Posts Tagged ‘Monongahela River’
The universe complied, with my wishes
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Win, win, win. Finally, CSX played ball with my aspirations and sent a train over that rail bridge visible from the Homestead Pump House. It’s called the Pinkerton’s Landing Bridge, by the way, it’s aka the ‘Pemickey’ bridge.
The Pittsburgh Subdivision of CSX, which I often photograph further down the river, nearby the Sly Fox Brewery in the South Side Flats section of Pittsburgh’s inner core, crosses the Monongahela River here. It used to spur off to the Homestead Plant and to Carrie Furnace, but today its tracks lead to the massive Edgar Thomson U.S. Steel plant a few miles east.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I was listening to the radio chatter on my scanner radio, and this was a 260 axle train according to the automated defect detector. That’s a mechanical circuit checker which lets the engine at the front of the train know that they haven’t lost any cars along their path, the defect detector is. Multiple units along the route will report how many axles are present at each way station.
Hey, I learn things.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This was a fairly rare dusk/evening (these days) photo session for me. My old ‘night owl’ habits in NYC have been completely reversed here in Pittsburgh. It’s been a minute since I shot in low light around dusk and evenings. I get up really early these days.
Pittsburgh is very much an ‘early to bed, early to rise’ sort of place.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m planning on returning here about this time of day to see if lightning strikes twice. If it does, and this is more or less when CSX schedules a run across the Pinkerton’s Landing Bridge, there will be a spectacular ‘night shot’ to be captured here in the fullness of time.
It’s right about at this point that Our Lady texted me saying that the event she was participating in was winding up. I fired up the Mobile Oppression Platform, a Toyota, and then hurtled towards Carrie Furnace.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The train was mostly hauling shipping containers.
It’s about a 15 minute drive from ‘a’ to ‘b’ but most of that time is spent sitting at traffic lights. On my way over to Carrie, a bit of news filtered in. It seems that some group of lefties decided to decry a ‘fascist, genocidal, zionist’ politician. This time around, it was Bernie Sanders. Bernie. Sanders. Sigh…
Y’know, we have a fairly shallow bench sitting in the dugout on the left side of the field, these days. Maybe two or three of them are ‘stars’ hidden amongst the entire crew of loathsome sentience. Perhaps, just perhaps, it’s not a good idea to chip away at these stars, right about now.
As always, however, the American left is compelled to start to eating its own arm in order to guarantee the right its victory. I still think that the Republicans should send Tiffany Caban a thank you note for her introduction of the phrase ‘defund the police’ to the national conversation.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another CSX train appeared – heading in the opposite direction and back towards the Pinkerton’s Landing Bridge – just as I arrived at Carrie Furnace for my reunion with Our Lady.
8 to 8:30 p.m., that’s my new deal here. Should be a pretty cool sight as the days grow shorter during the approach of Autumn. On it.
Back tomorrow with something different.
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Homestead, & towing action on the Mon
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Kicking dirt in Homestead, and killing a couple of hours prior to picking up Our Lady of the Pentacle – who was over at Carrie Furnace on the other side of the Monongahela River – your humble narrator drove over to the Homestead Pump House. In addition to a parking lot, a rail bridge is there that I’ve been… patiently… waiting for a train to transit over while I’m present for close to three years now. More on that one tomorrow.
Today, ya got’s one a dem boats.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
You can read up on the 1981 vintage ‘Vernon M Weiland’ Towboat at tugboatinformation.com. Apparently, it’s currently operated by an outfit here in Pittsburgh called ‘Ohio River Salvage Incorporated.’
Me? I’m always just happy to see the maritime industry being industrious.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned, Our Lady of the Pentacle was taking a class in metal working at Carrie Furnace, the ruins of which which rise out from behind the tree line on the opposite shore in the top right of the shot above. The nonprofit outfit which looks after the Homestead Pump House, the actual furnace site, and a few others spots in the ‘Mon Valley’ is called ‘Rivers of Steel.’ They offer all sorts of ways to connect with the past, and work to shape the future.
Back tomorrow, with my pay-off for the many hours I’ve vaingloriously sat here waiting for a train to transit over that rail bridge.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Kicking dirt in Homestead
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Where I was standing while shooting this photo is where the structural steel inside the Empire State Building and the East River Bridges was manufactured. It’s also where the steel that would rebuild the US’s WW2 Pacific Fleet – destroyed at Pearl Harbor – was forged. Homestead, Pennsylvania, this is. Just 7 miles outside of Pittsburgh proper.
After the largest steel mill on earth was closed during the Reagan Administration, the municipality of Homestead that it formerly dwelt within was left with a quandary: finding some economic model to keep their citizens alive. The answer they came up with was a vast retail complex called ‘The Waterfront,’ which would also include a residential component and waterfront recreation trails.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Me? I had some time to kill. Our Lady of the Pentacle signed up for a metal working class over at Carrie Furnace, and I had earlier dropped her off there for the event. That gave me three hours to fill, and I really didn’t want to just head back to HQ (only about a half hour away, but…) so a cunning plan was hatched.
