Category Archives: photography

photography

Vertical Night Pan

Here’s another take on what has become a familiar setting for my railroad action images.

Last week, after photographing at Cola in Columbia, Pa., we followed Norfolk Southern’s eastward 632 unit coal train on its way down the Port Road Branch to the bridges at Safe Harbor.

This location is easily accessible in the evenings and offers considerable man-made ambient light, much of it from lights around the hydroelectric dam and related electrical infrastructure (which supplies high-voltage alternating current to Amtrak).

This evening, low-hanging clouds over the Susquehanna River made for a dramatic sky beyond the bridge, while lights behind me helped illuminate the railroad. I opted to make vertical pans of the eastward train.

To do this successfully, I had to turn off my Nikon Z6-III’s image stabilization. While this may seem counterintuitive, it is necessary to pan without image stabilization because the system will actually prevent a sharp image of the panned subject as it tries to “correct” for the camera motion.

After exposure in RAW, I processed the files using PureRAW 5 (which I’ve described in detail in earlier posts) and afterward made nominal corrections to shadows, highlights, and color balance in order to make the most of the data captured.

f1.4 1/10 second.
f1.4 1/15 second.

I am very satisfied with the way these images turned out. They really capture the majesty of the enormous trestle while portraying the coal train in motion and making the most of the clouds and foreground.

Tracking the Light Examines Night Photography!

photography

Variation on a Nocturnal Theme—Coal Train at Columbia

Under the cover of darkness, Norfolk Southern unit coal train 632 (Keating to Baltimore) was rolling down the Royalton Branch. Kris and I waited for it in Columbia, Pa., and when we heard it was getting close, I moved into position opposite Pennsylvania Railroad’s old Cola tower.

I tried this angle several weeks ago and felt it had potential for another try. I like it because the location is readily visually identifiable and has a lot of railroad history.

Among the challenges at this location at night is trying to compensate for the locomotives’ excessively bright headlights. This evening, I was also facing high humidity, stemming from damp conditions along the Susquehanna River, which kept causing condensation on the lens.

My result is atmospheric, if imperfect.

Nikon Z6-III, 50mm f/1.4 lens, set at ISO 40,000, 1/160th of a second, f/1.4. NEF RAW file processed using PureRaw 9 with DeepPRIME 3 digital corrections.

Tracking the Light explores the Night!

photography

It was a beautiful late-summer evening. We paused at the old Leola Station along Horseshoe Road in Lancaster County, Pa., where I’ve made a variety of images over the last few years.

I snapped a few photos with three cameras. This image was made with my Nikon Z7-II with a 24–70mm lens. I have yet to view the results from my Lumix LX-7 digital camera and Leica M4 (loaded with Kodak Ektachrome).

24-70mm set to 32.5mm, f/4.0, 1/60 sec., ISO 1600. Image adjusted from NEF RAW using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections and post-processing with DxO PhotoLab 9.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!

photography

N&W A on 19th Street

Only once did I catch Norfolk & Western’s A-Class 2-6-6-4 under steam.

My pal TSH and I were on our annual two-week summer photography adventure.

July 23, 1988, was a rainy, gray day, and we found ourselves in Erie, Pennsylvania. Our aim was to make photographs of Conrail on the Water Level Route, but the weather wasn’t ideal for that objective, so we took a break from modern mainline action for a steam interlude.

We set up on Erie’s 19th Street along the route of the former Nickel Plate Road—the trade name of the predecessor railroad (in case the context wasn’t clear). After a short wait, the big locomotive came walking down the street, much to the astonishment of some of Erie’s residents.

I made a couple of Kodachrome slides of the event, and my general feeling is that, despite the weather, the color photos are better than this pair of black-and-white images.

Part of the problem with the black-and-white images is that I’d underprocessed the negatives. I recall the disappointment of looking over the still-wet film when I realized what I’d done: I’d over-diluted my D-76.

