Tag Archives: Amtrak

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Amtrak 656 at Sunset

Arriving in our new Honda CR-V Hybrid, we safely pulled off Route 741 at Gap, Pa., to roll by Amtrak Keystone 656 from Harrisburg. This was running just a few minutes after the advertised.

I set up with my Nikon Z6 and 70-200mm lens, aiming to catch the train against the sunset sky. (The sun was just an orange glob slowly melting into the western horizon.)

We received a friendly blast from the engineer in the old Metroliner control cab as the train glided through the curve at Gap.

I like the trailing view with our new car and Kris in the passenger seat. Amtrak 656 is fading into the distance, but we already know what that looks like.

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Pennsylvania Railroad Spans at Havre de Grace

In my book North American Railroad Bridges published by Voyageur Press in 2008, I described the double track former Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace, Maryland;

“Between August 10, 1905, and May 22, 1906, PRR built 17 deck truss spans on the piers, ranging from 196 feet 6 inches to 260 feet long, with 24 feet 3 inch clearance above mean water level. To clear large ships, a central swing span was installed. “

Earlier this year, Amtrak broke ground for the replacement of this historic bridge. Last week, Kris, Seamus-the-Dog and I drove to Havre de Grace, where I made a few photos of trains gliding across the bridge. In the distance is construction equipment, which appear to be removing the piers of an earlier railroad bridge in preparation for the new spans.

These views show Amtrak 195 (Boston-Washington) led by ACS-64 634 with Amfleet in tow. Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

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Rare Photo-SPV-2000 at Spring Tower

I don’t remember the exact circumstances behind this photo.

In June 1984, I was at Spring Tower where Conrail’s Boston Line crossed the connecting track between the Boston & Maine Connecticut River Line and Amtrak’s former New Haven Railroad in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The tower was located below I-91, west of Springfield Union Station.

Connecticut DOT’s Budd-built SPV-2000 No.50 was turning on the wye at Springfield. While I don’t recall the reason, I suspect the car had something wrong with the cab at the northward end and needed to turn to make the return trip to New Haven.

CDOT had bought 13 of the SPV-2000s; cars 988-999 carried both Amtrak and CDOT logos and largely worked Springfield-New Haven shuttle services, while a lone car number 50 came with Amtrak stripes but was only lettered CDOT.

I made this photo on black & white film using my Leica IIIA fitted with a Canon screw-mount f1.8 50mm lens. If I made detailed notes on this day, I’ve misplaced them.

So, what makes this a rare photo? C-DOT No. 50 was the only car painted this way (without the Amtrak markings) ; the SPV’s self-propelled days were relatively short-lived; it was unusual to see a single car turning on the wye at Springfield. Have you ever seen another photo of this car crossing the old Boston & Albany at Spring Tower?

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Turbo Saved—at Churchville.

No, really!

I exposed this black & white negative in March 1988. This was the trailing view of Amtrak’s Sunday Niagara Rainbow racing along the Waterlevel Route at Churchville, New York.

I’ve always like the ‘cotton candy sky’ effect and I intentionally underexposed the photo to better capture the clouds with the streamlined train in silhouette.

Unfortunately, I processed the 120-sized film using stainless tanks and reels, which were relatively cold which resulted in uneven processing, especially toward the sides of the image.

I scanned the photo many years ago, but last night spent about ten minutes in Lightroom making a series of digital masks to even out the exposure and contrast to largely correct of the processing error.

I’ve included the unaltered scan, several of the work windows showing the masks (in purple), and then my final images.

The old Amtrak Turboliners are all gone, but I have many photos of these unusual trains on the move.

This is the RAW unaltered scan. Notice that the sides are lighter (and more contrasty) than the center of the photo.
Lightroom work window showing the first of five masks applied to improve the image. This is a linear gradation .
This the fifth mask, a radial gradation aimed at lightening a portion of the sky.
This isn’t perfect, but most of the processing defects have been addressed. Plus I improved contrast and lightened the shadows.
This was my final edit; I added in a slight vignette which makes for a more natural looking image. The effect is subtle, but effective.

