Christof Spieler
@christofspieler.bsky.social
Director of Transportation, Madison, WI; Author of “Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas of US and Canadian Transit,” Island Press, 2021. (he/him) PE/AICP/LEED AP
And then there's the third version!
December 9, 2025 at 10:10 PM
And then there's the third version!
French train frequencies make me want to...
December 9, 2025 at 1:05 PM
French train frequencies make me want to...
Sunset on Lake Mendota.
December 8, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Sunset on Lake Mendota.
After the snow.
December 8, 2025 at 2:39 AM
After the snow.
Definitely. A 2 hour run with 3 intermediate stops is far more "steam railroad" than interurban. Interurbans -- even the North Shore, famous for its express service -- tended to have a lot of stops.
December 6, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Definitely. A 2 hour run with 3 intermediate stops is far more "steam railroad" than interurban. Interurbans -- even the North Shore, famous for its express service -- tended to have a lot of stops.
Same general area 3 weeks ago.
December 5, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Same general area 3 weeks ago.
Some ice fishing happening, too.
December 5, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Some ice fishing happening, too.
Is there anything more Madison than biking to the lake to play hockey?
December 5, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Is there anything more Madison than biking to the lake to play hockey?
A university shuttle route at Ole Miss, apparently.
December 4, 2025 at 3:02 AM
A university shuttle route at Ole Miss, apparently.
In Munich that street had carried 60 trams an hour. www.u-bahn-muenchen.de/geschichte/n...
December 4, 2025 at 2:10 AM
In Munich that street had carried 60 trams an hour. www.u-bahn-muenchen.de/geschichte/n...
The main body of the lake is still open as of today.
December 4, 2025 at 1:08 AM
The main body of the lake is still open as of today.
The Kaufingerstraße, one of the most successful shopping streets in the world, was enabled by subway construction in Munich. (The tunnel below, which now carries 30 S-Bahn trains/hour each way, was built in 1965-1972, and the street became a permanent pedestrian zone when construction was complete.)
December 4, 2025 at 12:50 AM
The Kaufingerstraße, one of the most successful shopping streets in the world, was enabled by subway construction in Munich. (The tunnel below, which now carries 30 S-Bahn trains/hour each way, was built in 1965-1972, and the street became a permanent pedestrian zone when construction was complete.)
Monona Bay has frozen over.
December 3, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Monona Bay has frozen over.
...but it's notable that there are quite a few people out and about on bikes on a 23 degree day with fresh snow on the ground in their street clothes, likely on shorter rides. We definitely see more people biking in summer than winter, but some people are biking year round.
December 2, 2025 at 7:48 PM
...but it's notable that there are quite a few people out and about on bikes on a 23 degree day with fresh snow on the ground in their street clothes, likely on shorter rides. We definitely see more people biking in summer than winter, but some people are biking year round.
This rider clearly has the gear for a long ride for any weather...
December 2, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This rider clearly has the gear for a long ride for any weather...
When I rode it westbound it definitely did what the Via map shows (crossing the Fraser in Surrey.)
December 1, 2025 at 3:28 AM
When I rode it westbound it definitely did what the Via map shows (crossing the Fraser in Surrey.)
Thank your bus driver and your snowplow driver.
November 30, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Thank your bus driver and your snowplow driver.
Appreciation to everyone out there keeping the city running on a snowy long weekend.
November 29, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Appreciation to everyone out there keeping the city running on a snowy long weekend.
The best way to get to the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison is BRT.
November 28, 2025 at 11:19 PM
The best way to get to the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison is BRT.
Holiday service on the isthmus.
November 27, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Holiday service on the isthmus.
I believe you're still supposed to tap off. Wilmington does have Key readers -- you can see one on the platform at the left. (It's Amtrak owned.)
November 26, 2025 at 3:50 AM
I believe you're still supposed to tap off. Wilmington does have Key readers -- you can see one on the platform at the left. (It's Amtrak owned.)
Foggy morning on Jenifer Street.
November 25, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Foggy morning on Jenifer Street.
This sign post offers a hint of why we're taking on curb management in Madison. (Also: kudos to our talented in-house sign shop and hard working field crews, who keep up with all this stuff!)
November 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This sign post offers a hint of why we're taking on curb management in Madison. (Also: kudos to our talented in-house sign shop and hard working field crews, who keep up with all this stuff!)
The last train left Madison in 1971. Today, we can drive 30 miles to Columbus to catch one of 4 trains a day there, take the bus to Milwaukee for 7 trains a day to Chicago, or use the bus to Chicago for connections east.
November 19, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The last train left Madison in 1971. Today, we can drive 30 miles to Columbus to catch one of 4 trains a day there, take the bus to Milwaukee for 7 trains a day to Chicago, or use the bus to Chicago for connections east.