Posts Tagged ‘Dormont’
BAH! to the sixth power
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After an afternoon of shlepping about on a misty and then rainy walk of about three hours duration here in Pittsburgh, it was time to return back home to HQ, over in the Dormont section. I sloshed over to a nearby light rail station for a ride.
Unfortunately, upon arriving at the ‘T’ Light Rail’s service’s First Avenue station, it became apparent that – for the ‘Red Line’ at least – the transit agency that operates the service was in the midst of shitting the bed. Ended up standing around for about forty minutes, while a succession of ‘Blue Line’ and ‘Silver Line’ units cycled through the station. Bah!
What do you do to pass time while transiting? Me? I take pictures of trains, and other stuff which catches the eye.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
An office building alongside the station is apparently the HQ of PNC Bank, and is pictured above. Some poor schmuck was at his desk and working late, in the top left window. Back in my advertising days, that would have been me, working after everybody else went home, trying to hit some important but completely fabricated deadline. Bah!
You really stand out in Pittsburgh when you’re waving a DSLR around, I’d mention. Catch lots of glances, I do, but nobody confronts – at least so far.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In a way, I miss the pregnant lunacy of the NYC Subway system. I’m interested in the trains, tracks, and tunnels – and specifically not the human infestation – I should mention. People are messy.
Inevitably, some ‘icehole’ on the platform would walk over to me and announce that I was taking pictures of them without permission (you don’t need permission in public, and longtime NP readers may have noticed over the years that I prefer my urban vistas depopulated so… definitely wasn’t photographing ‘you’) and demand that I delete an image or let them inspect the camera or usually it was to ‘pay them something.’
If confrontation was brewing, I’d let them know exactly who the madman was in the exchange, and then they’d run away. It was always ‘people’ back home, and seldom the cops, with a couple of notable exceptions. Seriously, most NYPD cops have other problems that keep them up nights and worry about far worse things than middle aged photographers taking pictures of sewers.
Once on the 7, at Hunters Point, one of the cops they station in that little security booth at the end of the platform as a punishment accused me of taking flash photos of an approaching train (MTA rules state that handheld cameras are kosher, but no lights/camera supports like tripods/flashes). I assured him I didn’t, but he claimed he saw a flash.
I offered to go back to the station house with him so that he and his Sergeant could look through my camera bag and discover that I wasn’t carrying a flash unit with me at all. We argued. Towards the end of the encounter, I again volunteered to go to the precinct with him, so as to let his commanding officer (whom I knew from various encounters and events) know that Mitch Waxman had been caught taking photos in Long Island City.
The cop then recognized my name, and then backed down when he realized that I could push back – but I didn’t. I lectured him about former Police Commissioner Kelly’s standing order regarding photography in post 9/11 NYC and a policy to leave photographers alone, and then offered a quick refresher on the first, second, and fourth amendments.
I soon boarded the next Flushing bound train. Bah!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Panhandle Bridge provides egress over the Monongahela River for the T Light Rail service. There’s two tracks on this trestle, a former freight rail bridge, but the ramp leading to it on the southern side is singular. This creates a choke point. Normally operations aren’t quite so hampered, but ‘normally’ they have access to a dedicated transit tunnel that’s punched through Mount Washington which offers light rail two tracks, a vital chunk of infrastructure that’s still under renovation due to construction delays. Bah!
At any rate, at least I could pass the time taking pics of passing trains.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another cop encounter occurred during the height of Covid, when I was out wandering around the deserted streets of NYC at night with the camera.
I’m standing there on a the sidewalk of Review Avenue, alongside Calvary Cemetery and across from the Kosciuszcko Bridge at about ten at night, with the camera sitting on top of the tripod. I’ve got a cable release going and everything.
Two ‘DT’s’ roll up on me and ask ‘what are you doing?’ I answer with ‘orthodonture’ and then gesture towards the camera with a smile. They ask ‘why,’ which they soon regretted as that was my opening.
Newtown Creek Alliance, the Kosciuszcko Bridge Stakeholders Committee, and my role as Chair of the Transportation Committee for Community Board 1 (this location was actually in CB2) were brought up and discussed at length. The Cops’ eyes glazed over, and then they just drove away without wanting to see my ID.
I bored them into not caring. Bah!
This is right about the time that I started wearing reflective safety vests when out and about, the kind that the Union guys favor. The ‘high visibility’ gear just allowed me to blend into the background at Newtown Creek. High-Visibility is excellent camouflage, as I’ve discovered.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, a Red Line light rail unit arrived and then after a short ride, I was back in Dormont and walking down the steep hill that HQ is found at the base of. It was proper dark.
There’s a little laundromat along the way, one which just caught my eye on the way home. Bah?