Recently, however, I was partially able to correct for this chemical error using modern scanning and digital post-processing. Now, I find that the trailing view is pretty cool.

Tracking the Light Looks to Improve Old Photographs!

photography

A Road, A Shadow and Amtrak

So there it is: Jefferson Drive.

And there I am, in shadow.

Waiting to preserve Amtrak’s Keystone 651 on its westward trip to Harrisburg.

There’s no secret in this photo. No special technique. I’ve intentionally included the key elements that play a role in making the image.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!

photography

Ghost of the Western Maryland

We paid a nocturnal visit to Middletown, Pa., where I photographed Middletown & Hummelstown’s Alco S-6 switcher in Western Maryland paint from Brown Street.

I worked entirely from ambient light, which included street lights near the railroad yard, and a background glow from the nearby Harrisburg Airport.

Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds. Viewing the scaled file on my computer, screen the stars are evident in the sky.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds.

With my Nikon Z7-II mounted on a 3Pod tripod, I exposed a series of relatively long exposures with the camera set to low ISO (200) to allow for greater data capture. My exposures were nearly 30 seconds. In post processing, I reduced overall contrast, lightened shadow areas to reveal detail not evident with the naked eye, and controlled highlights.

photography

A View from Hoboken.

An apropos photo on today’s anniversary.

On the morning of August 2, 1986—more than 40 years ago—I made this view of NJ Transit’s former Erie Lackawanna U34CH 4170, set against the backdrop of New York City’s iconic World Trade Center twin towers.

Kodachrome slide film exposed with a Leica 3A fitted with a Visoflex and 200mm Telyt lens.

Tracking the Light Looks Back!

photography

Norfolk Southern at Tome—Port Deposit, Maryland

Several days ago, I posted some photos of the tracks and signals at Tome, Norfolk Southern’s interlocking at Port Deposit.

Last week, Kris and I were lucky to catch unit coal train 590 rolling through the historic town along the Susquehanna River.

I made this selection of images using both my Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm zoom and my Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4. I didn’t have the benefit of a nearly full moon for these photos, which had provided sublime evening lighting in my earlier images.

I processed the images using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections and made nominal cosmetic adjustments using PhotoLab 9.

Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm 
Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4-f1.4 at 1/320 sec 25600 ISO, scaled directly from the Nikon NEF RAW file without PureRaw/DeepPRIME3 corrections. See corrected and adjusted file below.
Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4-f1.4 at 1/320 sec 25600 ISO-following PureRaw and processing with PhotoLab color and contrast adjustment.
Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm 
Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm 
Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4

This location has potential, and we’ll be back again.

Tracking the Light explores nocturnal image making!

photography

Amtrak Keystone 651 at Gap, Pa.

After Keystone 656 rolled east through Gap, I had but a short wait for its westward counterpart, train 651, destined for Harrisburg and led by ACS-64 620.

In the short interval between trains, I thought about all the Pennsylvania Railroad electrics that worked through this same curve more than a half-century ago.

In 1963, my father made photos of GG1s and E44s working trains near the Irishtown Road crossing in Bird-in-Hand. Someday, I’ll recreate those angles with modern trains.

What is common today will someday seem novel.

What was once working the Main Line may someday serve as a display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. I wonder, did I catch old Amtrak 915 at Gap? I may have.

A few minutes after Amtrak 656 went east, Keystone train 651 navigated the famous curve at Gap. It would have been cool to catch a GG1 here—or even one of the old Metroliner sets when they were assigned to Keystone services. These days, I’m happy to catch a modern ACS-64 leading westbound.

Today, Tracking the Light ponders the numbers and the passage of time.

photography

No Time to Waste

I’ve learned that seconds count.

When arriving trackside, be ready. Have your camera accessible and ready to go.

When I pulled up at my pre-selected location in Gap, Pa., I knew I was very tight on time.

I’d miscalculated how long it would take me to drive there, and I half expected that I’d already missed Amtrak Keystone 656 on its eastbound journey toward Philadelphia.

