Monthly Archives: July 2024

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Late July Sun at Jefferson Drive

In the 1990s, I’d mastered a technique for capturing trains in the ‘glint’ light usng Kodachrome slide film. Golden glint was my favorite. I was especially fond of glinting Southern Pacific freights in the western mountains and Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor.

These days, I apply a similar technique using my modern mirrorless digital cameras.

Low summer sun can offer great glint light opportunities. The mix of agricultural detritus, smog pollutants, and humidity in the atmosphere help to tint evening sunlight toward the red-end of spectrum.

Amtrak’s stainless steel trains make for excellent glint reflectors, and I have a few choice locations to catch the glint, including my often-photographed tangent on Amtrak’s former Pennsylvania Railroad electrified line to Harrisburg.

In late July, the setting sun is about 30 degrees off axis from the railroad where it runs along Jefferson Drive. And this is the perfect angle to catch a train reflecting the light.

Last week on successive days, I made these glint light views of Amtrak’s westward Keystone train 653 on its approach to the Lancaster, Pa., station.

Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA. July 25, 2024. Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.
Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA, July 26, 2024. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 Z-series zoom.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

East Deerfield— Dozen Years Ago

The McClelland Farm Bridge over the yard at East Deerfield, Massachusetts was known as the ‘Railfan’s Bridge’, although in my circles we called it the ‘Waste too much Film Bridge.’

This was a great place to catch the action.

On July 30, 2012, I made this view of Pan Am Railway’s road freight EDMO (East Deerfield to Mohawk Yard, Schectady, NY) beginning its westward journey over the Boston & Maine Fitchburg Route.

Much has changed in the last dozen years. The bridge was replaced; the railroad changed hands, and most of the classic EMD locomotives have been supplanted with more modern machines.

In 2012, I was working with a Canon EOS-7D ditial camera. I used this as my primary camera from June 2010 until I bought my first Fuji XT-1 in winter 2015. I still have the Canon. It’s a good camera and there’s nothing wrong with it, but my more modern cameras have a variety of operating advantages largely related to advances in autofocus systems, improved sensors, and improvements with lenses.

I still like the Canon color profile which made for beautiful images right out of the camera.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Heritage Surprise on the Middle Division

Among the trains we photographed on Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line (the old PRR Middle Division) at Cove, Pennsylvania was this eastward double-stack train.

A few minutes earlier I’d switched on my venerable scanner and heard the train calling signals, which had alerted us to its relative proximity.

Kris and I had just caught a westward train (featured a few days ago on Tracking the Light) and as its last empty container flats were gliding by, the headlights of the eastward train came into view.

The third unit on the train was Norfolk Southern’s SD70ACe 1072 painted for the Illinois Terminal—one of many consituent railroads represented in the NS fleet by ‘heritage’ paint schemes.

It was neat to see it roll by, although after week/months of hard service it seemed that it could benefit a trip through the washer.

Photos exposed using Nikon Z-series mirrorless digital cameras.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Oulu Roundhouse—9 Years Ago.

On this day in 2015, my friend Markku and I had a tour of the roundhouse at Oulu, Finland. This is home to a variety of antiques and a wonderful place to photograph railroad equipment!

VR Group’s Dv12 diesels are some of my favorite locomotives in Finland. These are classics and the GP9s of Finland (go anywhere, do anything locomotives) Many are older than me!

I made this selection of photos using my Lumix LX7.

The images were adjusted in post processing using Adobe Lightroom.

Preserved Dm7 diesel railcar.
VR Group Dv 12 2533 at Oulu.
VR Group Dv 12 2533 at Oulu.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Eight Years Ago at Burbank, California

I arrived at LAX just a couple of hours earlier via American Airlines.

I traveled via the LA Metro rail to reach Union Station, then I bought a ticket on the Metrolink commuter rail to Burbank, where I spent several hours photographing trains under the scorching California sun.

This is an imperfect composition, but it ages well. Exposed using my FujiFilm XT1 with 18-135mm lens set to 20mm, f8 1/500th of a second, ISO200. July 27, 2016.

Not that Los Angeles, or F59PH diesels have much to do with it, but for years I’ve introduced a subtlety with many Tracking the Light posts that changes thematically depending upon the subject matter; yet no one has ever mentioned it, questioned me about, or anything. I find that strange for blog that often focuses on trivia, detail and obscure observations.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Tramlink on this Day in 2013

It was a bright July afternoon when I exposed this view of a brightly decorated purple, red and green tram on the Croydon Tramlink in London. By this time the modern rapid transit system had been rebranded as ‘Tramlink’, which is a fancy name for the electric streetcar system serving the Croydon area of London.

