Beginning with the February 2017 issue (expected toward the end of December), I’ll be featured in a regular opinion column for Trains Magazine.
This is a new and exciting opportunity for me. With it I hope to explore a range of topics over the coming months
The idea for a regular Brian Solomon column came about as result of my conversations with Editor Jim Wrinn and Assistant Editor Brian Schmidt who were intrigued by my comparisons between European and North American railroading.
Unlike Tracking the Light, which is focused largely on photography, my Trains columns will be aimed at the railroad industry, its operations and practices.
I’ll be writing narratives that draw from my knowledge of history and technology. My hope to is to both entertain and inform, while also offering unusual perspectives on railroads.
I’ve been contributing to Trains Magazine since 1984. My first published photo in Trains had featured this Mass Bay RRE excursion (that had operated from Boston to Brattleboro, Vermont on February 25, 1984). The photo that appeared in the magazine was an angle of the Amtrak F40PHs on the south end of the train in the Brattleboro yard; by contrast these views were of the train shortly after it arrived at Brattleboro station. All were exposed using my old Leica 3A with 50mm Summitar.Although it was sunny at New London, by the time we’d reached Brattleboro it was raining very hard. I got soaked making my photographs. At the time I was senior at Monson Jr.-Sr High School, and David P. Morgan was still Trains Editor-in-Chief. Ironically, the original negative that was published in Trains, remains among my missing photographs. Hopefully it may resurface one of these days. This pair of images were from my ‘out-takes’, and I only recently rediscovered them.
Tracking the Light will continue to post everyday!
I don’t recall any special favors, but back in those days it seems fans were granted more liberal unofficial access. I simply walked back into the yard and snapped away. I wasn’t alone.
Thanks for all the details on the trip.
Brian
wts on said:
I recently got my copy of the Trains DVD. Despite their execrable search function (I’m being polite), I found your first published photo on page 17 of the July, 1984, Trains in the “Railroad News Photos” section. It’s a head-on shot (the caption was about the MBRRE sign on the right front of the engine – probably placed there by Vic Campbell) with the very long (relative to our trips these days) train curving off to the right with very few people on the ground. Did you do something special to be off the train to get the shot?
I suspect Trains cropped the photo, but it’s a successful photo nevertheless. I like it better than either of the 2 photos above.
If anyone is interested, in trying to find your photo I came across an extensive article by Tom Nelligan in the Feb, 1985, issue: “50 Years of Fan Trips” which is all about the MBRRE and what’s involved in planning and running the trips. I recognized many of the names in the article as people who are active today. But I would not have recognized them from the photos – perhaps due to the poor scans of the photos (grin).
I’m looking forward to your column. The Editors made a wise decision!
BEST OF LUCK – Looking forward to the Solomon column!
b.t.w., The train you picture at Brattleboro: I was omn, doing ticket collection for MBRRE. The train had to run in two sections out of Boston as the CV interchange track at New Lodon was not long enough to accommodate the lengthy consist. Both sections turned on the Wye at Groton CT, then backed to New London, then pulled into East New London (on the CV Ry) where they were joined.
DAN SMITH on said:
Great news that. Delighted to hear it.
Robert Willoughby Jones on said:
TRAINS will indeed be enhanced by your presence, Brian. I join your many fans who look forward to this with great anticipation.
Dave Clinton on said:
Congratulations, Brian! I’ll be checking out your column first thing, when I get my Trains. So glad that Bob introduced me to you so very long ago! Dave
Congratulations, Brian!
I, also, will be one of TRAINS’ “first look” readers of your column. Roger
JMS on said:
Congrats!
-JMS
Bill Sample on said:
Congratulations on boarding Trains magazine, Brian!
Your photos from long ago brought back some good memories as I was on that trip, boarding at Providence. If I remember correctly the train was so long it had to run in two sections Boston to East New London (CV) where the sections were combined. That was probably the Mass Bay RRE’s longest train in recent decades.
Anonymous on said:
Brian,
Congratulations!!
Have a Merry Christmas. You already have a start on a Happy New Year!
Yeh, Clambake has mis-laid several of my favorite slides as well… one during the Keefe era and several during the Hemphill era. Annoying as Hell. But if you are going to be featured, I guess I’d better resubscribe…
Congratulations Brian! I’ve been reading TRAINS since 1958 – I always look forward to its arrival, and am eager to add your column to my “first look” regular list!
I don’t recall any special favors, but back in those days it seems fans were granted more liberal unofficial access. I simply walked back into the yard and snapped away. I wasn’t alone.
Thanks for all the details on the trip.
Brian
I recently got my copy of the Trains DVD. Despite their execrable search function (I’m being polite), I found your first published photo on page 17 of the July, 1984, Trains in the “Railroad News Photos” section. It’s a head-on shot (the caption was about the MBRRE sign on the right front of the engine – probably placed there by Vic Campbell) with the very long (relative to our trips these days) train curving off to the right with very few people on the ground. Did you do something special to be off the train to get the shot?
I suspect Trains cropped the photo, but it’s a successful photo nevertheless. I like it better than either of the 2 photos above.
If anyone is interested, in trying to find your photo I came across an extensive article by Tom Nelligan in the Feb, 1985, issue: “50 Years of Fan Trips” which is all about the MBRRE and what’s involved in planning and running the trips. I recognized many of the names in the article as people who are active today. But I would not have recognized them from the photos – perhaps due to the poor scans of the photos (grin).
I’m looking forward to your column. The Editors made a wise decision!
BEST OF LUCK – Looking forward to the Solomon column!
b.t.w., The train you picture at Brattleboro: I was omn, doing ticket collection for MBRRE. The train had to run in two sections out of Boston as the CV interchange track at New Lodon was not long enough to accommodate the lengthy consist. Both sections turned on the Wye at Groton CT, then backed to New London, then pulled into East New London (on the CV Ry) where they were joined.
Great news that. Delighted to hear it.
TRAINS will indeed be enhanced by your presence, Brian. I join your many fans who look forward to this with great anticipation.
Congratulations, Brian! I’ll be checking out your column first thing, when I get my Trains. So glad that Bob introduced me to you so very long ago! Dave
Sounds like a great opportunity! Congrats 🙂
Congratulations, Brian!
I, also, will be one of TRAINS’ “first look” readers of your column. Roger
Congrats!
-JMS
Congratulations on boarding Trains magazine, Brian!
Your photos from long ago brought back some good memories as I was on that trip, boarding at Providence. If I remember correctly the train was so long it had to run in two sections Boston to East New London (CV) where the sections were combined. That was probably the Mass Bay RRE’s longest train in recent decades.
Brian,
Congratulations!!
Have a Merry Christmas. You already have a start on a Happy New Year!
Bob Bentley
Congrats! If you need anything, let me know!
Dan
Yeh, Clambake has mis-laid several of my favorite slides as well… one during the Keefe era and several during the Hemphill era. Annoying as Hell. But if you are going to be featured, I guess I’d better resubscribe…
Thank you!
Congratulations Brian! I’ve been reading TRAINS since 1958 – I always look forward to its arrival, and am eager to add your column to my “first look” regular list!