The glint of the setting sun caught Amtrak’s Keystone racing east of Lancaster. When the engineer greeted me with an enthusiastic rendition of “Shave and a Haircut—Two Bits!” punctuated by an extra-sharp final blast, I focused on the head end.
There it was: Amtrak ACS-64 No. 657, adorned with Amtrak’s Freedom 250th banner!
I panned the patriotic locomotive as it zipped by at speed.
Happy 250th from Tracking the Light!
The sun was getting low when I caught SEPTA’s Conrail Heritage Unit inbound at Elkins Park, Pa. This vintage Silverliner IV multiple unit was wearing the Conrail ‘can opener’ and an early version of the SEPTA logo to pay tribute to the Conrail influence on SEPTA in its early years.
In the spirit of retro-railroading, I’ve adjusted the color profile of this photo to resemble an image exposed on Kodachrome 25.
Tracking the Light Examines Railroad Photography!
We call them ‘blinky bugs’.
Riverfront Park in Marietta is a peaceful place along the banks of the Susquehanna and nice spot to wait for a freight on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Secondary.
On previous visits Kris and I could watch the fireflies, while listening to a distant train rolling down the river.
The other night featured the appearance of the brilliant full moon— a radiant golden orb that gradually rose in the eastern sky.
As we waited, I made photos of the moon and blinky bugs using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.
Focusing was a problem, finding the ideal exposure was another.
This image required substantial contrast and exposure control in post-processing.
After an hour, no steel wheels had graced the former PRR lines crossing Vinegar Ferry Road that leads to the park. With no distant rumble and work the next morning, we departed for home. At Washington Boro, the signals indicated than an eastbound was in the picture, but we were out of time. Observing the nocturnal passage of freight would have to wait for another evening’s adventures.
Tracking the Light explores photography!
We caught up with this eastbound Norfolk Southern freight approaching the west-end of Enola Yard near Marysville, Pa.
My intent was to demonstrate trackage on three distinct alignments, an effort aided by the cross lit afternoon sun.
To make the most of the moment, I was working with two cameras; one with a 70-200mm zoom, the other with a 24-70mm zoom.
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad photography!
Having arrived on the shuttle bus more than an hour ahead of departure, we were in position on the Staunton station platform in time for Virginia Scenic Railway’s Summer of Steam deadhead move.
Buckingham Branch diesels led the excursion consist on its westward positioning trip. The train rolled through the station before returning eastward for a grand entrance.
Here’s a hint: the deadhead was the digi-photo op.
These photos were exposed using my Nikon Z6-III. [I reserved the proper entrance for film.]
Tracking the Light examines railroad photography!
With ticket reservations in hand, we arrived early at Virginia Scenic Railway’s C&O Flats Station to catch the shuttle bus across town to the historic C&O station in downtown Staunton.
This was a big day for me, a long time coming. Finally, I’d get my trip in a Budd Vista dome behind Norfolk & Western J No. 611.
Virginia Scenic’s demonstration train made for a stunning silhouette as we waited to board the bus. Exposed using a Nikon Z6-III.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography daily!
Modern Class I freight railroading is often a story told through double-stacked containers riding in articulated well cars.
Thirty-five years ago, JB Hunt was a newcomer to the railroads. I still remember the novelty of seeing JB Hunt trailers aboard Santa Fe piggyback trains in the California Tehachapis.
Today, Norfolk Southern moves mile-long trains of JB Hunt containers, stacked two high, along the Susquehanna River.
What these containers are carrying remains a mystery—perhaps everything from powdered laundry detergent to Chinese-made electronics.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography daily!
I grew up with my dad’s photographs of the Norfolk & Western’s streamlined steam, both J’s and K’s.
Although No. 611 was first restored to service while I was in high school, it wasn’t until the summer of 1994 that I finally saw it in action. John Gruber and I drove to northern Indiana, where we intercepted the locomotive charging along the former Nickel Plate Road at speed.
In 2002, I visited 611 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. Having seen the locomotive under steam, it was strange to encounter it as a cold museum exhibit.
A dozen years later, I caught up with the engine again at North Carolina Transportation Museum during the Streamliners at Spencer event. Then, in 2015, Pat Yough and I made the trek to Manassas to photograph 611 on mainline excursions.
When Kris and I moved to Pennsylvania in 2023, 611 was on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Later, it operated excursion trains on the Strasburg Rail Road, where we made action photographs—albeit at relatively slow speeds.