I reached for my phone to check the train’s progress, but at the last second decided to get out of the car instead. I turned on the camera, removed the lens cap, and heard the rail’s “ting” as the train leaned into the curve.

I’d arrived in time—just.

Tracking the Light Discusses Timing!

photography

Observation, Patience and Execution

I keep my eyes open for photo locations, paying careful attention to lighting, time of day, and season. Days, months, and sometimes years may pass before an opportunity arises to make the desired photographs. But when the moment comes, it is necessary to have the equipment in hand and be ready to act.

On bright days in the early evening, there’s nice light on Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Secondary where it winds through the industrial estates approaching Greenfield Road in suburban Lancaster, Pa. While I’ve explored this location for more than three years, until Thursday last week I had not caught a westward train here in ideal conditions.

When I saw Norfolk Southern’s local freight changing crews nearby at Jefferson Drive, I knew I had a good chance of catching it. So I acted accordingly.

I arrived a few minutes ahead of the train. Fortunately, there were no cars or trucks parked near the tracks that would obstruct my view. When I heard the whistle at Jefferson Drive, I stepped across Independence Court, where I’d parked, and waited in the bright sun.

These are my results.

Tracking the Light Explores Photographic Technique!

photography

Acting on Opportunity

As a follow-up to yesterday’s Tracking the Light, finding Norfolk Southern’s returning New Holland local crawling up to Jefferson Drive for a crew change presented a number of photographic opportunities.

While I’ve made many photographs of trains along Jefferson Drive in Lancaster, catching a freight paused in the evening sun allowed me to try a variety of angles while planning my next location.

With the sun over my right shoulder, I worked quickly with my Z6-III fitted with a 24–70mm lens, exposing this selection of digital images while simultaneously making a few Ektachrome 100 slide images with my dad’s old Leica M4. In all of these images, I was trying to make the most of the foreground and background while featuring the pair of vintage EMD diesels.

Before the train began moving again, I drove the short distance to Greenfield Road to set up my next photograph.

Stay tuned!

Tracking the Light explores the details of railroad photography!

photography

Crew Change on the New Holland Secondary

I spotted the Norfolk Southern truck as I approached the grade crossing at Jefferson Drive, in Lancaster, Pa.

Looking left, I saw the returning New Holland local freight (train symbol H28?).

The train came to a stop short of the crossing to change crews. I don’t know the circumstances, but this was the first time in three years of documenting the former Pennsylvania Railroad New Holland Branch, that I’d witnessed a crew change on the line.

Nice evening sun and a paused train made for an opportunity to work a few angles. I started with this dark-side view, exposed with my Nikon Z6-III.

I’ve included two interpretations of the camera’s NEF RAW file.

Second attempt at posting on September 4, 2026.

photography

Crew Change on the New Holland Secondary

I spotted the Norfolk Southern truck as I approached the grade crossing at Jefferson Drive, in Lancaster, Pa.

Looking left, I saw the returning New Holland local freight (H28?).

Nice evening sun and a paused train made for an opportunity to work a few angles. I started with this dark-side view, exposed with my Nikon Z6-III.

I’ve included two interpretations of the camera’s NEF RAW file.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography Daily!

photography

Color and Contrast at Christiana

Yesterday evening, it was sunny when we departed for Christiana to intercept the passage of Keystone services 656 and 651.

I made this view from the old freight house as ACS-64 649, dressed with Amtrak’s Freedom 250 logo, raced west with Keystone No. 651 on the old Main Line.

By this time, clouds had thickened and textured the evening sky.

Using DxO PureRAW5, I converted the Nikon NEF RAW files to DNG format. I then transformed the DNG by adjusting color, contrast, and exposure. Below are four variations/interpretations of the file, each is the result of a different technique/settings.

I’m curious to see how these might appear on my phone’s tiny screen following compression by the WordPress platform. In the past, I’ve found that, despite considerable adjustment, WordPress compression can nearly nullify my changes, yielding results that don’t make for particularly extreme comparisons.