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This is a Test: Tracking the Light’s Sunday Train

Over the last few days, I had been experiencing some technical difficulties posting Tracking the Light. I received numerous alerts from readers, and wasn’t even able to view the site myself at one point. Thanks to readers who sent me suggestions on how to fix the problem and some nuts and bolts help from my father Richard J. Solomon, the site should be up an running again. Thanks to everyone who wrote to me! I consider this a test. Fingers crossed.

In the process of getting things moving, I’ve selected a new ‘Theme’. This alters the way Tracking the Light appears. This is by intent. Let’s see how it goes.

Since this is a Sunday, I thought I’d post a vintage Sunday photo.

On Sunday, December 29, 1985, I spent the day photographing trains on Conrail’s former Boston & Albany main line.

At West Brookfield, Massachusetts, I made this view of the Sunday-schedule Charter Oak rolling west behind Amtrak F40PH 216.

This train tended to have a longer consist on Sundays. This Sunday, I’m working hard to complete my latest book, which takes a look at Amtrak through its locomotives and rolling stock. It covers everything from GG1 electrics to the latest diesels from Siemens-Mobility.

Amtrak’s Charter Oak (Boston-Worcester-Springfield-Hartford-New York-Washington) at West Brookfield, Mass., Exposed using a Rollieflex Model T.

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Rolling Meet at Mp84

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, I am presenting a sequence of photos at the same location that I made in March of 1986.

Amtrak had detoured its Montrealer via Palmer as a knock-on effect of a strike on the Boston & Maine. This was a full decade before Amtrak’s Vermonter used a similar routing.

In these photos, Train 61 the southward Montrealer was being towed by a CF7 from Palmer to Springfield, Massachusetts, having arrived in Palmer on the Central Vermont. There was no direct curve from the CV route to Conrail’s Boston Line to allow for a direct north to west move.

I had been showing some visiting photographers around Palmer, and we had set up a the rock cut at milepost 84, a short distance west of the Palmer diamond.

As the Montrealer was heading west on Track one, we could hear the chugging of six-motor GE C30-7As leading the eastward TV6. As it happened the two trains passed in front of us.

In yesterday’s post, I’d mentioned that a few months later, Conrail removed the westward track (Track 1) as part of its single tracking of the Boston Line. And that’s what makes this sequence so special.

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Negative to Positive

July 20, 1986 was the last full day of traditional directional double track operations (rule 251) on Conrail’s Boston Line between Palmer (future CP83) and Springfield (future CP92).

Using my father’s Rolleiflex Model T, I made this photo of Amtrak F40PH 201 leading an Inland Corridor train east at milepost 84 (in the town of Monson, Massachusetts). The next day, Conrail crews cut in the new crossovers which took the old westward track at this location out of service. It was ripped up some months later.

In 2011, I scanned this 645 size black & white negative. Unfortunately, I forgot to reverse the scan and so it remained as a negative image.

There is probably some ‘one-click’ means reversing the scan into a positive image using Lightroom. I had no luck finding that trick, so Kris and I ‘Googled’ how to accomplish this simple task.

Basically, you open the ‘three bars’ control at top left, expand the ‘light’ controls and scroll down to the ‘D log H’ curve (it’s the graph that plot the exposure curve), and reverse the orientation of the line graph so that it goes from bottom left to top right (rather than the other way around.)

This created a positive, from which I made my corrections, albeit in reverse.

I’ve included the work windows.

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Under and Over in Newark, NJ.

I’ve been searching my archives for Amtrak photos to include in my latest book project. This is among interesting photos in my selection of out-takes.

Former Amtrak E60CH 973—still wearing Amtrak colors—leads NJ Transit North Jersey Coast train on the morning of July 11, 1986. At right; an eastward Conrail freight on the former Lehigh Valley waits to enter Oak Island yard.

Exposed on Kodak 120 Tri-x using my father’s Rolleiflex Model T with a ‘Super Slide’ 645-formet insert. Film processed in Kodak D76.

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602 at Bird-in-Hand

It’s hard for me to resist a clear evening!

On our way to the creamery, we paused trackside at Bird-in-Hand to roll by Amtrak Keystone 649 on its way west to Harrisburg.

I made this rapid-fire sequence using my Nikon Z7-II with Nikkor 24-70mm zoom lens.

I think these will age well.

Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 set at 32mm; f4 1/1250th, ISO 200.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 set at 32mm; f4 1/1600th, ISO 200.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 set at 32mm; f4 1/1600th, ISO 200.

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Sunset Pan of Amtrak 618

We arrived at Jefferson Drive in Lancaster, Pa., a few minutes ahead of Amtrak 618.

Curiously, a film crew was in postion to make a motion picture about someone running. I got into a brief discussion about equipment with one of the tech guys, who approved of my Nikon Z6.

When Keystone 618 came into view, I exposed the burst of images at ISO 1600. There was a hint of sunset in the clouds.

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Aiming for a Meet at Gap.

Previously on Tracking the Light, I used an image from this sequence of eastward Keystone 672 to articulate why I expose using the RAW format. For this article, my intent is to demonstrate how I tried to anticipate a rolling meet.

Saturday evening, a glance at the ASM.transitdocs app revealed that Gap, Pa., would be a good place to try for a Main Line rolling meet.

I often use this passenger train application to reduce waiting time and help plan my locations.

The curves at Gap have several advantages; they allow for dramatic angles, while slower train speeds make it a little easier to frame moving trains. Slower trains in curves allow for more options to make images of a rolling meet.

Nice thought. Except, I got it wrong by about 60 seconds!

While I made satisfactory photos of both trains, Amtrak 672 had complete cleared my location before the westward 667 came into view.

I’ll keep trying.

Amtrak Keystone 672 led by ACS-64 607 glides eastbound through Gap, Pa.
Amtrak Keystone 672 led by ACS-64 607 glides eastbound through Gap, Pa.
Amtrak Keystone 672 led by ACS-64 607 glides eastbound through Gap, Pa.
Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 672 as it glides eastbound through Gap, Pa.
Westward Keystone 667 at Gap, Pa.
Westward Keystone 667 at Gap, Pa. Note the famous clock tower.

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Why I Expose in RAW

I come from a black & white background.

In my days of exposing photos using black & white film, I’d try to capture as much information as possible in my original negatives, then print to taste.

What does that mean? The negative was the means to the end. My final interpretation was in the print. In later years, I’d scan the negative and make adjustments digitally. The point is that to get my result I needed to record as much information in one exposure as possible.

Today, I largely work in the digital realm. In order to record as much data as possible, I expose using the RAW format and then adjust the files to produce a presentable image. Without interpretation, the RAW images often seem dark and somewhat dull. The important thing to understand is that RAW files have captured more information than is immediately evident in a casual glance.

Yesterday, Kris and I waited in the curve at Gap, Pa., for east and west Amtrak Keystones. Below is my first frame of the eastward train taking the curve. I’ve displayed the unaltered RAW, plus two interpretations of the file using Adobe Lightroom, as well as screen shots of the work windows. As a magician, I’m revealing most (but not all) of my tricks.

Scaled and unadjusted JPG of the camera NEF RAW file. The exposure was intended for maximum data capture and not for final presentation.
Adobe Lightroom work window showing the unadjusted RAW file. Note the position of the slider controls.
First interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, and saturation.
Second interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, color temperature and saturation.
Screenshot of the Adobe Lightroom work window showing slider control postions for the ‘second interpretation’ (as above).
Third and most extreme interpretation of the RAW file, showing the results of a variety of small adjustments to exposure, contrast, color temperature and saturation. If this had been a print, I’d probably have pitched it.

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Amtrak 651 at Christiana

The other day, Kris and I went for a drive. The light was nice, so we paused at Christiana, Pa., to roll by Amtrak Keystone 651 at the old Pennsylvania Railroad station.

I made these photos using my Z7-II fitted with a 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens.

Amtrak Keystone 651 led by ACS-64 607: N7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.
Amtrak 651: N7-II with 24-70 set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.
Amtrak Keystone 651 led by ACS-64 607: N7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.

Compare the view that includes the Conrail caboose with the view of the same caboose from the train in: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/views-from-the-keystone/

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Views from the Keystone

It was fun gliding west on the old Main Line.

Kris and I had boarded Amtrak Keystone 665 at 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. I wanted to sit on the northside of the train and check out some of our usual places as we zipped along at 100 plus.

As we approached Lancaster, a thunderstorm had darkened the horizon.

I made these views from the train using my Z7-II.

