Announcements, photography, Tips and Technique

Freight Crossing Tunkhannock Creek

With Norfolk Southern SD70ACe 1021 leading a heavy freight [train symbol 11Z] in our review mirror, we drove south on Highway 11 toward Nicholson, Pennsylvania—location of the famous Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct.

As regular readers of Tracking the Light are aware, in recent months Kris and I have made several visits to this momental vestige of the late, great, Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad.

From our earlier visits I had my spot picked out on a side road a little ways from the village. I wanted to arrive with ample time to get into position set up in to time to catch the train crossing the bridge.

Dappled sunlight filled the valley as we heard the freight approaching.

I made a sequence of digital images using my Nikon Z7 with 24-70mm lens. Five locomotives were in the lead with a lone DPU (locomotive set up as a radio controlled remote ‘distributed power unit’) toward the rear of the freight. [NS 11Z runs from East Binghamton, NY to Roanoke, Virginia via Enola, PA.]

Afterwards we drove back under the viaduct and paused at the visitor’s parking area where there is literature and photos of the bridge on display. Our dog Boomer got to stretch his legs and mark his spot. He was delighted, it was his first visit to the big bridge!

I wrote about the DL&W bridge in my book Railway Masterpieces (Krause 2003) The viaduct was designed by DL&W’s bridge engineer Abraham B. Cohen and completed in 1915. The late historian-photographer William S. Young researched and wrote extensively about this bridge and Lackawanna’s early 20th century line relocations. He had interviewed Cohen’s descendants. I met with Young on a couple of occasions while researching bridge projects.

Check out this website for some history and vintage photos of the bridge: https://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2017/06/cpdl-viaduct-over-tunkannock-creek-at.html

Norfolk Southern symbol freight 11Z crosses the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, at Nicholson, PA.

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Announcements, photography, Tips and Technique

Ghost of Phoebe Snow—Fortuity at New Milford

Last Sunday, we exited Interstate 81 at New Milford, PA to get gas. This was the last leg in our big move, and our third drive from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania in the last month,

My plan was to follow old Route 11 toward Clark’s Summit. This avoids the traffic on I-81 and largely follows the old alignment of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western. In fact in many places Route 11 is built on the old right-of-way.

We had Boomer-the-Dog with us and this was his first trip to Pennsylvania.

As I was fueling the car, I heard the unmistakable roar of modern EMD diesels. It was a southward freight on the Lackawanna!

I concluded pumping gas before the tank was filled, and we headed south after the train.

Several miles south of New Milford, Route 11 runs adjacent to the Lackawanna, now operated by Norfolk Southern. We pulled over to roll the train by at milepost 637.

Here, Kris made a video with her phone, Boomer got to witness his first BIG freight train, and I exposed this sequence of digital photos.

Milepost 637 as measured from Mattawamkeag, Maine, dating from the brief period in the 1980s, when Guilford Transportation controlled the Delaware & Hudson, which then own this section of DL&W line.
A wink of sun at just the right moment made for an even better image.
NS 1021 is an EMD SD70ACe.

Soon we were off after an even bigger prize . . . (stay tuned).

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White River Junction: Six Photos-Four Locomotives

We paused at White River Junction, Vermont, on our way back toward Pennsylvania with Boomer-the-Dog

Boomer stretched his legs. I wandered and made photos of the locomotives and the old station buildings

I like the view of Boston & Maine 4-4-0 No. 494 with a GATX leased engine in the distance.

I wonder what it was like when the common 4-4-0 ‘American’ ruled White River Junction? It was a different world then.

Nikon Z7 photo.
There’s nothing like a puddle to improve a photo! Nikon Z7 photo.

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Revisiting Ashland, New Hampshire

After Plymouth, we drove south along the old Boston, Concord & Montreal route to Ashland, New Hampshire, where I photographed the restored Boston & Maine station there.

We had visited this location a couple years earlier. So far as I could tell, very little had changed since our previous visit.

I made these photos with Nikon Z7, and few supplemental images with my Lumix LX7. All were processed using Adobe Lightroom.

Next stop was the White Mountain College for Pets in Holderness to collect Boomer-the-Dog.

