Not really. In 2010, the massive eruptions of a volcano in Iceland brought havoc to air-travel across Europe. Personally, I was seriously inconvenienced on several occasions.
But the ash did make for some stunning sunsets!
I made this view of the Stockholm Metro on May 6, 2010 using my Lumix LX3.
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Amtrak’s Springfield-Hartford-New Haven shuttle, train 495, arrived in New Haven. We had just a few minutes to make photos before train 95 (Boston-Newport News) arrived early behind new ACS-64 624.
On an adjacent track, a set of old Metro-North multiple units were ready for their final journey.
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It is 8:00 am on Thursday, June 25, 2015 and my father and I are riding Amtrak 495 toward New Haven, Connecticut where we’ll change for train 95 from Boston.
We are on our way to New York City for an expert tour of the New York subway system.
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Friday nights trackside represents a tradition going back more than three decades. Back in the day, Bob Buck would hold court at his Tucker’s Hobbies in Warren, Massachusetts, then we’d head down to Palmer for dinner and afterwards convene at the old railroad station to watch trains pass in the night.
I’d make photographs.
A group of us have maintained the tradition and still meet in Palmer some Fridays. However, a few weeks back Rich Reed offered a suggestion, “Lets do something different. How about we meet in Worcester, and I’ll drive everyone to Mansfield where we can watch the Acela blast by at 150mph.”
We opted for one of the long days of June, and proceeded to plan.
As we all recalled later on, even this idea had originated with Bob Buck. Back in the 1980s, Bob would take a summer evening and drive a group of us to the old New Haven Shoreline route.
Sometimes Bob would bring us to Readville, other times Mansfield, or Attleboro. We’d variously meet with locals, including Dave Clinton and Bob Karambelas, who’d show us new locations and share railway information. On at least one occasion we visited Edaville and traveled on the narrow gauge.
At the end of this June 2015 evening we made a toast to the memory Bob Buck—the man who brought us all together and for years shared the railroad with us.
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Earlier this month on my visit to Harrisburg, I made the opportunity to photograph the Harrisburg Station, now officially the Harrisburg Transportation Center.
Harrisburg is one of America’s last active stations with a traditional train shed over the platforms.
The last time I photographed this station was back in the summer of 1989 with my friend TSH on one of our big two-week long Pennsylvania-centered photo adventures. Back then we’d timed our visit to intercept Amtrak’s Broadway Limited. Hard to believe but its been about 20 years since Amtrak ceased running that classic train.
These photos were exposed on June 3, 2015 using my Fujifilm X-T1 and Lumix LX7 digital cameras. Back then I’d been using Kodachrome 25. For me, what is interesting is that in both instances the lighting conditions were about the same.
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Forty Five Minute Exposure at Old Gorge on Kodachrome 25
Back in the day, I’d attempt to make long exposures on Kodachrome 25. I was facing a nearly insurmountable wall of diminishing returns, because of this film’s reciprocity curve it suffered very poor low-light sensitivity. In extremely low light (when minimum exposure times were calculated to be longer than about 5 minutes), K25’s effective ISO rating approached zero.
This view was made on the west slope of Donner Pass using my Nikon F3T fitted with an f1.8 105mm lens (opened to f1.8) and firmly mounted on a Bogen 3021 tripod. I opened the shutter to allow for the passing of westward SP freight. The head-end headlights and oscillating lights helped illuminate the setting, while the light streaks were largely the result of the helper at the back.
At the left, you can see the lights of Sacramento, California, more than 50 miles away and some 2,000 feet lower. What’s missing is the tremendous sense of elevation and the vast depth of the American River Canyon at the left. Here we have empty black space.
The scene was cosmic. The sound show was sublime. My slide? Not so great. In a situation like this one, Provia 100F would have performed much better, but it didn’t exist then. Today’s Digital cameras would be vastly superior. Compare this view, to the images I made at State Line Tunnel back in February.
See: State Line Tunnel by the Light of the Moon.(<—This is a link, click it to see great night photos!)
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Over the years I’ve made a lot of photos at the Palmer diamond, where CSX (ex Conrail, nee Boston & Albany and etc) crosses New England Central (ex Central Vermont.) at grade.
The other day I decided to take a completely new angle on this well-photographed spot and I set my camera to monochrome (ex black & white) with a red filter adjustment (applied digitally and is among the Fuji X-T1 preset ‘color profiles’) then set the camera to make a panoramic composite.
I hold the shutter button down and sweep the camera laterally, the camera automatically exposes a burst of images and then sews them together internally. In this case, I set the sweep from right to left.
