The Newtown Pentacle

Altissima quaeque flumina minimo sono labi

Archive for March 11th, 2026

Operation De temps à autre

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Wednesday

– photo by Mitch Waxman

While walking across the Monongahela River, onboard the Smithfield Street Bridge here in Pittsburgh, one became enamored by the reflectivity of the ‘rotting’ ice flows along its southern bank. Add in some light rail crossing over the river on the Panhandle Bridge? Nepenthe.

One was awaiting the arrival of ‘proper rail,’ but I’ll take what I can get.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

That large brick building in the background, behind the Panhandle and Liberty Bridges, is the location of that brewery which I’m always shooting CSX trains from. I’d be heading that way, but this wasn’t a ‘have a beer’ day, it was a ‘short walk’ day.

All told, probably about 4-6 miles by the time I got back to HQ.

– photo by Mitch Waxman

My dreams came true, and ‘Hey Now’ was exhaled from that noisy hole on my sensory and gustation stalk, which the humans might call a ‘head,’ an entry point to the within that I normally pour coffee, or stuff hamburgers or candy into.

CSX was on the scene, navigating along their ‘Pittsburgh Subdivision’ tracks. Well, it’s not really ‘navigation’… it’s more ‘operation.’

– photo by Mitch Waxman

The cool thing about this ‘zone’ is that you can hear the train coming, long before it comes into view. There’s a few ‘grade crossings’ along these tracks which necessitates the crew blowing their train horn, and that begins the better part of a mile away in either direction. When the locomotive gets close, alarmed signal arms at the grade crossings are triggered, so flashing lights and ringing bells join the party.

It’s great… for me, at least.

Hey now!

– photo by Mitch Waxman

After this capture, one found his way down and over to that brewery, but as mentioned, didn’t partake. I was being greedy, and wanted to catch another rail shot while I was in the area.

Hey Now!

– photo by Mitch Waxman

After #3155 passed by, my toes were pointed in the direction of transit and back home. I couldn’t really feel the toes, but there you are.

Back tomorrow.


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Written by Mitch Waxman

March 11, 2026 at 11:00 am