Posts Tagged ‘South Side Flats’
Hey Now! Come and Go
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! CSX #6926 was approaching!
These shots are from the end of a shortish walk on the 24th of August of this year, which began up in the South Side Slopes neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and then continued on to the South Side Flats section, a path which eventually carried me here – to a pinch point along CSX Transportation’s Pittsburgh Subdivision tracks.
Said tracks are what remain of the once gigantic P&LE RR (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR) rail yard.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Given how often I gather shots from this spot, you know that I dig it.
The concrete factory in the background, with its web of conveyor belts and other cool gear, and the Liberty Bridge too. The Panhandle Bridge is back there too, and when all the stars align there’s a T light Rail unit in the frame too.
Existentially, there’s shade and public seating here, in a park like environment, with a nearby brewery which offers not just food and drink but toilets too.
The park area is also set along one of the waterfront trails.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I headed up to the upper level of the location.
There’s another park like public space up there, and since I had already gotten #6926 from below, I figured that I’d head up there for a different POV should another train appear.
I cooled my heels for around twenty minutes before the signal arms began to chime and descend.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now! That’s CSX #801.
Both trains were heading ‘away’ from Pittsburgh to the south east. In that direction lies the three big USS Steel plants, and ultimately Maryland and West Virginia. The highly industrialized shorelines of the Monongahela River, and the communities that the mills and factories exist in, are referred to locally as the ‘Mon Valley.’
Normally, I do a ‘one and done’ for these CSX shots, but on this day I decided to follow #801 through the pass.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After the train rolled through, your humble narrator had to get himself all encased in the web of bag and camera straps again. I was traveling with the ‘full pack’ on this one, which weighs around thirty pounds all told.
Ended up using the one zoom lens – which was on the camera when I left HQ – all day, so I carried all that heavy gear for nothing.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve had to rethink my pack a bunch since moving out to Pittsburgh from NYC. Here, I have to carry a water bottle as there aren’t any bodegas.
Right now, I’ve got three different camera bag setups which I switch back and forth between, depending on what the day’s plan is. It’s all very confusing.
Back tomorrow with something different – at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Self imposed
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While descending a set of dissolving city steps, found beneath Pittsburgh’s Mission Street Bridge, one observed Norfolk Southern #9898 hurtling past on an elevated trestle. Hey Now!
This scuttle began on Sterling Street, as you may recall from Thursday of last week, and my plan for the day mainly involved kicking my feet about and moving at a good clip while walking.
Ultimately, I’d be looping back to the Light Rail station here on Pittsburgh’s ‘South Side’ on my way back to HQ in nearby Dormont.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Places like this are unusually welcoming to me.
As a reminder, the Newtown Pentacle time warp continues to flux.
These photos are from the last week of August, and the post itself is being written on the 7th of September. If my scheduling is correct, right now you’re fairly close to overdosing on Pumpkin spiced latte.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The path I was walking must be a familiar one to regular readers by this point. The transit service I utilize – a light rail outfit called ‘The T’ – leads me back towards a nearby station.
The South Side Flats section is built up on the flood plain of the Monongahela River, nearby an area along its waterfront which was once highly industrialized with rail yards, and steel mills, and iron furnaces. The packed together housing here in the ‘flats,’ and up in the ‘slopes,’ were where the workers of those businesses dwelt.
Lots of churches hereabouts, too.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Along with not having any desire to visit a casino or gamble in general, one of the bits of emotional software which many of you possess and which I do not involves religiosity.
Not putting it down, faith, for those of you who indulge in the worship of some allegorical sky father that counts up all the times you’ve masturbated and then holds that number against you, but here we are.
To use the word ‘atheism’ would indicate a certainty of belief in a null state rather than a supreme being, which means to me you enjoy an irrational ‘belief’ which I would describe as being somewhat religious in nature. There’s a lot to be said for not thinking about the supranatural at all, and embracing the ‘ultramundane,’ instead – as I do. The ultramundane is what your sky father or mother installed you into, so appreciate the setting.
Non-secular humanism, anyone? Hey now?
Gotta love all the religions – though – as after all, I’m a fan of ‘man.’
As I often say: Whatever… you do you, boo… I’m just passing through.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One seems to actually pass through here a lot, due to two reasons.
First is that aforementioned light rail station, the other is a set of CSX tracks nearby a brewery I frequent.
As a note: ‘Drinks’ offers a much smaller ‘lure’ to me than the ‘sure thing’ shots of railroads, at arms length, which this location offers.
One fears that I’ve introduced a narrative here over the last couple of years which suggests I’m drinking a lot more than I actually do. These days, in my dotage, two beers are plenty for me and a third is sleep inducing. Additionally, weeks often go by without a drop of the stuff passing into my mouth hole. Just saying…
Nearby pedestrian bridges over the Norfolk Southern tracks are also a ‘sure thing’ location for me- RR spotting wise.
