian Science Center in Boston. Kodachrome, 1986.
