Archive for the ‘Pennsylvania’ Category
Diesel power, yo
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, the end of my ‘Saturday session,’ which saw the camera being brandished about for the first time in three months, arrived as CSX #5401 clattered into view. Man, oh man, have I missed this.
As I’ve explained many times – I’m not a railfan in the traditional sense. My nerdy obsessions generally lean towards science fiction and comic books – superheroes and such. I just find rail shots to be a bit challenging from a ‘technical’ photography POV.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Giant thing with lots of discrete detail that’s moving at a high rate of speed, and enters the frame with very little warning? Yeah! Trains are up there with ‘dogs playing’ as far as being a difficult subject to capture with a high failure rate for the shots.
#5401 is a GE Evolution Series locomotive, I’m told. It was hauling a terribly heterogenous series of rail cars – automotive, tankers, shipping containers, etc., and heading more or less southeast.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After this big boy passed me by, I decided to head back to HQ for a sit down, and called a cab. I had left the car at home, thinking that I might want to grab a beer at the nearby brewery before deciding against that plan.
Back tomorrow, 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.
Towboat L Dale Manns on the Mon
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While waiting for a train to show up, and standing on my formerly broken but still painful ankle for a couple of hours (today is exactly three months from the injury/surgery btw) in 25 degree weather, with a steady wind, your humble narrator was actually enjoying himself.
It’s been a minute…
The Towboat ‘L Dale Manns’ appeared on the Monongahela River, heading towards its intersection with the Allegheny River where the two waterways combine into the Ohio River. The water level here is referred to as ‘The Pittsburgh Pool’ by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), whose institution maintains navigability for maritime activity, with said ‘pool’ being maintained via the usage of a series of locks and dams both up and down the river(s).
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Towboat ‘L Dale Manns’ was built in 1973 as the ‘Polar Explorer,’ in Louisiana, and has had several owners and incarnations since. It’s currently based out of South Point, Ohio. You can read all about it here – at tugboatinformation.com.
As you can see from this wide shot, they tow quite a large raft of barges hereabouts. The barges looked like they were transporting coal, but since I don’t know that for sure – minerals. I don’t say what something is unless I’m sure of it. This habit of mine has gotten me in some trouble locally, here in Pittsburgh, as there’s a whole lot of local politics and bitter feelings that rise up when the subject of coal comes up in Appalachia.
Saying that… seriously, I don’t know for a fact that what’s in those barges is coal so…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Towboat proceeded along the Monongahela, passing under the Liberty and then Panhandle bridges on its way to the junction with the Ohio River. Your humble narrator wasn’t done quite yet, however, and despite the sun descending behind Mount Washington, I stuck around for a little while yet.
You’ll notice that I haven’t mentioned ‘walking’ at all, as I wasn’t. Still not ready for a grand stroll, I’m afraid. When I got back to HQ, just standing around for a couple/three hours had resulted in me needing to apply ice packs to the affected limb to control swelling, for instance.
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.
…and the show must go on
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned yesterday, a humble narrator is back on his feet (somewhat), and raring to get back to his various obsessions.
Saturday last found me at a familiar spot nearby Pittsburgh’s Sly Fox Brewery, and the Highline real estate development it is located in. This structure is a former rail terminal warehousing building, one which offers an elevated POV over both the Monongahela River that overflies a section of CSX’s rail network which I’ve spent a lot of time photographing over the last year. I didn’t stop into the brewery, I’d mention, as I don’t think introducing alcohol into my equation was a smart move at the moment. It was about 25 degrees out, and windy.
The point of view I was enjoying, however, was somewhere I’d been dreaming of visiting during my long recuperation, during the recovery period of the broken ankle. You’d think I was planning something Machiavellian during all of this downtime, but you’d be disappointed. Most of my intellectual voltage was being spent trying to figure out how to take a bath without killing myself.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This structure used to be a warehouse connected to the PLERR (Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Rail Road) yard which formerly surrounded it. The rail yard has been redeveloped into a series of condominiums and a large entertainment and restaurant complex (52 acres) called ‘Station Square’ which seems to be on a downward trajectory at the moment, and the operation is currently losing its anchor tenants like ‘Hard Rock Cafe.’