July 26, 2015, London, UK.

Exposed using my Canon EOS-7D fitted with a 28-135mm lens set at 135mm; f7.1, 1/500 sec, ISO 200.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

653 Leading Train 653

I admit this is a bit gooby.

Yesterday evening at Christiana, I photographed westward Amtrak Keystone train 653 running on the Main Line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

Amtrak’s Keystone Service trains are assigned operating numbers in the 600-block; even East/odd West.

Amtrak’s Siemens-built ACS-64 electrics were numbered in the 600-block, a series previously occuped by the E60CH electrics and some secondhand GP40-2s

I’ve been watching the Keystones glide along over the former PRR Main Line for many years. But yesterday, I was the first time I’d witnessed a Keystone Service train number coincide with the leading locomotive number! It might seem silly, but this a rare event, and pretty neat for the astute observer.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Cove versus Cobh—two places, two spellings, two different countries.

Cove and Cobh are spelled differently, but pronounced the same. In February, Kris and I visited Cobh, County Cork in Ireland; on Sunday we photographed near Cove, Pennsylvania along the old Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division, now Norfolk Southern’s busy Pittsburgh Line.

The following photos offer contrasts in subject matter, camera equipment, and photographic techique. About the only commonality is railway heritage, steel wheels and our recent visits!

Lumix LX7 photo at Cobh, County Cork on February 29, 2024.
Lumix LX7 photo at the former railway terminal in Cobh, County Cork, now the Cobh Heritage Centre.
Irish Rail 2600 railcars arriving at the Cobh station on February 29, 2024. Lumix LX7 photo.
Norfolk Southern double stack container train works west at SIP 166.8 in Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z-series70-200mm lens.
Norfolk Southern double stack container train works west at SIP 166.8 in Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z-series70-200mm. This image was made just a few seconds after the first and has a subtly different focus point and composition.
Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z7-II with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens. That pole shadow irks me.
Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z7-II with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens.

Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Russian Ore Train in a Finnish Forest

July 23, 2015 was a whirlwind day of railway photography in central Finland

My host Markku Pulkinnen arranged for local photographers Petri and Pietu Tuovinen to guide us, while exploring lines between Kontiomäki and the Russian frontier zone.

Kontiomäki is a minor regional hub in north central Finland surrounded by lakes and forests.

At Purnu, we set up near an automated defect detector to catch an eastward train carrying Russian iron ore. This was a heavy train by European standards and led by a pair of Swiss-designed Sr2 electrics.

It was one of many trains we caught that day, which sticks in my mind as one of my greatest railway adventures in northern Europe. In summer the long days and textured skies permit many hours of productive photography!

Photos exposed using my FujiFilm XT-1 with an 18-135mm Fujinon X-series-zoom, adjusted in post processing using Adobe Lightroom.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Obscure Surviving Vestiges of the Reading Company

Tracking the Light is about my process of making photos. Not every adventure results in photographic masterpieces, nor is every excursion an all day adventure.

Since relocating to Pennsylvania last year, Kris and I have enjoyed making drives near where we live. These often include explorations of railroad lines past and present. I’m always looking for an angle and the posibilities for future photographs, while enjoying seeking out where the tracks go. For me its about putting together the pieces of a big puzzle.

Among the lines we have explored recently are vestiges of the old Reading Company’s Reading & Columbia routes. On a warm bright evening last week, we drove to Manheim, where Kris enjoyed an iced treat, while we explored. Norfolk Southern maintains a section of the old Reading that runs between Lancaster and Lititz. At Manheim there is a wye where a short section of the old branch to Mount Hope connects to the main stem of the former P&C route.

The East Penn Railroad keeps a venerable SW900 switcher on the branch near a fuel facility that is surrounded by fencing. Earlier in the week, I was chatting with my friend Dan Howard about this locomotive and he suggested a safe location to make photos. While less than ideal for classic locomotive portraits, at least I was to document the old locomotive in its environment.

Perhaps someday, we’ll catch this antique on the move. If not, at least I made an effort to seek it out. These recent efforts reminded me of trips with Dan 40 years ago to locate a Bay Colony Railroad Alco switcher stored near Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts, and exploration of Bay Colony operated trackage to Medfield Junction.

