What the Helen of Troy is This

What the Helen of Troy are these Elevated tracks over First St. NE?

By Prince Of Petworth


700 First Street, NE

“Dear PoPville,

Curious if the community knows anything about the elevated tracks that run over First Street NE and the Metropolitan Branch Trail by G Place NE (not G Street!).

It looks like it could be a straightforward extension of Amtrak or CSX tracks, but they dead end into a building that, according to my research, is an unused warehouse. So curious about the history and current usage!“

What the Helen of Troy is This? “So, so, so weird.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I noticed the cameras in the attached photo (above) when I was in an uber headed to Reagan National on 395-S. These are two extremely large, extremely high resolution cameras pointed at the Capitol from a private balcony. They are disguised as plants.

So, so, so weird.”

“Loud Explosion in DC Last Night”

By Prince Of Petworth


stock photo from our archives used for a previous unexplained explosion

“Dear PoPville,

It sounded like two explosions, one small and then big. It was very loud and sounded like it was around Dupont, but people as far away as Chevy Chase heard it around 9:30pm. There has been zero in the news media. I am still wondering what it was.”

Peter also reported just after 9:30pm last night:

“Five minutes ago, heard what sounded like a cannon going off near 14th and W NW”

As we approach fireworks season, I’m wondering if those super loud M80 type dynamite detonations have started early? We get reports of mysterious explosions every summer like clockwork.

If you start hearing Air horns – all good – “DC Water’s Potomac River Tunnel Project to begin controlled underground blasting”

By Prince Of Petworth

From DC Water:

“As part of the excavation work for DC Water’s Potomac River Tunnel Project, weekly controlled underground blasting operations at the West Potomac Park construction site will begin as early as next week and continue through February 2026. The site is located along the Potomac River at Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue Southwest. All streets and sidewalks will remain open during blasting events, with no restrictions on boats or watercraft in the river.

The blasting operations are part of constructing two mining shafts needed to begin tunneling. These shafts, approximately 103 feet deep, will be used to lower and launch two tunnel boring machines (TBMs). These machines will construct the 5.5-mile tunnel. One TBM will excavate north, boring through rock to the endpoint at Georgetown University’s entrance on Canal Road Northwest. The other will move south to the Joint-Base Anacostia Bolling (JBAB) site, where the Potomac River Tunnel connects with the Anacostia River Tunnel. The TBM excavating north, named Mary, will be delivered to the West Potomac Park site in the fall of 2025. The second TBM, called Emily, will be delivered in 2026.

What to Expect During Blasting Operations

Air horns will signal the start and completion of blasting operations.
Five minutes before the blast, an air horn will sound with three long signals.
One minute before the blast, the air horn will release five short signals.
The blast will detonate in a controlled manner.
Upon completion, one prolonged air horn signal will indicate the area is clear and safe. (more…)

“Seen in DC. Not cool.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Thursday night in DC. Not cool.

This was on westbound Massachusetts Avenue NW just short of 6th Street.”

If we give benefit of the doubt, maybe they will claim it says Arlan? Not sure what Arlan would mean but another interpretation could be Aryan. Is there any other way to interpret this?

From the Merriam Webster dictionary: (more…)

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