Posts Tagged ‘Light Rail’
Down, with the T
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I drive through that intersection pictured above, in Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont, at least once a day. Every single time, I comment to myself that I should some shots of the light rail there. Instead of parking the car and doing so I always lazy out and head back to HQ about four blocks away instead. Some day, I say.
Get behind me Satan, this day would be that day.
The light rail tracks cross through here, but they leave behind a street running section of the line and proceed into a right of way that clearly pre-dates the real estate development around it. Apparently, the T made use of decommissioned trolley lines when its ’right of way’ was being laid out to take advantage of existing municipal real estate.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A Pittsburgh bound T showed up, catching some nice afternoon light as it did. At my back was the station I normally use, and these tracks continue out several miles to the South Hills Village Mall terminal stop on one side, or continue on to a North Side of Pittsburgh terminal stop nearby one of the sportsball stadiums.
Your humble narrator had taken up station right alongside the intersection in the first shot, if you’re curious.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A South Hills bound T arrived next, and I hurriedly crossed the street for a better angle. I mean, as ‘hurried’ as I can manage these days. One of the parts of my life that sucks right now is that I’m fairly slow moving at this stage of the medical drama, and will be spending the spring season getting my legs all muscled up. My normal walking speed used to be about 2-2.5 miles an hour, these days I’m lucky if I can do a mile in that interval.
Getting better every day, in every way. When I’m whole again…
Back next week with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
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The simplest of plans…
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First things first, and first thing involved walking up this hill.
Normally: not a problem, currently: my ankle was pissed off by the time I hit that next corner, which happens to be midway along another somewhat shallower hill. This is my neighborhood pictured above, by the way, in Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont. People still ask me why I left NYC, in response I will point out the near total absence of litter, passed out inebriates, or random emergencies midway through occurring in the shot above. Five miles from the center of things, this is.
It was a warm day in Pittsburgh, given the time of the year, and your humble narrator had a plan. I’d walk to the T light rail station, and board a Pittsburgh bound train set. There’s a major construction project underway involving the service, meaning that the route is significantly altered. Street running light rail moving through a series of interesting areas? Heck yeah! I’m in.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Of course, just as I got there, a Pittsburgh bound T was leaving the station. This ensured that I’d enjoy the maximum wait time until the next one arrived, which was somehow comforting. Who likes to rush?
Your humble narrator was appointed in his usual style, with the filthy black raincoat and a knapsack full of camera gear on his back. The camera was wearing its 24-240mm superzoom lens, if you’re curious. It’s strictly a ‘daylight’ lens, that one. Not the best glass I own, but its range makes it invaluable when out on a day time photowalk in a feature rich environment.
As far as my plan for the day went, the intention was to ride into the city, where the T was servicing a normally unused station due to the construction project(s) occurring along the line, where I’d catch a few shots of the thing coming and going and then scuttle along on my merry way. Then, I’d cross the Monongahela River on a bridge, and hunt around for any passing rail traffic. Lots of room for serendipity.
It ended up being about a nine and a half thousand step day, which is a new record for me in this post broken ankle period.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying all that, since I had to wait the maximum amount of time between Pittsburgh bound T’s, I occupied myself by focusing in on a T train set, which was heading away from Pittsburgh, and towards its eventual terminal stop at South Hills Village. Love the web of catenary wires over these tracks, I do.
Back tomorrow with more, at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
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Short walk, long pier, please
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As you may recall, last week’s postings involved your humble narrator beginning one of his ‘photowalks’ in the community of Beechview, whereupon a T light Rail car was boarded. Said T light rail service deposited me at the First Avenue Station, here in Pittsburgh’s Downtown section. This is where the Panhandle Bridge (pictured above), which carries the T’s tracks across the Monongahela River, connects to the central triangle of downtown.
There was a terrific amount of maintenance work underway on this particular day, as we riders were made to understand, and were my intentions to continue along the route then a transfer to a shuttle bus would be required. This wasn’t my plan, however, as I needed to walk and thereby exercise the recovering ankle and the rest of my roadway interface.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First Avenue Station is where the T switches away from operating an above ground service running along bridges and streets, and instead becomes a subway for about three stops in the downtown area. This section is also within the ‘free zone’ and no fare is required. Because of the work underway, the T’s were stacking up at First Avenue Station so I decided to hang around a few minutes and get some shots of all the coming and going.
The ankle is coming along, and on this walk it was rather less noisome than the last time I tried something similar. What’s bugging me right now is the atrophy experienced during the recovery interval, which seems to have really ‘done a job’ on my upper thighs and hips. Strength training is now on my bingo card for late winter and spring, I guess.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As intoned, I hung around First Avenue Station for a few minutes to record the scene, and then set out looking for an elevator. There’s fantastically long sets of stairs found here which lead down to the street, but frankly – I’m not ready to commit to that sort of effort yet. On my way, I found a public bathroom and after taking care of business set off on my way towards the elevators.