At both locations, however, you need to ‘hurry up and wait’ for those trains to come to you, and the location (by the brewery/CSX) that I was heading for is a hell of a lot more comfortable to wait around in.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Saying that, this wasn’t a ‘have a drink day,’ as it was something like 11 in the morning when I started my ‘out and about.’ It couldn’t have been much later than one in the afternoon by this particular point in the day.
Couldn’t help but get a shot of those two painting over graffiti.
Back tomorrow with Choo-Choo’s.
“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.
2 ‘Hey Now’s,’ price of 1
Thursday October 8
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After arriving on the south shore of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, via the T light rail from the Downtown area, your humble narrator scuttled towards a familiar destination – a brewery that sits alongside the CSX Pittsburgh Subdivision tracks.
The plan was to grab a beer, but just one on this day, as it was still kind of early (around 2 pm). I was on my way to the brewery when the signal arms descended and the chimes began ringing.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey Now!
CSX #3028 hurled past. Heading away from Pittsburgh, in a southeasterly direction.
Historically, the space I was walking through used to be a part of an enormous train yard operated by the PLERR – ‘P&LE” or the ‘Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad.’
That trivia would matter, when the next one appeared.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One was heading towards the usual spot at the brewery, and that cold beer I had been dreaming about for a few miles now. So was #3028 and the line of mixed rail cars that it was hauling behind it.
Managed to get to the brewery, inspect the porcelain, and order a drink.
Just as I was securing my gear around the outdoor table which I’d be occupying, the signal chimes lit up again and the RR’s wooden barrier arms descended at the street intersections.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Next up was CSX #1875.
Hey Now! – This is the 15th train which the CSX people have painted up with ‘heritage’ color ways and branding for this year’s July 4th dealie.
Here’s their press release.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I wish there was some way I could convey how loud the experience is, having a fright train shoot past you about ten to twenty feet away – at speed – while it’s passing through a space wherein it’s entirely surrounded by brick walls. Sound bounces, and reflects, and… scalar effects, that’s what they’re called.
Suffice to say that I could be listening to Black Sabbath – at maximum volume – through headphones jammed tightly in my ears, and I would not be able to hear a single note of it. Lord of this world, indeed.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Similarly to #3028, #1875 was heading in a southeasterly direction and towards the ‘Mon Valley,’ a highly industrialized series of communities which hug the shorelines of the Monongahela River all the way through PA, and then into West Virginia.
To sum this area up simply – it’s the rust belt.
Back tomorrow with something that’s WAY 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.
A Hey Now! Triad
Thursday sep 24
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After a medium length walk, one ended up at a familiar spot in the South Side Flats section of Pittsburgh.
What’s now called ‘Burgher’s Brewery,’ formerly the ‘Sly Fox Brewery,’ sits alongside a set of CSX railroad tracks that are fairly busy. Upon my arrival at the brewery, and after a visit to the lavatory, I purchased a pint of ale and got busy.
First up was CSX #1897, which was painted up in ‘heritage’ colors.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
American Railroads offered a quite confusing business map when they were the dominant form of investable industry in this country, and it gets more so when you enter and exit the post Conrail era. The current nationwide companies consolidated, with other survivors of the industry’s early 1970’s apocalypse and nationalization, out of Conrail.
Outfits like Norfolk Southern and CSX were formed from the smoking rubble of the bankrupted freight rail system, dominated by Pennsylvania Railroad and their arch rivals New York Central in the northeast.
This is too long a tale to tell, so I’ll direct you towards Wikipedia for what Conrail was and how all of the modern freight rail companies ‘fell’ out of it.
To understand the ‘world which was,’ let’s just analogize that in the late 19th and early 20th – you didn’t gamble on bitcoin or tech stocks which were promising breakthrough AI services – you bought into railroad stock, and then got out as soon as it paid a return. Rail was pretty much the ‘high tech sector’ back then, but was far more volatile. Let that sink in.
All of the modern freight carriers run ‘heritage units,’ with specialized paint jobs, which signify railroad routes and companies which they have consolidated into the modern operation. Rail fans love this stuff.
‘Monon Railroad’ was one of the many smaller outfits that were combined into CSX. Hear about 1897 direct from the horse’s mouth.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I usually don’t keep shooting after the ‘head of the snake’ has passed out of frame, but there were several ‘DPU’ locomotives in line behind 1897 and a couple of them were interesting to me.
Y’know, even if I was shooting video here, there’s no way I’d be able to convey the absolute landslide of reflected noise which a group of locomotives makes when passing through a narrow brick lined slot like this. Were I able to record it, I wouldn’t be able to play it back at the same volume without the benefit of some movie theater’s sound system – and even then… LOUD.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another interesting locomotive was in line, this one painted up with the branding and color way of the ‘Maryland Midland’ outfit.