Photos below were exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens.

Crossbucks mark the former Reading Co., trackage on the north leg of the wye at Manheim, PA. Although I have yet to see a train here, the trackage appears to be used on a regular basis.
East Penn Railroad 52 is stored near the north end of the Manheim wye on a short vestige of the old branch to Mount Hope. This is among the curiosities we’ve expored in Pennsylvania Dutch country near Lancaster, Pa.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Helsinki on a Rainy Evening

On this day in 2015, I’d just arrived in Helsinki, Finland. I’d flown SAS from Dublin via Copenhagen. It was raining lightly as I walked around in the blue glow of dusk.

I made this photo on a brightly lit street in the central part of the city, not far from the famous Helsinki Central Station.

The next morning, I traveled on VR Group Pendolino tilting train to Oulu to meet my friend Markku for a week of rail-photography.

Exposed using my Fujifilm XT1 with a 27mm Fujinon pancake lens at 1600 at f2.8 1/30 seconds. July 21, 2015.
This is a greatly enlarged view of the same photo, which demonstrates the incredibly sharp 27mm lens, even when used at high ISO.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Butt End of a BL2—Northern Maine Junction

In July 1983, I was on an early solo adventure by automobile, and was driving my family’s gray 1978 Ford Grenada. On the advice of my friend Bob Buck, I called into Bangor & Aroostook’s yard and shop at Northern Maine Junction, where the railroad was happy to give me permission to wander around and make photos.

I had several cameras with me, including my venerable Leica IIIa with 50mm, that I’d loaded with Kodak 5063—Tri-X (ASA 400).

I made a variety of studies of the locomotives and equipment, including this unusual angle of an EMD BL2, F3A and GP38. Rarely have I seen images that clearly focus on the back-end of a BL2 and I’m glad I used the light that day to make this view.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Happy Birthday Tracking the Light!

Tracking the Light made its first post on July 19, 2012.

Click on the link below for my very first post on TTL!

http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/tracking-the-light-installment-one-central-vermont-railway-at-windsor-vermont/

Central Vermont 323 crosses the Connecticut River at Windsor, Vermont in 1993.

This image is a different scan and from one frame earlier in the same sequence the photo posted on TTL No. 1. The exposure was about 1/3 of a stop lighter from the fully saturated image of the original post. Both images were made with my first Nikon, a model F3T that I bought new directly from Nikon in 1990. I still have that camera, which is now on its 3rd shutter.

Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Electrical Storm

Tuesday night a line of intense electrical storms passed to the south of us.

Kris and I drove over to Strasburg as lightning flashed across the sky. It was 15 to 20 miles to the south, and far enough away that we couldn’t hear the thunder. To the north the sky had cleared and in the west was a colorful sunset.

We parked at Blackhorse Road by the Strasburg Rail Road to watch the light show.

Working with my Nikon Z7-II set at 4000 ISO, I made this sequence of photos hand held.

When I very young, I learned to photograph lightning working with my dad’s 120-size roll film Rollei Model T. My choice of equipment has changed, but the basic technique is still very effective.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Canadian Pacific in a Concrete Canyon

On this day in 2010, I photographed a soutward CP Rail freight on the former Delaware & Hudson in Albany, New York, while using my (then new) Canon EOS 7D with a 100-400mm zoom lens.

These views were made at 250mm and 180mm respectively—however the 7D’s small sensor magnifies the telephoto’s compression effect.

I’d followed the freight down from Mechanicville.

July 17, 2010.
July 17, 2010.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

New England Central—eleven years ago!

When staying in Monson, Massachusetts, I’d often listen for New England Central 608 climbing State Line Hill.

I didn’t need a scanner, a call from a friend, or consultation with an ap on the phone. The sound of the train down in the valley would alert me.

On this day in 2013, I heard the train sounding for crossings in town. I jumped in my Volkswagen GTI and zipped down to Stafford Springs, Ct., where I waited for the southward train rolling slowly through the village.

Waiting for the train at one of my favorite locations, I made the following notation in my notebook: “… It is a sunny morning, but looks to be a baking hot day. Yesterday, I scanned John Pickett negs, plus various prints for Steam Twillight, and interviewed Fred Matthews over the phone. Tracking the Light was down most of the day owning to host server problem.” John and Fred, have both since passed across the great divide, their photos immortalized in my books, among other places.

Exposed with my Canon 7D with 28-135mm lens.