Can you see a significant difference between the variations?

DeepPRIME3 corrections in conjunction with conversion to DNG, without adjustment to color, contrast, exposure or level.
Nominal adjustment to bring in sky detail, improve level, lighten shadows etc.
Heavier adjustment, with significant lightening and exposure/contrast controls.
Extreme adjustment with over the top vivid color enhancements.

Tracking the Light Examines Image Processing and Presentation!

photography

Saving an Old File—PureRAW Interpretation of a Lumix RAW file.

A while back, I learned that my Lumix LX3 files had been slightly cropped by the camera.

However, when processing these old files using DxO PureRAW, I discovered that, in addition to correcting various lens anomalies, the software reveals slightly more of the image captured by the camera’s sensor than was originally visible.

Below are two versions of the same photo of Irish Rail’s IWT Liner, exposed on August 28, 2014, at Clondalkin in suburban Dublin. The top image shows how the photo appeared out of the camera; the bottom is the result following PureRAW 4 conversion of the original RAW file to DNG format.

This provides a little more space at the bottom of the frame in what was an exceptionally tight composition.

The downside of the conversion is that the resulting file is nearly four times larger.

CR2 RAW file before conversion to DNG format. Note the extremely tight compostion with the locomotive pilot nearly touching the bottom of the image area.
Below are two versions of the same photo of Irish Rail's IWT Liner exposed on 28 August 2014 at Clondalkin in suburban Dublin. The top is how the image appeared out of the camera; the bottom is following PureRaw4 conversion of the CR2 raw into DNG format.
This version offers a hair more track below the locomotive than visable on the original CR2 file. It’s not much, but it makes a difference!

Tracking the Light looks back!

photography

Of Tracks and Alleys

Lisbon, April 2014: On this day, exploring the city’s famous narrow-gauge tram system led to countless photo opportunities and fair few fine photos.

Under brilliant sunshine, I made good use of three cameras: my Lumix LX3, Canon EOS 7D, and Nikon F3 loaded with Fujichrome.

It was just about the last hurrah for the LX3. Shortly after this trip, my well-used “wee Lumix Mark 1” gave up the ghost.

Here’s a pair of images from my first digital camera, made during its final days.

Tracking the Light Explored Trams Here, There, and Far Away!

photography

Continuing Tram of Thought

I’ve always enjoyed the thrill of traveling on trams gliding over cobblestone streets, passing among the generations of aged buildings that comprise European cities.

Trams are a great way to familiarize myself with the layout of a city, take in the charms of continental urban life, and simply explore a new old place.

In October 2016, I made this Lumix LX7 view from the windows of an articulated tram navigating central Prague, Czech Republic.

I’ve enjoyed the thrill of travel on trams gliding over cobblestone streets among the generations of aged buildings that comprise European cities.
Panasonic Lumix LX7 f1.4 1/100th second, ISO 200.

My compact Lumix was an excellent tool for making urban images. It was unobtrusive, easy to handle, and capable of producing high-quality RAW digital photos.

Today, these old files offer new windows on past travels because I can better interpret the data they captured using modern software. In this case, I converted my RW2 RAW file to DNG format while correcting lens defects and improving sharpness and clarity.

Tracking the Light Explores Tram Travel!

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Tram of Thought

Here’s another reinterpretation of an old Lumix RW2 RAW file.

On March 31, 2017, I made this pan of a Route 18 tram in the Köln, Germany, tram subway using my Lumix LX7.

Modern software has opened up new possibilities for working with my Lumix RW2 files. As I illustrated in yesterday’s post, I converted the RAW file to DNG format using PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections, then imported the DNG into Lightroom to lighten shadows, adjust color, and improve contrast.

I’ve included two versions of the DNG file. The top image is displayed without cosmetic adjustments in Lightroom; the bottom image reflects my Lightroom adjustments.