It wasn’t all that cunning, actually. I had dinner at a Red Robin burger restaurant and then shlepped back to the car to go take photos. There’s a nearby location which I’ve been haunting, in Homestead, which has offered nothing but photographic frustration to me…
Time to kill? Photo location that’s ‘pregnant’ but unfulfilled? Yep, that’s the one.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The bridge pictured is the Homestead Grays Bridge, connecting the Homestead side of the river to the communities of Rankin, Swissvale, and Braddock. It’s named for the famous Negro League Baseball Team, who were basically the Yankees of their category. Amongst others; Satchel Page, Cool Papa Bell, and Josh Gibson played for the Grays.
Tomorrow, more from Homestead.
“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.
Done, Dirt Cheap
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Welcome back to Pittsburgh, where a humble narrator recently took a short walk in search of a couple of pints of beer and passing locomotives.
Norfolk Southern’s tracks ride on an elevated berm in this area, carven out of the cliff face of Mount Washington itself. The opening, beneath that trestle it’s riding on, is the transit tunnel normally used for buses and the T light rail. Said tunnel has been undergoing a rehabilitation project for the last few months.
I heard a train coming, and managed to capture a quick peek of #4462 when it appeared in a break through the verge.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was about 4-5 in the afternoon as I was moving through this zone, and vehicle traffic was beginning to stack up, in the approaches to various bridges, and tunnels, and the on-ramps to high speed roads.
Me? I was in a mood.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Nothing specific was wrong, in terms of triggers, just woke up unhappy and easily angered by minor stimuli. Like an asshole. I’d been trapped by obligation and climate for nearly a week, and really needed a day off.
This post is being written mid month, incidentally, whereas you’re receiving it at the end of July. I’ve managed to rebuild my ‘lead time’ here at Newtown Pentacle in the last month or so, and hope that I’m able to maintain a two to three week ‘ahead of schedule’ posture moving forward. Hate publishing a post when the ‘the pixels are still wet.’
I always strive for lead time here, but it seldom works out.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The brewery I haunt, in this area, is found alongside a set of CSX’s Pittsburgh Subdivision tracks and it’s one of the choke points for that rail outfit’s operations here. If one of their train sets is coming through the city, heading east or west, it’s quite likely going to be moving past this spot. What? You’ve never gone fishing? You go where the fish are forced to go and drop the hook there.
That structure on the left is part of a concrete company.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
CSX #7030 appeared, and I wanted to get a slightly different point of view for this photo than I normally do when at this spot.
It was the only train that appeared while I was there.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The locomotive was heading westwards, likely into Ohio at some point, after passing through McKees Rocks, where the company has one of its corporate outposts. I imagine there’s crew turnover there, but I’m just guessing. This is the POV I normally use when here, as a note.
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.
Sometimes, it’s just odd out there
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On a recent afternoon, your humble narrator just threw his hands up in frustration and announced to Our Lady of the Pentacle that he was going out for a walk. She recognized the look in my eyes, that of a wild beast yearning for freedom, and said ‘have a good time.’
One soon found himself at ‘The T’ light rail’s First Avenue Station, where the Panhandle Bridge spans the Monongahela River.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This wasn’t going to be a long walk, at all. It was hot as heck, and I had a lot on my mind. Go to the bar and suck down a few beers sort of thoughts.
I’ve had to pick and choose my battles since returning from NYC, as the weather has been absolutely horrific all month. High heat and humidity, lots and lots of rain, and a set of competing priorities. As described yesterday, I’m currently enjoying a spate of medical tests designed to gauge and document my overall robustness and spot trends.
I don’t like being touched by strangers, let alone stripping down to my skivvies in their presence and letting them irradiate me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As I’ve mentioned in the past, one of my superpowers is the ability to containerize negative emotions while situational stressors are at work, and then allow the stored up psychic pressure to bleed off at a more opportune time. Essentially, I have a ‘rage bladder,’ and every now and then one needs to let off some steam and bleed it out.
I was by myself, of course. God’s lonely man.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My pathway to the beer taps involved a short walk of less than two miles. This wasn’t an exercise day, and I convinced myself that the effort would be worth it if a few train shots were captured. I know that I mention drinking a lot, but I don’t actually drink all that much. A few beers, maybe once every couple of weeks, these days.
Back in Astoria, my crew of knuckleheads and I had a standing Friday night ‘after work’ meetup at ‘the local,’ but again – a couple/three pints of beer consumed over multiple hours is my deal. I sip, rather than chug.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Monongahela River and the Smithfield Street Bridge came into view, and one pointed his toes in the required direction. This is part of the same trail pictured above, incidentally.
That’s when I saw it.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A single, abandoned, shoe. Can it be?
Has the Queens Cobbler followed me to the Paris of Appalachia?
Back next week with maximum 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 