Last week, we had tickets to travel on a Virginia Scenic Railway’s Summer of Steam excursion from Staunton. We drove to Virginia the day before and enjoyed a quiet interlude along Goose Creek Road as 611 worked an eastbound excursion over the former Chesapeake and Ohio.
It was a pleasure to have the locomotive all to ourselves.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
In March, Kris and I had scoped out Old Goose Creek Road. Last week we returned in time to catch Amtrak’s westward Cardinal and then wait for Virginia Scenic Railway’s afternoon Summer of Steam Excursion.
While it had been windy and raining on our first visit here, this trip found clear blue skies.
I made these photos of Amtrak using my Z6-III with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom. Only a few minutes elapsed between trains, but in the Spirit of anticipation, I’ll post the views of the Summer of Steam led by Norfolk & Western 611 in my next post!
Tracking the Light Explores the processes of making railroad photographs!
As we drove east, I thought I heard a train calling signals on the radio.
We pulled in at Duncannon at the old Pennsylvania Railroad station. This location is on a sweeping curve and offers a good view of the Susquehanna River.
I waited for a minute, listening for a train. Sure enough, there was the telltale ‘chug’ of GE diesels and the dull roar of freight cars on the roll.
Looking to the west, I headlight illuminated the rails shortly before this eastward freight rolled into view.
I made these images of the passing train using my Z6 with 24-70mm lens.
In the old days, I described this type of railroad image as a “three-quarter” view—a straightforward, formulaic action photograph that has long been prized by railroad photographers. Blue skies, puffy clouds, and over-the-shoulder lighting: sometimes the simplest approach is the best one.
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography.
On our June 2026 visit to SEPTA’s Elkins Park station, I made these seven digital images in an effort to capture the historical and contemporary contrasts of this classic suburban station on the former Philadelphia & Reading.
In an era when many stations are little more than a platform and a parking lot, it is refreshing to find one that remains true to its roots.
Tracking the Light explores railroad architecture!
During my travels, I’ve found that several loosely-defined phases influence how I approach railroad photography.
These may be described as:
These phases may span days, weeks, years, or even a lifetime. Sometimes I skip a step, and often the phases overlap. However, they frequently alter the way I see a railroad or interpret a place.
In late 1989, I made my survey trips to California’s Donner Pass. The photographs I made during that initial exploration were very different from the images I created during later phases of my work there. Yet those early photographs laid the groundwork for the more refined images that followed.
Complicating this process is when the Discovery phase coincides with the onset of significant change to the subject. This can be frustrating, since a railroad may be at its most interesting to me before my understanding of it—and my photography—have had an opportunity to mature and reach a stage of refinement.
My phases are easiest to describe when discussing my BIG projects—the detailed, intesive visual studies. The phases are more complicated to understand when I rush into a situation where it is necessary to skip, combine, or reverse the order of phases.
There have also been countless occasions during my travels when all of the phases were necessarily-compressed into a single brief experience, such as a one-time chase of freight through unfamiliar territory.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
Why settle for one view, if you can make two?
Under a bright midday June sky, Kris and I were exploring Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line west of Enola. I made this pair of photos from rural grade crossing of an eastward double stack freight on the roll.
In the lead was NS ES44DC 7501. While a common looking locomotive, this is no spring chicken. It was among the early GE-Evolution Series diesels, and built at Erie back in early 2004.
The top photo was exposed using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70-200mm lens set at 200mm; the bottom image was made a few seconds later with my Z6 with a 24-70mm set at 32mm.
I’m undecided as to which image I prefer.
Tracking the Light examines railroad photography!
Elkins Park—Revisited
On June 18, 2026, I presented my program on Conway Scenic Railroad to the Philadelphia Chapter of the NRHS at the former Reading Company station at Elkins Park.
A year ago, I presented my program on Philadelphia Trains and Trolleys to the same group at the same venue.
However, whereas last year we were met by sudden violent storm with high winds, rain, and lightning that broke trees and wreaked havoc on SEPTA’s evening commute, this year we were greeted by clear skies, and warm-but-pleasant evening weather. While waiting for the group to gather, I made a variety of images of SEPTA’s trains at the Elkins Park Station.
I made this view of an inbound Silverliner IV working an Airport service paused for a brief station stop.
More Elkins Park photos coming soon!
On our way home, we exited Rt 30 at Greenfield Road in Lancaster, Pa. The clock read 9:36pm.
“The local should be working High.”
As we drove under Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line, we could see that four freshly delivered flat cars of steel had been delivered to High Steel Structures. And Norfolk Southern’s local freight had paused on the other side of the road.
It had been a long day, we were tired, but here was a photo opportunity!
