Posts Tagged ‘The T’
Scuttleburgh
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Ok, I’m really starting to lean back into my ‘normal’ things, lords and ladies. I’ve fully convinced myself that nobody thinks I can fully recover from the busted ankle because they think I’m old and weak, and further packaged that up with a lot of of other personal resentments and annoyances, so I thereby have to prove the world wrong. Again.
What? How do you motivate yourself out of the house to enact a forced march when the only thing you want to do is stay at home and whine about how much your ankle is bugging you? Pfah.
The hill I live at the bottom of was vaingloriously surmounted, and your humble narrator then heroically scuttled off in the direction of the light rail station. The goal for the day was a short walk, of about three miles, but the effort would also include walking some of Pittsburgh’s steeply problematic hills.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I made it to the apex of those hills, here in Pittsburgh’s Boro of Dormont. That’s where you’ll find the T light rail station, and it’s where I boarded the carriage to carry me to a more visually interesting section of the metro area. I boarded the thing and it lurched roughly towards Pittsburgh, about 5-6 miles away. For you New Yorkers, think boarding the subway in Downtown Brooklyn or the Northern Blvd. sections of LIC and Astoria for an analogue. Just a few stops and you’re ‘there.’
Observably, I seem to be the only person in Pittsburgh who shoots photos out of the T’s windows, but that’s a habit I started back in NYC while riding the subways. Helped pass the time during a commute, and you never really knew what you were getting until going through the photos back at HQ. Most of my ‘shooting out of a train window’ ends up getting trashed, but every now and then you get something unique or interesting.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That concrete blockhouse looking structure is the entrance to Pittsburgh’s Liberty Tunnel. The terrain surrounding it is byzantine, with multiple arterial roadways leading here. There’s also the T tracks, which are elevated on a causeway here, and there’s also busways, and a couple of heavy freight rail trestles also get threaded through this area. It’s complicated!
One of these days I’m going to debark the T at a nearby stop and try to get some decent shots of the complex. At least until the cops chase me away, or I get bored while waiting for a freight train to cross one of those trestles.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned in prior posts, a good amount of construction work is currently affecting the T light rail, and the lines will all be detouring through the Allentown neighborhood until the autumn. Unfortunately, the ‘PRT’ transit agency which runs the show only added a single stop way at the top of the hill for the inconvenience, but there you are.
If you’re curious, the camera formula for this sort of ‘out the window shooting’ involves setting the ISO sensitivity up to nighttime levels (6400 for my camera) and setting the device to its ‘AV’ or aperture priority mode. The camera will then find the correct exposure automatically while maintaining the ISO and aperture settings (which is f8 for the particular zoom lens I was using this day). Normally, I shoot in full manual mode, which allows me control over all aspects of the exposure, but shooting out of the window of a moving vehicle isn’t very normal and the technological assist is welcomed.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s the set of tracks which I often point the camera at, the ones nearby that brewery I keep mentioning. My plan for the day involved the relative flatness of this area. The beginning of my walk involved a bit of muscle, in terms of getting to the T via the hills of Dormont. This section was all about exercising the more discrete tissues in the foot and ankle, and getting them moving and all lubricated.
Six months, and two weeks. That’s exactly how long I’ve been dealing with this broken ankle business. As mentioned last week, the Doctors have more or less given me the ‘all clear’ and thusly I now need to seriously work the joint in order to get back to what I consider ‘normal.’ Thing is, ‘normal’ is what it used to feel like, and it’s a pretty different ankle after the injury and surgery. How it works, feels, performs – all different.
The asymmetry is really hard to get used to, but in time I don’t think I’ll even notice it. If only I was born patient, instead of good looking…
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T was debarked at the Second Avenue station, which is fed traffic by the Panhandle Bridge pictured above. The plan was to walk a bit on one of the trails along the waterfront of the Monongahela River, cross the waterbody on the Smithfield Street Bridge, then try and get a few train shots. It wouldn’t be a ‘have a beer too’ day, although my end point for the walk would be nearby that now familiar spot nearby the brewery.
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.
Down, with the T
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I drive through that intersection pictured above, in Pittsburgh’s Borough of Dormont, at least once a day. Every single time, I comment to myself that I should some shots of the light rail there. Instead of parking the car and doing so I always lazy out and head back to HQ about four blocks away instead. Some day, I say.
Get behind me Satan, this day would be that day.