Hmm. That’s a new one.
I headed inside the brewery and ordered a ‘reload’ for my ale, and also paid my tab. As mentioned often, two drinks is plenty for me these days.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I started walking towards the Station Square Light Rail station shortly after CSX #5236 up there passed me by. I followed one of the trails, after returning my glass to the bartender. Yep, inspected the porcelain again, then set off. I managed to meet up with the group of people I wanted to see, and got a free hot dog out of it too.
At the end of the game, after arriving back at HQ, I had walked something like nine miles all told. ‘Not every walk has to be the Bataan Death March’ is – as you might recall – a new motto of mine.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
While plying the trail towards the T light rail station, yet another CSX train rolled past me. All told, I felt pretty satisfied with the outing’s effort.
My day didn’t suck.
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.
Eliza Trail behind, Flats in front
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After leaving the Eliza Furnace trail on the north shore of the Monongahela River, one then crossed the waterway, via the South Tenth Street Bridge, and your humble narrator had but one goal in mind.
Beer and trains.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It’s a short walk, but the path passes by a largish number of residential structures and clinics – many of which are involved in the charitable work of housing vagrants, while others are a part of the ‘medical/insurance industrial complex’ whose profits arise from addiction recovery services.
As is usually the case with such areas, a population of folks ‘living rough’ and ‘not in the program’ can be observed nearby. As such, this is one of the parts of Pittsburgh where you want to observe ‘NYC rules.’
Be aware of surroundings, spin around on your heel periodically to see if you’re being followed, don’t allow yourself to be ‘cul-de-sac’d’ on a dead end street, have your headphones not in your ears. I’m not saying it’s dangerous here, it’s really not, I’m just saying it makes sense to have ‘the radar’ turned on when armies of junkies are wandering around.
Maintaining a bit of paranoia is a life skill, for one such as myself.
That’s a particularly spectacular Ukrainian Church, pictured above.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One slapped his feet against the pavement, on Pittsburgh’s Carson Street, which is the ‘via majorica’ of this section of the city.
Mixed use zoning here, including a set of particularly ancient residential structures, and punctuated by the occasional shop or storefront. Most of the commercial addresses seem shuttered, consequential of some long ago urban planner’s decision to turn the ‘local’ Carson Street into a primary arterial roadway, one whose design involves getting drivers through the area at a maximum rate of speed while they’re heading towards several nearby bridges and tunnels which lead to satellite communities.
People earn their money in the city, thereby, and then drive away to a distant suburb to spend it. It’s obvious what the problem is here.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My case study for this particular POV remains the Cross Bronx Expressway – and the Long Island Expressway which I know more about – both of which turned into multiple mile long engines of blight generation for NYC, back in the 1960’s and 70’s.
A big part of making it absolutely hellish to drive into Manhattan in modernity, and forcing people to commute by transit instead, is to encourage the populace to drop some of their coin in the central business district. Ever wonder why the real estate types love congestion pricing and bike lanes so much?
The ‘planners’ look down upon our world like it’s a flat paper map, spread out on a mahogany desk in some City Hall office.
They don’t see groups of bored kids, or dog walkers, or imagine any of the small stuff in their plans – like a candy store, found on a corner. In fact, a candy store is usually in the way of what they want to do or have been told to want by the bosses. From an urban planner’s POV, a Trader Joe’s or a Target are much more laudable ‘anchor’ tenants for a project than some nickel and dime locally owned neighborhood candy store.
Growth, it needs to be organic and considered or it becomes cancerous. Oh, the urbanity of it all!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The local Government, here in Pittsburgh, is currently floating a particularly short sighted policy scheme – creating a new tax regime for an area that is successfully growing itself, and then using that tax money to prop up an area that is dying on the vine.
In the case of Pittsburgh, this conceit is dubbed as being a TRID, and the current political regime wishes to direct the tax moneys generated by a successful development environment in one neighborhood (The Strip District) to buoy up the commercial and office sectors of the Downtown area nearby its transit hubs – a program which would play out over a forty year period.
Forty years…
I’d like to point out – as a point of reference – that Ronald Reagan was President some forty years ago – and that multi generational financial schemes such as this seldom work out well or ‘trickle down’ for the tax paying citizens who haven’t actually been born yet.
Gen X here, and I’ve watched this sort of political handout to the past which shortchanges the future before. Savings and Loan crisis, anyone? No bueno.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Bah!
Luckily, I arrived at that brewery by the train tracks just in time.
Inspected the porcelain, ordered a pint, and took up station at the outdoor seating, just as CSX #1897 arrived at the pass.
More on all that tomorrow, which will be a ‘Hey Now!palooza.’
“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.