“This will take just a minute.”
I pulled in, and retrieved my Nikon Z6 from the back of the car, set the ISO to 10000, and adjusted my autofocus settings. I placed the camera close to the ground and used the rear display to compose my images.
In no time we were on our way again.
Tracking the Light Examines Railroad Photography!
In the surreal darkness along the Marietta Industrial Track near CP Shocks, I made these views of the setting crescent moon in a crisp June sky.
I exposed in Nikon NEF RAW for 4 to 5 seconds using my Nikon Z6-III set at ISO 800 and 1000 respectively. The camera was firmly mounted on my 3Pod tripod.
I adjusted each of the files in Lightroom to better balance the exposure and contrast for the evening light. I gave a slightly different treatment to each photo.
Tracking the Light Posts Daily!
It is only a number, but I think catching Norfolk Southern 4444 leading a westward manifest freight on the Pittsburgh Line made for more interesting photographs than if a similar locomotive had carried a more common road number. This unusual type of numeral is known as a repdigit.
The freight consisted of more than 180 cars. In addition to 4444, a mid-train DPU provided extra power. This separation of locomotives is now common on many modern road freights. Among the advantages of DPU operation is a reduction in drawbar stress on the trailing coupler of the lead locomotive. This helps railroads operate and better control very long trains.
The technique behind the photographs also merits examination. Among the benefits of modern digital processing is the ability to control and adjust color contrast to best suit the scene. These images would not have made especially compelling photographs on Kodachrome. However, by exposing digitally to maximize data capture and then processing the files to carefully place highlights and shadows while controlling contrast, it is possible to produce pleasing images in difficult lighting conditions.
I like blending four concepts into a single essay. Each of these four paragraphs discusses a different topic relating to the photographs. A novice might ask what a repdigit has to do with DPU operations and photographic contrast control. The answer is simple: “these photographs.” I don’t know that it needs to be any more complicated than that.
Tracking the Light Examines Railroad Photography!
Of the railroad lines radiating from Lancaster, Norfolk Southern’s Columbia Secondary represents a photographic challenge. This short former Pennsylvania Railroad electrified line connects Lancaster and Columbia, Pa., but lacks the scenic splendor, open vistas, and historic structures that have aided my photography on other lines in the area.
On a warm evening, Kris and I were approaching Columbia on South Front Street when I heard the sound of EMD diesels working in Run 8. When we arrived at the grade crossing near the old Philadelphia & Reading freight house, Norfolk Southern freight H-19 from Enola was crawling through town, ascending the grade as it climbed away from the Susquehanna River.
We jumped onto Route 30 and drove east to Mountville, where I had previously scoped out a few potential locations. We arrived several minutes ahead of the train. As it passed, I made these images using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70–200mm zoom lens and a Nikon Z6 with a 24–70mm zoom. The freight totaled more than 80 cars, including several flatcars carrying structural steel.
It was a good show!
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
On this day in 2010, John Gruber and I chased a Wisconsin & Southern local toward Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. This was John’s backyard, and I was along for the ride. Over the years, John and I made numerous photographic expeditions along Wisconsin & Southern’s lines radiating from Madison.
I had purchased a new Canon EOS 7D just a few weeks earlier and was still relatively new to digital photography. I was curious to see what I could do with this new tool.
For this view, I fitted my Canon 200mm prime telephoto lens to the digital body. The 7D’s APS-C sensor represented Canon’s latest innovation. It enabled me to work at ISO 400 while retaining a high level of detail, while the sensor’s ‘1.6x crop factor’ gave the 200mm lens approximately the same angle of view as a 320mm lens on a traditional full-frame 35mm film camera.
Using greater telephoto compression, I made the most of the roadside utility lines and the patterns created by the highway itself, incorporating them as compositional elements surrounding the locomotive as it crossed the road. I like the color and classic lines of the EMD SD40-2 working long-hood first. The soft color palette and contrast of this image were partially a function of the Canon sensor and optics.
In fact, I was mimicking a similar composition that I’d made 18 years earlier on Kodachrome using 400mm Tokina lens featuring an NHV GP9 crossing Highway 116 near Littleton on the former Boston & Maine New Hampshire Division route to Groveton/Berlin—but that’s really a story for another day.
This Wisconsin & Southern image was exposed on June 16, 2010; f/5.6, 1/125 second, ISO 400. Although I’ve made modest adjustments to contrast and color balance, this JPEG was created from the original Canon CR2 RAW file.
Tracking the Light Explores Railway Image Making!