Old Conrail caboose on display at Christiana, Pa.
Racing along at Jefferson Drive, Greenfield, Lancaster, Pa., I was disappointed! I’ve made so many photos here over the last few months, and it looks so bland from the train.
And there’s the pond where I catch Norfolk Southern’s local coming round the bend. You’d never even guess there were tracks in this photo.
We’ll need to check this out sometime. Lancaster on the approach to the station.
A storm was brewing.

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Amtrak Locomotives Past, Present & Future

Over the last few months, I’ve been working on a book describing Amtrak’s locomotives and rolling stock. So, it seemed appropriate that on our visit to Philadelphia, we’d take a look at the variety of Amtrak equipment in the yard at 30th Street Station.

A parking garage located a short walk from the station offers a panaramic view of the yards, where we saw everthing from a former GO Transit GP40TC (now an Amtrak GP38H-3) and retired HHP8 electrics to the latest Siemens ALC-42 Charger diesels (first time we had seen these!) a group of stored Alstom Avelia Liberty/Next Generation Acela trainsets, as well as a selection of ballast cars and a few baggage cars from Amtrak’s Exhibit Train.

I made this selection of photos using my Nikon Z7-II.

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Taking Amtrak to Philadelphia.

The other day Kris and I bought Amtrak tickets on-line and traveled from Elizabethtown to 30th Street Station, Philadelphia on Keystone 664.

I made photos using my Nikon Z7-II, while Kris made photos with her iPhone.

It was a hot and humid day, which made for some challenges with the lens frosting up when going in and out of the air conditioning.

Approaching 30th Street, we got our first look at the new Alstom Acela train sets which are stored at the east-end of the station.

I’ll post more photos from Philadelphia soon.

Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens—Coatesville, PA.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens. 30th Street Station yards, Philadelphia.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.

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Late July Sun at Jefferson Drive

In the 1990s, I’d mastered a technique for capturing trains in the ‘glint’ light usng Kodachrome slide film. Golden glint was my favorite. I was especially fond of glinting Southern Pacific freights in the western mountains and Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor.

These days, I apply a similar technique using my modern mirrorless digital cameras.

Low summer sun can offer great glint light opportunities. The mix of agricultural detritus, smog pollutants, and humidity in the atmosphere help to tint evening sunlight toward the red-end of spectrum.

Amtrak’s stainless steel trains make for excellent glint reflectors, and I have a few choice locations to catch the glint, including my often-photographed tangent on Amtrak’s former Pennsylvania Railroad electrified line to Harrisburg.

In late July, the setting sun is about 30 degrees off axis from the railroad where it runs along Jefferson Drive. And this is the perfect angle to catch a train reflecting the light.

Last week on successive days, I made these glint light views of Amtrak’s westward Keystone train 653 on its approach to the Lancaster, Pa., station.

Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA. July 25, 2024. Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.
Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA, July 26, 2024. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 Z-series zoom.

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653 Leading Train 653

I admit this is a bit gooby.

Yesterday evening at Christiana, I photographed westward Amtrak Keystone train 653 running on the Main Line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

Amtrak’s Keystone Service trains are assigned operating numbers in the 600-block; even East/odd West.

Amtrak’s Siemens-built ACS-64 electrics were numbered in the 600-block, a series previously occuped by the E60CH electrics and some secondhand GP40-2s

I’ve been watching the Keystones glide along over the former PRR Main Line for many years. But yesterday, I was the first time I’d witnessed a Keystone Service train number coincide with the leading locomotive number! It might seem silly, but this a rare event, and pretty neat for the astute observer.

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From the Window of Train 61.

In August 1984, I was traveling overnight on Amtrak’s Montrealer—train 61—from its Canadian namesake to Washington D.C. Approaching Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, I made this view with a Leica 3A rangefinder. The camera was fitted with an antique uncoated 50mm Elmar, which resulted in images with broad tonality, but low contrast.

Exposing through Amtrak’s windows further reduced contrast and sharpness, but the effect is almost ethereal and dreamlike. Gliding along, I was witnessing mid-1980s railroading the way I like to remember it.

A Conrail freight was crossing the elevated High Line. While in the yard sat several sets of ‘Capitolliners’—the original Budd-built ‘Metroliner’ cars that had been rebuilt and were serving the Keystone corridor to Harrisburg.

