Posts Tagged ‘railroad’
McKees Rocks, where men scuttle…
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This post details a part of an interesting walk recently undertaken in the McKees Rocks area, a Borough of Allegheny County which is part of the larger Pittsburgh Metro area.
I’ve been to McKees Rocks a few times in the past, but usually on the literal other side of town, and this was the first time I’d wandered through this section on foot. These shots were captured along Thompson Avenue.
As is the standard with the Pittsburgh area, just because a lot is purposed towards something in modernity, the modern use of the property has little or no relevance as to the purpose which the industrial buildings on the lot were originally designed to accomplish. The particular company whose tenancy I was walking past would appear to be in the iron pipe business, but are actually in the drilling business.
It’s funny… I really can spot ‘em.
That structure pictured above is what’s left of the 1905 Taylor-Wilson daylight factory, which is an architecturally significant and historic industrial structure. Son of a gun…
quoting from sah-archpedia.org –
‘Cummings designed Taylor-Wilson to be cheap and fireproof, and also to show artistic flair. Six bays wide, sixteen bays long, and three stories high, it encloses an enormous space (160 × 120 feet) with a gently arched roof, one-story projecting aisles, and a facade dominated by a round-arched window twenty feet in height, though now boarded over. Wooden window frames were painted red to provide contrast with the intervening bands of gray concrete. Used originally for the production of custom-built machinery for heavy industry, the factory currently serves only as a storage facility.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Neat! Daylight factories were part of an effort by the ‘Captains of Industry’ in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to stave off a nascent labor and class war revolution which had been brewing in the United States since the Homestead Strike.
Back when America was ‘great,’ the strike busting and general hostility shown towards labor by the bosses had radicalized the proletariat instead of taming it. The bosses started realizing that improving conditions at the mills and factories just might ameliorate some of that class rage, and the assassination attempts they were experiencing, and also possibly tamp down the chances of a Bolshevik style revolution breaking out.
Historically speaking, prior to the New Deal, ‘which side are you on’ could be a life or death question. I know this all sounds ridiculous at the stage in history that we’re in, but anarchists and socialists were a major concern for the monied classes at the start of the 20th century. Roosevelt was famously accused of being a traitor to his ‘class.’ Don’t worry, the 2030’s are going to be a blast, so we’ll get to live through it all again during the ‘Great Again Depression.’.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Well… can confirm that these are active tracks. At least sometimes.
According to Google’s Gemini AI:
The tracks operate as an active, localized industrial “switching” and short-line corridor rather than a high-speed passenger or cross-country main line.
- McKees Rocks Industrial Enterprises (MRIE): They use the line as a primary transloading vein. Heavy materials—such as raw steel, coal, industrial aggregates, and bulk commodities—are moved off river barges on the Ohio River, loaded onto rail cars via these tracks, and staged for transport.
- Pittsburgh & Ohio Central Railroad (POHC): This is a larger regional short-line railroad owned by industry giant Genesee & Wyoming. The POHC maintains its regional operational headquarters right in McKees Rocks and utilizes interchanges with the PAM trackage to ferry chemicals, plastics, and minerals to and from Neville Island and Washington County.
- Class I Interchanges (CSX & Norfolk Southern): The Thompson Avenue trackage serves as a critical local collection point. Once the short-line switchers aggregate the industrial cars from local businesses, they funnel them out to the major national networks. They interchange with CSX Transportation (which operates a sprawling facility adjacent to Stowe Township) and Norfolk Southern at nearby Duff Junction.
Because the line curves through dense industrial corridors right past factory gates—including the PennDrill facility at 500 Thompson Avenue—trains operate at restricted, low yard speeds (typically around 8 mph) to spot cars for local manufacturing tenants.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Couldn’t confirm as I don’t trespass, but supposedly Chartiers Creek flows on the other side of these industrial lots. The waterway is on the map, but I don’t believe anything these days unless I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
I’m planning on returning to this stretch with the car at some point, so that I can sit and linger, while waiting for a train to come through. There were LOTS of great compositions encountered along the way which were just missing a train moving through them, I’d mention.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
St. Mary’s RC church was my navigational icon throughout this part of my day. My wayfinding confidence has been shaken by the two recent ‘wrong way’ decisions, described in prior posts, and now I’m a regular ‘Nervous Nellie’ about committing another gaffe. Shame!
