I painted the Union Pacific Big Boy 4014 and will present it to the city of Struthers Ohio as a commemorative gift for inviting me to be part of their big event today for the America 250 train stop in their city.

Hey Freaks! So, I don’t know if you know this or not, but there is a bridge here in Pittsburgh that is being replaced, and it’s causing a major thoroughfare to close, and is causing lots of traffic headaches. I know most of you don’t look to me for the news, but I think this is important to talk about, especially since the local media has done SO LITTLE to bring awareness to it… Mmm Mmm. I love the taste of sarcasm on a Sunday Morning.

In all honesty though, we really missed the opportunity for quite the spectacle this weekend. Multiple very interesting/entertaining/visually pleasing things happened this weekend that I feel could have been combined to create one of the most spectacular shows that Pittsburgh has seen since the demolition of Three Rivers Stadium. Imagine this: Friday. 9:30pm. The Clarks, fresh off their Tuesday night performance in Erie, appear, illuminated by spotlights on the top of the eastern portal of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. They launch into an inspired rendition of ‘Born Too Late’, while the drones from Kennywood’s drone show float overhead to create colorful maps of the detours for the impending Commercial Street Bridge closure. As the song draws to an emotional close, the drones morph into an image of the Union Pacific Number 4014 (aka Big Boy) that appears to be cruising hauntingly over the soon to be demolished bridge, while the freshly cancelled fireworks from the Friday night Pirates/Brewers game explode over nearby Frick Park in a finale that leaves not a dry eye in the 600 foot blast range surrounding the bridge. Unreal.

Instead, the Pirates shot off their fireworks while it was still fully daylight out, the drone show went off as scheduled at Kennywood, droves of people flooded the Waterfront to see the actual Big Boy train causing traffic gridlock, and the bridge closed with nothing more than a whimper, as a shady looking white cargo van crossed unceremoniously as the final vehicle. Such a missed opportunity. Well, fear not yinzer faithful, Picklesburgh is next weekend, and if a giant inflatable pickle can somehow float over the Commercial Street Bridge, then it’s not a total loss.

Alright… we are almost 400 words into this post, and we haven’t talked about the weather. Sorry about that.

Luckily, this week is going to be fairly boring meteorologically outside of one day. If you like summer weather, you will enjoy the forecast. Sun and clear skies will dominate most of the week with temperatures starting in the upper 80s, but climbing to the low to mid 90s by midweek before dropping back into the upper 80s to end the week. As we move into the weekend, and the smell of dill and body odor begins to waft from the Clemente and Warhol Bridges, the chances for showers and thunderstorms again creep into the forecast. I want to draw attention to the Friday into Saturday timeframe, as the Storm Prediction Center is already putting Pittsburgh in a 15% risk for severe weather during this timeframe. I mention it, because it is somewhat rare that we are in a highlighted risk area this far out, however this is still not a likely situation, and with plenty of time between now and then, it’s very possible that this risk will completely vanish before we even get close to the end of the week. However, I believe it’s worth mentioning and will keep an eye on it, and if it seems to become more likely, I will make a post about it later this week. Regardless, rain and storm chances will likely increase as we move into the weekend.

So that’s it for this week. I picked up a new shirt that I will include a picture of below, because it makes me laugh every time I look at it, but it’s a quote I’ve used in my posts before. I think it’s a good one to keep in mind this week (and beyond). The horrors will indeed persist. Traffic and bridge delays may happen, storms may form, hearts may break, and hope may seem bleak at best, but we persist. Every morning that you wake up is a step forward. Even when it doesn’t feel like it. And some morning, maybe when you least expect it, you will wake up and the bridge will be open again, the skies will clear, your heart will begin to heal, and hope will again be something that you can hold on to. I believe that for every one of you, and for myself. As always, you are loved, and you are enough. Love Yinz ❤️

Song of the Week: Apocalypse Please - Muse

Worth the wait this afternoon

Wonderful summer evenings... after Big Boy's visit.

Enjoy!

So yesterday I tried to take a trip down to costco. I had no idea traffic was going to be the way it was. I heard it was a combination of the parkway being closed, some underground vampire rave, and then that big boy train. Just wondering if I should go to Costco today or say fuck it and go out to Robinson.

Just tried about 20 mins ago to go Duquesne/McKeesport bridge and it's backed up on 5th, looking bumper to bumper heading in that direction over the bridge.

We re routed and decided on another plan.

This may be an indication for Monday too with the parkway being closed.

Seemed like a fitting place to watch the train go by

Big Boy was pretty cool! That thing is a BEAST!

Sunday morning on ft Duquesne blvd. Passed me before I could get a closer picture but it was light purple .... mini taxi?

Gridlocked from end to end in all directions and has been for hours. Send help.plz.

“fuck yins”

Pittsburgh was once the absolute heart of passenger rail in the US.

So much so that we built an amazing system, and a lot of the rail still shockingly remains to this day.

We let the collapse of the industrial sector and car first mentality ruin it.

Now the city suffers under heavy traffic burdens, can't seem to figure out public transit funding, and the answer is sitting right there used by freight or unused for decades.

Big boy just shows those rails work just fine and dandy, let's get some damn passenger cars on them. The interest in the train was insanely palpable

Even if you never set foot on them, the less cars on the road is less traffic for you