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Photo Gallery: Queens Blvd |
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| As I write this on April Fools Day, 2001, the bridge vaulting Queens Boulevard over the Sunnyside Rail Yards is 91 years old, and its physical condition is no joke. I wasn't aware of it when I shot these the week before, but today the DOT begins a year long rehab project that will effectively close these eastbound lanes for a time. Making herself an icon of our era, the pedestrian heading towards me is on a cellphone call. The cops in the stationwagon are probably headed for Boulevard Blitz patrol, targeting all traffic violators large and small, wheeled and walker alike. The next intersection is Skillman Avenue. |
 Looking west in another unfortunate attempt
to shoot at 1/30 f/4 without a tripod. Actually, the blur is
more from moving vehicles than hand shake. My hands, despite
frequent coffee nerve shakes, were pretty darn steady. Oh when
oh when will I give in and buy a badly needed 50/1.7 lens for
my Maxxum? Either that, or a comfortable piece of all-purpose
luggage that will fit my trusty old manual focus X700, for which
I have a 50/1.7. Ach, I guess my next trip over here will require
I lug my tripod with me.To the right, looking northeast, a Long Island Railroad train chugs out towards Woodside, where it will either split off for Port Washington, or the main line towards Jamaica. For the former, it will pass over Queens Blvd. two more times; the latter, once. This endless love affair between railroad and auto-road is one of the little told stories of New York City. The lack of clarity here I have absolutely no excuse for, as I had plenty of broken chain link fencing to rest against. |
| Two more views north of the railyard, shared by the Long Island, Amtrak, Metro North and Conrail/CSX, or whatever the hell it's called now. The ancient Redbirds in the foreground are relegated to trackwork duty now. The Long Island system doesn't use overhead wires for electrification; Metro North and the others do. |
©2001, Jeff Saltzman. All right reserved.