Nikon Z7 photo.
Historic Ashland station photo on display in front of the station museum (copied using a Lumix LX7).
Historic Ashland station photo on display in front of the station museum (copied using a Lumix LX7).
Nikon Z7 photo.
Nikon Z7 photo.
Nikon Z7 photo.
Nikon Z7 photo.
Nikon Z7 photo and self portrait.
Nikon Z7
Lumix LX7 photo.

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Vestiges of the Boston & Maine at Plymouth.

Saturday, on the final stage of our move from the White Mountains to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, we drove to the White Mountain College for Pets in Holderness, NH to collect Boomer the Dog from his training.

It’s a long drive and we budgeted plenty of time to get there. I used the padding in our schedule to explore a few places on the old B&M Boston, Concord & Montreal route, including the station at Plymouth, NH.

It has been an age since Plymouth was an important place on the old B&M, but the rails, albeit rarely traveled, remain in place. The station building is now occupied by the local seniors center.

The sky was swollen and spitting rain, when I made these photos using my Lumix LX7. (RAW files adjusted in Lightroom)

Strangely, while this was the first time I’d photographed at the Plymouth Station, I had a distinct sense of de ja vu. I can’t explain why.

Looking north at Plymouth.

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Backlighting on CP Rail at Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

I made this pastoral scene ten years ago on a visit to Wisconsin with John and Dick Gruber.

We had been photographing former Milwaukee Road lines in the central part of the state and were making our way to Waukesha to visit our friends at Kalmbach.

Near Pewaukee Lake, we heard the blast of an approaching eastbound freight on Canadian Pacific. With little time to spare, I made this hastily composed grab shot of the train running along the north shore of the lake. In the lead was a former BC Rail locomotive. High contrast made for a challenging scene.

The sun was nearly 180 degrees from the camera, yet my lens was shaded by the trees in the park. While the lighting was harsh the photo conveys the spirit of a sunny summer evening in Wisconsin.

Last night, I made a series of adjustements using Lightroom to improve the presentation of this image.

Scaled but otherwise Unmodified Canon CR2 RAW file exposed using a Canon EOS 7D with 28-135mm lens set to 28mm
Screen shot of Adobe Lightroom work window showing the ‘Select Sky’ mask and my adjustments to the highlight and color temperature sliders. By using the mask my adjustments only affect the selected areas. Photo exposed in June 2013.
Adobe Lightroom work window with a semi-final image. This shows the positions of slider controls as applied to the overall image including the previously adjusted sky.
Final output of the CR2 RAW file. In the final corrections, I lowered overall contrast while increasing the white level. Note the detail in the bark of the trees.

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Sunset at North Star Road

There was a heavy sky at sunset last night, grey with particulates and low cloud. Kris and I turned down North Star Road to make photos of the red globe in the sky.

Below are the NEF RAW file (scaled), my adjusted file, and the Lightroom work window showing the position of adjustment sliders.

It took less than a minute for me to implement my adjustments.

This is the unadjusted NEF RAW file from my Nikon Z6.
This is same file following adjustment to increase saturation and alter exposure and contrast.
Lightroom work window showing the position of adjustment sliders.

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CSX RAW and Adjusted

Daybreak on June 15, 2016: I set up in West Warren, Massachusetts to wait for CSX’s westward Q009 intermodal train out of Worcester.

On the long days it was possible to catch this priority train in daylight.

I opted for West Warren to make the most of the scenery in Quaboag River valley.

Shortly after the first rays of sun tickled the old Boston & Albany line, the headlights of Q009 appeared.

I made a burst of photos using my FujiFilm XT1.

Since I made those images eight years ago, I’ve learned to work with the RAW files in Adobe Lightroom and really get the most out of my files.

Below I’ve displayed the unadjusted Fuji RAW file and my adjusted file. Notice the differences in highlight and shadow areas and subtled differences to color saturation.

This is the scaled but otherwise unmodified Fuji RAW file. Notice the highlight and shadow areas. Compare this view with my modified version below.
Working with Adobe Lightroom, I adjusted highlights and shadows to improve detail, while modifying color saturation and color temperature, warming the scene slightly and making the most of mist over the river. I also adjusted the level to correct for my slight tilted original view.