One was in ‘full pack’ mode. I had everything with me – lenses, tripods, you name it. Forgot the railfan scanner radio, of course, but it migrated off the bag when I was slotting an umbrella into the equation.
Throughout the scuttle, I was playing around with a new addition – one of the magnetic camera filters which I had mentioned acquiring, a few posts back. This one was a ‘circular polarizer.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The polarizer gives me some control over reflections, and to a certain extent – color saturation. Particularly so in the sky, where haze and atmospheric humidity can be somewhat compensated for.
The great thing about these magnetic filters is that you just pop them on and off the lens as needed. The older filters I’ve got required you to screw them onto the lens, which is a fiddly, time consuming, and annoying task.
Back tomorrow.
“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.
Scuttling, diagonally
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As described yesterday, your humble narrator was out for a short walk.
Not an exodus, nor a crossing of some hostile desert, this time around it was all familiar territory.
One was loathsomely scuttling down the diagonally cantilevered PJ McArdle roadway, here on the face of Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington. I’ve walked this way several times over the last few years.
That’s the Monongahela Incline, pictured. It’s a funicular railway.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Every now and again, one needs to relax a bit, take it easy. Ruminate.
I’ve really been getting around, in the last six months in particular.
A lot of attention has been paid to Pittsburgh’s North Side in the last six months, and to several other ‘zones’ around the city which I have some sort of intellectual interest in. Troy Hill, East Liberty, East Street Valley, Perry Hilltop and the Swindell Bridge, Skunk Hollow, Brighton Heights, lots of new and novel sights for me.
This scuttle was a bit more like visiting a relative’s house, I’d venture.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My day was abbreviated, due to an incoming weather system promising to bring thunderstorms and tornadic warnings to the area. It was quite a nice day at the time I was out and about, climatological wise, otherwise.
Happily, I was wearing a new pair of Merrell hiking boots, after discovering that I had ground my older pair’s soles down to flat.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Speaking of flat, when I got down to Carson Street, the Via Majorica of the South Side Flats section – a wrecker towing a bus was observed. I whipped the camera forward, and the two guys driving the thing saw me and started vamping for the shot. Sweet.
Me? I wanted to go shoot a picture of a train and also drink a beer.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! CSX #3346 shot through the usual spot and satisfied my urge. I had a singular glass of suds, and then walked back towards the T light rail which is about a half mile or so away from this spot.
All told, maybe three miles in total, if we’re stretching it.
Specific ‘leg work’ for the day involved hyperextension of, and stretching the tendons, leading into and out of my ‘bad’ ankle joint while walking downhill. Accomplished mainly via a series of walking postures.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, a ride back to HQ in Dormont on the T light rail, and yet another happy reconciliation with a dog named Moe, and a woman called ‘Our Lady of the Pentacle.’
Back tomorrow with something different.
“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.
Failure of intent
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Ok, I’ll admit it, I willingly attended a Governmental meeting here in Pittsburgh. I’ve been doing historic research about Pittsburgh, too.
I was talked into it, but there was food laid out for the meeting, so that’s a tax refund – right? It seems that Allegheny County, which is a Governmental layer more or less synonymous with the municipality of Pittsburgh geographically, was publicly releasing an environmental plan that’s been in the works for a few years.
I figured that I’d work a scuttle into the endeavor, and found myself starting said walk at the top of Mount Washington, and specifically use Sycamore Street for the descent. Fun.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This ‘plan’ wasn’t actually much of a plan, it was more of a wishlist visioning document without any mandated deadlines for its recommendations, which didn’t carry a budget along with them. Ambitious plans filled with terminology like ‘decarbonizing’ and ‘human powered’ populated its pages.
A presentation was given, and then attendees were led into a room with the easels and signboards, where people connected to the agency wanted to hear opinions and reactions to the plan. I saw the person who talked me into coming to this event, and made a bee line for her signboard.