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.
Ambulare vel mori
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Exercise day was once more exigent, a schedule which I try to approach with a certain amount of religiosity. The goal set for my day involved working on speed, as in consciously quickening my steps while moving about. One of the things, regarding the ankle situation, that I’m still dealing with, involves ‘pace.’ Walking speed, as it were.
My stride is back, but I often find myself standing at street intersections staring at the ‘walk/dont walk’ sign while reminding myself that ‘you can’t run, Mitch.’ I won’t be jogging, probably ever, but I do need to regain some ‘burst speed’ capability.
One thereby dragged his derrière up the hill in Dormont to the T light rail station at Potomac Avenue, and the train was soon depositing me in Pittsburgh’s Allentown, at a temporary stop which I’ve been using all summer as a springboard for similar pursuits.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This was a downhill course for me, which would follow ‘Brosville Street,’ down to the flat land along the Monongahela River. Not as steep as a few of the other branching paths leading from Allentown’s temporary T stop, but still a cool walk that I hadn’t taken yet. I have driven it several times, as this is a local streets ‘shortcut’ I’ll use when the bridges and tunnels are highly congested, in order to get from one side of Mount Washington to the other. Every time I’ve driven through here, I keep on saying ‘gotta walk that sometime.’
Sometime is today! There is no tomorrow, only the tyranny of the now. Yesterday has already happened, so don’t worry about it as there’s nothing you can do to change what happened. Start today!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A deer was encountered, but I screwed the shot up while trying to photograph him. Take a look, if you want. Focus was off, and so was the exposure. I have a pretty good batting average when it comes to random stuff encountered, but this particular deer didn’t want to stand there and pose for me. As soon as I pointed the camera at him, he shot off into the woods. Bah!
A long, hot, and fairly dry summer has delayed the autumnal displays, up in the verge, until the very end of October and the beginning of November this year. There was about two weeks worth of orange up in the hills, until it suddenly grew very cold and windy at the start of November. The leaves just browned, and then blew away or dropped. Bah!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
‘Disturbingly heterogeneous’ is how I’d describe the building stock up here. Every plot of land is different in size, shape, and verticality. Each building seems to have unique adaptations to the terrain it squats upon built in. Fascinating.
As I say every time, it must be a real challenge to live in the South aside Slopes area due to this crazy terrain. Particularly so during the snowy months. Yikes.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Brosville Street intersects with Pius Street at its terminus, nearby a Catholic Church which has been converted into Condominium Apartments.
Y’know, if I was born rich, instead of just good looking…
Behind that former church building is where you can find a cool pathway along Pittsburgh’s ‘City Steps,’ dubbed ‘the Church Route Steps.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This time around, I wasn’t quaking with fear from the vestigial PTSD left over from the broken ankle. In fact, and in accordance with my stated goal of increasing walking speed – I positively hurtled down the stairs here, or at least comparatively so to other recent scuttles.
Back tomorrow with more.
“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.
Tripling down
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just a short post today, carrying a trio of somewhat random photos captured during my various and quite ultramundane travels through the Pittsburgh metro area.
The one above depicts a street level view of the Wheeling & Lake Erie RR outfit’s ‘Rook Yard’ at the border of Carnegie and Green Tree. It was a Sunday, and nothing profound was happening there. Cracked out a shot as I had made a special trip to spy upon them.
The photos in today’s post were largely gathered while operating the Mobile Oppression Platform, a Toyota.
Needless to say, but the car’s transmission was in park mode as the shutter was depressed – before anyone asks or shouts ‘j’accuse.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This one is from the evening of Halloween, and was captured in Dormont, where Newtown Pentacle HQ is located, while on foot. It didn’t rain, believe it or not, despite the warnings of the meteorological crew.
Your humble narrator has been feeling pent up, boxed in, and the old wanderlust has recently reignited. Physical limitations due to the ankle dealie have been lessening, and it’s time to bust out of my rusty cage and roam again.
As far as the limitations go… they just set parameters for me to work within at this point, and I’ve also grown quite tired of such matters getting in my way. The ‘will to power’ urge grows within, like a cancer.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another ‘behind the wheel’ shot, this time from one of Dormont’s neighboring communities, in Mount Oliver. Something about that converted garage apartment just grabbed me. Very, very, Greg Brady, but with a dystopian air which satisfied me.
Back tomorrow with something a bit more substantial.
“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.
Low energy adventuring
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As is my habit, after leaving HQ, a quick shot from the front yard to figure out a median exposure setting for the camera, and gauge average lighting conditions as a staring point for the day’s subsequence. This shot is looking up the fairly steep hill that I often mention. Shlep, shlep, scuttle, scuttle.
