Posts Tagged ‘The T’
Gazing, a ride, and then a ‘hey now’
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This shot involves the ‘gazing’ part from the title. Downtown Pittsburgh, with its shadow casting monoliths.
They don’t seem to do ‘set backs’ out here, so the massing of the upper floors of these towers mirror their bases. This causes a permanent sense of ‘dusk’ for these downtown streets, except for those narrow stripes of sunlight which somehow manage to beam past them. No Bueno.
This walk had been a pretty involved multi hour effort, but I wasn’t done yet.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T light rail stop at Gateway Center was entered. I used the elevator to get down to the platform level, just to see how well it functioned. Your humble narrator will often go out of his way to see what people who are less abled might be experiencing in these sorts of municipal systems. But for the grace of god…
I boarded the first T that came into the station, and merrily sat down. First time I had sit down since I was moving through Skunk Hollow about two hours prior.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It would only be a few stops on the T, and all in the ‘free zone.’ The light rail runs for free at the City’s core. It’s all very civilized.
The light rail unit made its underground stops, then emerged back onto an elevated causeway at First Avenue Station, whereupon it then proceeded across the Panhandle Bridge spanning the Monongahela River.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The transit service vomited me forth and onto the mean streets of the South Side Flats section, at the Station Square stop. Soon, I was kicking dirt again.
My plan for the rest of my day involved reward for the effort.
The brewery which I haunt is a 15 minute walk from this spot, and I was powerfully thirsty by this point. Hadn’t had a drop of liquid pass my lips since leaving the house, and I’d pretty much walked here from all the way over in East Liberty.
I’ve had to break my usual rule of not carrying water with me on photowalks in Pittsburgh during the summer months, but during the winter months? Not so much. If you drink liquid, you’ll need to pee. That creates a logistical problem, even in a place which routinely deploys Porta-Potties around the city for use as public bathrooms.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The light was pretty great, so I cracked out a shot or two of the Liberty Bridge. This bridge is the ‘other side’ of West Liberty Avenue and the Liberty Tunnels which I showed y’all recently.
A quick call to HQ revealed to Our Lady where I was and served well enough as ‘confirmation of life’ for her to say ‘Have Fun.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It had been about a month since I was able to grab a beer and hang out by the CSX tracks here on the South Side. Missed that.
Tomorrow – lotsa Choo Choo.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
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Operation Hin und Zurück
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Cannot win, me.
I had altered my schedule to free up the day’s worth of time required to accomodate the needs of the car. An annual inspection was expected of the thing, according to Pennsylvanian law, and there was also a recall from Toyota that’s supposed to replace an electrical engine component which has proven to be problematic for the model year of my very own Mobile Oppression Platform. As is the case with any scandal, the suffix ‘gate’ has been applied to this situation by the internet, and it’s called ‘cablegate.’ Said issue hasn’t manifested for me yet, but there we are.
I was supposed to receive a courtesy ride back to the ‘stealership’ and expected all of this to be wrapped up by the late afternoon.
Imagine my surprise, while purchasing a cup of extremely rare ‘out of the house’ coffee at a shop shortly after debarking from the T Light Rail here in Dormont, when a text came in stating that they had forgotten to order the recall part but that my inspection was done and I could pick up the car ‘whenever.’
My ‘courtesy ride’ never materialized, so one decided to just walk there. Maybe a mile and a half from this starting position.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One found himself back on West Liberty Avenue (U.S. Route 19 Truck) and shlepping towards the Toyota facility. This is the section of West Liberty which your humble narrator dreads walking the most, due to a nearly complete lack of sidewalks or even pavement in several spots.
Walking in the street, on a primary arterial ‘stroad,’ in a City whose motorists are nationally famous for their utter embrace of ‘we suck at driving,’ texting while driving, and frequent displays of road rage? Fun.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Again, one is constantly struck dumb when observing residential homes set along this sort of arterial street. I’d imagine that the people who live there come and go via the back of the house, as suggested by the lack of snow clearance on the frontage. This home is likely a part of the Brookline neighborhood, incidentally.
The reason why I was walking, rather than getting picked up by the ‘stealership’s’ courtesy vehicle remains unknown to this date. The mechanics said ‘I’d hear from Rodney,’ but it’s been over two weeks now and still no Rodney.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Bah!
One pushed himself against the rotation of the planet. I’d like to believe that if one could walk fast enough, your position would essentially become static, and the world just turns away beneath your feet. Sounds like fun, but you’d need to be walking at jet engine speeds and your body would need to be aerodynamically armored to pull that one off.
According to Google’s AI:
To stay in a fixed spot relative to the stars while Earth rotates, you need to move westward at the exact speed Earth rotates beneath you, which is about 1,000 mph (1,670 km/h) at the equator, or roughly 700 mph at mid-latitudes, requiring zero vertical movement, though practically, you’d need to hover or use propulsion against air resistance to maintain position against the atmosphere. For an object to hover above the Earth, it needs to match the Earth’s rotational speed and direction, effectively being stationary relative to the ground beneath it, requiring a constant counter-force to stay put in the atmosphere.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Looking away from Brookline towards Beechview for the shot above, and another house set onto a forbidding slope. This part of my day was maybe a half hour in length. Soon, I was reunited with the Mobile Oppression Platform and then we were motoring along.
