Archive for October 20th, 2026
Hey Now! Come and Go
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! CSX #6926 was approaching!
These shots are from the end of a shortish walk on the 24th of August of this year, which began up in the South Side Slopes neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and then continued on to the South Side Flats section, a path which eventually carried me here – to a pinch point along CSX Transportation’s Pittsburgh Subdivision tracks.
Said tracks are what remain of the once gigantic P&LE RR (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR) rail yard.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Given how often I gather shots from this spot, you know that I dig it.
The concrete factory in the background, with its web of conveyor belts and other cool gear, and the Liberty Bridge too. The Panhandle Bridge is back there too, and when all the stars align there’s a T light Rail unit in the frame too.
Existentially, there’s shade and public seating here, in a park like environment, with a nearby brewery which offers not just food and drink but toilets too.
The park area is also set along one of the waterfront trails.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I headed up to the upper level of the location.
There’s another park like public space up there, and since I had already gotten #6926 from below, I figured that I’d head up there for a different POV should another train appear.
I cooled my heels for around twenty minutes before the signal arms began to chime and descend.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! That’s CSX #801.
Both trains were heading ‘away’ from Pittsburgh to the south east. In that direction lies the three big USS Steel plants, and ultimately Maryland and West Virginia. The highly industrialized shorelines of the Monongahela River, and the communities that the mills and factories exist in, are referred to locally as the ‘Mon Valley.’
Normally, I do a ‘one and done’ for these CSX shots, but on this day I decided to follow #801 through the pass.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After the train rolled through, your humble narrator had to get himself all encased in the web of bag and camera straps again. I was traveling with the ‘full pack’ on this one, which weighs around thirty pounds all told.
Ended up using the one zoom lens – which was on the camera when I left HQ – all day, so I carried all that heavy gear for nothing.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve had to rethink my pack a bunch since moving out to Pittsburgh from NYC. Here, I have to carry a water bottle as there aren’t any bodegas.
Right now, I’ve got three different camera bag setups which I switch back and forth between, depending on what the day’s plan is. It’s all very confusing.
Back tomorrow 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.
