What is "Baltimore Transit Archives?"

• BTA is a website dedicated to telling the story of Baltimore's transit through photos, maps, rosters, and other detailed information about the system over the past 50 years and more.  BTA was started in June of 1999 as a small site with 20 photos, and a half-dozen rosters.  Since then, it has grown to include over 100 photos of different eras in the Baltimore story, as well as charts detailing the routes, tables telling of other operational practices, maps showing where the routes ran, essays detailing operations, and roll sign transcripts that give a feel for the complexity of the operations.   It has relocated once to a larger home, and no other plans for relocation are envisioned.  BTA has been located on the Bluemoon.net server since October, and has enjoyed a tremendous surge in performance.


What are the objectives for "Baltimore Transit Archives?"

• BTA would like to grow to be one of the premiere Transit fan sites on the internet.  In doing this, BTA needs to accomodate a wide range of viewers, since the field of transit enthusiasts, admittedly, is not the largest.  To do this, BTA needs to embrace all forms of public passenger transportation in the Baltimore Metropolitan area.  This includes buses, streetcars, trackless trolleys, light rail, subway, and commuter trains, and commuter buses.  Also, BTA needs to be accomodating to a wide range of eras as well - from the distant past to last week, today, tomorrow, and eight months from now.  BTA viewers of all interests should not be disappointed at not being able to find a significant amount of material that interests and intrigues them.  In addition, the material presented should be of interest to one who knows next to nothing on Baltimore's transit, as well as one who has an indepth knowledge of the system.  Much of the material should be unique, unavailable from any other published source.


Who are you?

• My name is Adam Paul, operator for the Baltimore MTA for five years, and part-time transit historian-enthusiast.  That's me in the photos below.  The first was taken on the job (bags under eyes are the effect of an MTA swing run ;)  ) by fellow operator Thomas Barber, while the second was taken candidly by Gary Callichia, on a trip to my second home: Philly.  I've got to make it up there more often, and fatten up on some real Cheese Steaks :)


How long have you been a transit enthusiast?

• As long as I can remember. My main memories of Kindergarten in 1976-77 are of riding MTA #2264 to school, and getting a low number Flxible, such as #3011 on the trip home.  My favorite was always #3204, as my favorites were always the '75 Flxs.  I remember visiting the Streetcar Museum as a youngster, and the "transit bug" in me only broadened as a result.  Visiting New York in the late 1970's, I remember the fascination of seeing SEPTA streetcars in service as the Amtrak train passed through Philadelphia.  As the 1980's drew to a close, I began to have the sobering realization that the new-look buses of my youth were starting to vanish at an alarming rate.  It was then that I decided to photograph as much as I could of what remained.  Later on, I happened to meet others in the area who did the same, and encouraged me to keep at it.  I eventually broadened out, exploring DC and Philly as well to try to capture as much as they had to offer (and I'll admit that both had more interesting systems in the early 90's than we did!)


What is your approach to Transit Photography?

• Location - and Links to the Past.  In shooting pictures, I try to follow the common sense "rules" of lighting, with some creative exception.  However, I am by no means a "completeist."  It doesn't bother me that I don't have shots of every vehicle in the fleet.  I could stake out at Baltimore and Hopkins every morning, and eventaully nab them all, or I could get yard shots of them all - but there's no story in that.  Rather, it bothers me that I DON'T yet have a night shot of a #3 line bus at Chase and Charles Streets, with the neon of the old Belvedere Hotel glowing down upon the scene.  I like location shots, and being a historian, I prefer the shots that show some of the grand architectural gems this city had to offer.  In addition, I like for people to complement a shot (I can't stand them blocking it though), as it tells the purpose for the transit being there in the first place.  I look at some of work of the masters of the past, such as Edward S. Miller, Roland Nuttrell, and Robert Short, and they inspire me to get out, move about, and tell tomorrow's past through my own pictures.


What led you to want to start a website on Baltimore's transit?

• Cause I'm a nut!!!!  Seriously, my main inspiration for this site comes from two sites I discovered while I was just getting familiar with the "net" back in November of 1998.  Knowing little about what the internet was (or could be) about, I typed in "Presidents Conference Car" in a serach engine at the local library, and discovered to my suprise, a list of sites, including Streetcar Philadelphia, and NYCSubway.  These sites helped me to realize the potential of the net for transit fans, and my next few months were spent saving up for my own system.  Even then, I knew NOTHING about web page creation, and it took another few months before I was able to put my spartan starter site online.  In time, I've improved, and am willing to try to encourage others who might want to start a site, as to the basics to know.  I still have much to learn, but I'm happy with my progress, and the progress of the site so far, in less than 6 months.


How is the site produced?

• Originally, the site was produced using Claris Home Page Lite.  Eventually, I began to outgrow it, since it had no HTML editing capabilities.  I was very impressed with Netscape's FREE composer software, and have been using it ever since, with some HTML annotation in "Arachnophilia."  My HTML knowledge is still very limited, and my schedule doesn't dictate the time to be able to put into learning it.  For now, I'll happily use my WYSIWYG editor  ;)


What do you want visitors to BTA to keep in mind as they enjoy the site?

• That I'M THE ONE PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING YOU LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLES' STUFF FREE OF CHARGE.  That Guilt trip said, Keep in mind, that I always am open for those who want to give back as well as receive.  No - not money, but knowlege.  If you have any photos (which you have the copyright to), rosters, news clippings, or other items or information pertaining to Baltimore's Transit - past, present, or future, please contact me, and offer a copy or scan to the site.  The site is here to increase the knowledge of the system, and to further the enjoyment of a hobby we all enjoy, so please let me know if you can make any submissions of information.  You'll receive FULL credit for any submissions, and my praise as well!!!!


ENJOY!!!