This walk, as a note, stuck pretty close to the T throughout its length. This was entirely by design, an ‘out’ in case my ankle started acting up and I needed to abort the mission and get back home quick.
Back tomorrow with more, at your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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“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.
Silver, blue, or red?
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As described yesterday, your humble narrator attended a ‘PT’ or Physical Therapy appointment to facilitate the continuing medical recovery period after breaking my ankle back in September.
This week’s photos were captured during an actual photowalk, which is the first true scuttle I’ve taken in four months. After my assignation with the PT people, during which I was put through several paces, one limped over to the T light rail stop and headed into town. Along the way, I was shooting out of the windows on the light rail, as it was an unfamiliar line. I normally use the Red Line service, and I think that I was riding on the Silver Line but I’m not entirely sure. From where I boarded, nearby one of the service’s terminal yards, it could be any of them, and since they all go to where I planned on debarking – win.
A few disturbing things began to occur on the earliest part of the scuttle, notably a clicking sensation in the bad ankle, when transiting through a stride. It didn’t hurt, at first, but the sensation was disconcerting and persistent. I also noticed that the length of my stride had noticeably shortened. Normal, for me, is each step spans a sidewalk box line on every step.
By the time my day ended, it was three steps for every sidewalk box and the last mile took me 45 minutes to walk.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve frequently driven through the section of Pittsburgh that this T line travels along, and that’s Saw Mill Run/Route 51 pictured above, as seen from the altitude of the cantilevered tracks that the T rides on in this section.
$3, if you’re curious. That’s the fare. I’m thinking that at some point in the next few weeks I might just buy a ‘hop on/hop off’ (about $20, if memory serves) day pass to the T and spend some time at these elevated stations with a zoom lens. It’s neat, along this corridor.
The ankle was singing its song by this point. I’m normally quite sore after the PT sessions, and that was a consideration when I had resolved to ‘walk three miles’ on this particular day. It ended up being just under four miles, but that’s a subject for subsequent posts to explore.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My original plan was to take the T to the other side of the Monongahela River and walk back across on the Smithfield Street Bridge prior to heading down towards a nearby set of rail tracks, but amendment occurred due to the ankle’s operatics, and I shaved a mile off the walk by debarking the T at the Station Square stop instead.
It was in the high thirties, temperature wise, and two weeks worth of snow and ice were releasing away from the ground. It wasn’t icy, but it was wet, and as I keep on reminding myself that ‘discretion is the better part of valor’ and to error on the side of caution as I get back to speed.
Scuttle. Ow! Scuttle, ow! Ow! Ow! It was like that.
Back tomorrow.
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“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 day, finally, comes
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Last Friday, Pittsburgh warmed up past the freezing mark.
Unfortunately, I had a ‘PT’ or ‘Physical Therapy’ appointment mid afternoon, but I also had a plan. The car was left back home in my driveway, and a cab ride took me to my appointment. After an hour of getting the actual heck beaten out of me by trained professionals, the camera bag was affixed over the filthy black raincoat and your humble narrator embarked on the first actual scuttle he’s been capable of in a very long time.
The plan involved me walking the better part of a mile, to find the terminal stop for all three of Pittsburgh’s light rail ‘T’ lines at the South Hills Village station and then catch an inbound train set. Good news is that most of that distance was accomplished by walking through a heated and evenly floored shopping mall. Part of the plan which I didn’t count on is how incredibly diminished my physicality is, after this whole broken ankle experience.
That first mile was agonizing, despite it taking place mostly on those polished mall floors. Made it though. You have to ignore pain, and then lean into it, otherwise you’re a wuss. Brooklyn!
This is the way.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One was quite glad to to see the Pittsburgh bound ‘T’ arrive. It’s immaterial which line you pick up here (there’s three – silver, blue, and red. I normally use the red line from HQ in Dormont), as they’re all -ultimately- heading towards the same place and this is one of the terminal stops. I think the one I boarded, pictured above, was the Silver but I could be wrong. At any rate, I was happy to just be sitting down. I’ve also really missed having this service available to me during all of this disability time.
Since this line was traveling on a set of tracks unfamiliar, I decided to shoot out the windows as we moved along. The ankle was angry.
The PT session had involved a stationary bicycle, weight machine leg presses, and several odd exercises (one of which sees an elastic belt strung twixt the ankles and you ‘crab walk’ sideways with it on and stretch it out laterally. This is harder than it sounds). What emerged during this walk, however, is that my stride length has greatly diminished. Something else I need to work on, I guess.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It’s suburban in character, the South Hills Village area, and the T runs on a dedicated track which travels past the back yards of mostly one family houses, the odd medical building or warehouse, and then past apartment houses as population density grades higher and higher, and eventually The T runs onto a cantilevered elevated track which is set into the side of a very steep hill as it nears the center of all things in the City of Pittsburgh. It’s all very complicated.
Back tomorrow, with more from this return to a scuttling form of life.
“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 