Earlier this fall, while most of the TSTC team traveled within downstate New York to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, a few of us traveled well beyond the edges of the tri-state region. And when we realized that we would each be visiting cities with light rail networks — something we don’t have in downstate New York — we decided it was time to reprise MTR’s “Beyond the Region” summer travel series to catalog our exploits aboard these lines.

Pittsburgh

In Pittsburgh, TSTC’s South Jersey Advocate (and Pittsburgh native) Dana Dobson rode the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s light rail system (affectionately known as “The T”) from Gateway Center Station in downtown Pittsburgh across the Allegheny River to Allegheny Station en route to the Andy Warhol Museum. This section of the system, which is part of the downtown free fare zone, was created as part of the North Shore Connector project and opened in 2012.

Boston

While Dana was in Pittsburgh, TSTC’s Communications Director Joe Cutrufo was in his native Boston, where he traveled from Copley Station in the Back Bay to Dorchester using the MBTA Green Line — — which has the highest ridership of any light rail line in the country — as well as the Mattapan High Speed Line.

Seattle

Shortly after Thanksgiving, TSTC’s (now former) Communications Assistant Emma Kilkelly moved to Seattle, where she’s a regular rider of Sound Transit’s Link light rail line.

Pittsburgh photos by Dana Dobson, Boston photos by Joseph Cutrufo, Seattle photos by Emma Kilkelly.