The plan for this walk was fairly wide open, and involved using the T light rail to deposit your humble narrator in an interesting area. I was hoping for serendipity, Y’see.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
HQ is located in Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont, and the neighbors really embrace Halloween around these parts. One of them set up a ‘Yinzer Cemetery’ in their front yard. It actually made the TV news.
The T Light Rail station is about a half mile, at most, from my front door. It’s just a bit of effort to drag my butt up the hills and get over there.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another Dormont porch display of Halloween paraphernalia was encountered along the path. We get actual trick or treaters in Dormont, which is cool as heck, and the way things are supposed to be.
One leaned into it, and boarded a T light rail unit heading into the city.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This time around, the service was used all the way to its terminal stop on Pittsburgh’s north side, nearby the stadium wherein the Steelers dwell. Your humble narrator vomited forth from the light rail car and onto the platform, a swirling contradiction of black sackcloth and camera gear. The filthy black raincoat, or as I call it – the street cassock – was covering my accursed back. I started moving, which began as a shamble but then sped up into a scuttle.
I was relistening to an old favorite amongst my HP Lovecraft audiobook collection on this walk – ‘The Shadow Out of Time.’ There were a few places on this scuttle where I popped the headphones out of my ear holes, wanting to remain ‘situationally aware.’
In other words, while moving through places where it makes a lot of sense to pay close attention to your surroundings, you should.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A web of high speed roadways, on-ramps and off-ramps and such, are found in this area. There’s also the elevated trackway of the T up there in the vault. There’s a rail shot which I was ‘hep’ on trying to capture this day, but that ended up being a fruitless pursuit.
North, ever northwards.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On game days, tens of thousands of people – all adorned in black and gold – can be observed using these sidewalk paths to get to the football stadium. The cops deploy dozens of officers to handle traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian. It’s really something to see.
Of course, wherever your humble narrator goes, it’s all just loneliness, rejection, and isolation. Crowds of children throw rotten fruit and vegetables, their parents light torches and form mobs. The cats hiss.
Back tomorrow with more.
“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.
Always heading nowhere
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Aimlessly wandering down Pittsburgh’s East Carson street with Our Lady of the Pentacle, in the south side flats area of Pittsburgh, where the ghostly outline of a former structure was spotted on the wall of an 1888 vintage merchant’s building. It made me want to deep dive a bit into the history thereof, but I stopped myself.
Sometime in the future, I’ll use my magnifying glass to study the historic building stock found along this corridor, its story, and learn about all the ‘once, long ago, used to be…’ but that’s not today.
The rest of the walk was uneventful, and then we headed back to HQ, where Moe the Dog awaited.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Separately, we were wandering around Pittsburgh’s Dormont during the evening of a different day, Dormont being where Newtown Pentacle HQ is currently found, and the T light rail suddenly exploded into view.
I cannot stop myself, so… HEY NOW!
Our Lady and myself were going out for dinner at a local burger joint, one which offers a fantastic happy hour menu if you sit at their bar. I had a bourbon/apple cider cocktail that ‘rocked the bells,’ alongside a double smash burger. Yum.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This shot, depicting the Sterling Street steps, which I returned to with Our Lady in tow (she’s caught the bug for exploring the steps), was shot in a manner that attempts to visually describe the PTSD symptoms I’ve been experiencing when traversing stairs, since breaking my ankle on a set of steps at home last year. It kind of looks like this to me, that moment when the blossom of terror opens.
Enough of all that personal terror and weakness, though, it was a beautiful day and that was the focal point.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One truly odd holdover from that experience is that due to all of the opioid pain killers that the Docs were feeding me after the surgery, my memory of this exact period (approx. September to November) from last year is extremely fragmented, or nonexistent. I’m missing about 5-6 weeks of time.
Constant agony, yes. That I remember.
I promise I’ll eventually stop talking about this. Don’t worry, something else that’s horrible or profound will happen to me and then that’ll be my new ‘thing’ to worry about. Sigh.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Our final set of stairs for the day were attained, and we returned to more or less flat ground at the bottom of the hill. The rest of our walk would be mundane, visiting shops and eating lunch, along the commercial corridor of East Carson Street in the South Side Flats section of Pittsburgh, which brings you back to the first photo and the end of the the last steps story.
It was nice having company for a scuttle, must say. I used to sell tickets in NYC to groups of people who wanted to walk around with me. Narrators need to narrate, occasionally.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Eventually, we found ourselves at the shoreline of the Monongahela River, nearby the Birmingham Bridge. It was time to head back to HQ again, and Moe the Dog. He’s sort of our constant, Moe.
Back tomorrow with something different.
“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 