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Meet at Cherry Hill—Eight Photos

Monday while waiting at Cherry Hill, as we anticipated Strasburg Rail Road No. 89 on its return run from Leaman Place, we heard a horn to west . . .

Also it was beginning to rain.

Sure enough, Strasbrug’s SW8 8618 had been whistling for Esbenshade Road and was running light engine to the new freight yard at Leaman Place.

The two trains met at Groffs, with the diesel taking the siding and No. 89 with the passenger excursion holding the main track.

Soft light, spring foliage, and light rain made for interesting conditions for this sequence of digital images.

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Breakfast Stop with a Mogul or ‘Steam at Cherry Hill’

Yesterday morning, Kris and I got take-away breakfast from the Spreckled Hen in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. We drove over to Cherry Hill Road to roll by the 11am train to Leaman Place and enjoy our food.

I was delighted that former Canadian National Railways 2-6-0 number 89 was leading the seven-car excursion. (The 2-6-0 wheel arrangement is known as the Mogul Type.)

Rain was closing in from the west as I made these images using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens. Kris made a video with her iPhone 13 that she posted to Facebook.

As we waited for 89’s return trip we had a pleasant surprise . . . Stay tuned for the details and more photos!

Exposed using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera fitted with a Z-series 70-200mm zoom set at 175mm, f4.5 at 1/500, ISO 200. NEF RAW file adjusted for contrast, exposure and color saturation using Adobe Lightroom.
Exposed using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera fitted with a Z-series 70-200mm zoom set at 175mm, f4.5 at 1/500, ISO 200. NEF RAW file adjusted for contrast, exposure and color saturation using Adobe Lightroom.

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DL&W’s Nicholson Station

Yesterday on our drive to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, used highway 11 from Milford to Clarks Summit. Much of this route is on the old Delaware, Lackawanna & Western right-of-way, a line that was largely abandoned after the Nicholson Cut-off was completed.

At Nicholson, PA we paused so that I could make a few photos of the old DL&W station that remains located adjacent to the former railroad bed. In the distance the massive Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct rises above the town.

I wrote about this bridge in my book Railway Masterpieces published in 2002 Krause Publications.

” . . . the colossal neo-Roman Tunkhannock Viaduct [is a] great bridge, named for the Tunkhannock Creek Valley. . . completed in 1915. This gargantuan bridge seems out of proportion with its surroundings. It is nearly one half mile long (2,375 feet) and rises 240 feet over the valley floor, towering over the houses and shops in the village. “

Highway traffic rolls along the olf DL&W right-of-way with the famous Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct on the relocated 1915-era line looming in the distance. An old DL&W building is preserved along Route 11. Photo exposed using a Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens set to 190mm.

Thick haze, partially attributed to high-level smoke from Canadian wildfires, made the enormous viaduct appear ethereal and more mystical than it would on a very clear day.

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View from the Observation Car-looking back at North Conway.

At the end of May, I was traveling on the back platform of Conway Scenic’s 125-year old open observation car Gertrude Emma on its morning run to Conway.

Working with my Z6 fitted with 70-200mm lens, I made this pair of trailing views looking back at the iconic North Conway Station. Both images were made with the lens set at 200m and the aperture at f2.8.

Notice the relative position and aparent size of the semaphore to the station as the train pulled away from the station.

These photos are symbolic as well as literal. Yesterday, Kris and I watched as movers loaded our belongings into a truck. By the time you read this we will be on our way to our new home in Pennsylvania. I’ll still work for Conway Scenic, albeit remotely via internet and phone.

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Hobo Sunset—Lincoln, NH

Kris and I paused at Lincoln, New Hampshire last week to get some dinner. As the sun set I made a few photos of the Hobo Railroad using my Lumix LX7.

There was wonderful color in the evening sky and my wee Lumix did a reasonable job of capturing the scene. I exposed my photos in RAW, which allowed me some latitude while editing in the images to make the most of the high-contrast situation.

I had the camera set to ISO200 with ‘daylight white balance’. This is another situation where I fin that I get more pleasing color by using a white balance preset-mode, rather than ‘auto white balance,’ setting because the ‘auto ‘setting would have neutralized some of the rich color of sunset that made the scene appealing.

