Posts Tagged ‘Pickman’
Bottoms and bridges
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
To start – this location has been ‘on my list’ for a while – and despite that, it just hasn’t been convenient (from a time, getting there, atmospheric lighting) point of view for me to get to.
Serendipity recently struck when Our Lady of the Pentacle announced that she and a friend would be attending a pierogi festival held at a Ukrainian Church in the area during a recent Sunday afternoon. Her friend would be driving, so I asked if I could tag along and thereby be free of having to oblige and worry about the car. Positive affirmations followed.
I’ve executed a few drive throughs of this area and have tilted my lens here and there in the past, check past posts out here. Purely scouting, though.
Welcome to McKees Rocks’ Bottoms.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It topically seems to be one of Pennsylvania’s many ‘used to be, once, long ago’ sort of places, old mill towns that persist after the mill has left, but the area seems to be very much alive and kicking. We walked around the neighborhood for a bit, prior to the start of Our Lady’s pierogi extravaganza.
I wasn’t there for the luncheon, at least not the kind you eat. My nutritionally needs could only be sated by walking upon that which I came here to see.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The McKees Rocks Bridge is a major crossing of the Ohio River, and is the longest bridge in Allegheny County. It’s a massive structure.
It carries three lanes of vehicle traffic, which first crosses over a set of busy Norfolk Southern rail tracks and then a gargantuan sewer plant to the north, then the Ohio River, whereupon it overlands into the town after overflying a rail yard on the south side.
When figuring in the ramp approaches to this monster, the bridge is 7,300 feet long. Roughly 1.5 miles, that. 100 feet high at deck level over the river. The stairs pictured above are on the McKees Rocks Bottoms, or southern, side.
Check out all its statistics at pghbridges.com. Additionally, there’s a great document from the HAER (Historic American Engineering Record) people which can be accessed here that will fill you in on all the ‘nitty gritty’ revolving around why and how this monster bridge was erected and funded in Pittsburgh, all the way back in 1929.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The stairs lead up to this arched section, where it overflies the rail yard and tracks. Those CSX trains which I often photograph down river, nearby that brewery, are all heading this way when I describe them as ‘heading towards Ohio.’ The train pictured above, #866, is heading ‘away from Ohio.’
There were no fences, you can just walk right up to the tracks. That’s very progressive, if you ask me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It has been a minor goal of mine to walk this bridge when opportunity struck, but who could have guessed it would be a pierogi festival I wouldn’t be attending that would bring me here?
Up the stairs hurtled I, the filthy black raincoat flapping about in the wind like some obscene membrane. Storms were moving through the vault of the sky, and the dynamic cloud systems surrounding the periodic bursts of rain were causing the light to change minute by minute. I was ready for the rain, just in case, with an umbrella attached to my camera bag, but it wasn’t needed in the end.
Up and at ‘em.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the main arch of the bridge, as seen in the distance. There really isn’t too much worth seeing after exiting the bridge on the other side, which places you on a narrow sidewalk, set against a de facto highway. Not exactly ‘pedestrian friendly’ over there, so I decided that my first walk over this span was going to be a ‘there and back again’ sort of affair.
This was practically a religious experience for me, scuttling over the McKees Rocks Bridge, something which I could only compare to a walk over the Kosciuszcko Bridge back home, as far as offering the camera a unique point of view.
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.
Homestead trio
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Occasion found me driving through the ragged and unmarked border between Pittsburgh’s ‘Duquesne’ and neighboring ‘Homestead.’ Both communities were once mill towns, in the age of steel. When the mills left, economic devastation and demographic collapse occurred.
That’s a Norfolk Southern locomotive pictured above, #4305. I’m led to believe it’s a rebuilt GE AC44C6M model, and originally christened as ‘NS #9171 (C40-9W)’ when it was built back in 1998.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While ‘up in the hills’ in neighboring Homestead, a series of abandoned homes caught my eye. It’s madness, how many of these there are in the greater metro area here in Pittsburgh. Good news is that the price of non abandoned homes continues to be dragged down by all of this housing stock that’s just sitting inert. There’s spots less than hour’s drive from the dead bang center of Pittsburgh where you can buy a home for under six figures. In the center of all things, it’s a bit more pricey, as you’d imagine.
Saying that, I don’t want to live in Homestead, Duquesne, or even Munhall. Too close to the still functioning steel plants, which pollute the air with sulfur dioxide (related to burning coke/coal) and it often smells like rotten eggs around these parts.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There are so many of these. Reminds me of the outer edges of Brooklyn and Queens back in the 1980’s, and of the Bronx too.
Back tomorrow with the start of an ultramundane adventure.
“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.
Diagonal scuttling
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This scuttle began at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery on Pittsburgh’s South Side, up on the ‘slopes.’ This was going to be a ‘short walk’ of well under five miles, and Our Lady of the Pentacle came along for the effort.
