Posts Tagged ‘railroad’
Occlusions and such
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A humble narrator needs a break right about now, which is why single image posts depicting rail traffic observed in the greater Pittsburgh metro area will be greeting you all week.
Pictured above is a CSX heritage unit moving along the shoreline of the Monongahela River with downtown Pittsburgh providing a backdrop.
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Terere tempus
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After a short walk on a very hot day, one took up his now familiar station at the Sly Fox Brewery found in Pittsburgh’s South Side Flats section.
A couple of enormous terminal buildings there create a puddle of shadow, in which one can shelter from the burning thermonuclear eye of God itself. Also, there’s cold beer and outside seating.
A grade crossing nearby hosts the typical sort of rail signal arms that ring bells and flash lights when activating, so you’ve got a good couple of minutes to get into position and figure out the exposure triangle before a train comes through.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Luckily, this was a busy time of day for CSX , and multiple trains were crossing through the POV. First it was #3316 pictured in the first shot, followed by #5432 above. The T light Rail is out for the summer due to maintenance, and whereas a shuttle bus is being offered in its lieu, I had already decided to splurge on an air conditioned cab to get back to HQ. By splurge, I mean spending about $13 plus tip.
I paid my tab, walked back outside, and summoned a ride.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While waiting, CSX #3254 suddenly appeared. Lucky capture.
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.
Mortuus ambulans
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the Smithfield Street Bridge, here in Pittsburgh, pictured above.
I crossed back over the Monongahela River here, after having walked over the Birmingham Bridge previously. The corridor I was heading for on the other side has become one of my favorites for a photowalk. It’s where my original ‘long walk’ plan would have taken me, just with an extra five miles of scuttling thrown in.
Lots of rail action there, downtown Pittsburgh as a backdrop, and shadowed by the elevations of Mount Washington. Sweet.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While crossing the river, the Towboat Haley Michelle was passing by, couldn’t resist a shot of its passage.
My plan at this point was to head over to the Sly Fox Brewery – as it’s called – and grab a Pilsner, then hang out for an hour or so hoping to catch some passing rail traffic.
I’ve zeroed in on a model of radio scanner which I’m planning on purchasing. It’ll let me know whether or not anything might be heading my way when I’m lurking about – but this purchase is an act which will move me dangerously close to railfanning.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
At the moment, I’m still depending on pure luck, as I was when CSX’s #4050 suddenly appeared and screamed right past me.
More 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.
Walking in a nowhere land
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The kids called it the ‘Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35,’ back in 1900 when this railroad bridge opened alongside Carrie Furnace and the Homestead Works. Whew! A glorious bit of scuttling this was.
I snapped that 16mm wide angle lens onto the camera for this walk over the Monongahela River.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Graffiti art adorned every flat surface within sight, and there seemed to have been a few acrobats counted amongst the corps of artists, as evinced by tagging that was observed high up in the rafters.
I’ve never been a good climber, personally. I lumber about like some sad and masterless pack animal stuck to the ground. Slow, dull witted, foul smelling – that’s me. Just ask anyone.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I wasn’t doing anything systematic, incidentally, as far as where I took a photo or not – in other words – it wasn’t ‘every ten feet’ or anything. Just whatsoever might have caught my eye while scuttling along.
Sometimes I like to hold the camera low, just above hip level and against the belly, swinging the screen out so I can wield the thing like it’s an old viewmaster.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Back at the entrance section to this storied marvel, on the southeastern shore of the Monongahela River. This waterbody is shaped like a coiling snake, I’d mention, and I’m never sure which cardinal direction is which.
I never bought a compass, which is something I said I would do a while ago. Just another hatched mark on my list of failures, I guess.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One last shot looking back at the bridge, in the direction of the campus of Carrie Furnace. Wish I could tell you which direction, but no compass, as mentioned above.
It’s been a rough month of June for me, what with all the doctor’s appointments and diagnostic tests. I hate being the subject of scientific inquiry, as has been mentioned in the past, but ‘you gotta do what you gotta do.’
I pointed my toes in the direction of the hole in the fence which allowed me egress here, and the final mile or so of this walk on the Great Appalachian Passage trail, here in Pittsburgh (although this was technically Homestead and or Munhall, and the other side of the bridge is in Rankin, but that’s just splitting hairs).
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These shots were gathered before the week long heat wave that affected most of the nation set in, a weather event which largely shut me down. I always refer to such times as a ‘reverse blizzard,’ but I’m an idiot – just ask anyone.
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.
A real nowhere man
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A very productive constitutional walk, during which I had scuttled out somewhere in the neighborhood of about five to six miles (or – as I call it – a short walk) and then loitered around the Great Allegheny Passage’s ‘Whitaker Flyover’ pedestrian bridge – where the trains just kept on coming – was accomplished and one had reversed course for the walk back to the car.
Saying all that, it was that time of the day which I describe as ‘solar maximum’ and the weather was getting ‘shvitzy.’ I began heading back to the lot where I had parked the Mobile Oppression Platform, adjoining the Homestead Pumphouse site. From there, I’d start the roughly thirty minute drive back to HQ. One last thing, though…
I had planned on making a quick stop to wave the camera around, at this 1900 vintage ‘Union Railroad Rankin Hot Metal Bridge #35 (aka the Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge)’ and to commit some photography upon it while on my way. I’ve mentioned this structure before.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Quoting from the post linked to above:
“This span was used as a rail bridge, is some 483 feet long, and is supported by three stout masonry piers. It was built to connect the Carrie Furnace and Edgar Thomson works on the northern shore to the rail network found on the south side of the (Monongahela) river, and it also served as a connection to nearby U.S. Steel plants in Homestead and Clairton, as well as offering ingress for incoming rail shipments of coal and coke, which fueled the various operations.”
Y’know, I hope to never have to rewrite that paragraph.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying that, the methodology I’ve been talking about since moving to Pittsburgh is now entering a different phase. There’s still an infinity of experiences that are novel and still unknown, but I’m also starting to choose certain subjects which I’ve found intriguing and will be returning to explore them a bit more deeply.
To analogize all this in an very, very NYC sort of manner, where I’m at is – ‘I figured out where some a dem subway stations is’s, now’s I’s gotta go ridin on da friggin train to see’n where’s dose mothaflowas go… feel me?’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The photos in this section are roughly from the middle of the bridge. I was walking approximately south to north here, and the approaches of the thing have been cut and demolished on the Carrie Furnace side of the Monongahela River.
This really must have been something to see, ‘back in the day.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Pretty epic views from up here, but this bridge is in an advanced state of decay. I recently had a Tetanus Booster, so I was feeling pretty good about myself right about here, but there’s all sorts of trip hazards and rusted out decking that you can easily get hurt by. Me? I’ve inhabited places like this all my life and know how not to get hurt around this sort of thing.
It’s nothing crazy, but be careful if visiting because medical bills suck.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s a decayed wooden walkway on the outside superstructure of the bridge, which looked just like a Darwin Award waiting to happen. No Bueno.
The section I was walking on was concrete and steel, and still pretty solid. Heavily rusted steel that you could probably punch a hole in with a screwdriver (or just your finger) was everywhere, but it’s still steel.
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.
The Newtown Pentacle 