The so called ‘Highline’ building, and Station Square, are owned by a NYC based real estate company these days. The terminal building, in particular, has been converted over to residential and commercial usage – they’re very much following the NYC EDC’s failed formula for the Brooklyn Army and Bush Terminals here.
Normally not a place I’d haunt, as familiar fires of gentrification burn hotly here, but there’s beer and seating in an area that’s absolutely lousy with locomotive and maritime sightings.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was cold, I was standing outside for about two hours in a steady wind with atmospheric temperatures no higher than 25 degrees. Your humble narrator had prepared for the climate with long johns and my winter coat, but the ankle was singing its song down below. Saying that, I was pleased as punch to be outside and suffering in the weather again.
Pittsburgh decided to offer me a show at some point, and in rapid fire style – interesting things began to pass through the camera’s frame. To wit, that Towboat pictured above was transporting multiple mineral barges down the Monongahela River. The boat is the Megan Ames, which is – I’m told – based out of Morgantown, West Virginia.
I presume that’s coal in the barges, but I don’t say something is ‘something’ unless I know it is for sure. 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.
it… IT’S ALIVE!!!
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Welcome back to the tyranny of the new, lords and ladies. Pictured above is a street in Pittsburgh’s Beechview section, which is characteristically hilly. This shot was from a false start attempt at a shooting day from a couple of weeks ago, when I erroneously believed that I was ready to get back behind the camera. I wasn’t.
Accordingly, this one was shot out of the moon roof of my car. It’s street photography today, as in its photos of streets on offer.
Today marks the return of new postings here at Newtown Pentacle, nearly three months to the day since I broke my ankle in three places and dislocated my left foot. I’m going to be getting back up to speed slowly, or at least that’s the plan. It still hurts, a lot.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
For the last couple of weeks, the Docs have had me return to wearing normal footwear and leave the walking boot/brace behind me. Everyday seems to be a bit better than the last, although there’s still a good amount of random pain encountered.
This shot depicts a snowy expanse of Dormont, the Pittsburgh Borough which HQ is found in. I’ve been mainly running errands and driving to Doctors appointments for the last month, and finding anything interesting to look at or photograph during this sort of daily round has been a challenge. My ‘PT’ office, for instance, is in the middle of a giant shopping center so the only ‘view’ on offer there is one of Target, Macy’s, or Whole Foods. There’s a Dick’s Sporting Goods too, but there you are.
I’ve only started carrying the camera around with me, all the time, in just this last week.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A few social engagements have been attended, pleasant intervals which have benefited the mood here at HQ greatly. Our Lady of the Pentacle kept me alive and as well as I could be for the last few months, but I’d have had to go to a rehab or nursing home to recover if it wasn’t for her never ending labors and devotion. She bore the burden heroically.
I went out shooting just this last Saturday and will be displaying my captures here all week, at this – your reborn 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.
Archives #037
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hands down, that’s my favorite ever angry pigeon photo above. It’s one of a series of shots that I’d use for profile pics on Xoom meetings during COVID, and I’d switch them around to signal my support or ire at whatever the active speaker was talking about. The ‘non verbal communication’ bird pictured above was encountered in Queens’ Sunnyside Gardens, as a note.
2015’s November 26th post, dubbed ‘louder drone,’ was definitely one for the birds.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At least once a week back in NYC, over a period of more than a decade, some sort of Newtown Creek ‘thing’ would require my attendance. I would arrive early and then walk home, usually. Two birds, one stone, yeah?
In 2021, ‘scoundrel out’ brought readers back to Newtown Creek.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Since moving to Pittsburgh, rail ‘stuff’ has been catching my eye. It’s actually a challenge photographing something which is huge and moving quickly. Now… that’s the sort of statement which I usually get lacerated for in the comments, so have at it.
These archive posts are reaching into Newtown Pentacle’s backups, and are pulling posts that went public on this date, in their respective years, going back to 2009. This practice will continue until I’m back on both feet full time, and new photos and stories can be gathered. For anyone who hasn’t heard the news, I broke my left ankle at the end of September.
In 2024, a few images of Pittsburgh’s rail traffic was on offer in ‘Thanksgiving Choo-Choos.’
“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 