Irish Rail Close-up and Real.
It would be something else if it were unreal, no?
I’ve always liked to make macro views of railways. Examining the texture, colors, and shape of the equipment, track and structures allows for better appreciation of the subject.
One of the best times to make close ups and detail photographs is under dramatic lighting; low sun or stormy light, where richer qualities make for more pleasing tones. Even the most mundane and ordinary subjects seem more interesting with great light.
Yet, detailed views can also make use of dull days when by focusing on texture and using extreme focus can compensate for flat lighting.
Irish Rail made for an especially good subject for detailed images, in part because there was so much antique equipment to photograph. Well-worn infrastructure is inherently fascinating. Here out in the open metal has been doing a job for decades and often it shows the scars from years of hard work, like an old weaver’s time weathered hands.
I’ve made hundreds of Irish Rail close-ups over the years. Here a just a few. Look around railways near you and see what you find! Sometimes the most interesting photographs can be made while waiting for trains.
Also see: Irish Rail at Ballybrophy, June 2006, Irish Rail Freight April 25-26, 2013 and Looking Back on Irish Railways 1998-2003
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The footbridge at Clonmel is within sight of the signal cabin, and there’s a signalman on duty most of the time. That might account for the survival of the builders plate. However, It’s been a good few years since I was last in Clonmel, and I don’t know if its still there.
All the best,
Brian Solomon
I’m intrigued by the Arrol Brothers builders plate on the footbridge at Clonmel. Builders plates were typically attached
at the cross truss at the end of the span and securely riveted to the structure as the 4 rivets at the ends of this plate
attest. However, these rivets do not go through any of the diagonal straps. Is the plate just setting on the diagonals with its weight on the two bottom rivets holding it up, or is is there a short strap behind the plate but running outside the two diagonals to clamp it to the structure. If it’s the former case, how is it that the plate has not been stollen by a collector of historic builders plates?
Best wishes, Bill Garrrison