Coal country, defunct [10 imgs]

[schmoo]

Recently a friend and I drove into the mountainous depths of coal country, PA. Growing up on the east coast I have always taken this part of our history for granted. Seeing the size of the abandoned buildings - and the leftovers of the towns that sprang up around them - was more touching than I could have imagined.

One could spend all day (or several days) walking around these structures. I only had a 5 hours so things got a little hurried...

Found the Sunburst Button!
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174111213-M-1.jpg

One of many conveyor belts to transport anthracite coal
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173948388-L-1.jpg

Führen Sie mich
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173949562-L-1.jpg

Red/blue (I have no idea what these things were but they are covered in barn swallow poop)
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173949810-L-1.jpg

Les petits soldats
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173949937-M-1.jpg

Ghost door
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173950333-L-1.jpg

Wash room
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174110827-L-1.jpg



Vintage power
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174112658-L-1.jpg

Hallways of sorts. The mud here was festering with flies and stamped with some VERY large paw prints...
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174115672-L-1.jpg

Maybe I shouldn't have opened the door?
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174112193-L-1.jpg

[DavidTO]

HAH! That last one cracks me up.

Nice series. I love seeing these places through your eyes. Very cool.

[digitalpins]

Great series of photos, I love the 5th one with the boots lined up that one is awesome.

Great photos and thanks for sharing.

[jdryan3]

Great shots. I like #3 a lot (just where does that lead to?), #5, and the last one.

On #3, I would clone out the OOF rails on the left in the background and crop it so the lower right is gone - lead the eye more down the staircase by eliminating the distracting elements. On the last one, I would crop out the top row of windows to get rid of the top of the post and the bottom since there are too many leaves/ too much foreground. Maybe a square crop?

[schmoo]

David! Yes when I saw the door my first thought was "Oops." I've got a lot more places coming up soon, so I hope Dgrin will continue to bear with me...

dp -Thanks! I admit the boots have been photographed many times by people who have been through this place, but luck was with me as the sun chose to come in through the window right at the moment I was standing there.

jdryan - I actually played with several crops on that last one, like this (http://schmoo.smugmug.com/photos/174396972-M.jpg)... but I just didn't like them. Something seemed to be missing! :scratch Thank you for your CC, I love feedback. :D

As for where that ramp led to, eventually right here. I think of this one as "Parkour dream," because if I could, I would:

http://www.schmootography.com/photos/174113119-L-1.jpg

[Awais Yaqub]

:clap
Really want to go out for shooting with you weldone

[MrParts]

Where did you find this? Looks like one in Wilkes-Barre, PA near where I live.

I like your first shot of the coal breaker with the sun like that!

I'm amazed there is so much of the pipe and equipment inside this place. Around here, drug users would have stripped it down to sell the metal for scrap. Big problem for new construction sites too.

Great catch!

[Skippy]

Recently a friend and I drove into the mountainous depths of coal country, PA. Growing up on the east coast I have always taken this part of our history for granted. Seeing the size of the abandoned buildings - and the leftovers of the towns that sprang up around them - was more touching than I could have imagined.
One could spend all day (or several days) walking around these structures. I only had a 5 hours so things got a little hurried...
Found the Sunburst Button!
One of many conveyor belts to transport anthracite coal
Führen Sie mich
Red/blue (I have no idea what these things were but they are covered in barn swallow poop)
Les petits soldats
Ghost door
Wash room
Vintage power
Hallways of sorts. The mud here was festering with flies and stamped with some VERY large paw prints...
Maybe I shouldn't have opened the door?


Hi there Schmooo, gosh you explore some pretty amazing places girl!
I love these shots you take, and I wonder where is she going to take photo's next.

......it's really like an adventure for not only you but us too :clap
Thanks for sharing Schmooo :thumb ... Skippy.
.

[pathfinder]

Lovely

Auf Wiedersehn.

[ian408]

la porte ouverte. That and soldats are my favorites.

The door more so because the scene is representative of the reclamation of a site like that.

Cool shots.

[hamster]

I love it! My favorite is the washroom.

[schmoo]

Wow thank you for the flattering comments. I am getting more used to posting photos here, so I'm glad at least a couple of folk here don't think I'm (too) nuts. :D

Awais - I would like that, too! someday maybe. :)

Nope it is not too far from Wilkes-Barre, even though I didn't know that until I looked it up just now. From what I understand there are several of these types of buildings in the general vicinity (by that I think they mean the Appalachians), and I think there may even be modern ones still in operation, with better technology.

My knowledge of the industry is a bit spotty. I tend to do the research after I come back and have seen the locations for myself. Makes me wonder about the bigger picture, with the changing opinions on greenhouse gases and the use of fossil fuels...

[Serrator]

Lovely photo adventure...thanks for the trip!

[David_S85]

Great set of industrial photos! :thumb You did very well for only 5 hours.

[Andy]

Les petits soldats
http://www.schmootography.com/photos/173949937-M-1.jpg


:clap :clap

[schmoo]

Wow, I don't know what to say. I'm humbled... we're not worthy! :D

Will be back there in the fall, when the leaves change.

[USAIR]

Awesome photos love these type of shots.
In the one shot it looks like the poop is still falling from the rafters :D

Fred