Clairton PA is the largest coke manufacturing facility in the United States. Tons of it!
And although the opening in the The Deer Hunter (Best Picture 1978) shows a sign Welcome to Clairton: The City of Prayer (the film’s story set in the industrial town of Clairton) it sounds like the filming was in various locations other than the city itself.
I really didn’t know much about coke manufacturing from coal for steel production but you can read about it here and I haven’t seen The Deer Hunter in years I can still remember the vivid scenes.
The headline reads U. S. Steel Completed Clairton Coke Battery Project in a Pittsburgh Business Times article by Malia Spencer. Trying to make production emissions greener…..
My daughter-in-law was driving so I was shooting from the passenger seat of the family van. A famous photographer ( I forget who but someone might know and comment) when asked to give advice to novice photographers replied, ” You have to get out of your car.” Oops.
I wish I had but we were headed to dinner at Aunt Linda’s and Uncle Frank’s.
Through the windshield
the train yard as we headed down the Mon Valley along the Monongahela River
Thanks for sharing!
Yup! Recognize it from “The Deer Hunter.” Love the last one of the train yard. Nice!
These photos are fine, Ruth. Hard to believe they were taken from the car. It’s good to see that some portion of our steel industry remains. May it never completely leave.
Very interesting post. The photographs look good to me? Maybe the famous photographer wasn’t headed to dinner the day the question was posed to him eh?
Also love the train shot. Did model railroading for awhile in the past and it almost appears as a model setup. Quite interesting.
We’ve toured the old Carrie Furnace. I think we must do a drive by to check out the coke plant.
Not bad for car shots. I’ve never seen The Deer Hunter – I suspect that’s probably a good thing for my psychological health…
though you did not leave the car, Ruth, we had a true reality check – thanks for realizing: it’s not a paradise everywhere
I say good photography can be captured from anywhere. Then again – I’m not a photog – LOL
I especially love the last pic- Must be a train thang 🙂