July 16, 2013, New England Central 608 at Stafford Springs, Connecticut. Exposed with my Canon 7D— I love the Canon color right out of the camera. I only made very minor adjustments to these images for presentation today.
I had photographed train here many times before since Central Vermont days when I’d catch GP9s on the job to or from New London.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon

Steam in the Heat of Summer

Late autumn and winter are my two favorite seasons to photograph steam locomotives. Cool air facilitates impressive displays of steam, smoke and condensation.

But I photograph in all seasons. Thirty years ago, I may have sniffed at making steam locomotive photos in summer ‘high light’ (Midday summer sun), when high contrast, high humidity, and high temperatures made for an unappealing environment to photograph.

Today, these conditions offer a challenge. What can I do with a steam locomotive hauled train on very hot day?

Yesterday, while on errands, I timed my crossing of the Strasburg Rail Road at Esbenshade Road to allow for a few photos of the 12 noon return run from Leaman Place led by former Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 475.

I made these photos using a Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

Files adjusted for color temperature, contrast, and exposure using Lightroom.

Shallow depth-of-field allowed for more environmental drama.

Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Making the Most of Locomotives in Bright Morning Sun

I consider this an excercise in composition. I had a few minutes last Thursday morning, so I went up to Leola, Pennsylvania to catch up with Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local.

The sun was bright and the clouds were just rolling in from the west. I made this sequence of photographs of the GP38-3 and SD40E that had paused by the old PRR depot along Horseshoe Road.

Over the last year, I’ve made a variety of railroad photos at this location. I like the concept of variation on a theme. Years ago I learned to make the most of good photographic situation, because you never know precisely the situation and composition that will best suit a photograph for publication.

Of this selection do you have any favorites? All were exposed using my Nikon Z7-II mirror-less digital camera.

Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 30mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 33mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 31mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 54mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 45mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/640th second. No adjustments to exposure or contrast.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 49mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

From the Window of Train 61.

In August 1984, I was traveling overnight on Amtrak’s Montrealer—train 61—from its Canadian namesake to Washington D.C. Approaching Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, I made this view with a Leica 3A rangefinder. The camera was fitted with an antique uncoated 50mm Elmar, which resulted in images with broad tonality, but low contrast.

Exposing through Amtrak’s windows further reduced contrast and sharpness, but the effect is almost ethereal and dreamlike. Gliding along, I was witnessing mid-1980s railroading the way I like to remember it.

A Conrail freight was crossing the elevated High Line. While in the yard sat several sets of ‘Capitolliners’—the original Budd-built ‘Metroliner’ cars that had been rebuilt and were serving the Keystone corridor to Harrisburg.

I remember the Metroliner cars in the 1970s when they worked their namesake highspeed services between New York and Washington, but this is one of the few photos I made of the cars as ‘Capitolliners’, which today makes it special. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been re-reseaching the ground-breaking Metroliner for my new book on Amtrak equipment.

Almost daily, I see these old Metroliner cars which still work to Harrisburg, but now as neutered (unpowered) control cabs on the Keystone trains. Today, they are now among the oldest Amtrak cars in regular revenue service.

Central to this photo I made through the window of Train 61 are the sets of Capitoliner multiple units.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Reading & Northern 2023

On our visit to Pittston Junction, Pa., in June, we witnessed the early evening arrival of the Reading & Northern’s Pittston-Jim Thorpe excursion. In the lead was R&N’s 40th Anniversary (1983-2023) locomotive number 2023, wearing immaculate fresh paint.

Clear skies and low sun made for dramatic light. While impressive, this high-contrast specular lighting result in very dark shadows.

Working with Adobe Lightroom, I made a series of easy corrections to the NEF RAW file to lighten the shadows, darken the highlight areas and lower overall contrast. These changes were aimed a producing a more pleasing and more accurate end photograph.

Take a note of the difference in the shadows around the locomotive trucks. The wide dynamic range offered by Nikon Z7-II digital camera captures a lot of detail in the shadow areas that may not be evident when viewing the unadjusted RAW file.

I’ve included the Lightroom work-window so you can see the relative postion of the slider controls and how these altered the RAW image.

Lightroom JPG created directly from the NEF RAW file without alteration to color, contrast or exposure.
This JPG was created from the same NEF RAW file as the top image, but reflects changes to contrast and selective adjustment to shadow and highlight areas. See the screenshot of the Adobe Lightroom work- window below for the postion of the slider adjustments.
Screenshot of the Adobe Lightroom work-window showing the position of slider controls at right.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Stormy Sunset—July 10, 2024

Last night a stormy sunset filled the western sky. Thunderstorms were raging to the North and West of Lancaster, Pa.

