Comments on: Studying off-grid infrastructure

By: Vissa dagar räcker inte till | KATTKORGEN

Vissa dagar räcker inte till | KATTKORGEN — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:30:44 +0000

[...] varit ute och rört på mig. Något jag inspirerades till när jag läste en av mina favvobloggar, Doc searls, för ett tag [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:00:04 +0000

If you’re interested in the railroad, pick up a copy of Arlington’s Little Local Railroad ($4; http://www.arlingtonhistorical.org/museumshop/index.php). It has great info about the history of the railroad, old photos, and route maps.

The bike trail continues past Bedford to Concord, though it’s not paved past Bedford. There’s also a trail that runs from Bedford to Billerica over the old Billerica & Bedford RR, an old narrow-gauge line.

By: zeno

zeno — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:48:03 +0000

As to what is at the other end of the bike trail…well, a bike shop, some sort of little train depot/museum, a water fountain, and nothing else. Disappointing really, I expected some great surprise or bustling town square or amazing sheer drop off a cliff. Ah well.

By: Russell Nelson

Russell Nelson — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:43:42 +0000

Here's an interesting perspective, in line with my suggestion that linear infrastructure has characteristics across all types: Volunteer Railways in Britain. If you're not a railfan, skip the first half and start reading at "There may be a larger social lesson here."

By: Andria Krewson

Andria Krewson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:31:03 +0000

Lovely.
Flickr tag grouping? Or Flickr group?
Brother’s in the hospital with leg clot and now a lung clot, so your posts and his health have me walking and balancing more. Thanks for inspiration and reconnection to the worlds around us.
Of railroads: Parallels from the 1890s with current web are intriguing.

By: Espen

Espen — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 13:54:58 +0000

Loved that bikeway (it was created in the early nineties) when we lived in Arlington, in a house right above the Spy Pond baseball field. In fact, I did a double-take seeing the picture – the house we lived in was painted exactly the same as in the photograph.

By: Doc Searls

Doc Searls — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:52:33 +0000

Thanks, everybody. Take notice also of the work along these lines (observation, thought, photography) by Stephen Lewis, at his Bubkes and Hak Pak Sak blogs. In addition to being an old college buddy, Steve is my mentor at these kinds of things.

By: Mary Lu AKA HelloMaryLu

Mary Lu AKA HelloMaryLu — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:28:53 +0000

Doc– Glad to hear you’re doing the right thing healthwise. When I had my little encounter with my brain last year, it totally changed how I looked at things and I started taking better care of myself. It was about time, if I do say so myself. Until recently I started using my walk as an excuse to take my camera along and get a few pictures– and I need to get back to it.

However my favorite place over at Puddingstone is one of LA’s entry fee parks. Personally it’s a major PITA in my not so humble opinion. It’s not like we’re not paying enough in taxes around here.

I’m glad to see John R’s near you. Keep shooting and reporting. I want to see more of your view of Boston/Cambridge.

Mary Lu

By: Russell Nelson

Russell Nelson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 06:01:26 +0000

Consider that roads, pipelines (oil, gas, water, sewer), canals, railroads, trails, power lines, telephone lines, cable TV lines, and fiber optic lines are all forms of linear infrastructure. Their economics all have a certain nature that they share between them. They’re dominated by sunk cost and difficulty of access. Because they’re good at going long distances in straight lines, they’re poor (generalization) at going short distances.

By: Lisa Gates

Lisa Gates — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:40:21 +0000

Doc, what I love about your post is the “pause” in it. The breathing. Methinks feet on the ground is a good thing for you. More digits, less digital.