Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

John Michael McGrath @jm-mcgrath.bsky.social · 1h

when you make the *existing city* illegal to build again today this is the obvious and inevitable consequence: www.latimes.com/california/s...

3 8 37

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 35m

This is a really, really cool analysis of how the carbon footprint ("hoofprint") of meat consumption varies widely across US metro areas. Chicago's history as a center for meatpacking has left it with a low hoofprint.

news.umich.edu/revealing-th...

Revealing the 'carbon hoofprint' of meat consumption for American cities

Depending on where you live in the United States, the meat you eat each year could be responsible for a level of greenhouse gas emissions that's similar to what's emitted to power your house.

news.umich.edu

1 2

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

The People Mover Who Was Promised @pmwwp.bsky.social · 1h

It sounds like US steel makes rail from this but they are classifying it as foreign due to ownership from Nippon steel. I think that's wrong and that the location of the factory is more important.

1 5

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1h

There are now only two providers of rail (like the actual rail) left in the US market. www.freightwaves.com/news/just-tw...

Just two U.S. makers of critical railroad material left after plant closure

Cleveland-Cliffs will close its idle Steelton, Pa., facility permanently, leaving just two U.S. producers of steel rail for track.

www.freightwaves.com

1 10 35

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 17h

Elevators are important for urban logistics, since cities don’t have big single-story spaces. Here are two freight elevators in the Astor Pl. Wegman’s (built by Wanamaker’s?). Common in European/Asian warehouses, rarer in the U.S. due to our extreme costs. admin.centerforbuilding.org/wp-content/u...

One topic that was not covered at all in this report is freight elevators.
Deindustrialization has been a major theme of American urbanism and politics throughout the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st, as vertical urban warehouses and factories gave way to sprawling, single-story facilities in the suburbs and exurbs. Reindustrialization has been on the minds of many policymakers in America, with the energy transition, supply chain security, and growing demand for logistics facilities driving increased interest in industrial real estate. Freight elevators were in heavy use in multistory industrial buildings in U.S. cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and are still common in East Asia and, to a lesser degree, Europe. And possible reindustrialization of North America's urban cores will have to involve freight elevators
- modern multistory warehouses in U.S. cities are built with truck ramps, but the amount of land needed limits their development. There may also be smaller-scale freight applications that could smooth out the bumps of urban logistics. One person with experience developing grocery stores in Germany, for example, said that freight elevators are often installed in urban format stores there. They are rarely seen in New York City, on the other hand, which has problems with breaks in the cold chain when perishable food needs to be hauled by hand into basement storage. Freight elevators likely see the same cost premium in North America as passenger elevators, and their cost could impede broader efforts to bring denser industry back to North American cities.
More research is needed to confirm this, and to identify any issues that are separate from those of passenger elevators.

2 4 22

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1d

lol

Jennie Coughlin @jenniecoughlin.bsky.social · 1d

Cuomo, who is running for NYC mayor, will propose today that the MTA yield control of the subway system’s capital construction and station maintenance to NYC. The proposal might strike many transit advocates as ironic. Cuomo’s leadership of the MTA as governor was at times contentious.

Cuomo to Propose That New York City Take Partial Control of Subway

www.nytimes.com

1 12

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

Lady Topham Catt @ladytophamcatt.bsky.social · 1d

A few more details from this incredible building.

Stone Temple Baptist Church (originally First Roumanian Congregation)
Architects: Joseph W Cohen & Co, 1926
#OHC2025

Exterior color close-up of part of the building's diapered gable parapet, into which are set two stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments, carved in Hebrew script. A stone corbel table supports the parapet and marks a division between the fancy diapered stuff above and the more sedate brickwork of the rest of the facade.

Exterior color close-up of just the central part of an enormous arcade on the front facade. Made of limestone, each of these monumental arches is separated by columns with fancy capitals bearing the Star of David. This arch in turn holds an additional three arched windows, also separated by columns, but with less fancy capitals. Above them is stained glass in a greenish floral design and a perfectly centered roundel with the Star of David. Above the monumental arcade and set into tan brick are two limestone medallions, one featuring the Torah and the other a menorah.