Since my day was already kind of half wasted, a return to HQ ensued. I did have photos to process and Pentacle posts to set up. The MOP was secured into my driveway.
Since someone will ask, I start off with a template document of my own creation at WordPress. There’s a set of mostly blank documents I set up during COVID, for use as templates. I switch out the placeholder photos from the template and then do a ‘save as’ action. When I screw up the code, you see a shot of a 2020 residential fire in Astoria when clicking through to Flickr. I try to write posts in batches, usually of five to ten and then schedule them using tools at WordPress’s site, for publication at a later date. I’ve got templates set up for a three image post, and a six image one, and also a single. It’s a system, and as I’ve been consistently posting long form content here since 2009, it works for me.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Along the walk to the mechanic, I passed by a closed off set of City Steps at Ray Street and West Liberty Avenue. Looking forward to exploring the City Steps of Pittsburgh again, in the spring when the ice and snow are gone. I’ve actually investigated this set of steps, given their proximity to home base, but they are literally in the midst of collapsing.
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.
Operation Achpamsin
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Yeah, it was kind of a mistake going out on a day like this one. Middle to low 20’s in temperature, kind of wet, and quite windy. Days and days of accumulation of ice and snow were everywhere. No bueno.
Thinking to myself that Moe the Dog was probably wondering where I was right now, your humble narrator decided to cut off half of what he planned to do this day and begin the journey back to HQ in Dormont.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
First step was getting to the Monongahela River, and then crossing it.
Easy peasy, that. Just a matter of carefully crossing a few high volume streets, but soon I found myself at the Smithfield Street Bridge.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After walking over the river, and resigning myself to the fact that it was Sunday and that means that I’d be waiting a very long time for a CSX train to pass through on the tracks found beneath the bridge, I headed over to the light rail station and boarded a train set heading back towards HQ.
All told, this abortive effort ended up being about five miles worth of walking. Worth doing from an exercise POV, of course, but one yearned to wander aimlessly and ‘see some stuff.’
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T dropped me off in Dormont. I had cooked a big meal the night before and had lots of leftovers sitting in the fridge, so no worries on the evening repast.
The various camera straps were adjusted into a comfortable situation and then I headed down the hill.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A bit of signage was observed, blocking the sidewalk while cautioning against something happening soon in a cryptic manner. Me? I was vouchsafing my gamey ankle while walking through all that ice where this thing was blocking the sidewalk. Sheesh.
So far, so good.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is the block in Dormont which HQ is found on the far corner of.
The hill doesn’t look as challenging or steep as it actually is in this shot, but there’s about five to six building stories worth of differential in just a thousand or so feet from one corner to the next. Usually when walking up the hill, midway, I take a minute to let my heart rate slow down.
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.
Operation Tahalna
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A brief aperture, in a seemingly constant barrage of winter weather that had been battering Pittsburgh occurred, and your humble narrator soon found himself at the local ‘T’ light rail station awaiting his ride. The weather window would be closing within a few hours, so it would be a short scuttle for me on this particular day. Stretching the legs, as it were.
Traveling light with a minimum photo ‘kit’ in the bag, one was nevertheless swaddled in insulating clothes to combat the atmospheric temperatures. I’ve described the minimum kit bag in the past, but – two prime lenses and a few ‘odds and bobs’ of essential gear.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T was ridden to Pittsburgh’s north shore, where I discovered that the legions were beginning to assemble for a football game that night.
Realization that I had wandered into exactly the sort of setting I don’t want to be in – where the human infestation would soon be swarming – my plans for the afternoon began to alter.
Also, a considerable amount of ice and snow was present on the pavements, even in those areas which receive dedicated maintenance. Did not want to find out what things looked like in spots where nobody is taking care of the sidewalks.
Orthopedic incident… it still occupies a big part of my brain, a fevered tenancy wherein no rent is paid.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
That’s Acrisure Stadium, where the action would be happening later on.
I understand that the Steelers won that night, but I didn’t see anyone sacrificing a bull or anything – this time. My amended plan for the day, thereby, would be to loop around the stadium and get back on the T light rail, which I’d ride over to a different section of the City which would hopefully be a bit less populated.
In the ‘inner ring’ of Pittsburgh, the light rail runs in a ‘free zone.’ Hop on, hop off, it’s cool.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Allegheny River has been pushing out ice flows for a few weeks now.
The river’s source is far to the north, nearby PA.’s border with New York State. Kinzua, I’m told.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Made it back to the T’s terminal stop, and boarded a train set heading towards the South. Chatted with some Canadian guy from Quebec who was a tourist, and he was in town for the football game. Recommended a place to eat and grab a drink to him, near his hotel, and then one debarked at the ‘Steel Plaza Station,’ under the U.S. Steel Building, in the downtown section.
