Sean Christiansen
@seanchristiansen.bsky.social
Southerner and aspiring cook, bartender, reader, cinephile, linguist, and optimist.
I appreciate Metro-North’s 3–2 seating for density purposes (especially to accommodate groups of 5–6 efficiently), but when your ~9pm trains still have ~30 people in *each* car standing for the full hour to Stamford, even with some empty middle seats, you need to run more/longer trains.
December 17, 2025 at 3:04 AM
I appreciate Metro-North’s 3–2 seating for density purposes (especially to accommodate groups of 5–6 efficiently), but when your ~9pm trains still have ~30 people in *each* car standing for the full hour to Stamford, even with some empty middle seats, you need to run more/longer trains.
An ideal place to spend a cold day (even if my favorite seascapes are relegated to visual storage).
December 16, 2025 at 9:36 PM
An ideal place to spend a cold day (even if my favorite seascapes are relegated to visual storage).
Fingers crossed I’ll be able to take these sleek new open-gangway CQ400 trains to/from ATL later this month. What a great upgrade for MARTA and Atlanta. Also, couldn’t have picked a more ruggedly beautiful station to film this in (Source: XgGamergX via Reddit).
December 11, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Fingers crossed I’ll be able to take these sleek new open-gangway CQ400 trains to/from ATL later this month. What a great upgrade for MARTA and Atlanta. Also, couldn’t have picked a more ruggedly beautiful station to film this in (Source: XgGamergX via Reddit).
With its 10 Monets, Gallery #81 at the National Gallery of Art is the most beautiful room in D.C., and for a moment this morning I had it all to myself.
December 9, 2025 at 3:14 AM
With its 10 Monets, Gallery #81 at the National Gallery of Art is the most beautiful room in D.C., and for a moment this morning I had it all to myself.
First I’ve been on a Northeast Regional train that had to switch engines from diesel to electric at New Haven. I hadn’t realized the Hartford Line to Springfield isn’t electrified, despite carrying ~1.5M passengers annually. ~20-min swap on top of a 20-min (mechanical) delay. Electrify the rails!
December 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
First I’ve been on a Northeast Regional train that had to switch engines from diesel to electric at New Haven. I hadn’t realized the Hartford Line to Springfield isn’t electrified, despite carrying ~1.5M passengers annually. ~20-min swap on top of a 20-min (mechanical) delay. Electrify the rails!
Did they ever consider making Giving Tuesday fall ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, before consumers buy so/too much stuff? Not sure whether pre-consumption deep pockets would yield more donations than post-consumption glut/guilt, but I’m curious.
December 2, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Did they ever consider making Giving Tuesday fall ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, before consumers buy so/too much stuff? Not sure whether pre-consumption deep pockets would yield more donations than post-consumption glut/guilt, but I’m curious.
The sudden ups and downs of this chart are striking. While the new fare increases will surely affect things, I’m eager to see how measurable of an impact on ridership that these drastically better frequencies will have.
A few weeks ago, PATH announced a series of service expansions that will finally reverse this trend. Though paired with a rather steep fare increase, these changes will finally put weekend PATH service levels above where they were 25 years ago. Huge congrats to all the advicates who made this happen
November 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The sudden ups and downs of this chart are striking. While the new fare increases will surely affect things, I’m eager to see how measurable of an impact on ridership that these drastically better frequencies will have.
Flying out of T concourse at ATL means one thing: Bo Rounds from Bojangles. A great Thanksgiving coda.
November 30, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Flying out of T concourse at ATL means one thing: Bo Rounds from Bojangles. A great Thanksgiving coda.
Not complaining that my family’s new Thanksgiving/Christmas streaming tradition has become the latest (good) Star Wars tv show (Andor season two, finally) and the latest Yorgos Lanthimos film (Bugonia a much better watch than Kinds of Kindness).
November 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Not complaining that my family’s new Thanksgiving/Christmas streaming tradition has become the latest (good) Star Wars tv show (Andor season two, finally) and the latest Yorgos Lanthimos film (Bugonia a much better watch than Kinds of Kindness).
