Archive for May 2024
Western Maryland Yard, in West Virginia
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Patomac River flows through Maryland’s Cumberland, providing a border between it and neighboring Ridgeley in West Virginia. Driving along a local street between the two municipalities, the Google Maps navigation app on my phone was continually announcing ‘Welcome to Maryland’ followed by ‘Welcome to West Virginia’ and then ‘Welcome to Maryland’ again.
One of the things I wanted to get a shot or three of on this day trip was the rail yard used by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, which is found on the West Virginia side of the river.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There were a couple of people working, and I got these shots by focusing through a hole in the fencelines. I’m planning on buying a ticket to ride alomg with them on one of the regularly scheduled ‘heritage rides’ they offer, when their summer schedule starts up again. The historic trains roll between Cumberland and Frostburg in Maryland, and the tracks travel through the rolling hills of the Laurel Highlands. Should be a cool experience, I think, and maybe a few pretty pictures.
Adventure, excitement… a Jedi craves not these things. I, of course, am no Jedi. If anything, I lean a bit towards Sith, or at least I wear a lot of black clothes. Emperor Palpatine seems like a nice happy guy, as he’s always laughing. That’s the sort of bloke whom I’d like to hang out with, happy people who laugh a lot, and can coincidentally shoot lightning out of their fingertips. Besides, the Jedi are kind of preachy.
I know… nerd.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I soon packed up my camera gear and got ‘road lunch’ at McDonald’s.
One then stopped off at a gas station and topped off the car’s gas tank, not because I was empty but instead because I was curious to see what sort of actual gas consumption the Mobile Oppression Platform had incurred over the course of roughly 130 miles of driving (mostly highway). Three and a bit gallons, as it turned out, and according to the car’s diagnostics – I was rolling about at 40.8 mpg. Gotta hand it the engineers of the Toyota Hybrid engine department, that’s better than advertised.
Back next week with something different at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
CSX Cumberland apertif
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, I found a point of view location for the CSX Terminal in Maryland’s city of Cumberland. Take that, jabronies.
One realizes that this quest of mine sounds fairly obsessive, and I haven’t been able to get close at all to what I really want shots of (the roundhouse), but… darn it… this is the closest I’ve managed to get to the facility and I was glad of it.
This whole ‘train thing’ has been a real learning experience, I tell you, but I’m not done yet. Learning, learning, learning.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is my second or third day trip to this area, which is about a two hour drive, and what I’d consider to be the southeastern corner of the Pittsburgh metroplex. A significant section of the journey takes place on the modern incarnation of the ‘National Road’ – Route 40, which dates back to 1812, and travels through the Laurel Highlands. If you’re interested in seeing an absolutely gorgeous section of the eastern United States – put the Laurel Highland on your list.
Cumberland is high on my ‘to explore’ list, and I’ll definitely be trying to pay the place a good amount of attention while waving the camera around.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
An oddly painted track maintenance unit was spotted at the Cumberland Terminal, all decked out in the sort of urban camouflage pattern which the military favors. Can’t imagine why you’d paint equipment like this in such a manner, but there you go. Normally these sorts of things are brightly painted so you can’t ‘not notice’ them.
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
Country, early morning
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the Salisbury Viaduct pictured above, which used to be a rail trestle but is now a part of the Great Appalachian Passage trail. Shortly after capturing this shot I bumped into a guy who was hiking from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh via the GAP route. Nice fellow, European accented.
He had a clever accommodation regarding the carrying of his hiking and camping gear, which included a tent and other outdoor necessities, which was the modified baby buggy that was his companion. The seat of the thing was removed, and the three wheeler carriage seemed to be doing the ‘carrying job’ for him quite well.
Neat.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The viaduct itself offers a nearly bird’s eye POV on a fairly rural area complete with farms. To this kid from Brooklyn, these sorts of places are like visiting a foreign country and offer a lifestyle which is utterly unknown.
At any rate, it was time to head back to the car and get back to the road trip for me. I was heading towards a train yard which has been on my radar, and I had worked out a spot which was semi public where I’d be able to wave the camera around, without the threat of meeting either the local gendarmes or surly locomotive security personnel.
There are Woody Guthrie songs about the latter circumstance. Always a good idea to follow Woody’s advice.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I enjoy seeing the line of windmills up on that hill. Political back and forth notwithstanding, it’s silly to not harvest wind energy and convert it into profitable electrical supply. One of these days somebody will wake up and say ‘hey, the rivers and oceans offer a somewhat limitless supply of waveform energy…’ but…
What, you’re going to leave something that’s basically free on the table?
Back tomorrow.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 