Kris and I drove by my standard location along Jefferson Drive. Amtrak Keystone 620 was just getting ready to depart Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

We paused so I could made a few photos using my Lumix LX7. Using the ‘Scene Mode’ feature, I selected ‘Night mode’ to make better use of the low evening light. This blends a series of images exposed during a synchronized burst.

I’ve included the camera info in the last frame which lists all the tech data imbedded in the photo.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Norfolk Southern at Horseshoe Road in Leola

We often drive to Leola, Pa., on Horseshoe Road, which runs roughly parallel to Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch.

Returning, we get a view from the car of the road, the railroad, and the surrounding architecture including the old station building.

Over the last year, I’ve made a variety of photos around the station with and without trains, and I’d been eyeing capturing it the way we see it from the road.

Perhaps, this is the more signficant angle for many people, because it is how they see the railroad.

Sunday morning a few weeks ago, I used my Nikon Z6-II with 70-200mm zoom to try to capture the Horseshoe Road perspective—with and without automobiles.

Over time, the cars on the road will add interest to these photos, as old cars often do!

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Failed Diesel and an Electric to the Rescue!

Saturday afternoon, Kris and I were having lunch at the Speckled Hen in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, when my old friend Dan Howard forwarded me a text with a photo of Amtrak 42 (eastward Pennsylvanian) crossing the Rockville Bridge with a Norfolk Southern GE in the lead exposed about an hour earlier.

We didn’t know the details, but it appeared that Amtrak’s GENESIS P42 (that normal leads the train) had failed. I realized that it was unlikely that the NS locomotive would continue east because it probably didn’t have compatible signaling equipment, but that Amtrak was likely to assign an ACS-64 electric to haul the train to Philadelphia.

We were a little late learning this, and when I checked the tracker (asm.transitdocs.com) train 42 was already east of Harrisburg. Yet, we still had time to finish lunch and check a few locations. My favorite spots at Gap were back-lit.

When I checked the tracker a second time, I saw that 42 wasn’t making great eastward progress, so we backtracked west to Leaman Place in Paradise, Pa. Not only did we make it there in time to catch train 42 with an ACS-64 leading the failed diesel, but Amtrak Keystone train 670 was about three minutes behind it!

Photos exposed using a Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Mogul in the Corn—Surprise meet between Horses

It was more than 90F the other day when I made these photographs.

Strasburg number 89, a former Canadian National Railways 2-6-0 Mogul, was leading the return run of the 3pm excursion to Paradise.

The best photo eclipsed the train altogher. After the excursion crossed Esbenshade Road, Amish horsedrawn buggies passed in front of me.

I made this photo from the hip; with no view finder. Old school technique with a modern digital camera. Unfortunately, the Strasburg Rail Road excursion was entirely blocked by the back-end of a horse.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Classic Chrome—Marias Pass, 30 Years Ago Today

On the morning of July 7, 1994, my pal TSH and I chased trains up and down the west slope of Montana’s Marias Pass.

When I look at this Kodachrome slide today, what catches my attention is the collection of graffiti-free freight cars, including a car wearing Great Northern sky blue paint.

I made this image just a few days after the annoucement of the Santa Fe – Burlington Northern merger. At the time, I was on my way from California to Wisconsin to take a job as the Associate Editor of Pacific RailNews magazine.

This slide was in a selection of ‘seconds’ that I recently retrieved from my parent’s attic.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Anticipating Changes

On our recent visit to Windsor Locks, Connecticut, I made a series of photographs of an Amtrak Sunday-only Springfield to Washington DC train making its station stop.

In the relatively near future this entire scene is expected to change. Amtrak’s P42 diesels are reaching the end of their useful lives, and Amtrak’s Amfleet replacement cars are on order. Plans have also been made to build a new and improved station for Windsor Locks about a mile north of the present station.

The present Windsor Locks station is pretty basic. It lacks amenities, features just a short platform, and is scenically bereft. Yet, I’ve made many photos here over the last forty years.

Documenting change is more than just making pretty pictures.

These views were exposed digitially using my Nikon Z digital cameras.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Late Sun at Safe Harbor

Our new home is a relatively short drive from the former Pennsylvania Railroad bridges at Safe Harbor.