The time has finally come (to experience the new Acela trainsets).
November 16, 2025 at 9:09 PM
The time has finally come (to experience the new Acela trainsets).
Skipped the D so I could take the M. Electric vibes in the city today. 🚇
November 5, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Skipped the D so I could take the M. Electric vibes in the city today. 🚇
“If that must be true, let the prose we write still rhyme”
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
“If that must be true, let the prose we write still rhyme”
Reposted by Sean Christiansen
A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM
November 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM
Impeccable usage of the subway
November 5, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Impeccable usage of the subway
Reposted by Sean Christiansen
At just 34 years old, Zohran Mamdani culminated a meteoric political rise Tuesday by scoring a decisive victory in a polarizing mayoral election.
He will become the youngest mayor in over a century, the first Muslim to lead New York City.
buff.ly/7kOwKhb
He will become the youngest mayor in over a century, the first Muslim to lead New York City.
buff.ly/7kOwKhb
Mamdani Makes History With Victory in Mayor’s Race
More than 2 million New Yorkers cast a ballot in a high-stakes election that smashed recent turnout levels.
www.thecity.nyc
November 5, 2025 at 3:04 AM
At just 34 years old, Zohran Mamdani culminated a meteoric political rise Tuesday by scoring a decisive victory in a polarizing mayoral election.
He will become the youngest mayor in over a century, the first Muslim to lead New York City.
buff.ly/7kOwKhb
He will become the youngest mayor in over a century, the first Muslim to lead New York City.
buff.ly/7kOwKhb
$3 bookstore find, a perfect read in the run-up to NYC’s general election.
October 26, 2025 at 1:17 AM
$3 bookstore find, a perfect read in the run-up to NYC’s general election.
Bullied into seeing an 8:30am 70mm showing of One Battle After Another but as they say, somehow, [sleepiness] feels good in a place like this.
September 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Bullied into seeing an 8:30am 70mm showing of One Battle After Another but as they say, somehow, [sleepiness] feels good in a place like this.
Really need the new trainsets to address the outrageous Acela prices, which show $900+ for a timely weekend roundtrip ~1 month from now. Quite the opposite of a public service!
September 21, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Really need the new trainsets to address the outrageous Acela prices, which show $900+ for a timely weekend roundtrip ~1 month from now. Quite the opposite of a public service!
"DC has become a nationwide leader in office-to-residential conversions and...is on its way to reaching the goal of adding 15,000 new residents to Downtown DC."
I'm impressed by the resilience of downtown D.C.'s conversions—though I guess it just illustrates the severity of the housing shortage.
I'm impressed by the resilience of downtown D.C.'s conversions—though I guess it just illustrates the severity of the housing shortage.
“Mayor Bowser Announces Three New Commercial-to-Residential Conversion Projects” www.popville.com/2025/09/mayo...
“Mayor Bowser Announces Three New Commercial-to-Residential Conversion Projects” - PoPville
1990 K Street, NW From the Mayor's Office: "Mayor Muriel Bowser marked another milestone in the District’s Housing in Downtown (HID) program by celebrating the start of demolition at 1990 K Street NW,...
www.popville.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
"DC has become a nationwide leader in office-to-residential conversions and...is on its way to reaching the goal of adding 15,000 new residents to Downtown DC."
I'm impressed by the resilience of downtown D.C.'s conversions—though I guess it just illustrates the severity of the housing shortage.
I'm impressed by the resilience of downtown D.C.'s conversions—though I guess it just illustrates the severity of the housing shortage.
Jarring reporting here, and right after a shooting attack on CDC's headquarters, no less. This disposal of scientific expertise puts the whole world in more danger.
August 28, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Jarring reporting here, and right after a shooting attack on CDC's headquarters, no less. This disposal of scientific expertise puts the whole world in more danger.
Reposted by Sean Christiansen
Good afternoon and welcome on board this beautiful Amtrak NextGen Acela train!