If you look carefully, there’s a stationary New England Central GP38 on the north-side of the diamond crossing.
This is essentially the same type of function/option now offered by many smart phones. However, I’m exposing the images using my Fujinon 18-135mm lens (which allows me to set the focal length of the pan) and the end file is about a 17mb JPG, which produces fairly detailed image.
I’ll post more panoramic composites over the coming days/months.
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Happy Father’s Day Pop!
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On June 6, 2015, I made a series of images contrasting a modern commuter train with a famous steaming visitor at Manassas, Virginia. (Hint: the crowds are not out for the diesel.)
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This train originated in Boston the night before. I recall in the 1980s, when this run used to be named the Night Owl. Back in those times it ran Boston-Washington and carried a sleeping car.
At some point it was re-named the Twilight Shoreliner and carried a Viewliner. These days it’s the nameless train 67, which runs from Boston to Newport News, Virginia., sans Viewliner.
It’s a pity there’s no Amtrak sleeping car service overnight on the Corridor anymore.
Doug Riddell provided this location for Pat Yough and me during our Virginia-tour in early June. Eleven years earlier, Doug and I photographed a CSX coal train from nearly the same spot.
Yesterday’s post (see: A Thoroughbred versus a Heron) featured a series of photos of a Norfolk Southern freight on the lift bridge in the foreground that were made just a few minutes before I exposed this image.
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Tracking the Light posts new material everyday!
Daily Posts are typically available by about 3am Eastern Standard Time (specific posting times vary). Extra posts may be sent out at any time. Many posts feature two or more photos.
In addition there are feeds to Brian Solomon Publishing on Facebook, and also to Tumbler, Google Plus, and Twitter.
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If you do not receive a new post alert you can always check the Tracking the Light home page at: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/
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I’d spotted the Heron standing on the old Southern Railway lift-bridge at Richmond’s Great Ship Lock Park, before I heard the low throb of the 645 diesel.
“There’s a train coming.”
Doug Riddell was giving Pat Yough and me a thorough tour of the area, and we were looking for an angle to photograph Amtrak 67 on the nearby Chesapeake & Ohio viaduct.
I focused on the bird. Would it stay still long enough to catch it with the locomotive?
Here my zoom lens was invaluable. I made tight angle of the heron, and then pulled back to include the scene.
The SD40-2 eased around the bend. I kept my eye on the bird. How long would it stand there? Finally as the train drew closer the bird raised its wings and with a squawk took flight. I exposed a short burst of images. The tightest is a cropped view.
Next on the program: Amtrak 67 to Newport News.
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Amtrak’s Autotrain (trains 52/53) is one of America’s most unusual daily services. This runs non-stop between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida and is designed as a passenger/auto ferry.
It is Amtrak’s longest and heaviest train. It is one of the only trains that is regularly scheduled to use the older 800-series General Electric Genesis diesel-electrics (model P40).
Because of its length and unusual motive power, it makes for an interesting subject, provided you can find a place to photograph it that conveys these attributes.
On Monday, June 8, 2015, Doug Riddell met Pat Yough and me at Ashland, Virginia. Among our goals for the day were to photograph Amtrak 52 (the northward Autotrain).
Based on our experience a few days earlier (see: Tracking the Light visits Ashland, Virginia—June 4, 2015) where we’d photographed the southward Autotrain in the rain, I’d suggested Ashland because of the long tangent and accessibility. Doug concurred and suggested a favorite spot near Patrick Street.
And so we waited. Good things come to those who wait! The morning was clear, and although 52 fell down a bit (it was running behind schedule), its delay benefited us greatly. Not only were we treated to a steady parade of northward trains with soft June sunlight, but the light gradually improved.
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In early June, in between other Virginia-based rail-events, Pat Yough and I made a brief visit to Norfolk, Virginia to take a spin on that city’s new light rail system, which is cleverly called ‘The Tide.’
Nice Siemens trams (light rail vehicles) glide along on regular intervals. Part of the route is built on an old railroad right of way. It is my understanding that plans are in the works to extend the route east toward Virginia Beach.
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It was 30 years ago today that I made this photograph on the platform at White River Junction, Vermont.
The conductor on Central Vermont freight 447 is waiting for his train to pull forward so that he can get on the caboose.
That morning T.S. Hoover and I met Ed Beaudette on the platform. Ed supplied us with a line-up, and we made good use of the information. (Thanks Ed!)