I remember the Metroliner cars in the 1970s when they worked their namesake highspeed services between New York and Washington, but this is one of the few photos I made of the cars as ‘Capitolliners’, which today makes it special. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been re-reseaching the ground-breaking Metroliner for my new book on Amtrak equipment.

Almost daily, I see these old Metroliner cars which still work to Harrisburg, but now as neutered (unpowered) control cabs on the Keystone trains. Today, they are now among the oldest Amtrak cars in regular revenue service.

Central to this photo I made through the window of Train 61 are the sets of Capitoliner multiple units.

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Stormy Sunset—July 10, 2024

Last night a stormy sunset filled the western sky. Thunderstorms were raging to the North and West of Lancaster, Pa.

Kris and I drove by my standard location along Jefferson Drive. Amtrak Keystone 620 was just getting ready to depart Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

We paused so I could made a few photos using my Lumix LX7. Using the ‘Scene Mode’ feature, I selected ‘Night mode’ to make better use of the low evening light. This blends a series of images exposed during a synchronized burst.

I’ve included the camera info in the last frame which lists all the tech data imbedded in the photo.

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Failed Diesel and an Electric to the Rescue!

Saturday afternoon, Kris and I were having lunch at the Speckled Hen in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, when my old friend Dan Howard forwarded me a text with a photo of Amtrak 42 (eastward Pennsylvanian) crossing the Rockville Bridge with a Norfolk Southern GE in the lead exposed about an hour earlier.

We didn’t know the details, but it appeared that Amtrak’s GENESIS P42 (that normal leads the train) had failed. I realized that it was unlikely that the NS locomotive would continue east because it probably didn’t have compatible signaling equipment, but that Amtrak was likely to assign an ACS-64 electric to haul the train to Philadelphia.

We were a little late learning this, and when I checked the tracker (asm.transitdocs.com) train 42 was already east of Harrisburg. Yet, we still had time to finish lunch and check a few locations. My favorite spots at Gap were back-lit.

When I checked the tracker a second time, I saw that 42 wasn’t making great eastward progress, so we backtracked west to Leaman Place in Paradise, Pa. Not only did we make it there in time to catch train 42 with an ACS-64 leading the failed diesel, but Amtrak Keystone train 670 was about three minutes behind it!

Photos exposed using a Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.

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Anticipating Changes

On our recent visit to Windsor Locks, Connecticut, I made a series of photographs of an Amtrak Sunday-only Springfield to Washington DC train making its station stop.

In the relatively near future this entire scene is expected to change. Amtrak’s P42 diesels are reaching the end of their useful lives, and Amtrak’s Amfleet replacement cars are on order. Plans have also been made to build a new and improved station for Windsor Locks about a mile north of the present station.

The present Windsor Locks station is pretty basic. It lacks amenities, features just a short platform, and is scenically bereft. Yet, I’ve made many photos here over the last forty years.

Documenting change is more than just making pretty pictures.

These views were exposed digitially using my Nikon Z digital cameras.

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Amtrak 101

Is there room for subtlety and allusion?

I could make a lot of this photo.

Kris, Seamus-the-dog and I arrived at the Farmington River in Windsor, Connecticut just a few minutes before Amtrak’s southward train 143 (from Springfield, Massachusetts) was due to cross the former New Haven Railroad bridge over the mirror-like waters.

In the lead was Amtrak P42 GENESIS 101.

A couple of weeks ago, I signed the papers for my next book which will tell the story of Amtrak through its equipment. This will be more than a nuts and bolts analysis of Amtrak motive power, although I’m hoping to cover a lot of detail.

Just remember, the mirror image of 101 is 101.

Note to regular TTL viewers: Yesterday’s Post ‘Brief Visit to a Familiar Place’ was experiencing some technical difficulties. I received a variety of concerned comments that the photos were not appearing as expected. Word Press appears to have resolve the problem. You may re-check this post at: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/brief-visit-to-a-familiar-place/

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Elizabethtown, PA.

It was a fine warm evening when Kris, Seamus-the-Dog and I visited Amtrak’s former Pennsylvania Railroad station at Elizabethtown, PA. According to Kurt Bell, railroad historian, PHMC’s Railroad Collections Archivist and an Elizabethtown resident, the station building dates to 1915, and is situated on a late 19th century line relocation on a high fill.