I’m joining Amtrak for its “Acela-bration” ride northbound out of New York Penn Station. Very excited to finally get on one of these trains after seeing them sit idle across the Northeast for half a decade!
I’m joining Amtrak for its “Acela-bration” ride northbound out of New York Penn Station. Very excited to finally get on one of these trains after seeing them sit idle across the Northeast for half a decade!
August 27, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Good afternoon and welcome on board this beautiful Amtrak NextGen Acela train!
I’m joining Amtrak for its “Acela-bration” ride northbound out of New York Penn Station. Very excited to finally get on one of these trains after seeing them sit idle across the Northeast for half a decade!
I’m joining Amtrak for its “Acela-bration” ride northbound out of New York Penn Station. Very excited to finally get on one of these trains after seeing them sit idle across the Northeast for half a decade!
Reposted by Sean Christiansen
Philly cutting service, Metro has 40+yr old signal system, other cities hitting death spiral fiscal cliff too. We live in the richest country in the history of the world, yet other countries are funding & building more 🚇🚌. Let’s make 🇺🇸 the best in the world, it’s a choice!
Across Philadelphia and its suburbs, commuters are bracing for a dramatic reduction in public transportation after state lawmakers were unable to agree on how to fund the struggling system.
SEPTA officials have called it a “death spiral.”
SEPTA officials have called it a “death spiral.”
Philadelphia transit hits ‘death spiral.’ More cities could follow.
Across Philadelphia and its suburbs, commuters are bracing for a dramatic reduction in public transit after state lawmakers were unable to agree on funding.
wapo.st
August 23, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Philly cutting service, Metro has 40+yr old signal system, other cities hitting death spiral fiscal cliff too. We live in the richest country in the history of the world, yet other countries are funding & building more 🚇🚌. Let’s make 🇺🇸 the best in the world, it’s a choice!
Terrible. Much more transparency needed here on how this happened, and what will be done to protect farmworkers. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/u...
6 Men Are Killed in an Accident at a Colorado Dairy Farm
www.nytimes.com
August 22, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Terrible. Much more transparency needed here on how this happened, and what will be done to protect farmworkers. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/u...
More of this, please. And not just for the toll revenue—an obstructed plate, to me, displays a hostile intent to evade speed cameras and other traffic enforcement systems meant to keep pedestrians and other road users safe. Good press release outlining the efforts: www.mta.info/press-releas...
Today, MTA Bridges and Tunnels and regional law enforcement partners performed the 100th enforcement operation focused on removing “ghost cars" from NY roadways.
These efforts have resulted in 5,300+ vehicles being impounded for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed, or altered plates.
These efforts have resulted in 5,300+ vehicles being impounded for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed, or altered plates.
August 19, 2025 at 9:37 PM
More of this, please. And not just for the toll revenue—an obstructed plate, to me, displays a hostile intent to evade speed cameras and other traffic enforcement systems meant to keep pedestrians and other road users safe. Good press release outlining the efforts: www.mta.info/press-releas...
Was in NYC for the day Thursday and Midtown was electric. The food hall in Citigroup Center was packed at lunch, not only with office workers but also with parents w/ strollers and folks working remotely on laptops.
And this 423m architectural behemoth down Park Ave is a marvel from street level.
And this 423m architectural behemoth down Park Ave is a marvel from street level.
“New York City office visits, or foot traffic, exceeded 2019 levels for the first time in July, according to Placer.ai, a location-analytics firm. It was the only major city to hit that milestone.” @carlquintanilla.bsky.social www.wsj.com/real-estate/...
NYC Offices Are Back. Nothing Proves It More Than JPMorgan’s $3 Billion Tower.
The bank is preparing to move thousands of employees into its new, 2.5-million-square-foot Midtown headquarters.
www.wsj.com
August 18, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Was in NYC for the day Thursday and Midtown was electric. The food hall in Citigroup Center was packed at lunch, not only with office workers but also with parents w/ strollers and folks working remotely on laptops.
And this 423m architectural behemoth down Park Ave is a marvel from street level.
And this 423m architectural behemoth down Park Ave is a marvel from street level.