Panasonic Lumix LX7; f1.4, 1/40th second, ISO 80. DeepPRIME3 corrections but without cosmetic adjustments to highlights, shadows or color.
Same file as above following Lightroom adjustments to shadow and highlight detail.

Notice the improved detail in the shadow areas of the adjusted image.

Tracking the Light Re-Examines Older Files Using Modern Software and Processing Techniques!

photography

Abbey Street Sunset-Revisited

On October 27, 2016, I made this sunset view of a LUAS Citadis tram on Abbey Street near the corner of O’Connell Street in Dublin using my Lumix LX7.

The original file was exposed for the sky and was relatively dark overall.

Last night, I converted the Lumix RAW file to a DNG using PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections. I then imported the DNG into Lightroom to lighten the shadows, adjust color, and improve contrast.

The end result is much more pleasing and more closely resembles the scene as I saw it.

Lumix RAW file following conversion to DNG format with DeepPRIME3 corrections but without cosmetic adjustment.
Same file as above following adjustments in Lightroom to lighten shadow areas, and improve contrast and color balance.

Tracking the Light Explores Railway Photography!

photography

Lost, Recovered and Altered

As a result of some inept file naming and flawed file sorting 15 years ago, I misplaced a whole batch of photos exposed in January 2011.

At the time, I was unable to work effectively with the CR2 RAW files from my Canon EOS 7D, so I named some key JPGs and left the CR2s alone.

I subsequently moved the named JPGs, separating them from the RAW files. The result was that I had only a few of the photos I’d exposed. Among the missing images was a selection I’d made on a frigid morning along the Connecticut River at East Deerfield, Mass.

Luckily, I’d preserved the original download on a hard drive and made a copy that I stored in Dublin. On a trip to Ireland in 2024, I recovered the missing files and reintegrated them into my master files.

Last night, I used DxO PureRAW 5 to convert and correct the CR2 files before importing them into PhotoLab 9 for adjustment.

I also imported a selected image into Lightroom and made a JPG directly from the CR2 without cosmetic alteration.

Below are both images. These appear substantially sharper than the JPGs I produced 15 years ago on my old Mac, using an antique version of GraphicConverter. I was delighted with the modern results.

Maine Central SD45-2 618 crosses the Connecticut River at East Deerfield in January 2011. Image made from a CR2 RAW file, converted and corrected using PureRaw5 with nominal adjustments with PhotoLab to improve contrast.
The same file as above without corrections or adjustments, converted to JPG with Lightroom. These images could make wall-sized prints. I was astounded by the level of detail in the original CR2 RAW files.

“Tracking the Light: Reinterpreting 15-Year-Old Digital Files.”

photography

TOME Interlocking JPGs.

TOME Interlocking in Port Deposit, Maryland offered a photographic opportunity.

The moon was rising in the southeastern sky—two days short of being full—and there was ample ambient light from streetlights and local businesses.

I set up my Nikon Z6-III on a tripod and made a series of exposures.

Normally, for my night photos, I work from the camera’s NEF files and make a variety of cosmetic post-processing adjustments to extract as much detail as possible from my exposures. With these images, however, I worked from the in-camera JPGs, simply scaling them for the internet without any visual adjustments. What you see is what you get.

TOME may seem like an unusual name for a railroad control point; however, it is aptly applied to this remote-control switch. Jacob Tome was the big man around Port Deposit in the latter 19th century. Among his many important roles in local business, he served as a director of the Columbia & Port Deposit Railroad—later a component of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Although we waited for about half an hour for the train to pass, we gave up before it arrived at Port Deposit. On the way home, however, we caught a glimpse of it from Maryland 222. Some other night, we may return to photograph a train, by night or by day, passing the Tome memorial interlocking.

The moon was rising in the southeastern sky—two days short of being full—and there was ample ambient light from streetlights and local businesses.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!

photography

NECR 611 Revisited; DxO Clear View Plus.