I felt that I needed to point out that nobody but nobody is going to replace their gas stove with an electric one without some sort of tax incentive to do so. The expensive nuances of removing a gas system and having an electrician come in to pull new power lines up through the gas pipes isn’t something they thought of, nor is a funded mechanism to handle the tonnages of gas stoves and furnaces which would headed for landfills or recycling.
Also, that when a government says ‘we should do a thing’ without any sort of a timeline included in their statement, that’s just politicians talking about the ‘way things should be,’ and they don’t have any way to pay for this policy position they admire.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! CSX #104 was crossing underneath me while I was crossing the Smithfield Street Bridge, to get to the County building where the meeting would take place. I should mention something here…
I’ve given up. Nothing matters and nobody cares. The only thing which can stop people from pouring battery acid into water reservoirs is the threat of Police enforcement – and even then – not so much. I honestly believe that the best we can do at this point – environmentally speaking – is to try and manage the ‘new normal.’ It’s too late. We missed the window, as a culture, to do anything about the climate problem.
The County’s plan is solid in its logic. Its mandates are unfunded.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The cost of retrofitting the ‘installed base’ of water heaters, furnaces, stoves and so on is massive. Just doing the government’s buildings represents a price that would double taxes for a decade.
The only way to achieve a changeover to devices fueled alternatively to manufactured gas is to either mandate the replacement and create a tax scheme to forgive and absorb the expense, or to just change the zoning laws for new construction and gradually move over to the newer/‘cleaner’ technologies in the fullness of time as housing stock is demolished and rebuilt over the decades. The latter is the sort of approach that NYC is taking.
NYC is also embracing a farcical rooftop solar agenda, but that’s a different tale.
Suffice to say, I’ve seen a lot of environmental plans presented by lots of very smart people, and it’s ultimately always a wish list or a ‘vision’ plan that you’re consuming. Important to do, mind you, but still just a wishlist.
I wish that I was rich, taller, and better looking. That’s my vision plan.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The catering at the event was very political.
They had gluten free, and vegan, and all the other options which you’d need to have for a public ‘do.’ The food was prepared by a non-profit which specializes in providing the first steps for street people towards having a hirable skill set. Everybody I met was super nice, and friendly. I did my best not to talk to anyone, but that didn’t work as I was approached several times, and once they heard the Brooklyn accent…
I actually had to say it several times: ‘Hi, I’m Mitch Waxman…’ sigh…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I found the whole thing slightly depressing, as I often find such gatherings. They are very happy and peppy in public, however, the political people here in Pittsburgh. Genuinely nice in person.
I walked back across the river and caught a T light rail back towards HQ. Hope that this plan gets funded, and that they figure out a great way to sell it to those who will automatically be hostile to it.
Try this:
Hey, Y’see those people over there… whom you don’t like… well, those other people that are standing behind that curtain over there want to take something away from you, and give it to them. Me? I’m the only one who can stop that… even though I’m actually one of those people behind the curtain… I’m the ‘good one’ who cares about you, your kids, your dog, and Veterans – of course. Vote Quimby.
Back next week 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.
Accidentally, Homestead
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
So… yeah.
Failing to follow a detailed itinerary, which I had prepared in advance, with a literal turn by turn set of directions in the notes app on my phone, ignoring the carried prophylaxis against directional confusion offered by a compass… your humble narrator instead found himself staring down the barrel of a faraway place called Homestead.
There’s a waterfront rail trail I could have picked up from there to get back ‘to the center,’ but it’s a photographically boring route for most of that scuttle. It was also getting quite hot out.
Also, there was no freaking way that I was going to go and walk back over that steep hill which I had just surmounted. Bah!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The 1936 vintage Homestead Grays Bridge is what this one is called.
Spans the Monongahela River, and over on the opposing bank was once found the United States Steel Homestead Steel Works. These days, that land which once made steel is a shopping mall.
I’m here a bunch for mundane ‘business of life’ tasks all the time, but always with the car. Dog food and paper towels at Costco, burgers at Red Robin, catch a movie at the IMAX – that sort of stuff.