The light rail tracks cross through here, but they leave behind a street running section of the line and proceed into a right of way that clearly pre-dates the real estate development around it. Apparently, the T made use of decommissioned trolley lines when its ’right of way’ was being laid out to take advantage of existing municipal real estate.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A Pittsburgh bound T showed up, catching some nice afternoon light as it did. At my back was the station I normally use, and these tracks continue out several miles to the South Hills Village Mall terminal stop on one side, or continue on to a North Side of Pittsburgh terminal stop nearby one of the sportsball stadiums.
Your humble narrator had taken up station right alongside the intersection in the first shot, if you’re curious.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A South Hills bound T arrived next, and I hurriedly crossed the street for a better angle. I mean, as ‘hurried’ as I can manage these days. One of the parts of my life that sucks right now is that I’m fairly slow moving at this stage of the medical drama, and will be spending the spring season getting my legs all muscled up. My normal walking speed used to be about 2-2.5 miles an hour, these days I’m lucky if I can do a mile in that interval.
Getting better every day, in every way. When I’m whole again…
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.
Subdivisions, Monongahela Style
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Yes, that is a Rush reference for the title, but Mr. Peart and his fellows have no other connection with this post.
These captures are from midway along a short walk I was taking, after riding on the T light rail to the center of things. Everything just kind of lined up for me when that CSX freight train appeared, just as a T train set was transiting over the Panhandle Bridge from the South, heading toward the so called Golden Triangle of Pittsburgh.
This felt great, especially since I had taken a ten minute sit down on the Smithfield Street Bridge, after experiencing a bunch of discomfort in the healing but still quite tender ankle, and I would have missed the shot if I hadn’t needed to sit down. I’m as sick of experiencing this ankle business as I’m sure most of you are hearing about it, but this injury taken a fairly central position in, and had a substantial impact on my life for the last six months. I try to ‘keep it real’ here, and as the ankle has been and will continue to be a big part of my deal right now… Y’know…
Oww!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
These are the same tracks along the Monongahela River which have become kid of regular players since I moved out here to Pittsburgh. CSX’s Pittsburgh Subdivison is the official name for this infrastructure. The lead locomotive is CSX#789, and it had another ‘DPU’ (diesel power unit) in line right behind it. I had used my snazzy scanner radio to listen in on the fog of radio communications, and when I heard an automated defect detector (which is about a mile away, I reckon) describe #789 as having 335 healthy axles, I got busy figuring out the proper exposure and all the other stuff too. That’s exactly why I bought the radio, darn it!
CSX #789 was built as an ‘SD70MAC’ but was upgraded to an ‘EMD SD70MAC’ by GM’s Electro-Motive Diesel division. It’s all a bit confusing, but as far as I’ve been able to work it out, the thing was created in the 1990’s.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve got a few odds and ends from this walk which I’ll show you next week, but I’m going to end this week on the shot above. Before you ask, automobiles. That’s likely what’s in the train’s cargo cars – automobiles.
Back next week.
“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.
Penn Station, and the T
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Due to ongoing construction in various spots across the line, Pittsburgh’s ‘T’ Light Rail is once again going to its otherwise unused Penn Station stop. This station is kind of a gem, but there we are.
I’ve brought you here before, in the post ‘Hullabaloo, too.’ In reflection, the light was a lot better in May than it was on the day when these shots were gathered. I’ve read that there’s some beef between the Feds, whose white building found alongside the tracks is pictured above, and the transit people regarding use of this station and right of way. Homeland security, security risks, blah blah blah.
I don’t know enough about the situation to have an opinion, truth be told.
After riding into town on one of these T train sets, your humble narrator decided to stick around a few minutes and get a few shots of the milieu.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
They were coming and going, I tell’s ya. A bus shuttle would bridge over the construction work underground, whereupon another T journey to the end of the line could start. Me? I decided to debark the thing and then start walking towards the Monongahela River and cross the waterbody on the Smithfield Street Bridge.
The ankle was giving me problems. The latest wrinkle involves it ‘clicking’ into a posture which is uncomfortable or just somewhat painful, resulting in limping or foot dragging going on. I’ve got instructions from the Doc for this sort of thing, which involves ‘sitting down.’ I’d be able to safely do that about a mile away, and just had to deal with the discomfort while getting there. This section is part of the zone occupied by a crowd of junkies, so any public seating that could be utilized for a sit down has been removed. The Docs have trained me to walk a certain way during these intervals, which involving comically and consciously shooting my left knee upwards during strides. Sigh… my life…
It looks like I’m practicing to be in a marching band, but it works and resets the ankle back to its proper position. A big part of my injury was that I didn’t just break my ankle in three places, I also dislocated my left foot off of the leg assembly. It was just hanging there, all loose.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’d spent a good amount of time under the panopticon of cameras mounted to the Federal Building (there’s a couple of other Fed office building properties nearby, State, FBI, Homeland Security, and Immigration are all in this neighborhood) but there’s likely other agencies based here. There’s also a giant post office nearby, I’m told. I began painfully scuttling towards a known ‘sit down’ spot.