Aiming to improve upon a photo I made with my Fuji X-T1, I imported the eight-year-old Fuji RAF Raw file into DxO PureRAW 5, applied DeepPRIME 3 corrections, exported it to PhotoLab 9, and applied the software’s contrast adjustment/color enhancement preset, called DxO ClearView Plus.

Below are two versions of the converted RAF file. The first shows only the DeepPRIME 3 corrections; the second shows the effect of the DxO ClearView Plus enhancements.

New England Central 611 crosses the Connecticut River at East Northfield, Mass., on May 7, 2018. Fuji RAF file processed with DxO PureRaw5 with DeepPRIME3 corrections. No changes to color, contrast or exposure.
Same Fuji RAF file as above, processed with DxO PureRaw5 with DeepPRIME3 corrections followed by application of DxO ClearView Plus enhancements. Notice the changes to color, contrast etc.

This is one of my first experiments with DxO ClearView Plus. Normally, I make adjustments manually.

Tracking the Light Explores Image Processing!

photography

Coal Train, Viaduct and the Moon.

Here’s another set of photos of the bridges at Safe Harbor; this time with a sunset glow and the moon.

Norfolk Southern’s unit coal train 594 was on the roll with 200 plus loaded coal cars and a two-unit DPU.

These were exposed using my Nikon Z7-2 with 70-200mm lens. Files processed using Dx) PureRaw5 and adjusted for contrast using DxO PhotoLab9.

Tracking the Light Explores Railway Photography!

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When in Rome . . . .

On a visit to Rome in 2017, I made this image of a 7000-series tram working the number 19 route.

This was in the evening, and the light was fading. I exposed the photo using my Fujifilm X-T1 fitted with a f/2.0 Fujinon 90mm prime lens.

My camera was set for 1/60th of a second, and the short telephoto lens was wide open. Combined with the warm evening light, this makes for a somewhat surreal image.

Yesterday, I processed the Fuji RAF raw file using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME lens corrections, then exported the converted DNG file directly to DxO PhotoLab 9 to make some nominal exposure and contrast corrections.

Below are two versions. The top photo is from the DNG file immediately after the PureRAW 5 conversion. The bottom image is following adjustment with PhotoLab 9.

RAF file converted to DNG format and adjusted cosmetically using DxO Photolab9.

The bottom line is that, with this modern software, I can better process my nine-year-old Fujifilm files, which yield significantly better results than were possible back in 2017.

Tracking the Light Explores Railway Photography!

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Blue Rock Sunset

On this run following a loaded NS coal train, we had just enough time to turn off River Road in Washington Boro and pull into the lot at Blue Rock Heritage Park.

Seamus-the-dog was riding in the back seat, and he’s used to the routine: the car comes to a stop, I leap out, open the back door, fish out one of those black gizmos that I fiddle with, and then a great, loud mass of rolling metal and fumes roars by. It’s all very exciting. Seamus helps by counting the cars.

Kris made an iPhone photo of Seamus watching the train.

Seamus counts the cars. iPhone photo by Kris Solomon.

Photo exposed using a Nikon Z7-II with a 70-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor Z-series zoom set at 79mm, f/2.8, 1/640th second, ISO 2000. NEF RAW file processed using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections and cosmetic adjustments with PhotoLab 9.

Nikon photo. Two variations with slight differences to color saturation and shadow density.

Soon we were on the roll again!

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Strasburg 475 on the Move!

Yesterday evening, Kris and I paused on Esbenshade Road in Strasburg, Pa., to roll by the 6 p.m. excursion train. Engine 475 was leading the train tender-first.

This was the first time we’d seen 475 on the move in more than a year. This American classic, a former Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 “Twelve Wheeler,” had been undergoing its periodic overhaul.

It was nice to see this engine working again.

I made these images using my Nikon Z6 with a 24–70mm lens. I set the aperture at f/22 to get maximum depth of field and to give the “starburst” effect on the setting sun.

Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!

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Improving My Angle on Milepost 37

Yesterday, a tornado hit Columbia, Pa., tearing the roof off a building and causing other damage.

