Posts Tagged ‘Monongahela River’
More, more, more…
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After witnessing four trains in a row, at the end of a long walk, I felt pretty sated and started heading for the T light Rail station which would carry me from the center of Pittsburgh back to HQ about five miles distant. It had been a fairly good day.
That’s when the start of this show made an encore appearance.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just as I was leaving the waterfront trail and reentering the street ‘grid,’ the Miss Ivy Brynne Towboat shown in Monday’s post reappeared and was entering the maritime channel which would allow passage under the Smithfield Street Bridge.
Truth be told, I almost didn’t shoot these as I was quite pleased with myself and the day’s effort at this point, but did so anyway.
I had walked about eight and change miles, a distance which included multiple bridges and two rivers.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the end of the story for this series of posts.
Next week, a return to Carrie Furnace, at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
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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.
Train, three
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Wow, what a scuttle I was experiencing.
A third CSX train entered the frame while I was walking along, heading westwards, CSX #7504. As mentioned a couple of days ago, I’ve spent as long as two hours waiting for something – anything – to appear on these tracks in Pittsburgh in the past and ‘nada.’
In the interval of about thirty minutes, one observed a Towboat maneuvering fifteen mineral barges, two CSX trains, and then a second Towboat at work. Sometimes you get lucky. Most of the time, I don’t.
There’s a reason I don’t buy lotto tickets.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
# 7504 screamed past me, and in the distance, I saw a plume of exhaust shoot up out of the CSX # 7289 unit, which had been sitting inert while these other two westerly trains passed through.
A shooting position was taken up, and another lens change iniated.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the Fort Pitt bridge framing the shot above, and which I was standing in the shadow of. It was a bright and sunny day, and a bit of cover was required at this point, as I was beginning to feel the effect of having been exposed to the radiates of the Burning Thermonuclear Eye of God itself for several hours at this point.
My day wasn’t actually finished yet, I’ll point out. I was already an hour late in terms of a social engagement later in the evening, but when the universe is sending this much in the way of cool stuff your way – you keep shooting until the show is over.
Back tomorrow with even more.
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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.
Train, too
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While walking a waterfront trail, found along the south bank of the Monongahela River here in Pittsburgh, one had spotted a train sitting entirely still while pointed eastwards (described yesterday). The signal boards which govern the movement of such transportation units indicated that ‘something’ was likely going to be heading westwards shortly.
CSX #1899 ending being one of the somethings, but it ended up not being the only something. Such occurrences bring joy to one such as myself.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On the actual river bank found on the other side of the tracks, a towboat was tying up to a series of mineral barges. Most of the time, nothing happens when passing through here. When something is happening, a lot of other things seem to also be happening. This is sort of ‘the way of things’ when you’re in the habit of following a camera around.
This spot is right about the point where the Three Rivers of Pittsburgh commingle, and form the headwaters of the Ohio River.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
CSX #1899 is what’s known as a heritage unit, painted up all ‘old timey’ special and it’s christened as the ‘Pere Marquette.’ Read all about it here.
Were I a railfan rather than just some ‘icehole who likes taking pictures of trains,’ I’d likely be jumping up and down with joy at this capture, but that would puncture the numbed down and dire outlook on life which I pride myself on. Nothing matters, and nobody cares, after all.
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.
Train, one
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After witnessing a Towboat maneuvering an amazing fifteen mineral barges, while walking over the West End Bridge (discussed yesterday), my scuttling path saw a humble narrator encountering a series of CSX trains along the Monongahela River, here in the heart of Pittsburgh.
I’ve experienced multiple hour long intervals where there isn’t a hint of activity along these tracks, but this time around I got lucky.
CSX #7289 was just idling there, held up by signals, on my left.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On my right, as the Monongahela Incline was rising up towards the summit of Mount Washington, and a Norfolk Southern train was transiting under its cantilevered trackway.
On did a humble narrator scuttle.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
CSX #7289 is a bit of mystery to me, although a bit of googling suggests that it had recently been renumbered from an earlier classification. It was sitting there at a dead standstill, and a glance down the tracks revealed that the signal boards for this track were red in coloration, whereas the second track’s signals revealed a yellow light.
Another lens change ensued, as I guessed that the yellow light meant something was coming my way and heading west.
More on that 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.
Carrie over
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One last post from a recent visit to Pittsburgh’s Carrie Furnace, and this was one of the spots that I hadn’t gotten to visit on prior visits. This chamber of secrets is found at the top of a couple of flights of stairs, and attached to the mechanism which transported materials delivered by rail to the steel mill’s campus.
Given the presence of the word ‘Otis’ embossed onto the central smattering of machinery in the room, I reached out to my old friend ‘Hank the elevator guy’ to see if he could provide insight as to the purpose of the mechanisms.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After sending him these photos with my query, the response was ‘It’s an elevator. Drum elevator with a huge DC motor. Must be old. Maybe a grain type elevator. To move material.’ Thusly – my elevator rabbi has spoken. As a note, he’s also installed a serious distrust of escalators into me over the years.
A humble narrator had entered this particular space shortly before the photo safari event was scheduled to end, but about thirty minutes remained before I’d need to head back to the Mobile Oppression Platform and drive back to HQ. I got busy, thereby.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These were all tripod shots, ISO 100, with exposure times in the 6-10 second range. I was using the 28-105 zoom lens mostly, although a couple of the shots in today’s post were accomplished with a 16mm wide angle prime. I scanned around the room, trying to make my best use of the remaining time on site.
It was a feature rich environment.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This electrical panel, for instance, caught my eye. Must have really been something to see when it was operational. I suspect that one would have experienced a buzzing sound, and an environment of static electricity.
This must have been a very dangerous place to work, Carrie Furnace. One wrong move and ‘splat’ or ‘bzzz’ or ‘sizzle.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There was a step ladder that reached up to the ceiling, with a lot of other gear installed up top. The ladder was locked off.
As mentioned in prior posts, I’m going to be coming back here at the end of May, and am thinking through a shot list. Can’t wait, actually.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s it for this visit, however. It was time to return the loaner hard hat to the front desk/kiosk, climb into the car, and drive back to HQ.
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.
