In the mid-1990s, I made a project out of photographing heritage steam on the former Denver & Rio Grande Western.

In September 1998, while working on my my book Narrow Gauge Steam Locomotives (MBI 1999), I made this trailing view of Cumbres & Toltec class K36 2-8-2 No. 484 ascending toward Cumbres Pass at the Tanglefoot Curve on the eastside of the pass—some of the highest altitude trackage in the United States.

This works for me on several levels. The most basic level is that it shows the locomotive working hard in its element. It follows variation on classic format; three-quarter sun, drive-rods down, etc.

While a preserved locomotive, it is on old home rails and yet I haven’t tried to disguise this image as a photo exposed 30 or more years earlier. Instead, I included ‘Cumbres & Toltec’ in speed lettering on the tender.

Tanglefoot Curve is a snaky-twist in the line that allows the railroad to maintain an even gradient; without over-emphasizing this unusual trackage, I’ve shown the rails on various levels.

Tuesday March 10th, I’m giving my next class on Railroad Photography at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The topic of this class is Steam Locomotives. For tickets see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/railroad-photography-the-steam-locomotive-with-brian-solomon-tickets-1984093349619?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Tracking the Light Explores Locomotive Photography!