Just two days earlier, Kris, Seamus, and I waited trackside in town, listening not for a warning siren, but for the scanner’s crackle: “Clear Cola eastbound.”

When we heard that, I drove into position near my pre-selected location near milepost 37 on the Port Road Branch. I’d posted a photo from this location a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to try the location again, this time with a telephoto lens and from a slightly different vantage point.

My goal was to better feature the Veterans Memorial Bridge, which carries Route 462 over the Susquehanna River and can be seen to the left of the locomotive in the latter images of this sequence.

Not long after parking, we could hear Norfolk Southern unit coal train 594 rolling along.

I made these photos with my Nikon Z7-II fitted with an f/2.8 Nikkor 70-200mm lens.

To make the most of the evening light, I processed the NEF RAW files using DxO PureRaw 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections, followed by adjustments in PhotoLab 9.

Norfolk Southern 4371 leads unit coal train symbol 594 destined for Baltimore.
It was just after 8pm on Tuesday when I made this sequence of Norfolk Southern 594.
Of the five frame sequence, this is my favorite. I’ve altered the image using PhotoLab9 to improve contrast, exposure and color palate.
My goal was to better feature the Veterans Memorial Bridge, which carries Route 462 over the Susquehanna River

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography and wishes Columbia a speedy recovery!

photography

Improving My Angle on Milepost 37

Yesterday, a tornado hit Columbia, Pa., tearing the roof off a building and causing other damage.

Just two days earlier, Kris, Seamus, and I waited trackside in town, listening not for a warning siren, but for the scanner’s crackle: “Clear Cola eastbound.”

When we heard that, I drove into position near my pre-selected location near milepost 37 on the Port Road Branch. I’d posted a photo from this location a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to try the location again, this time with a telephoto lens and from a slightly different vantage point.

My goal was to better feature the Veterans Memorial Bridge, which carries Route 462 over the Susquehanna River and can be seen to the left of the locomotive in the latter images of this sequence.

Not long after parking, we could hear Norfolk Southern unit coal train 594 rolling along.

I made these photos with my Nikon Z7-II fitted with an f/2.8 Nikkor 70-200mm lens.

To make the most of the evening light, I processed the NEF RAW files using DxO PureRaw 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections, followed by adjustments in PhotoLab 9.

Norfolk Southern 4371 leads unit coal train symbol 594 destined for Baltimore.
It was just after 8pm on Tuesday when I made this sequence of Norfolk Southern 594.
Of the five frame sequence, this is my favorite. I’ve altered the image using PhotoLab9 to improve contrast, exposure and color palate.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography and wishes Columbia a speedy recovery!

photography

The other ‘NS’—Utrecht, NL , May 1996

In May 1996, my father and I flew to Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Early during this trip, I spent a few minutes at the main railway station in Utrecht.

Dutch railways were a novelty for me. I exposed this Velvia 50 35mm color slide of an Nederlandse Spoorwegen VIRM electric multiple unit using my Nikon F3T. This distinctive-appearing passenger train was relatively new to the railway at the time.

I’ve always been impressed by the vivid colors rendered by this film on a dull day. It is no wonder that Velvia is favored by nature photographers.

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!

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Seamus Reads About the B&O

Last weekend, I put the finishing touches on an article about the dawn of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road.

I write old school, searching sources for details, facts, historical continuity, and understanding. For every word I write, I easily read a thousand. In addition to my various previous writings on the B&O, for this effort I filled three notebooks with source material.

Seamus-the-dog took great interest in my notes and is seen here studying the finer points of Baltimore & Ohio’s early days.

Thirty years ago, I followed the advice of Baltimore & Ohio scholar John P. Hankey and traveled to Ellicott City for the title transfer of the old B&O Station—believed to be the oldest extant railroad station building in the United States—from CSX to the B&O Museum at Ellicott City, which was occupying the structure.