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First of my New Series in July Trains

My copy of the July 2023 Trains Magazine arrived yesterday. Pages 46 and 47 feature the first in my Travel series that focuses on destinations, train travel and historic railways.

For the inaugral story, I wrote about the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum. Trains ran two photos of the railway’s operation Budd RDC number 6126.

Both of those images were exposed using my FujiFilm XT1 digital camera and adjusted for publication using Adobe Lightroom.

This is a scanned excerpt of the story from Page 46 of July 2023 Trains Magazine.

In addition to an excerpt of the magazine article, below I’ve also included several previously unpublished photos that I’ve made at the Berkshire Scenic over the years.

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Backlighting

I was set up to make a video of Conway Scenic’s Sawyer River crossing the Ellis River at Glen, New Hampshire. My Nikon Z6 was mounted on the tripod for a telephoto sequence of the train heading west through the truss bridge.

Z6 with 70-200mm set up to make video at Glen, New Hampshire.

As an after thought, I made a few still photos with my Z7. Although backlit, the combination of hazy midday light and the yellow GP38, made it relatively easy to use Lightroom to lighten the image, adjust contrast and increase overall saturation to produce a more appealing photo.

For better separation between the subject and the background, I framed the nose of the engine between the trees.

I’ve included both the unaltered NEF RAW file and my adjusted file, as well as a screen shot of the Lightroom work window.

Nikon NEF RAW file without adjustments (other than scaling for internet)
Lightroom created JPG following adjustment.
Screen shot of the Lightroom work window showing adjustement sliders and the sequence of images.

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Connecticut Company 1160

While visiting the Seashore Trolley Museum at Kennebunkport, Maine, Kris and I went for a spin on car 1160, a 117-year old New England Classic. When this car was new, electricity was still a novelty and many homes across the region were without it.

Old 1160 is wooden-bodied car that served the Connecticut Company in the New Haven-area until the 1940s. Today, it is a reminder of another era in rail-transport.

On our trip, there were 29 passengers on board.

I made these photos using my Lumix LX7 and a Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom lens. All images were exposed digitally and adjusted in Lightroom for color, contrast and exposure.

Nikon Z6 photo.
Lumix LX7 photo.
Lumix LX7 photo.
Lumix LX7 photo.
Nikon Z6 photo.
Lumix LX7 photo.
Lumix LX7 photo.

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Trains-Beyond the Byline

On June 4th, Trains Magazine’s web edition featured me in its ‘meet the author’ style series ‘Beyond the Byline’.

A few months back, the magazine’s Prodution Editor Nastassia Putz asked if I would participate and sent me a list of questions. This sounded like fun.

My replies included some short essays and a variety of photos, including this variation on the first photo I had published in the magazine.

In February 1984, I’d traveled on Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiast’s New England States Limited. During a layover at Brattleboro, Vermont, I made a series of black & white images of this train with my Leica 3A. It was raining and I got soaked. Later I made prints and sent some to then Trains editor David P. Morgan who published this one in the News section of the magazine. I was a senior in high school at the time and I was very excited to see my photo in print.

My other answers and illustrations can be viewed by going to the Trains site. I’ve included links below. The top features a photo that my wife Kris made of me at Conway Scenic Railroad a few years ago.

Click the link:

Beyond the byline with Brian Solomon

Or use this link and scroll to the bottom of the webpage.https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/history/

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Train Crew—Portraits

My photography for Conway Scenic Railroad often focuses on the people.

The train crew are the faces of the railroad and are often featured in the company’s social media and advertising. Not everyone likes to be pictured, so I tend to focus on those who don’t mind my camera.

Last week, fine Spring weather made for some great light to photograph railroaders at work.

I often use short telephoto lenses and wide f-stops for shallow focus to better set the people apart from the background. In post processing I soften contrast and lighten shadows to make for more flattering images.

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Technicolor Trolley

Yesterday we paid a visit to Maine’s Seashore Trolley Museum, where I photographed former Wheeling Traction Company car 639 under wire.

