Posts Tagged ‘Trains’
Making the donuts
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Great success, for one such as myself, materialized in the form of that shot above. That radio scanner which I’ve recently acquired was on ‘scan’ mode, and despite it getting stuck on the National Weather Service channel (I really need to reread the instruction book) a few times, the thing soon locked onto a Norfolk Southern radio channel and thereby I knew this train would be crossing in front of me in advance of its arrival. YES!
Norfolk Southern #4334 was just one of several locomotive engines providing diesel power to what looked like a coal train. It was probably coal, but unless you know what something is for a fact… you always have to qualify your observations as an opinion, informed or otherwise.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The T light Rail made another one of its many intrusions into frame as I scuttled along. The particular zone I was walking into should be quite familiar to long time readers by now. I’ve been attracted to this section of the Monongahela River shoreline for a bit now. Frequent rail traffic, a brewery, and out door seating? If you were trying to set a trap for me, these factors would be an irresistible bait.
Particularly right now, as the ankle has healed sufficiently for me to resume my walks but is not far enough for me to be ‘daring,’ one finds himself missing the overwhelming flatness of those concrete devastations surrounding a ribbon of municipal neglect called Newtown Creek. I need to charge back up at her font of corruption, fill my soul to the brim with the black mayonnaise and the NAPL sauce. She misses me, I can feel it.
When it warms up a bit, I think that I might go home for a visit, just me and the camera for like 72 hours or something. Maybe.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A second Norfolk Southern train appeared, this one carrying shipping containers and tankers while heading in the opposite direction of the likely coal train. My plan was now fairly simple, head over to the brewery and buy a beer, then sit down and wait for CSX to show up.
One should mention that I was actually enjoying myself, which is a rare treat these days. Exercise, photos, and fun? What’s going on here in Pittsburgh?
“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.
Morning walk in Munhall
Monday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One was out and about quite early, recently. My uncharacteristic scuttling in the morning was in response to the ferocious nature of recent afternoon heat which the Pittsburgh metro has been experiencing.
The car was ensconced at the parking lot of the Homestead Pump House, which allows one egress to the Great Allegheny Passage trail. My time was limited, but about two hours had been budgeted away, to get some exercise. A church building caught my eye, one which is apparently now the home a local ad agency. How about that?
It was fairly early, but it was already quite warm and humid. Regardless, it’s not like I have a choice as to walking about constantly, as I have to keep on keeping on and keep my internally lubricated parts lubricated.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This was a frustrating morning, photographically speaking. I kept on just missing things, like the CSX train crossing the Monongahela River in the shot above. I’ve been trying to capture this particular photo for a while, and it just keeps on slipping through my fingers. If I had been there five minutes earlier…
Along the way, I crossed the invisible border of Homestead and Munhall.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One walked about two miles into the trail. The Whitaker Flyover bridge was my turnaround point, but I lingered there for an about twenty minutes hoping to see a Norfolk Southern train, or any train, thunder through. Like everything else on this particular day, just as I was leaving the trail a train came through. Day late, dollar short, huh?
Grrr. Some days you cant win for all the losing.
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 