428 Lackawanna Avenue

The empty storefront at 428 Lackawanna Avenue that once housed Gianetta Music is quite the eyesore. For the last several years this graffiti covered storefront next to the Steamtown Mall greets visitors to Downtown Scranton.

There's a disparity in how the city of Scranton enforces laws. If you're a wealthy downtown property owner you can let your property fall into disrepair, in fact even become an eyesore. However if you're an average person, you won't be afforded that luxury. About a dozen years ago the wall in front of our house was vandalized, a bunch of stupid stuff was written on it. I called the Scranton Police to report it. After I got through the ever popular "where did you come from talking like that?" question, I was told the police don't take reports for that sort of thing. But....I had 72 hours to remove the offending graffiti, or I would get fined! I forget the amount, but it was a couple hundred dollars. Yes you got that right, I called to report a crime, and I'm the problem. Go figure. But if you're politically connected you don't have to worry.

Warren County Courthouse

The Warren County Courthouse, built 1876-66, at 204 4th Avenue in Warren Penna.

South Shore 802

South Shore 802 at the Lake Shore Railway Historical Museum in North East, Pennsylvania a few weeks ago. Originally built for export to the Soviet Union, instead these electric locs went to domestic carriers, in this case the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend in the late 1940's.

Lackawanna Avenue Clock

The clock in the 500 block of Lackawanna Avenue has gone from being 49 minutes fast to being totally stopped. Now it's correct twice a day, a real step in the right direction, although it was like this a few years back as well. Since the clock has been neglected for the last couple years, maybe it's time to remove it. Clearly nobody in the city seems to care about it.

St. Peter Cathedral

St. Peter Cathedral at 230 West 10th Street in downtown Erie, dedicated on August 2, 1893. The clock on the tower seems unique to me, can't recall when I last saw a clock on a bell tower.

Bogart Court

Bogart Court in downtown Scranton, Velvet Elvis is a neat little shop. This is a neat little street, seems ripe for development.

Union Station

Union Station at 125 West 14th Street in downtown Erie, opened December 3, 1927. Amtrak uses this station today, other portions are used for commercial purposes, such as Brewerie.

September 21, 1995, we were stuck here for three hours due to locomotive failure. It was good to see what the front of the station looked like.

Flat Iron Building

The Flat Iron Building built in 1891 at the Point in downtown Warren Penna.

Kinzua Viaduct

The Kinzua Viaduct re-built from an earlier bridge in 1900 by the Erie Railroad, was in use until 1959. A tornado in 2003 destroyed the bridge, which was subsequently turned into a park.

Delaware-Lackawanna 211

DL 211 at the South Side shops last week. Haven't seen this one in a while, now I know where she's been hiding.

Erie Mining 7222

Erie Mining 7222 at the South Side shops last week. A real shame the idiots with rattle cans were here.

St Patrick Church

St Patrick Church 3602 Bridge Avenue in Cleveland's Ohio City area.

WEWS

WEWS TV 5, at 3001 Euclid Avenue, Ohio's first television station, onetime home of Dorothy Fuldheim and Groovy Don Webster, host of Upbeat! which was taped in this building and syndicated across the country in the late 60's.

Westbound Freight

A westbound freight led by BNSF 8326 at North East Penna. last week on the former New York Central mainline.

Delaware-Lackawanna 41

DL 41, former leased loc RRPX 41 at the South Side Shops.

Step Falls

Step Falls is barely a trickle with all the dry weather lately.

Scranton Skyline

View from the Harrison Avenue bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Delaware Lackawanna 4118

DL 4118 at the South Side Shops last weekend.

Woolly Worm

We spotted this Woolly Worm in South Scranton this afternoon. Don't know what this means for the upcoming winter.

First Methodist Church

First Methodist Church, 3000 Euclid Avenue, built in 1903. The building is currently up for sale.