The cutoff to Parksburg was abandoned in the 1980s and has since been converted into the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, while the old Port Road route along the east bank of the Susquehanna River is operated by Norfolk Southern.

I’ve previously described the challenges in catching trains on this route. Owning to a daylight hours curfew on through freights using Amtrak’s former PRR electrified mainlines, most freight over the old Port Road tends to pass at night.

However, in the long days of summer it is possible to catch freights on the move in daylight. So over the last week I’ve made two attempts to catch trains on this route. In both instances I waited out the daylight without a wheel turning.

On July 2nd, we visited Safe Harbor. I hiked up to the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail to scope angles and wait. The droning of the Safe Harbor dam made it difficult to hear if a train was approaching. In the hour I spent there, I exposed a variety of photos of the tracks, bridges, dam and river.

One of these days, I hope to see steel wheels rolling on these rails.

This bridge now carried the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, which offers a commanding vantage point of the river, railroad and Safe Harbor dam.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Fireworks with 100 year old Passenger Cars and a 150 year old Station

Three years ago, my wife Kris and I photographed the North Conway, New Hampshire fireworks. We stood at the Post Office crossing on Conway Scenic Railroad looking toward the railroad station where I worked (the second floor center window was near my desk in the station’s North Tower).

July 4th, 2024, Conway Scenic Railroad is operating its annual Firecracker Express trains that run from Conway to North Conway to bring visitors to the fireworks.

Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm Z-series Nikkor zoom on a tripod.

For me the photos I made that night are significant because of their long term effect on my photography. When I had large color prints made from the Nikon RAW files exposed that night and compared those photos to similar images I’d exposed with my Fuji XT1, I discovered that the Nikon Z files were significantly better than those from the old Fuji. I’ve only occasionally used the XT1 since that night.

I’ve been using this image and similar photos to promote the railroad’s Firecracker Express trains.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Reading & Northern freight at Pittston Junction.

We called into Pittston Junction, Pennsylvania in the early evening, just in time to catch several Reading & Northern trains on the move.

Using my Nikon Z mirrorless cameras, I made this sequence of photos of a job working the former Lehigh Valley Railroad Coxton Yard. I also finished off a roll of 35mm Kodak Ektachrome making photos of the classic wig-wag style grade crossing signal.

Although once common, the wig-wag signal is now virtually extinct.

Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom lens.
Nikon Z6 mirror-less with 70-200mm Z-Series zoom lens set to 92mm.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Conrail Local on the Franklin Branch

Following up on Saturday’s post of the MBTA at Norfolk, Massachusetts, I thought I’d post this photo that I made of a Conrail local working at Franklin, Massachusetts in November 1984.

This is looking west where the tracks run parallel with East Street, at the junction between former New Haven Railroad’s New York & New England route running west toward Willimantic, Connecticut and the New Haven Branch to Milford, Massachusetts (since upgraded for MBTA service to Forge Park/495.)

I’d exposed this photograph on black & white film using a Leica 3A rangefinder fitted with a Canon screw mount 50mm f1.8 lens. For a few months, I used the Canon lens as a replacment for my Leica 50mm f2.0 Summitar that I’d damaged.

The Canon lens was faster than the Summitar but lacked the critical sharpness of the Leica lens. As a result, this period of photography has great interest to me in regards to subject matter, but suffers from inferior technical quality than some of my earlier work.

It took a few years, but ultimately I made significant changes in the equipment that I was using that greatly improved the technical quality of my photograhy.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

CT Rail—Hartford Line Iconic View

Over the last 40 years, I’ve made many photographs along Amtrak’s former New Haven route between Springfield, Massachusetts and New Haven, Connecticut.

Among my favorite vantage points is this view of the Farmington River bridge in Windsor, Connecticut.

This is a tricky location for a couple reasons; the skewed angle of the bridge can make it difficult to make a level photo; trains operating on the southward track will result in cropping of the trucks/wheels owing to the relatively low position along the riverside; and without careful planning it is easy to miss the benefit of the reflection in the river water.

The CT Rail-Hartford Line began operations just over six years ago. My father and I took advantage of the ‘free rides’ offered on opening day and spent the second day of operations making photos along the line.

This view exposed was two weeks ago. It was my first photo of a CT Rail painted GENESIS 1 diesels working the line. I was delighted to get this clean push-pull set (working train 6400 from New Haven) crossing the bridge with the locomotive trailing. It makes the most of the iconic view of the bridge.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!