Just thought I’d take a quick mintute to check in and say hi. I’m at a Kinko’s on Market Street in Center City, and since I’m paying by the minute on this computer, I’ll make this quick:

• My car made the trip without any trouble, and actually used less gas than I thought it would. Hopefully it will have a repeat performance on the way back.
• In northern Indiana, I saw two CTA 2600-series cars on flatbed trucks being shipped back to Chicago from their rebuilding in Hornell, NY. Cool!
• I took the PA Turnpike, and except for the construction, foul weather, narrow lanes, tight curves, and poor visibility, it was a great drive.
• The parts of New Jersey I’ve seen so far are like a highway engineer’s wet dream… Apparently every highway in the state is designed to prevent left-hand turns.
• My interview was re-scheduled for Friday morning, so I spent most of Thursday riding the rails. I took: PATCO from Haddonfield to Center City, Broad Street Subway express to Fern Rock and back (what a kick-ass express run!!), R3 to Media, 101 trolley to 69th, MFL back to Center City, and PATCO back to Jersey. More in-depth report to follow.
• Late last night I re-aquainted myself with Jim’s Steaks on South Street… *drool* I think I like this town.
• I did some driving around and stumbled upon the Girard Avenue trolley tracks. Cool!
• My interview this morning went very well. I think the firm was interested in me, and I’d be very interested in working for them. They’re located way down at the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, former site of the Philly Naval Shipyards where my father was stationed during Vietnam. The firm said they’d call me back next week.
• I’ve been spending most of today driving around the city and exploring various neighborhoods, trying to find a suitable place to call home. South Jersey is a bit too suburban for my tastes, Media is probably a little too distant, but I love Germantown, Mt. Airy, and Manyunk.
• Fairmount Park is incredible… I could spend days just exploring it.
• My side trip to NYC tomorrow is still on. Whether I drive or take NJT will probably depend on the weather and my mood tomorrow morning, but either way, the meeting is still on for 2:00 PM on the shuttle platform at Times Square.

That’s it for now… Watch this space for more details of my trip when I’m able to sit down at a computer without having to watch a clock.

(originally posted on the SubTalk forum at nycsubway.org)