For the event, the 1927-built replica of Peter Cooper’s engine was brought to Ellicott City and hoisted onto the Old Main Line. They fired it up, and I made a variety of photos of the curious vertical-boiler engine as it chuffed back and forth on the historic B&O right-of-way.

Tracking the Light Looks Back on the B&O!

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Through the Girders

After photographing the head end of Norfolk Southern 36A at Washington Boro, Pa., we drove to Safe Harbor, where I made a speedy walk into the darkness. The massive girders of the trestle, built for Pennsylvania Railroad’s Atglen & Susquehanna Branch, loomed above me.

Although night had fallen, a hint of sunset remained in the western sky. I had an angle in mind that I hoped would capture the scale of the enormous viaduct.

Using my iPhone as a flashlight, I set up my 3Pod tripod just as the headlights of the eastward freight began to illuminate the tracks below.

I made several photos of the passing train, of which these two are my favorites.

Although these were exposed using a 50mm lens, next time I’d like to try a telephoto view.

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!

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Action Photos at Dusk

The long days of summer are fading fast. With each rotation of the Earth, there’s less light in the evening sky.

Kris and I had just passed Columbia, Pa., when we heard the Norfolk Southern River Line dispatcher talking to the approaching Enola–Edgemoor, Delaware, freight (train symbol 36A).

We turned around, and I started scouting for a suitable place to make action photos in the last light.

I settled on a grade crossing near Washington Boro, where I’ve photographed previously.

Working with my Nikon Z6 III, I made this sequence of images of the approaching train. Here, the concept of the sequence is important, as the group of photos tells the story. 

I picked a spot where the line curves at the end of a long tangent, a location that makes the most of the train. Although night was closing in, I hoped to demonstrate that one locomotive led a very long freight, but the angle was a little bit off. The old PRR electrification masts hint at the heritage of the line.

Photos processed using DxO PureRaw5 and PhotoLab9 to make the most of NEF raw data.

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light has explored railroad photography since 2012!

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I Wish I’d Done More of This!

In May 1988, I stood on a hill near Bullards Road in Hinsdale, Massachusetts, just west of Washington Summit, to photograph an eastward Conrail freight on the Boston Line.

This group of four loaded coal hoppers caught my attention: one each from B&O, C&O, Western Maryland, and Seaboard System. At the time, it represented the short history of CSX Transportation!

What a concept: freight cars owned by railroads and not covered in third-party paint.

Exposed on PKM—Professional Kodachrome 25—using my Leica M2 with 50mm Summicron lens.

Tracking the Light Looks Back!

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Hot Train on a Hot Day—Conrail’s Friday Only TV80W

I liked to seek out unusual trains: Second Sections, Extras, unit trains, and moves that operated once a week—or less.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Conrail’s Friday-only TV80W was a short, hot intermodal train that ran to Worcester, Massachusetts, over the Boston Line (former Boston & Albany).

August 12, 1988 was a steamer: hot, humid, and polluted.

I drove over to CP79, east of Palmer, Massachusetts, to catch the once-a-week intermodal train. On this day, it was powered by a pair of GE B23-7s, locomotives atypical for Conrail’s intermodal service.

Conditions were less than ideal for photography—flat light and hazy—but I made this 120-size black-and-white view with my father’s Rollei Model T. TV80W was waiting for a “limited clear” signal to exit the controlled siding after meeting a westward carload freight.

Two versions of the photo appear below: the unmodified scan and an adjusted version using Lightroom to eliminate spots and vignetting and improve contrast and highlight detail.

Scan from B&W negative without cosmetic adjustment. (Scan size scaled for internet presentation only)
Adjusted scan to improve contrast and overall appearance without eliminating the effects of the hot hazy afternoon. It was unpleasant to be outside that day.

Someone may ask, “What is a ‘hot’ freight?” To run “hot” means to operate quickly, often in excess of normal speed. A “hot freight” is a high-priority train. So, it was unusual to find TV80W sitting in a siding.

Tracking the Light has explored railroad photography for 14 years!