After chasing CV 447 north, we returned to White River Junction and followed a southward Boston & Maine freight toward Bellows Falls.
At the end of the day we met George C. Corey at Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts) on the Boston & Albany and photographed the Conrail Office Car Special that was in town for Superintendent E.C. Cross’s retirement.
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Last week, Doug Riddell and I made a visit to the diamond crossing at Doswell, Virginia where the old Chesapeake & Ohio line (now operated by Buckingham Branch but hosts CSX traffic) crosses the former Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac mainline.
We arrived just in time to catch an eastbound train. I was fascinated by these short CSX sand hoppers rattling across the diamond.
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For Tracking the Light, I thought I’d prepare some practical tips on how to improve your odds of getting photos published.
As a prelude, I wrote these three short fictional episodes. The characters are all completely made-up, and the scenarios are all imagined. However if you read between the lines, you might find useful a hint to the reality of the matter . . .
Episode 1
In the Editorial Offices for Über-Art & Railway Journal, the phone rings:
Editor-in-chief, Hello production office, ÜA&RJ enterprises.
Contributor 1, Yo! You need rail pics? I’ve got tons of rail pics.
Editor, Well, we only do one issue a year, and we’re all set through 2018, but what do you have in mind?
Contributor 1, I’ve got lots of wedgies! Every kind of wedgie you’d ever want from the greater Tri-State area!
Editor, Which states are those?
Contributor 1, What? You don’t know? I thought you guys knew it all! The three Biggies! If you want wedgies from the Biggies, I’m your guy.
Editor, We really haven’t had a lot of call for that sort of thing. Maybe you have some glinting rails at sunset?
Contributor 1, Hell no! Don’t waste pixels on that sort rubbish!
Editor, Ok, well, maybe some abstract architectural images?
Contributor 1, No way. Just Wedgies Mac. Three-Quarter Wedgies. That’s what I’ve got. Only the best.
Editor, Right, right, ok so, maybe some pastoral scenery in the background?
Contributor 1, Nope. I crop that stuff out.
Editor, Hmm, well, I think we’re all set. Lots of photos here already. And did I mention, we’re all set through 2028? Oh my, look at the time! Thank you for calling ÜA&RJ enterprises!
Episode 2
At the Paste-up desk for All-Engines Magazine.
Art Director, We’ve got issues here! Page 67 needs an effin’ picture and alls we got here is words!
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, I’m on it boss. I’ll get you a picture right a way. What do you want.
Art Director, Don’t be pestering me with trivia Boy! Just get me an effin’ picture, pronto!
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, On it boss! Not to worry.
Assistant Layout Artist, Try calling that guy that was around last week, he has all kinds of pictures.
One minute later, down the hall, phone wedged in his ear;
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, Hey Bud, are you the fellow that has all the Engine-pics?
Contributor 2, Um, well I prefer the term Photographs, but yeah.
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, Great! Well Bud this is your LUCKY day. Here at A-E Magazine we are looking for your shi . . I mean Photographs. Can you Email me a photo of an engine ASAP. Might use it . . . like on the cover, or something.
Contributor 2, Really? Wow! That’s great! I’ve a shot of an old Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 making lots of steam in front of the Strasburg depot, will that do?
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, Hold the line Bud, lemme find out . . .
Hand covering phone, the JAEI shouts down the hall, I’ve a got a guy with some-kind of steam engine pic near a station someplace, will that work?
Assistant Layout Artist, See if he has a diesel. Something a bit wedgie-like.
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, Hey Bud, that steam ain’t gonna cut it, got any diesels?
Contributor 2, Diesels. Oh yes, I’ve got those. A great shot of a Conrail C32-8 bursting out of the State Line . . .
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, He’s got a Conrail!
Assistant Layout Artist, Get it here, like yesterday!
Junior Assistant Editorial Intern, Hey Bud, that Conrail, that’s what we here at A-E Magazine are looking for. Send that over ASAP! Thanks Bud!
Episode 3
An Email Exchange:
From: AspiringTrainPhotographer671@SuperRwyDude.dpn
To: Editorinchief@railwayremember.publishing
Dear Sir,
I’m inquiring as your needs and requirements for submission to your publications. I have in my collection a wide range of railway images from across South America, Mongolia, and Iceland, plus a complete photographic roster of every extant railway bridge on the former Cork, Bandon & South Coast. I love your magazine. Last month’s article on the Mallets of Mexico was by far the best treatment on the subject I’ve ever read! Kudos on a job well done. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
ATP671.