As previously presented on Tracking the Light, Amtrak ACS-64 No. 642 is dressed in a special paint livery honoring American veterans.
Amtrak Keystone 658 was due.
I didn’t realize that No. 642 was leading the train until it came into view.
After exposing my planned long-telephoto image to make the most of the evening glint, I quickly adjusted the lens from 200mm to 70mm and panned with the locomotive to take advantage of the distinctive paint scheme. As the train passed, I received a salute from the head end.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
A few days ago I posted this mystery photo that I exposed in November 1987 of an Erie Railroad Station . See: https://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/erie-railroad-station-november-1987/
I received a variety of guesses.
Only Walter E. Zullig correctly identified the location: Jamestown, New York.
Tracking the Light Explores the Mysteries of Railroad image-making!
Hot weather last week made for sauna-like conditions along the Susquehanna River.
We pulled into Port Deposit, where a riverside park offers views of the four long-span bridges that cross the river between Perryville and Havre de Grace, Maryland.
I made this photograph using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70–200mm lens, then cropped the image to better feature an Amtrak Regional train crossing the most distant bridge. The train was powered by ACS-64 electric locomotives at each end.
Tracking the Light posts new material every day!
Since through freights tend to run in the evening, the long days offer excellent opportunities for photography on the Port Road Secondary. That proved true last week when we found the signals lined for an eastbound freight as the glow of sunset illuminated the western sky.
Working with my Z6-III with 50mm f1.4, I made these photos near Washington Boro, Pennsylvania.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
The former Pennsylvania Railroad station and adjacent underpass at Christiana, Pa., have been a recurring theme on Tracking the Light. Recently, I posted a sequence from this location, noting that I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the results. On Tuesday evening, I set up at a different angle on this familiar scene, this time photographing from street level as Amtrak Keystone 656 raced by.
This image was exposed using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera fitted with a 24–70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens.
I wondered what the photograph might look like with different historical film profiles applied, so I imported the RAW file into DxO FilmPack 7 and experimented with several presets. Each profile is identified in the caption below its respective image.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!
Over hill and dale, following directions supplied by Google Maps, we set out on our first attempt to chase a train between Safe Harbor and Peach Bottom. There were plenty of twists and turns, but we made it!
And finally, after nearly a year of occasional visits—checking the light and sun angles in autumn, winter, and spring—we scored a daylight freight at Peach Bottom.
Hooray!
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography Everyday.
Beginning in 1986, I made a project of photographing vestiges of the former Erie Railroad. While this often included Conrail freights and antique signal installations, I also focused on the railroad’s architecture.
To my knowledge, I made just one photo of this former Erie Railroad passenger station, exposed on Kodachrome 25 in November 1987.
Can you guess the location? Thankfully, I wrote it on the slide mount. I’ve seen relatively few photos of this station.
Tracking the Light Explores Railway Photography!
Central Vermont Railway crossing the Conrail diamonds northbound; Palmer, Massachusetts. In October 1984, I exposed this image using my father’s Rolleiflex Model T loaded with Kodak Vericolor II Type S 120 roll film. I scanned the negative in 2010 using an Epson V500 flatbed scanner. Epson’s software automatically reversed the image and compensated for the orange mask inherent in color negative film. The image required only minimal color adjustment in Lightroom for presentation here.
This was a heavy train ambling east on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Secondary. Catching a road freight in daylight on this route is always a prize.
We arrived at Blue Rock Road near Washington Boro several minutes ahead of the train.
I made these digital images near the boat launch along the Susquehanna River. I like this location because it is on a long tangent and shows the old Pennsylvania Railroad electrification polls.
Some 45 years have passed since the last electric freight traversed this route.
Tracking the Light Posts Daily!
At 7pm on June 18, 2026, I’ll be presenting a program on Conway Scenic Railroad to the Philadelphia Chapter NRHS at the Elkins Park SEPTA Station.
It was a clear evening. We paused briefly at Christiana, Pa., to roll by Amtrak Keystone 658.
The scene was unclutered and I wanted to feature the station and underpass that is the centerpiece of former Pennsylvania Railroad infrastructure in the town.
I framed up the station with a broad window of sunlight beyond the railroad bridge over the road.
When train 658 came into view, I exposed a rapid-fire burst of images with my Nikon Z6 fitted with a 24-70mm zoom set to 24mm.
In the first frame of this sequence, ACS-64 643 leading the train hadn’t made it far enough into the photo and an objectionable shadow fell on the side of the locomotive intersecting Amtrak’s logo.