In the distance, that’s not a continuation of the bridge, instead it’s a terrestrial road leading down a hill. I cannot say it enough times, how insane and challenging the terrain is, here in the Appalachians.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey, it’s the water of the Monongahela River. The muddy color, I’m told, is caused by sediments the waterway picked up on its north western journey through West Virginia.
They’ve got rivers out here which flow in all sorts of directions.
Since NYC is the logical center of all reality, and everything else in the world is just a distorted reflection of or a reaction to the Five Boroughs, it blows my mind that all global rivers don’t follow north/south axes like the Hudson does. What cheek…
I mean, it’s obvious, right? Right? RIGHT?
As a note, yeah I know about the Nile… it’s just interesting that my brain constantly jumps back to the ‘rivers naturally flow north to south’ paradigm, all the time.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Lucky for me, I was distracted by and got to shout ‘Hey Now!’ once again, as Norfolk Southern #6998 appeared.
It was at the head of a group of three locomotive engines, and they were hauling bucket cars filled with a black mineral – probably coal or coke, but can’t say for sure – so – mineral.
It also reminded me that I had to go food shopping at Aldi pretty soon.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One debarked the bridge, and headed for a decision point.
The atmosphere was fairly warm, and the first stage of this scuttle had been a lot more strenuous than I had intended, due to that steep and unending hill. I walked through the shopping mall, which was largely shaded. Debating my next move while doing so…
Bah… better to clip things off. Discretion, valor, all that.
Can’t believe that I walked the wrong direction. Again. Gah!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another ‘Hey Now!’ buoyed the flagging personal opinion about my own capabilities and efficacy.
CSX #7106 hurtled by, hauling a long line of double stacked cargo box cars. I was in front of the Costco anyway for this shot, so I went inside and bought one of their footlong hot dogs and drank a half cup of lemonade.
Cooled down a bit in there, but your humble narrator was spent. A quick but expensive rideshare cab ride ensued, and then I was once again confronted by Moe the Dog at HQ back in Dormont.
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.
Lots and Lotsa Hey Now!
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This most recent of scuttles finished as many do, with your humble narrator rehydrating at what’s now called the ‘Burghers Brewery’ on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Hey… it’s really close to the T Station!
This time around, I was trying out a new brew of theirs – an Irish style Red Ale called ‘The Red Funicular.’ It was good. That’s my review.
Hey Now! CSX #503 appeared, heading northwesterly.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I had finished my earlier peregrinations by crossing the Monongahela River, via the Smithfield Street bridge, pictured above.
The masonry of that bridge was designed by John Roebling, and the steel structure above is by Gustav Lindenthal. That’s the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the designer of the Queensboro Bridge – back in a superior City, for the curious.
It should be mentioned that the Newtown Pentacle time warp has actually increased in severity recently.
The photos in this series of posts were captured on the 21st of May, and the very words you’re reading were encoded a month later at the end of June. At this writing, I’ve got close to a thousand shots which haven’t been processed yet – just sitting there on my computer’s hard drive – so hopefully I’m going to be able to continue with my longish ‘lead time.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
CSX #3165 elicited a ‘Hey Now!’ when it turned up in the very same spot that #503 formerly occupied, less than twenty minutes earlier. I headed inside for a ‘reload,’ and paid my tab. Two is plenty for me, these days.
I used to be able to outdrink Russians when I was a kid. Was always the last one awake at a party, me. A lot of that was paranoia, I’d imagine.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Just as I was exiting the establishment with my final boss of a beer in hand, CSX #3409 appeared and was headed in the opposite direction, southeasterly, towards the steel mills and ultimately – Maryland or West Virginia.
Hey Now!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Man, I got lucky on this particular day. Hey Now!
That’s CSX #5465 rolling along there, just as I downed the last of my second beer. I returned the glassware to the brewery, and began a final set of steps to get back to HQ, where Moe the Dog was likely wondering what the heck had happened to me.
Moe is a worrier.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A ten minute walk saw me at those ‘Station Square’ platforms offered for the T light rail service, which carried me back to HQ.
Moe was fairly indifferent five minutes after my return to HQ, but I did get a very emotional greeting from him – barks and squeals.
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.
The Newtown Pentacle 