From: Editorinchief@railwayremember.publishing
To: AspiringTrainPhotographer671@SuperRwyDude.dpn
Cc: Editorinchief@SouthernHemisphereRails.publishing
Dear ATP,
You timing is perfect. We are preparing a story on railway bridges in Cork for our September 2016 issue. Please send a sample of your material as soon as you can. If you have any vertical views of the Chetwynd Viaduct please send them along, we might find space for those. Also, I’ve forwarded your contact details to the editor of our sister magazine, Southern Hemisphere Rails. You may wish to send them a sample of your work at your leisure.
Yours Truly,
James P. Ledger, Esquire.
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Twelve New Color Photos!
On Wednesday June 10, 2015, my brother Sean and I took a spin on SEPTA’s PCCs that work Route 15 along Girard Avenue in Philadelphia.
The cars and stops featured service-notices advising passenger of a scheduled bus replacement due to begin on Sunday June 14 to September 5th.
The reason for this service alteration is necessary track work on approximately two miles of line.
While the cars were running, we made a variety of photographs.
I noticed a gauzy rosy quality to the afternoon light, which I assumed was typical urban pollution. As it turns out there were wildfires burning in Canada and the smoke had spread across the eastern United States. This was especially noticeably in the late afternoon.
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In Philadelphia you can still buy tokens for a reduced fare on public transport. The regular cash fare is $2.25, but tokens are just $1.80 each, or five for nine dollars.
It’s best though, if you don’t lose the tokens before traveling.
How many other American cities still use this quaint system of fare collection?
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Sometimes its nice to imply location in a photograph. Here, I was really just interested in making a dramatic image of the equipment. It’s not often you get to experience a modern 4-8-4 roaring at you at 40 mph!
Thanks to Pat Yough and Vic Stone for their assistance in finding this location along the Southern Railway.
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It was one year ago today that Palmer Hobbies on Main Street in Palmer, Massachusetts opened for business.
The other day I stopped in to buy a magazine and I made this photograph of a steam locomotive in the store window.
That’s Main Street beyond.
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I was looking for an angle. Actually I saw this view on my first pass through town with Pat Yough on the previous morning.
There were hundreds of folks trackside, dozens up on top of the parking garage, but no one along Grant Avenue in Manassas, Virginia.
Although impressive from every angle, I find that the 611 looks great in profile. Also, I wanted to photograph its train which consisted of several interesting heritage passenger cars.
Vic Stone dropped me on the corner, and I exposed this ordered sequence of images in downtown Manassas using my Fuji X-T1. The exposure was tricky owing to the dark locomotive and the bright morning sky.
While I anticipated the eventual need to adjust the image of 611, these photos were scaled directly from the in-camera Jpgs. I have reversed the order to convey the sense of the train moving forward.
Do you think I should have started this presentation with the tail car?
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Rolling along on the old RF&P Amtrak 94 was gradually losing time as heat and slow orders conspire to ensure I get more train ride for my money.
At Washington D.C. I had to opportunity to stretch my legs and exercise my Lumix LX7 while engines were exchanged; 155 for 636.
Now north of Washington, flying along under wire!
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I’m between Richmond and Ashland, Virginia, sorting out hundreds of digital photos exposed over the last few days in Virginia on the way to my next series of destinations.
The great thing about digital photography is the ability to review your results during the trip. The bad thing is the desire to look at your pictures instead of the scenery out the window.
Through the miracle of on-board wi-fi I can post my photos nearly as I make them.
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This is a new soft cover book that features a wonderful selection of vintage railroad photographs from the Center’s collection.
There’s a nice mix of dramatic action views of locomotives and trains, sunset silhouettes and glint images, human interest, architecture and scenic panoramas.
While my photography isn’t represented, I am listed among the credits for helping with the book. I’ll admit my participation was fairly minimal, but some years ago I helped scan photographs from the Wallace W. Abbey, Perry Frank Johnson and Leo King collections.
Also, back in 2010, I helped with the driving on a road trip with John Gruber to Minneapolis to collect some of the Abbey collection.
It’s nice to get a mention, and I’ve enjoyed looking at the photographs. Thanks to Scott Lothes, Jack Holzhueter, and Jordan Radke for a job well done!
If you have any interest in railway photography, I think you’ll like this book, and you may be surprised by some of the images within! At $19.95 it’s a bargain. Buy two copies and share the joy.
My aim was to catch Doug waving at his son. Doug Riddell is a retired Amtrak engineer and his son has followed in his footsteps.
Exposed using a Fuji X-T1.
