The morning of 20 August 2003 was a warm one, and the day would gradually turn into a scorcher. It had been that way for a week.

Western Hungary reminded me of eastern Nebraska: flat, open, and agricultural with scruffy trees here and there, and a busy double track railway running through a broad river valley.

Where Nebraska’s double track railways are heavy diesel-hauled freight lines; in Hungary these lines are largely electrified and carry a mix of freight and passenger trains.

Denis McCabe and I were set up just east of the country station at Nagyszent-Janos to make the most of this warm morning.

For me the catenary masts are a crucial part of the scene both operationally and compositionally. Imagine the scene without the masts; how might I have composed the photo? Would it have worked considering the back lit conditions?

Tracking the Light Posts Daily.