Bygone Muncie: History of local mass transit, from the 'Donkey Railroad' to MITS busesTo alleviate the growing distances for workers, the city chartered the Muncie City Railway Company in 1887 to build a trolley system. Two years later, MCRC built a few lines connecting nearby suburbs to downtown Muncie. This first system was pejoratively called a Donkey Railroad, so named because the trolleys were powered by inefficient and very loud "donkey" steam engines. Munsonians were quick to reject it. The Muncie Daily News even joked in 1890 that when the steam streetcar made its way up the tracks, “people fled in all directions. Many of our oldest citizens thought the courthouse was coming up the street on wheels.”
zman has already called shotgun...er, conductor...on The Jackass Express
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| Not the actual donkey railroad in question |
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This is great! The linked article also taught me the definition of "Jitney", which I've heard in at least one old song.
Juan Moritz, the lambo and possibly longest term undergrad matriculant ever at W&M, is now a professor of graphic design at Ball State. I visited him in Muncie on my way to Chicago several years ago.
Seems like donkey railroads ain't the draw they used to be
I’m your huckleberry
They have a jitney from NYC to the far reaches of Long Island. I rode one in younger years.
And if the song Rootsy mentions is cool, I know what they rhymed jitney with...
shit tree?
Limp D?
Low T?
Tit knee?
And I'd just like to say "go fuck yourself" to the SUV/van driver who opened their door into my front passenger side door, leaving a dimple and a smear of white paint along the shoulder of the door below the window. Now I get to see that every time I walk from my front door to my car. I guess I'll start backing into the driveway so I don't have to see it.
Hey Rootsy, I've got a stepbrother in Roanoke who has opened up a little eatery attached to the Golden Cactus brewery downtown. It's called Pedal Biscuits and they describe themselves as:
"New biscuit Joint in Downtown Roanoke. Craft biscuits with southern flavors. We are here to make awesome biscuits, raise money for our local bike trails, and to feed you! Pedal on."
Seems worth a quick peak if you find yourself around there. They only seem to be open Friday and Saturday evenings at this point.
Website here.
FB here.
IG here.
(Hi, Rob!)
I'll check it out. It's just a block and half from my shop.
we stayed at a very cool old hotel in denver last night. as soon as we got off the elevator, we all smelled it - just like the tower of terror at hollywood studios. kids were certain the place was haunted.
Just got back from picking up the wife's car from the shop, I walk into our basement (my office) to find my 12 yr old son and three of his friends attempting to play a record on my record player.
I asked them which record they were trying to play.
The neighbors' kid replied "this one". Pointing to the record on the turntable.
I looked at the spine of album which only has the number 69 written vertically ten times on the spine and then asked, "Oh, you like the Magnetic Fields?".
His reply, "Yep".
My reply, "What's your favorite song?"
He just stared straight ahead.
My reply, "Did you pick that record because the album is called 69 Love Songs?"
He just stared straight ahead. Haha.
Walk upstairs to tell my wife what happened and she says they have no idea what 69 is. Thought about explaining there are 300+ records on the shelf only one has an inch wide spine with 69 written vertically multiple times on it, these kids are basically teenagers, but instead said "yes, dear" and walked back downstairs.
Bless Ms. Squeaky's little heart.
Pedal Biscuits’ IG is food porn.
I refuse to believe that Mrs Squeaky doesn’t believe that Son of Squeaky is down with 69. Willful blindness.
Zman and I are saying the same thing about Mama Squeaky.
I said it in Virginian. He said it IN JERSEY
Might as well be the Queen’s English and Swahili
I just now decided I want the Suns to win the title b/c Chris Paul is badass and deserves it more than anybody else still playing.
Rob - what hotel? Is it the Brown Palace?
hi gheorghies!
You should root for the Suns to win so rob makes money.
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