This past weekend, Alex and I walked around Braddock, initially for a project of mine, and then just for fun. I wanted to capture a set of pictures of a train going by. The theory was this: wait for a train to go by, hold down the shutter release with the camera in continuous-shooting mode to capture the entire train. Lastly, stitch the images together using one of the many available panorama stitching tools out there (one great one is Calico, by the way).

To finish off that thread of discussion, it doesn’t work too well–the change in perspective as the train goes by makes it hard to stitch the pictures by hand, and all the automatic stitchers I tried are confused by the peripheral objects (e.g. the railroad crossing or a building in the frame) being in all the frames, in exactly the same place. When you run the photos through the stitcher, you just get a perfect “pile” of 150+ images, one on top of the other!

Anyway, back to Braddock, Alex and I walked along the railroad for a mile or two towards the USS plant. We found some interesting stuff, including waste products from a spoon stamping plant, probably being brought to Braddock for recycling at one of the many metal recycling places nearby. We also stopped by UPMC Braddock for a drink; there isn’t much else open for food on Braddock Ave.

At one point in our walk along the tracks, a truck from the Union Railroad maintenance-of-way department approached us. I totally thought they were going to ask us to leave. We were technically trespassing, after all. Instead, they just waved at us, and drove right by(!).

I’m convinced it was because Alex and I were walking together. My theory is that people are less likely to balk at what they probably see as “a typical couple having a romantic walk down the tracks”, opposed to, for instance, just me there to document the urban infrastructure. Maybe not, though. Braddock has a reputation for being “artist friendly” (the mayor is trying to encourage artists to move to Braddock). We were actually there to take photos of the infrastructure (*and* have a romantic walk down the tracks–at the same time!)

A few days ago, I walked around the town of Banff and took pictures of infrastructure. I didn’t get a chance to write about it, but I wanted to record some of the interesting things I noticed before I forgot. Or I guess maybe only one thing that I remember: what was on the train. It’s interesting to notice that the trains here carry a lot of wood (both lumber and plywood) and un-odorized liquid propane gas.

Investigating further, one finds out Alberta is actually Canada’s oil powerhouse with the oil sands. There are even a ton of direct flights from Calgary to Dallas. Wood, I would guess. But oil? Who knew Canada was rich with oil? I assume things are going to change between the US and Canada (politically) pretty soon…

More if I remember what I forgot…