Back on the streets, where I belong.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I noticed that the sculptures in this park were sporting some sort of plastic or vinyl protective covers. Interesting, that. It was getting colder with every step, I should mention, and the thermometer had been at 24 degrees when I left HQ.
Regardless, I’ve got to keep moving or I’ll stop moving.
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.
Woke up, fell out of bed…
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Merry New Year, lords and ladies, with this post marking the start of a short scuttle’s chronicle, as well as being the start of 2026’s folderol.
It was a mid-December’s Monday in Pittsburgh, quite a cold and gray day for a scuttle. Your humble narrator wrapped himself thoroughly with an under suit of thermal garments, hidden from prying eyes beneath that swirling black sackcloth which forms my normal outer shell. The filthy black raincoat formed the most outré of the layers.
One was traveling light, using a sling bag to carry bare essentials, and had a zoom lens installed on the camera. Above, you’ll notice my ‘gray card’ shot, which is generally the first thing I do when leaving HQ. Pursuit of setting up base setting for the camera’s exposure triangle which I’d be working around for that day is why. This was captured directly in front of the house, and looks up the steep hill HQ is at the bottom of, and whose summit allows one pedestrian egress to a light rail station.
Horrible in aspect, one nevertheless launched himself forward. In the distance, an air raid siren sounded. The siren summons the volunteer fire department together, as a note. I prefer to think it’s a general alarm signaling to all concerned that your humble narrator is out and about.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As has become my custom, a shot of a T light rail unit moving ‘away from Pittsburgh’ was captured, rather than the one ‘to Pittsburgh.’ I just like the POV better for the ‘away’ viewpoint, what with the catenaries and such.
I had no specific plan for this scuttle, wasn’t ‘trying’ to catch something specific, just ‘walking here.’
It’d been a few days since the last effort, and I needed to push some force through the legs to stretch out all the rubber bands and pinions. The Pittsburgh bound ‘T’ arrived and then boarded, I paid my fare, and found a seat while continuing with a relisten of ‘The History of Rome’ podcast by Mike Duncan. I was listening to episodes that bridged the Gracchi Brothers to Sulla period on this day. That’s when the politicians in Rome began to employ private armies.
That’ll probably be at the end of 2026 for our Republic. Caesar is coming.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As described previously, it’s about a 25-35 minute ride from Dormont on the T service to its terminal stop on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
‘Essentials’ in the camera bag: a flash light, two prime lenses with bright apertures in addition to the zoom lens on the camera, a kitchen towel, a rocket air blower and a lens cloth, a pack of gum, and a couple of spare camera batteries.
I find having a cloth towel with me immensely handy, but I’m a Douglas Adams fan, and he would advise that it’s always good advice to carry a small towel about.
My very first freelance art job back in the 1980’s involved computer graphics (generated on a Commodore 64), which would be then be inserted into scanned photos of Douglas Adams for use in a ‘flip book’ which would animate a cup and saucer of tea landing in his hand. I got to meet and spend a little him during the photo shoot part of that job. He told me the story behind the towel thing, btw., as I had pointedly asked about it.
A young Douglas Adams was on holiday in Spain. He stripped naked at a beach to go swimming, leaving both his clothing and a towel on the sand. He returned from his swim and found that someone had stolen his clothing, and all he had to cover ‘himself’ with on the way back to his hotel was the towel. So… that’s what the man himself told a 19 or 20 year old version of your humble narrator. Nice guy, Adams, in my limited experience.
I was a fan, of course, but this encounter with him gave me some false hope that writers and artists whose work I like, whom I might meet in the future, would be similarly ‘cool guys and gals.’ Not so. Don’t meet your heroes is my advice.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T arrived at its terminal stop, nearby Acrisure Stadium, where the Pittsburgh Steelers dwell. As is my habit, I hung around a minute or two until all the other passengers had debarked, and then adjusted my various camera and bag straps, floating about amidst all those layers of warming garments draped about my loathsome physical firmament.
I’m all ‘effed up, mind you, and I’m talking in the physical sense as opposed to my thought process. The orthopedic agonies of 2025 forced me into sitting postures for too long. Everything hurts, and the only way to make it stop hurting is to make it hurt more until it starts hurting less and then something else can start hurting more.
This particular walk was a compromise that I made with myself, given the climate available during the interval. Rain, snow, ice, all that were in the forecast. This was the only day of the week during which precipitant concerns wouldn’t apply, but it was gray, and windy, and really cold. The kind of day that makes your nose run, but doesn’t draw tears.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Hey, lookit, somebody lost their Narcan on the bench. Hope they’re ok.
Like some sort of putrescent jelly, your humble narrator narrowly slithered over to an escalator, and then to another to street level. Scuttling out onto the sidewalk surrounding the elevated light rail station, a series of ultramundane decisions were made. A path was decided upon!
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Basically, I decided to go ‘that way.’ Like I said, ultramundane.
Back tomorrow with more – 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.
