Shlepping on
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After having ridden Pittsburgh’s light rail service, dubbed ‘The T,’ into the City from Dormont, I hung around one of the stations and got another shot of their rolling stock. I haven’t had to have this conversation here yet, but it’s a certainty that I’m going to end up having to explain myself to a cop at some point in the future.
I can just feel that one coming. Wonder what I’ll end up saying in response when asked ‘why are you taking pictures of…’ by Pittsburgh law enforcement. As a note, Cops usually have zero sense of humor when on duty, don’t find the citizenry or our quirky behavior cute, and as far as my interest in photographically documenting the rolling stock of interurban transportation services for posterity’s sake goes…
I did have an odd conversation with a small town Cop when I first got to Pittsburgh. It was in Clairton, and the officer was more or less the sort of guy you’d expect to be wearing a badge in a steel town – defensive lineman body type and sporting a spectacular mustache. I asked for a moment of his time, and indicated that since I was new to Pittsburgh and was wondering what the local rules might be, regarding me taking shots of a steel mill. Sometimes, if you hand a Cop your business card and introduce yourself, it heads off future trouble as you’ve just landed your self into a cop category called ‘harmless.’ Never hurts to be friendly and proactive, I always say.
The Cop whom I asked about what’s kosher or not in his jurisdiction filled me in on rules regarding trespassing at the plant, and then went off on a tangent about my First Amendment Rights to creative expression and that as long as I didn’t violate any of the aforementioned rules regarding trespass – what I was doing with the camera would not be and could not be any of his business. This was a pretty evolved point of view, constitutional law wise, for a small town Cop. Kudos.
Did you know that it used to be illegal to take a photo of or on, and that there are Port Authority Police snipers permanently stationed upon, the George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River? Homeland security, Bro.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After leaving the T system at the First Avenue Station, I walked past the City of Pittsburgh’s jail, and then onto the Eliza Furnace Trail. This one moves along a corridor which carries multiple high speed roads, although the path itself is entirely separated from traffic. That separate quality is sometimes quite illusory. There’s one long section where you’re moving along, and on the other side of nothing but a chain link hurricane type fence and less than 20-30 feet away are semi tractor trailers moving at 80 or 90 mph on the highway. At that speed a loaded truck and trailer would punch through a foot of brick wall like it was cardboard. Do the math, mass x speed = a squished narrator, amirite?
Personally, I’m continually amazed at the ‘need for speed’ displayed by the automotive proletariat here in Pittsburgh. Comfort zone for when I’m driving involves maintaining a highway following distance (1 car length per every ten miles of forward velocity, under ideal circumstance), obeisance towards speed limits (70 mph is plenty fast by me), and a general generosity displayed towards other drivers who need to enter or exit lanes. These habits of mine seem to enrage the average Pittsburgh driver, who has seemingly never learned how to safely merge lanes or drive in close traffic at speed.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My plan for the rest of the walk involved getting about another mile away from where this spot was taken, to a pedestrian bridge pathway over the river. Along the way, there were several interesting tableaux on offer, and one could not stop himself from recording them.
Back tomorrow with more.
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Heading into town
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was time for my weekly ‘long walk,’ the sort which sees me scuttling along for 15-20,000 steps over several hours. I don’t wear a Fitbit or anything like that to keep track of my walks, rather I just check the iPhone health app and see what it says after I return to HQ. It’s not a terribly accurate count, but some sort of metric is better than nothing at all, and it really doesn’t matter all that much in the end anyway.
Pictured is a street in the town I’m living in, Dormont. The car Mobile Oppression Platform was left at home this time around, and a humble narrator was heading for the Pittsburgh light rail service known as “The T.” It’s a bit of a drag, I’d mention, getting ‘up’ to the tracks, as I live way down at the bottom of that hill pictured above. There’s a less severe hill to walk up which gets you to the high ground ridge line which the T tracks are on, but that’s Pittsburgh for ya. Also, the point of this exercise is actually ‘exercise,’ so… scuttle, scuttle, scuttle.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Service on the T is fairly frequent, more so during the ‘rush’ periods as you’d imagine, but you’re seldom waiting more than 20-25 minutes for your ride. This one is coming from Pittsburgh, whereas I was waiting on one that’s going ‘to.’ One weird thing about their setup here revolves around fare collection. You pay when you board the Pittsburgh bound service, and pay when you’re exiting for the away from Pittsburgh route. Apparently, there’s a zone system built into the operation, but Dormont is far enough from the center that you pay full fare anyway. Once you’re in the actual center of town, the service runs free between Station Square and the North Side terminal stops.
As a note, the sky in Pittsburgh was positively boiling and cascading about on this particular day. I have been putting a bit of effort into finding the right photographic exposure settings for capturing the dynamism of these Pittsburgh sky in recent months.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The climate is very different here than the one I’ve always known back in NYC. It could be 90 degrees with an 80 percent dew point at 3 in the afternoon, but 8 hours later it’s 60 degrees with a 30 percent dew point. The clouds positively boil over sometimes, after churning about, and when they finish dumping out moisture for an hour you’ll suddenly get glorious blue skies, golden light, and cotton ball cloud formations. An hour later and the sky is black with thunderstorms. Also, there’s actual forest cover laced into the City, meaning that the ‘urban heat island effect’ doesn’t seem to be as big a factor here as it was ‘back in the old neighborhood.’