Downtown, yo.
Back tomorrow, 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.
Rando shutterburgh
Wednesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As described yesterday, your humble narrator dragged his broken ankled butt up the hill he lives at the bottom of, to the light rail station (said light rail is dubbed ‘The T’), and boarded a train set that was headed into Pittsburgh from the Borough of Dormont, wherein HQ is found. Pictured above is the onboard milieu, a graphical representation of the perspective one enjoys while riding the service. I decided to do one of my ‘random shots through the window’ sessions while onboard, to pass the time.
The trick with doing this sort of thing is to not let any part of the camera touch the window glass, as vibration would transfer thusly. The other is to barely look at the camera while triggering the shutter. The exposure triangle is ridiculous seeming; daylight shooting at f8, ISO 6400, and about 1/3000th of a second. You lock your body up as a support for the camera, put your thumb on the shutter button, and turn your head. Click, click, click until your arms get tired. It’s digital, so keep shooting. There’s a high failure rate in this sort of pursuit. Who cares? It’s digital, keep shooting.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Most of the people I know who pronounce the word ‘film’ with two syllables (fillumm) treat those happy moments when they commit to an exposure as a moment of somewhat divine revelation. More often than not, it ain’t. I’ve always liked the ‘street photography’ mentality, and the credo that you shouldn’t stage or otherwise ‘improve’ the subject of a composition and should instead take what you find. I’ve seen and shot some beautiful illegal dumping over the years, and might have uncovered a serial killer back in Queens after noticing single shoes all over Newtown Creek’s streets.
I’m not implying the shots in today’s post should be considered ‘photographs’ which belong in a frame, but I do enjoy the unplanned randomness of what can only be called ‘snapshots.’ I did something very similar to this while riding Amtrak a few years ago. Ain’t I just special?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It’s been a heck of a six months for your humble narrator. I’ve graduated from PT, or ‘Physical Therapy’ for the ankle situation. It still hurts, but there we are. Probably for the next year, they said. I waited until the last possible moment in the PT process, and asked the question I’d been keeping in for the entire treatment period: Doc, will I be able to play the violin? The Doc is about 30, I’d guess, and didn’t get the reference.
For those of you too young to have developed a proper sense of humor, the joke goes: Doctor, one question, will I be able to play the violin? Doctor says ‘there’s no reason why you can’t play the violin.’ Patient says ‘that’s great, I never could play it before.’ I blame the corporations for taking Bugs Bunny off of children’s television in the 1990’s for why the youngsters don’t know how to laugh.
There’s construction along the T’s route, specifically the transit tunnel which is shared by the T with several bus lines. Going to last for months. The folks who operate the T, dubbed the PRT, have activated an otherwise unused set of backup tracks and created a temporary stop in Pittsburgh’s Allentown, thereby.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’ve walked this path several times last summer. Over that wall is the South Side Slopes neighborhood, and the roadways here are set at steep curves against the cliff like terrain. There isn’t a single spot in this area which could be called ‘easy driving,’ with its narrow streets and hairpin turns.
During this period of construction, scheduled to last until October, the T will run along these tracks. Looking forward to many rides through here in the next several months. Heck, I’m just looking forward to not being trapped in the house and sitting in a wheelchair.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Near the bottom of the hill, at what is already a very busy vehicular intersection leading to both the Liberty Bridge and Tunnel, is where you’ll notice the T’s tracks leading to an approach to the Panhandle Bridge, which spans the Monongahela River. This shot looks through the windshield of the T unit I was riding in, towards another train set which was moving away from Pittsburgh.
After the other T cleared away, our driver began moving towards the bridge approach. I must admit that the sound which the rails made when the T sat down on them wasn’t exactly the sort of thing you want to hear.
A loud pop, a squeal, steel on steel making an ‘urrrrrnnnnnnn’ sound.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Of course, I was shooting the whole way. Hell, if this thing is going to go down when I’m onboard, I’m going to get shots of it for the coroners to find on my camera’s memory cards. As we made the turn towards the bridge, the T passed over the busy Norfolk Southern tracks found on this side of the river, and the truss of the Liberty Bridge.
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.
The Newtown Pentacle 