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After a long wait, I was delighted by the arrival of my latest effort: Classic Railroad Signals published by Voyageur Press.
This features semaphores, search lights, position lights, and one of my favorite types of antique signal: the Hall disc.
I’ve dedicate the book to the late Harry Vallas with whom I spent many hours discussing the finer points of railroad signaling.
http://www.qbookshop.com/products/215886/9780760346921/Classic-Railroad-Signals.html
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June 6, 2015; Manassas, Virginia. I had plenty of opportunity to study this famous locomotive and make visual studies of it.
I have an ulterior motive (not that I need one). I’ve been finishing up a book project tentatively titled ‘How a Steam Locomotive Works’ and I needed detailed views of various components.
What better engine to visually dissect than a freshly restored streamlined 4-8-4!
Yet, my mission was to make more than just close ups and I also photographed the train at speed working the line to Front Royal. More photos soon!
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It was gorgeous morning for a rendezvous!
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I exposed this photo of Doug Riddell at Ashland, Virginia on June 4th 2015.
The camera sews together a burst of images made during a slow sweep of the camera across the scene.
The trick to making an interesting panorama is including subjects of varying distances from the camera which add depth.
I’d had a ticket on Amtrak 95 for Main Street in Richmond. However, a call to my old friend Doug Riddell resulted in a change of plan.
I’ve known Doug for more than 20 years, since I was worked at Pentrex Publishing. Now Doug is retired from Amtrak and living near Ashland.
Getting off the train in the middle of the street is an experience. Especially when its raining. Doug and I had lunch at the Trackside Grill, a short walk from the station.
We positioned ourselves along the street near the passenger station to catch Amtrak’s Auto Train, which as I soon learned, still routinely runs with Amtrak’s older 800-Series Genesis diesels.
The weather wasn’t the best, but there was plenty of action on the old RF&P and it was great to see Doug again.
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Better train 95 than I-95!
I boarded at 30th Street Philadelphia a little while ago and just made a station stop at Wilmington, Delaware. This is leg four in my latest journey.
Engine 620, one of the new Siemens-built ACS-64 electrics is in the lead.
Today’s destination: Richmond. This weekend my plan is photograph Norfolk & Western locomotive 611. Stay tuned!
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June 3, 2015 was a lucky day. I’d traveled to Harrisburg on Amtrak’s Keystone to visit Kurt Bell at the Pennsylvania State Archives to research for a book. I don’t make it Harrisburg very often, and while there are lots of interesting items in the archives, all study and no photography makes Brian dull and edgy. (pardon the referring myself in the 3rd person but it was a necessary allusion.
So afterwards, I wandered around the city, took a look at the Susquehanna River Bridges, then up to explore the view from the bridge over the old Pennsylvania Railroad west of the Amtrak station.
As it happens this is good in both directions. And in the course of just a few minutes I had trains east and then west.
I was surprised by the westward train. ‘What’s this?’ I thought when the locomotives came around the corner by the station shed. ‘That’s not an ordinary Norfolk Southern locomotive.’ Hardly.
My good fortune! It was locomotive 1065 painted for Southern Railway affiliate Savanna & Atlanta. Hooray! Well, that makes up last week’s trip to the Hoosac Tunnel
(see: Hoosac Tunnel—Morning Luck).
I’m glad I didn’t waste too much time looking at the Susquehanna, I might have missed this! After the train went by, I rang my friend Paul Goewey in Massachusetts to check the internet to find out what train I’d seen. (My scanner was in Philadelphia, good place for it, right?) Later he got back to me with the details: symbol freight 15J.
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Since I began Tracking the Light in July 2012, I’ve composed and posted 1,000 individual posts! Check out the Tracking the Light Archives.
Presently, (8:52 am on June 3, 2015) I’m at 30th Street Station, Philadelphia waiting for Amtrak’s Keystone to Harrisburg.
Below are a few photos exposed within the last hour with my Lumix LX7.
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May 24, 2015, fellow photographer Tim Doherty and I aimed to intercept Amtrak 57, the southward Vermonter at Bellows Falls. Vermont. (Is there another?).
It’d been a few years since I last visited this classic railroad junction. My first visits were back in the late 1960s early 1970s, when my family would come up to experience the old Steamtown.
I was impressed to find the old three-head searchlight signal still in operation by the station. These relics are disappearing fast. I feature the searchlight among other vintage signal hardware in my new book Classic Railroad Signals now available from Voyageur Press.
http://www.qbookshop.com/products/215886/9780760346921/Classic-Railroad-Signals.html
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