Way back in October, I posted about some of Delaware County’s tornado sirens I’d recreated in LEGO. No one latched on when it went live, but the internet likes to pin a tail on blog posts. A couple weeks ago, a guy from California reached out to ask if I was the same Ted who designed the Lego warning sirens. Turns out I was!
Continue reading “Revisiting LEGO outdoor warning sirens”
I’d never been close to graffiti until I started working at a plastics factory that receives material by rail. Early on, I decided take pictures of the pieces I liked. I’ve kept it up and shared my favorites every month, so welcome to railcar spotting for April, 2024! It’s hard to believe, but this is my ninth installment.
Continue reading “Railcar spotting: April, 2024”
Last year, I wrote about NIOIO Estates, an addition in Delaware County with one of the strangest names I’ve ever encountered. The neighborhood’s origins perplexed me every time I passed, but recent insight from a couple friends of this blog shed some light on the mystery.
Continue reading “A return to NIOIO”
The United States entered a remarkable era of prosperity after World War II ended. Returning soldiers set their eyes on the suburbs, and the Lustron Corporation was established to meet their demand for housing. Nearly eighty years have passed since it was founded, but the company’s old homes maintain a fanatic following! I’ve written about Lustron homes in Muncie and Anderson, but a recent trip to Richmond revealed five in the Rose City.
Continue reading “The Lustrons of Richmond”
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter stood out as the major holidays of my youth. There was a religious component, sure, but celebrating meant reuniting with distant cousins and, often, stuffing ourselves with candy. My brother and I have long since aged out of egg hunts, but we observed this past Easter with a head-to-head battle between Hershey’s underdog 5th Avenue and Ferrero’s beloved Butterfinger.
Continue reading “Candy Clash: Butterfinger vs. 5th Avenue”
Lustron houses were early modular homes built entirely of enameled steel. I wrote about a pair of them in Anderson, Indiana, last week, unsure of any more nearby. Sure enough, I was alerted to a third mere minutes after the post went live! I’m glad that Cunningham’s Law still rings true.
Continue reading “Another Anderson Lustron”
2024 has proven a banner year for railcar spotting so far. January kicked things off with a diverse slate of art, and February brought a kaleidoscope of color. March brought triumph and tragedy, but the provocative parade of pieces persisted.
Continue reading “Railcar spotting: March, 2024”
Most Midwestern cities boast an impressive array of old houses, but few capture my attention quite like a Lustron. Built in the years following World War II, Lustron houses echo the futuristic dreams of the past while enduring as symbols of innovation! Believe it or not, Anderson, Indiana, is home to two of them.
Continue reading “Lustron living in Anderson”
Trucks are symbolic of enduring American values like strength and independence. For me, none of them hit harder than a Peterbilt. The iconic grille, the long hood stretching towards the horizon, and the double exhaust stacks come together to form an impression of rugged elegance! It’d been a while since I’d seen a Pete on the road, so I was straight-up giddy when one rumbled up to work.
Continue reading “Sweet Pete, bro”
Winter stripped Indiana of its color. Fortunately, the rail yard at work remained unscathed! In February, splashes of saturation transformed the gritty, gray landscape into a feast for the senses. Welcome back to another round of railcar spotting.
Continue reading “Railcar Spotting: February, 2024”
Ted Shideler 