At any rate, my carriage had arrived, and it was time to get onboard and head into the City of Pittsburgh. Here’s a bit of trivia – when you see blue street signs with white/knock out lettering, you’re in Pittsburgh – as in ‘The City of…’
Back tomorrow, lords and ladies.
“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.
Duquesne isn’t pronounced ‘Doo-Kess-Knee’
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was a rainy sort of middle June day, but the rain was intermittent. Bands of storm clouds were racing about in the vault above, but it was one of the days which I’ve scheduled myself taking a ‘short walk.’ Desirous of taking a picture of something ‘interesting,’ the Mobile Oppression Platform was fired up and one drove about a half hour to the Great Allegheny Passage trail in Duquesne.
As described in the past, the GAP Trail involves a former rail road right of way, one which has been converted over to the usage of bike riders, joggers, and pedestrians. There’s a trail bridge spanning the very active railroad tracks which lead to the Edgar Thomson ‘Mon Valley Works’ steel plant on the opposite side of the nearby Monongahela River, pictured above. Pictured is Norfolk Southern 4234.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This shot actually preceded the first one, but the first one made for a better ‘marquis image’ in todays post, so there you go.
This sort of statement is usually when one of you out there decides to take umbrage about something I did or said or didn’t do or didn’t say. Usually, it’s somebody who doesn’t do much at all who will leave me a mean spirited message, or a cutting comment castigating my points of view, or observations, or whatever. Haters gonna hate.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It started to rain heavily, so I headed back to the car the Mobile Oppression Platform. A quick drive towards where HQ is found saw me hurtling into nearby Homestead, just as the rain blew away. I decided to stop off at the Homestead Pump House to continue my exercise, and wave the camera around at something else.
Luckily, just after arriving a tow boat (which is what I’ve repeatedly been advised to call a riverine tug boat) was passing by. Call sign # WDK2256, Jennifer Ann was built in 1971 and is 42 meters long by 11 meters wide, and if you want to know more about the boat and where it might be at this very moment – check out marinetraffic.com.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s a neat bit of statuary at the Homestead Pumphouse site, honoring the workers who used to occupy the place. The Homestead Works used to occupy both sides of the Monongahela River here, which was discussed in the posts offered a few weeks ago about the Carrie Furnace. This installation is called Yellow Dog.
Neat.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the actual Homestead Pumphouse, which is a preserved ‘historical place.’
A difference of opinion I have with frequent commenter George the Atheist is somewhat political in nature. He has chided me for usage of the ‘commie term Robber Baron’ when discussing Andrew Carnegie and Henry Frick, preferring instead that I use what I would describe as bootlicker talk: ‘Captain of Industry.’ For my part, at least, I enjoy a debate.
Here’s the story of, and the body count of, what these captains of industry did here at Homestead in 1892.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On my way back to HQ, I steered onto a few streets that dead end at a set of rail tracks, hoping to get lucky. In the end I sort of did. At least I got start and end with a Norfolk Southern rail road.
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.
Tomato makes everything taste better
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The best thing about the shot above is that I was in a bar with outdoor seating, one which adjoins the tracks, and could just sit and quaff beer while waiting for a train to come my way. The other best part was that the tracks involve a couple of street crossings, so I had ample notice to jump up and get into position with the camera, well before the train appeared, since the signal arms would go down and warning bells start to ring when it’s approaching the spot. Awesome!
The brewery has pretty ok burgers too. It’s called Sly Fox Brewing Co., and I can endorse it as place to drink beer and take pictures of trains.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The bar is also right next door to a concrete factory which I’ve found myself pointing the camera at more than once.
A ‘T’ light rail station is also nearby, so I also didn’t have to worry about getting back home after pouring alcoholic beverage into my maw.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A short walk from the position of the first shot allows one access to a point of elevation, where views of the train tracks are available as well.
Back next week with more from Pittsburgh, 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.
Garlic is good for the heart
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another day, another doctor’s appointment. There’s nothing ‘new’ wrong with me, in case you’re wondering. Instead, after literal decades of ignoring my health, I’m taking advantage of Pittsburgh’s amazing Medical Industrial Complex to do some catch up. My new Doctor here has had me running around the area for various tests and probes. I’ve been magnetized, and irradiated, and punctured multiple times in pursuance of removing the ichor within for testing. Luckily, nothing terribly concerning has materialized from this inspection, and instead the Doc is busily establishing a base line of readings to work from, once things inevitably hit the fan.
Whilst driving about from place to place, I like to stick the camera up through the Mobile Oppression Platform’s moon roof and crack out the odd photo. This one is from Downtown Pittsburgh.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Over in Homestead, which I was visiting in pursuance of attending a Costco’s sale on men’s hats, and to take advantage of their fantastic pricing on a rotisserie chicken as well as purchasing puppy food for Moe the Dog, I got stuck in traffic for about a half hour while waiting for an endlessly long Norfolk Southern train to pass by.
Me? I love taking a picture of a train, so much so that I didn’t use the moon roof this time around and just shot it over the hood of the Toyota and through the windshield. I had a devil of a time dealing with the window’s tint while developing the shot, by the way.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m not always driving, of course, and on yet another one of my walks – this time a long one of about 18,000 steps – according to my phone – I found myself in what’s proving to be one of my favorite sections of the City of Pittsburgh, in the South Side Flats section. My kind of spot, with heavy and light rail transiting about, heavy industry at work, and a series of interesting bridges overflying the waters of the Monongahela River.
Back tomorrow with lots of Choo-Choo.
“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 