Painted in the classic ‘Traction Orange’ this featured an old advertisement for a movie filmed in ‘Technicolor’.

A while back, one of my Irish friends asked if I’d gotten used to digital photography, I replied, “I still haven’t gotten used to Color!”

These photos were exposed digitally and in color, using my Nikon Z6 and Lumix LX7 digital cameras.

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June 3, 2015-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

On this day eight years ago, I visited Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I’d taken Amtrak’s Keystone from Philadelphia and upon arrival spent some time in the State Archives visiting with Kurt Bell while researching for a book on steam locomotives.

I made these photos around the old Pennsylvania Railroad station in the afternoon using my FujiFilm XT1.

Later that month, I bought a new Apple MacBook Pro laptop and with it, Adobe Lightroom. I’ve been using Lightroom ever since to adjust my RAW files (these included).

A tightly cropped version of the above photo.

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Gertrude Emma on the Roll at 125!

In recent weeks, I’ve focused on making still and video images of Conway Scenic Railroad’s Sawyer River and Mountaineer excursions to be used in upcoming advertising.

I wanted to capture the trains with Spring greenery and characteristic White Mountains scenery.

Among the placed I set up was along the Saco River where the ‘3rd Iron’ truss crosses. Here I was aiming for a broadside setting where I could picture the train rolling by.

I made this panned view of popular Pullman open observation car Gertrude Emma crossing the bridge.

This American classic is 125 years old this year! It was built in 1898 for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Conway Scenic restored the car in the 1980s.

Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm lens set at 70mm; f16 1/30th of second, ISO 100.

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Pick One—Which View is More Interesting

Yesterday morning, I traveled on the 1100 Conway Scenic excursion to Conway, NH. After the locomotive ran around and was doing its continuity brake test, I exposed a series of telephoto photos of the train.

Below are two of my favorites.

At the top is a shallow-focus ‘power shot’ that emphasizes the train. Below is a more interpretive angle that includes a family observing the train during the run around. This view reminds me of when I was young and my father would bring my brother and I out to watch trains.

So, which of these two photos do you like better?

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Germany meets Charlotte

May 31st, 2014, I stood in the grass south of downtown Charlotte, North Carolina to photograph a German-dessigned Siemens Mobility-built model S70 tram working as the Lynx.

I like photographing modern lightrail systems in urban environments.

The sun was softened by a cloud moments before exposure. I rescued the image in post processing with some shadow-lightening and contrast adjustment, and by warming the color temperature.

Since my 2014 visit to Charlotte with photographer Pat Yough, the city has expanded its light rail system and purchased many more Siemens trams.

Lumix LX7 photo, exposed in RAW and adjusted with Adobe Lightroom to create an internet-sized JPG file.

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Red Sun in the Evening.

Last week smoke and ash from fires in western Canada made for some very unusual lighting conditions.

Driving around Strasburg, Pennsylvania, Kris and I observed the sun as red globe descending into a greyish evening sky. This seemed unworldly.

I wanted to capture this effect, and selected a location off Blackhorse Road, near where I’d photographed trains a couple of days earlier. This provided enough elevation to allow for a good view of the horizon.

To better capture the definition of the sun, I selected a small aperture (large ‘f’ number), and intentionally under exposed by about 2/3s of a stop.

To retain the reddish color, I set my white balance to ‘daylight’, otherwise the camera’s software would attempt to ‘balance’ the color and neutralize the unusual color created by refraction of the light in the atmosphere (the very effect I was hoping to capture).

Althought, this might seem contrary, I also, made a couple of photos using my Nikon Z6’s black & white modes.

Below are several examples . If you look closely at the englarged image of the sun you’ll see a sun spot.

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Nine Years Ago—Confluence of Celebrity Locomotives!

At the end of May 2014, fellow photographer Pat Yough and I took Amtrak to Salisbury, North Carolina to partake in the epic gathering of celebrity locomotives described as ‘Streamliners at Spencer.’

This was an extremely well organized and enjoyable event.

Many of our fellow photographers were on site.

Over the seveal day-long event, I exposed numerous photos of beautiful locomotives.

Our first full day at Spencer Shops was May 29, 2014.