As has been mentioned multitudinous times, downhill slopes offer the sort of exercise which my still gamey but recovering left ankle requires.
I do intend on returning to this cemetery at some point and walking the grounds. Interesting monuments here, with some dating back to before the First American Civil War (I’ve decided to just start calling it that, as I can read the writing on the wall at this point). I poked around a bit, and the earliest interment which I’ve seen mention of at this facility was back in 1849, during the short 16 month term of U.S. President Zachary Taylor.
German Catholics are the predominant group interred here, it seems.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The elevation which the cemetery is set upon offers commanding views of a section of the ‘Mon Valley,’ which is how the post industrial corridor along the Monongahela River gets referred to locally, here in Western Pennsylvania and the surroundings.
That prominent building pictured above is the University of Pittsburgh’s (PITT) 42 story Cathedral of Learning, and it’s over in the very urban Oakland section.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Up here on the south side, the buildings are a bit more modest.
It was a lovely day in Pittsburgh, with temperatures in the high 50’s and a steady breeze. We began our scuttling, and it was all downhill from here.
South 18th street’s curving path carried us down towards the flood plain of the Monongahela River, and the South Side Flats area.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It looks like someone experienced a residential fire since the last time I passed through here. My heart (as it were) really goes out to people who experience this sort of horror. Clothes on your back is all you’ve got afterwards. Everything is gone, all the mementos and the existential reality of the home – appliances, clothing, furniture, family photos, electronics, expensive possessions – all gone in a flash.
I’ve been told that the biggest problem after a fire is document related. Birth and marriage certificates, wills, licenses, passports etc. Replacing them is a pain in the neck, and not all that simple.
Sucks, that.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Our Lady became intrigued by my newfound interest in the City Steps of Pittsburgh, and wanted to check them out. Our route diverged from South 18th street and then we headed towards the ‘Church Route’ steps along Pius Street.
I cannot walk past this particular view without taking a photo of it. It’s a problem for me. I need help.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just as we got to the top of the Church Route steps, a Norfolk Southern train thundered through the scene (bottom foreground) but was just out of view behind the verge. In the distance, that’s the Birmingham Bridge, which I walk over with some regularity.
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.
Gap Trail: Homestead to South Side, part 3
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Your humble narrator broke off of the Great Allegheny Passage trail during a walk from Homestead to the South Side Flats, briefly, to find somebody willing to sell me a Gatorade nearby the South Side Works development, here in Pittsburgh.
Another ‘used to be a steel mill’ and ‘redeveloped as a mixed use retail/residential zone’ sort of place, this South Side Works area is. CSX’s tracks flow through an underground tunnel here, which you can definitely tell when one is passing beneath the pavement.
Having soon attained a beverage, one set out of the last leg of this scuttle. My Dracula adaptation had run its course, in my headphones, and I opted to pocket the audio device for the remainder of the day.
Situational awareness. This is the start of an area which I colloquially refer to as ‘Junkie Town.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This warm and somewhat humid day was a perfect one for slurping a pint or two of beer, thought I, and then soon reacquired the GAP trail. Passing under the Birmingham Bridge, pictured above and then to the South Side Flats neighborhood towards the Sly Fox Brewery, which is often mentioned here. Sly Fox also happens to sit along a choke point in CSX’s Pittsburgh – or Keystone – Subdivision, with frequent rail traffic.
There were lots of people clustering around the water, and interacting with a loathsome specie of feathered reptile which kids call ‘Canada Goose.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’d guess that the photos embedded in these posts from this scuttle represent about five to six miles of distance by this point, but I wasn’t keeping count on this particular day. Now that I don’t have to report progress to a Doctor anymore, it’s a lot less important for me to know it was four miles, or six miles, or whatever.
I’m probably going to buy a bike sometime in the next year, just to increase my range, but I’ll offer my usual complaint about bikes which is the same one that I do about cars – you’re traveling too fast to actually see where you are and you miss the interesting stuff. Things just shoot by you too quickly.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Pictured above is what most of the trail looked like on this stretch, a long and unremarkable vegetation tunnel. At least it was shady.
As I understand it, caring for these trails is a largely volunteer effort, although governmentally sourced from ‘Uncle Sugar’ or the Commonwealth are used for equipment and consumables, like the salt used for de-icing the path during winter months. The volunteers also have to regularly deal with landslide materials which migrate down from the prominences.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, I managed to scuttle out from the boring section of the walk to a more interesting section of the City, nearby the South Tenth Street Bridge and the Color Park. As mentioned above, I was already thinking about what I would order when arriving at the Sly Fox Brewery.
I also figured I’d be shooting a bunch of trains while there, so…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Color Park is where you’re supposed to do graffiti or street art in Pittsburgh, and people take advantage of that in the same way that they used to at LIC’s 5ptz, or still do at Astoria’s Welling Court back in Queens.
Back tomorrow with the Choo-Choo’s.
“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 