Interior color photo taken on an angle from the U-shaped second floor balcony. Four ornate chandeliers featuring the Star of David in the metalwork light the sanctuary, hanging from a gently arched ceiling into the space between the arms of the U. Several sets of glowing, stained glass arched windows can be seen on the opposite side of the balcony, each topped by stained glass prominently featuring the Star of David.

Interior color close-up of a newel post with too many generations of thick white paint muting some of the details. It is topped by a spherical finial sitting on a pyramid base with a raised foliate design. Underneath this are recessed panels on each side featuring the Star of David on a ribbed background.

3 26

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1d

ooooo

1

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 1d

Still waiting on the details, but that sounds right. Would essentially replace the rest of the Amtrak cuts. Obviously, the difference is Grand Central vs Penn.

The big deal here is that CSX signed off on it as the lease with NYSDOT expressly prohibits commuter operation.

1 1 9

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1d

Also, it sounds like this is just one RT per day?

2 2

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1d

Not an ideal situation IMO. But I'll take this for now.

1 5

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 1d

What!?

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 1d

ACTUAL GOOD TRANSIT NEWS ALERT: Metro-North will run to Albany, starting this spring.

And Amtrak is adding back one train to NYP-ALB and capping prices at $99.

1 13

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

Anson Stewart @ansonstewart.com · 2d

Some 🔥 insights into transportation and housing in this conversation.

People moving to the South for cost-of-living – "on the West Coast and in the Northeast, the housing markets are calcified" and "the friction of trying to support a family life in some of those places" – and cultural reasons.

Mark Anslem @epluribusmarcus.bsky.social · 2d

This is such a good conversation between @jamellebouie.net, @tressiemcphd.bsky.social, and @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social.

FULL EPISODE: ‘The Opinions’ Podcast: There Is No Trump Without the South: youtu.be/dqpJKPCY64Y?...

🎥: @nytimesoped.bsky.social

1 3 13

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 2d

Pondside mansions should be upzoned, but are pretty

11

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 2d

I assume when the trolley infrastructure in the area went out of use (not sure if any of the local lines stayed trolleybus after the rails were pulled)

1

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 2d

The old BERy substation in Roslindale maybe struggling to find its commercial identity but it's a near perfect Open Studios space

1 5

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 3d

Ooo we haven't made that in forever but it's sooooo good.

2

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

Central NJ Yimby 🏗️🚲🚇🇺🇸 @princetonyimby.bsky.social · 4d

City of Toms River NJ fined for contempt of court, after refusing to turn over documents relating to a case centering on whether the town used restrictive zoning to block construction of a synagogue. (They clearly did.) The case has been running since 2021. www.nj.com/news/2025/10...

Toms River fined nearly $30K by federal judge in Orthodox synagogue lawsuit

Federal judge orders Toms River to pay nearly $30,000 for contempt after years of failing to produce documents in religious discrimination lawsuit.

www.nj.com

2 5 17

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 6d

🧵

Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 6d

It's cool that when they think the audience is progressive, the Edgewater residents organizing against the Broadway rezoning say they're fighting gentrification, but otherwise they're pretty open about what they're worrying about

1 2 4

Reposted by Sandy Johnston

Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 9d

Finally got something out of my head that's been there a while: A capsule history of the mid-density Chicago apartment building daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io/the-life-dea...

The life, death, and rebirth of moderate-density apartment buildings in Chicago

The pantheon of Chicago architecture tends to cluster at either end of the density spectrum. In one corner you have the trophy commercial skyscrapers; in the other you have icons of domesticity, the b...

daniel-kay-hertz.ghost.io

3 37 120

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 9d

While we're on a Rock Island kick, this BLI F7 and Bachmann GP-7 in the early scheme look handsome together and speed match really well without any adjustments.

2

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 9d

I actually do like it! Probably third behind speed letters and the black and red pinstripes as applied to some diesels early on.

3

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 9d

Sooooo many

1 1

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 9d

I think this is my favorite of the Rock's many liveries

2 4

Sandy Johnston @sandypsj.bsky.social · 9d

It's a Rock Island speed lettering kind of night. Newly arrived BLI SD40-2 and a Kato U30C. Note the extremely prototypical derailment of one of the extended side gondola/hoppers.

2 2 22