Below are a selection of the JPGs, I made with my Canon EOS-7D on that day. In retrospect, I find it fascinating to see that gathered in one place were so many familiar faces of railroading!

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Irish Rail’s Wicklow Cabin—Armstrong Levers at Work.

In the summer of 1998, Denis McCabe and I paid a visit to Wicklow Cabin on the Dublin & South Eastern route.

Working with Ilford HP5 35mm film loaded in a Nikon, I exposed this photograph of the signalman working the old mechnical frame. I don’t recall his name, but he was friendly and enjoyed having his photo made.

I processed the film in Ilford ID11, and many years later scanned the negatives using an Epson V600 flatbed scanner.

Over my many years photographing Irish Rail, I exposed hundreds of black & white photos in signal cabins to preserve on film these icons of antique signaling that were still in daily use.

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Streamlined Steam in a Pastoral Setting

Last week, Strasburg Rail Road was offering ‘In-Cab Experiences’ with former Norfolk & Western steamlined J-Class locomotive 611. These were scheduled to operate in a relatively secluded section on the Leaman Place-end of the railroad.

I made this digital view looking across the fields of the locomotive under steam using a Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Nikkor Z-series zoom. My aim was to capture the majesty of the locomotive in pastoral setting.

By using selective focus and aiming through the lush Spring foliage, I hoped to create a sense of depth.

After exposure, I made a few nominal adjustments to the Nikon NEF RAW file using Adobe Light room. Notably, I used the ‘Select Sky mask setting’ to selectively lower the highlight density in the sky-area in order to avoid a loss of color and provide better balance the overall scene.

Exposed at 1/500th of a sec, f5.6, ISO 100, 70-200mm zoom set to 200mm.

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OH NO! When Auto Focus Fails . . .

The other day I had an ‘oh no!’ moment involving the autofocus system on my Nikon Z6 fitted with a 70-200mm zoom.

Most of the time the autofocus with my Z-series cameras works very well. On rare occasion it misses completely.

I was set-up at Christiana, Pennsylvania along Amtrak’s former Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line waiting for westward Keystone service number 605 in order to catch it passing the old PRR station.

I’d set the autofocus to ‘single-point’ (which allows to preselect a distinct point in the frame as the desired place of sharpness) and the system to ‘AF-C’ (continuous), a mode that in theory should continuously adjust the focus on the subject point.

There were three complicating conditions that in combination yielded an undesirable result. 1) The scene was back-lit with bright morning sun, which can make it more difficult for the autofocus system to quickly pick the focus on the desired point. 2) The train was moving faster than 90mph, which not only made it difficult to focus, but gave me no room for error when the shutter was released. 3) The headlights on Amtrak’s ACS-64 use a form of LEDs that produce a wavelength that can momentarily confuse the autofocus system on the camera. I’ve experienced these unfortunate effects previously.

The result was one photo where the focus was slightly off, followed by a second closer image where the focus was missed completely.

One solution for future efforts; I can use the autofocus to pre-focus on the desired location and the switch it off, thus avoiding the condition where at the last split second the focus shifts. But this too is a gamble, and doesn’t always work as hoped.

Although close to what I’d hoped to capture, the autofocus missed slightly and the front of the engine is not precisely sharp. The focus a actually about 40 ft further back. While this may appear sharp enough for internet presentation, it not great in terms of precision focus.
A split second later I made this slightly closer image, and in this one the camera focus system was confused altogether. I wasn’t aiming for a abstract image, but rather a nice sharp image of the train with the old station in background. Considering the speed at which this train was moving, but the time the camera refocused, the headend was alread passed me.

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Mastodon at Blackhorse

My favorite Strasburg Railroad steam locomotive is former Norfolk & Western 475.

I like its classic appearance and long boiler, but I’m also drawn to the relatively unusual wheel arrangement; 4-8-0.

Historically, this type was sometimes described as a ‘Mastodon’, perhaps because of its proportions. Another name for the 4-8-0 is ‘Twelve Wheeler,’ and this, while descriptive, doesn’t invoke romantic or alusive connotations.

Sunday, Kris and I caught old 475 coming and going at Blackhorse Road. I made these photos with my Nikon Z-series digital cameras. I thought back to November 1996, when I made photos of this same engine here on Kodachrome film. A differnt media for a different time.

