Posts Tagged ‘Long Island City’
highly excited
It’s avoiding the topic Friday.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
You always have to be wary about Vampires in Western Queens. What, you think that the legendary diversity of the Borough of Queens only relates to wholesome or salubrious types? For every twenty hard working immigrants, there’s likely some abyssal and atavist abomination that followed them here from their aboriginal origins. I’ve warned you in the past about what might exist in the high rafters of the elevated subway system around Queens Plaza, the mischief goblins of Cretan lore called the Kalikantzaros, the presence of the Yugoslavian Strigoi, and those unnameable things rumored to be living in the turgid waters of Hells Gate.
Ever notice that most churches are built like fortresses? If you were to start up a mega church and base it in a former industrial laundry alongside a rail yard, wouldn’t you surround it with cruciforms and hire 24 hour security too? Can’t be too careful. Devils.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned earlier in the week, I like a good demolition photo. According to my understanding of the existing buildings down on the deck at Sunnyside Yards, and I very well might be 100% incorrect here so grain of salt, this building used to serve as the NYC training facility for the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Pullman Sleeping Car Porters and restaurant/bar train staff. This staff, known for a) wearing red hats and b) being almost exclusively African American, were the progenitors of the 20th century population movement from the American South referred to as the Southern Migration. Founders of what’s referred to as “The Black Middle Class” in the northeast is how the members of the (union) Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters are often portrayed. I’m not an expert by any means on this subject, so I’d ask you to google up someone who is, as it’s a great story. You could always start with wikipedia.
At least I got to tell you about these fellows, even if I might be wrong about which building was which on a couple of hundred year old maps I often refer to.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Sunnyside Yards is a Railroad coach yard that occupies about 183 square acres in Long Island City. Opened in 1910, it was part of a regional build out by the Pennsylvania Railroad that saw the creation of a passenger rail station in New Jersey, the creation of rail tunnels under the Hudson River and into Manhattan where they entered the original Penn Station, the tunnels under Manhattan and across the East River to Queens, and Sunnyside Yards was the final piece required for the linking up of the regional rail of Long Island (LIRR) with that of the continent. The Pennsylvania Railroad’s main competitor was the Grand Central Railroad Company, which erected the Hell Gate Bridge for the same purpose – connecting to Long Island. Sunnyside Yards was federalized in the 1970’s, which is how Amtrak ended up owning most of it, but large chunks of the property are held by MTA and by the General Motors Corporation.
103 square acres, and you can’t catch a train there. On the western side, you can catch a serious case of vampirism though, so watch out.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, November 2nd. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“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.
rational position
Avoiding the topic Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One likes a good materials handler, and there one was at the Sunnyside Yards on a recent evening. The Amtrak people are mid way through tearing down a century old building nearby the Honeywell Street truss bridge, which is the sort of thing that draws me to it the manner that a fly is drawn to shit.
Again, many kudos advanced towards whomsoever it is at Amtrak that’s in charge of fence holes just large enough to stick a camera lens through. You’re a hero.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My scuttling on this particular night was abbreviated, involving a short walk from Astoria to Queens Plaza and back. My feet carried me along the dark section of Jackson Avenue, under the elevated trackage of the Brighton line Subway.
What fun.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Y’know, it’s not that easy picking a visually interesting pathway through one of the most densely populated sections of these United States, during a pandemic, which ensures that you encounter virtually no other humans. Somehow, I’ve managed, but these corridors of mine have been visited time and again and I never get tired of actuating the camera shutter here in Western Queens.
It may be crowded, but it really is something to see, this place called Long Island City.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, November 2nd. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“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.
nameless approximations
old school Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I wasn’t out taking a “walk,” which for me is a grandiose six hour long process involving a tripod and visiting several truly horrible locations, instead it was a constitutional “shlep” that carried me down 39th Avenue at the hazy border of Sunnyside and Long Island City nearby Sunnyside Yards and Queens Plaza one recent evening.
Wasn’t really planning on taking a lot of photos, rather my intent involved a session of pure exercise while listening to a podcast. I took photos anyway.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s when I noticed this Honda up on blocks. Man, you just don’t see this sort of thing anymore. Back in the 1980’s and 90’s it was fairly common for a car to get stripped down and left standing on bricks, but you really don’t see this very often in modern times. How retro!
Then again, what with actual Nazi’s running around these days, nostalgia is back on the menu again for all of us. I wonder if people are listening to Miles Davis again.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The way it used to work, and I’ve seen it happen, is that a stolen car would be positioned on the street. A “pit crew” would jump out of a van or panel truck armed with tools and begin a rapid dismantling of anything valuable on the auto. Tires, brake pads, all gone in sixty seconds. Back in the day, the passenger cabin would also receive attention – radio and other electronics, and later on the air bags would also be targeted.
As Mr. Spock used to say: “fascinating.”
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, November 2nd. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“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.
loutish fellow
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator is taking a break this week, as his anxiety and or stress levels have become absolutely maxed out. Also, I’m working on something rather time consuming that requires 100% of my attention this week since learning the nuances of a new software package is involved. Thusly, you’ll be seeing single shots and regular postings will resume next week.
Pictured above is the Hunters Point Avenue Bridge, spanning the Dutch Kills tributary of Newtown Creek in Long Island City, on a fairly foggy night.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, October 26th. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“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.
beldame thrust
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator is taking a break this week, as his anxiety and or stress levels have become absolutely maxed out. Also, I’m working on something rather time consuming that requires 100% of my attention this week since learning the nuances of a new software package is involved. Thusly, you’ll be seeing single shots and regular postings will resume next week.
Pictured above is the Dutch Kills tributary of Newtown Creek in Long Island City, where a somewhat minor industrial discharge was noticed as occurring and pouring into the canal.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, October 26th. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“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 