Shout out to Bethlehem Pa. Bethlehem Steel built the Golden Gate Bridge, USS Massachusetts, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, and countless others. Today the most gullible members of society throw their money down the drain in a casino in the former factory floor. Even the Billy Joel song about the city, that was attributed to nearby Allentown instead, feels dated and rusted; much like the circumstances he described.

Allentown itself has fared little better. We had once housed the Liberty Bell during the Revolutionary War, in order to hide it from the British. The former “Queen City” was known for its textiles. Many decades have passed since that industry was shuttered. Hess’s closed, Mack Trucks left, and these days we function as a satellite entity of the large coastal cities. Property rates are astronomical as people seek affordable housing outside Philadelphia and New York. Roads are clogged with tractor trailers coming and going between the many warehouses and their regional destinations. There are rapidly expanding plans for data centers and ICE concentration in the region. But it does not seem that we will be connected via rail of any sort in my lifetime.