In the second frame, the locomotive appears to be in visual conflict with the trees/hedges in the background.
The third is nearly satisfactory, except the front of the locomotive is alarmingly close to the righthand edge of the photo.
I think this might need another attempt. I just hope that next time I score another freshly cleaned ACS-64.
Tracking the Light Examines Railroad Photography Daily!
A few weeks back on Tracking the Light, I featured a pair of abstract images of a Norfolk Southern freight crossing the arched bridge over Vinegar Ferry Road in Marietta, Pennsylvania.
Kris and I had a fortunate opportunity to return in daylight, arriving just in time to catch a freight rolling by in the early evening.
The long days and sun in the western sky made for some beautiful lighting at this location.
I made this photograph using my Nikon Z6 III fitted with an f/1.4 50mm lens.
This was a heavy train and moving at a relatively slow pace, so, seizing the opportunity, we soon found ourselves in rapid pursuit. I had a few locations in mind where I hoped to photograph a daylight freight on the Port Road Secondary.
Stay tuned . . .
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photograph Night and Day!
As a follow up to yesterday’s post Too Much Corn, Too Little Train, today’s post is about some alternative views of the same scene.
Some photographers are content to work with one camera and just one lens, aiming to carefully craft the perfect composition with the tools in hand. I was once that way—when I was young and carried a Leica IIIA everywhere.
Not these days. I usually have at least two cameras with me. Plus a ‘spare’, (you know, just in case.)
So, when I wasn’t 100 percent sure about my ‘perfect composition’ with wavey corn, I reached for my Z7-II fitted with a 70-200mm and popped off a few long views.
In the end, I much prefer these telephoto images over the wide views displayed yesterday. But, I thought, I’d argue otherwise.
Today, Tracking the Light Takes the Telephoto View!
It seemed like a great idea for a textured composition: wavy rows of corn illuminated by the late afternoon sun. I set up my Nikon Z6 with a 24–70mm lens on a tripod and framed the scene.
Strasburg Rail Road’s 4 p.m. train was returning from Leaman Place, working up the short grade from Cherry Hill toward Esbenshade Road.
Sometimes the engine crew makes a bit of smoke while climbing the grade. Not today, though. The engineer kept a clean stack—great for efficiency, but I was hoping for a little smoke to help tie the scene together.
Instead, the train is almost lost amid the waves of corn and scruffy trees.
Nice try; no prize…
However, I had a second camera fitted with a long telephoto lens…
Tracking the Light Critically Examines Railroad Photography!
Another night, another unit coal train.
This one had quite a roll on when we caught up with it at Columbia, Pa., on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Branch
“There’s the head-end!”
“That’s the mid-train DPU. . . “
“Oh. . . “
I knew with a bit of driving we would still beat it to Safe Harbor.
We arrived in near total darkness, and I thought I’d try a different angle, so I set up for broadside view on the NS bridge, while featuring the lowest bridge in the foreground, and the old Enola Low Grade Bridge up above.
At one time all three carried tracks.
We didn’t wait long before the chug of GE’s shattered the evening quiet.
For the headend, I had my Nikon Z6-III on a tripod, but for the coal cars and DPU photos, I panned the train hand-held.
Tracking the Light Posts Daily About Railroad Photography!
Here we have a former Burlington Northern SD40-2 on Wisconsin & Southern casting its reflection in a puddle in the Madison, Wisconsin yard.
How long does it take you to spot and recognize the incongruous element in this scene?
Using my Canon EOS 7D, I made this image during a visit to Madison with John Gruber in June 2013. Below are two versions processed from the original Canon CR2 RAW file using DxO PureRAW. The top image was converted to JPEG without cosmetic corrections in Adobe Lightroom. The bottom image received a subtle contrast adjustment in DxO PhotoLab, making the incongruous detail easier to spot.
Tracking the Light examines perception!
The grime of mud season has been washed away and the crisp Spring evening sun makes for some nice light.
I arrived at Jefferson Drive about five minutes before Amtrak Keystone 658 was due to pass. (It takes about three minutes to reach this location after departing the Amtrak station in Lancaster, Pa.)
A month ago, I was framing up photos to make the most of evening glint. This time of year, by the time 658 passes the sun is still high in the western sky.
Rather than make a hard glint photo, I opted for a broadside view to make the most of the bright specular light. I set my Nikon Z6-III with a comparatively slow shutter speed (1/250th) in order to make a panned photo making use of speed blur to help separate the Amtrak electric locomotive from the foreground and background.
Here are three photos exposed in rapid succession as the train raced east.
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography!
