Centralia in the summer

Without snow, it pretty much looks like this.

RIP Charleroi Monessen bridge

A few years ago I posted this video to youtube:

Well as of 9:00 this morning, this historic bridge has been imploded. Not surprisingly, it's on youtube.  There are other videos as well, lots of people took video from various angles.

I'm not sure what fate is in store for the similar Donora/Webster bridge.  As far as I know, it remains closed as well but I really haven't been up that way in a while.

Sideling Hill Tunnel

Nothing like ye olde abandoned PA Turnpike alignment.  The Sideling Hill Tunnel is over a mile long and features a largely intact fan house at the Western portal.  Use caution when visiting, the fan room is dangerous as you could just fall right through the floor in some spots.

 Handaki zamani.  (Swahili, why not)

 The pavement is better than the current turnpike in spots.

Just a bit creepy.

 This is a drainage pit, I believe.

 It's full of trash, who would have guessed.

 Grafitti?

 Yep, plenty of that.

 Inside the fan house

Weed?

 AND a pipe?  OMG drug place!

 View from atop the fan house

RIP electricity.

Ginormous fan

 Seized up

Sink

 Other end

 I'm a tunnel

 More grafitti

 Eastern side's fanhouse

 But no stairs extant on this side

 So this is all there is to see without a ladder

Mon-Fayette Expressway progress

Progress, for what it's worth.  This bridge should be completed within another year or so, it will connect the PA Turnpike Route 43 extension in Washington County to Fayette County.  I wonder who they'll name it after.

 Interesting tunnel, it carries Rush Run creek under the road.  There was a railroad branch that met an ill fate almost as soon as it was built along this creek, but if memory serves me, this tunnel had nothing to do with the line, only carried the creek.  Perhaps there was once another tunnel, I really don't know.

The Simpson Tunnel

Just in case anyone wants to check out the Simpson tunnel outside of Brownsville on the other side of Century, well I've got some bad news for you.

 Blasted or just filled in?

 Either way, it's gone

 Forever.

 Oh well.

Can't stop progress, I suppose.

Parked MOW train in East Fredricktown, PA

With an MGA caboose to boot.  I have posted the photos here, I don't believe I ever posted the video I took.  If I did, well, here it as again.  Enjoy.

Braznell

Interesting little area, what I always called the Bowels of Brownsville.  Spent a lot of time here in my teenage years fishing, and... well.  Anyway geocaching brought me back here recently.

 Yes, that's what we call a road in these parts.

Actually, by Fayettenam standards, this is practically an expressway.

Oh hey look a dog!

That's a pretty big dog.

 The dog looked at me

Then he looked away

Redstone Creek

 Again

Old PRR trestle, these tracks were probably abandoned in the 50's.