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Amtrak on the Main Line under wire

I often wonder if titles make a difference in viewership. If I called this ‘Energised ACS-64s ‘ would you have read it?

A couple of days ago, I set up at Leaman Place where the Strasburg Rail Road meets the old Main Line and waited for a pair of Amtrak Keystone services to pass by at speed.

Amtrak 605 was westbound, Amtrak 600 was eastbound. Confusingly, Amtrak’s 600-series Keystone trains are typically let by its ACS-64 electric locomotives that are also numbered in the 600-series.

Inevitably someone will ask me what the difference is between a train and locomotive. The Keystone services are train and carry train numbers. Amtrak’s ACS-64 are locomotives and carry locomotive numbers. One identifies a service (software) the other identies a specific piece of railroad rolling stock (hardware).

Amtrak 605 passed first; while Amtrak 600 passed only two minutes later. Had 605 been running just a little late, I may have scored a running meet.

All four photos were exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series Nikkor zoom lens.

Amtrak Keystone No 605 is led by ACS-64 623.
Amtrak Keystone No 600 is led by ACS-64 622.
Tail end of Amtrak Keystone No 600.

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J-Class 4-8-4 Upclose!

Working with my Nikon Z7-II, I made these close-up views of Norfolk & Western J-Class number 611 at Strasburg.

This is a very popular locomotive!

I opted for some low-angle views in part for dramatic effect, but also to stay below the army of cell-photo photographers captivated by the J-class under steam.

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Dusty Sunrise at Gap—Amtrak 642

This morning, the combination of agricultural haze, moisture in the air, and dust high in the atmosphere from fires in western Canada made for soft rosy morning light.

I don’t make a habit of posting photos to Tracking the Light the day of exposure, so today is an exception.

A little while ago, I set up at Gap, Pennsylvania along the former Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line, now Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line, in anticipation of Keystone train 642 racing east toward Philadelphia.

As the train took the curve west of Gap, I exposed this sequence of digital photos using my Nikon Z6 with Z-series 70-200mm zoom. ISO set to 400, white balance to ‘daylight auto’. All photos adjusted using Lightroom.

Although a non-conventional view, I like the last in the sequence that features the train in the distance with the focus on the wild flowers. Isn’t this how we often see trains, just a glimpse in the distance?

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photography

Norfolk & Western 611 on the Move!

The first time I witnessed Norfolk & Western 611 on the move was on a trip with John Gruber nearly 29 years ago. We’d traveled from Wisconsin to northern Indiana to catch the BIG streamlined 4-8-4 working west on the old Nickel Plate Road near Valparaiso.

In May 2015, Pat Yough, Vic & Becky Stone and I photographed 611 working out of Manassas, Virginia on the old Southern Railway.

Yesterday, Sunday May 21, 2023, Kris and I watched 611 work Pennsylvania’s Strasburg Rail Road. It was a beautiful Spring day, and we made some lovely images of the engine crossing the fields in Pennsylvania Dutch country.

I made these views with my Nikon Z-series digital cameras.

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Tips and Technique

New England Central at Stafford-Ten Years Ago.

On the morning of May 21, 2013, I made these photos of New England Central’s southward 608 passing Stafford, Connecticut.

It was a brilliant clear morning and I was working with my Canon EOS 7D with 28-135mm lens.

Which do you like better? The telephoto view or the standard three-quarter ‘normal’ perspective?

Both were made from the same vantage point using the same lens-camera combination.

Screen shot of the Adobe Lightroom ‘work window’.

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photography

Union Pacific SD70ACe—Colfax, California

Fifteen years ago today—May 20, 2008, I made this telephoto view of a Union Pacific SD70ACe leading an eastward freight at Colfax, Calif., on the ascent of Donner Pass.

I was working on my book ‘Railroads of California’ and looking to update my coverage of the Donner Pass crossing.

The photo was exposed on Fujichrome using a Canon EOS-3 with 100-400mm Canon zoom lens. Telephoto compression accentuated th effects of the gradient at Colfax.

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Railway photography by Brian Solomon