Kris and I had checked the station on a rainy day a few weeks earlier.

Amtrak has be undertaking a rebuilding of its Harrisburg Line, and there was evidence of this work as well as a variety of track equipment, including a multi-section Loram machine—possibly a rail vac, used for ballast work. The days of the old wooden ties on the main tracks are coming to a close.

I timed our visit to catch westward Amtrak Keystone train 667.

This was running on the near track to avoid the on-going work on the opposite track, which is typically used for westward movements.

Digital images exposed using my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm and Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

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Pennsylvanians in High Sun

I was hoping to time it right to get the eastward and westward Amtrak Pennsylvanians (trains 42 and 43) passing one another at Bird-in-Hand.

In truth this is a more aesthetic exercise during the winter months when the light is low and the air is crisp. But not all photo opportunities present themselves in the perfect light.

As it turned out the two trains passed by within 90 seconds of one another, so there was no ‘running meet’ for me on this day.

All photos exposed with my Nikon Z7-II. NEF-RAW files adjusted in post-processing using Adobe Lightroom.

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Electric in Motion

I like Amtrak’s Siemens Cities Sprinters—the ACS-64s.

These are powerful, sharp looking and fast!

We had a moment, and I knew an Amtrak Keystone train 651 was less than five minutes away and closing quickly. So we paused along the old Main Line at Bird-in-Hand, Pa.

I don’t where ‘Bush,’ Pennsylvania is, but I wasn’t willing to risk trying to get there to find two ACS-64s on the move when I knew one was so close. (Sorry, it’s ‘bad-pun Thursday’!)

Using my Nikon Z7-II, I exposed a burst of photos as the train raced by trying to make up time as it approached its Lancaster station stop. ACS-64 number 668 was working in ‘push’-mode at the back of the consist.

Below are two of my favorites from this effort. These are scaled from the NEF-RAW capture without alterations to exposure, contrast or color.

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Pink Tree-Part Three

I made another attempt a scoring a westward Amtrak Keystone passing a blossoming tree on Jefferson Drive in Lancaster, PA.

In my first attempt at this location, my efforts were foiled by a passing pickup truck that altered my composition and confused the Nikon’s autofocusing system. See: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/amtrak-pink-tree-blossoms-fail/

I did much better with my second effort, which featured Norfolk Southern’s local freight on the New Holland Branch (which is adjacent to Amtrak’s electrified line). See: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/flowering-tree-part-2-crescent-cab/

For this third effort, I reduced the size of my autofocus point and relocated it so it would not be affected by road traffic.

I also adjusted the zoom outward to provide a wider angle of view.

Although a car snuck into the photo at the last moment, at least the camera remained focused on Amtrak. This was more successful than my first attempt, but not as pleasing as my second effort. Time was running out for the pink blossoms, but I wasn’t done with this project yet!

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Amtrak & Pink Tree Blossoms—Fail!

Spring is a beautiful time of year in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Beautiful blossoming trees can be seen all along the roads and highways.

Finding trees near the tracks is more of a challenge, but not far from our apartment are some of the most rail-proximate photographable specimens .

Sometimes what seems so easy, proves difficult.

Last Monday, I planned to catch a westward Amtrak Keystone passing a beautifully blossoming tree along Jefferson Drive.

I set up a few minutes ahead of the train. However just as the westward train raced into view (cabcar first, ACS-64 electric at the rear), a pickup truck entered the scene. Not only did this truck present a distracting element in my composition, but as the truck passed it threw off the autofocus on my Nikon Z7-II. It changed the center of focus from the train to an indiscriminate point.

This all happened in the blink of an eye. By the time, I recognized there was a problem, it was too late to fix it.

The resulting images were something less than satisfactory. So I knew, I’ll have to try this again . . . .

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Harrisburg Station

The former Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Harrisburg, Pa., is the western terminus of Amtrak’s Keystone service, and also served by the Pennsylvanian that continues on to Pittsburgh.

This is a comparatively important Amtrak Station, which retains much of its classic charm. It is a clean, well used facility, however, I was surprised by the relative dearth of services and facilities in and around the station.

Last week, I made these photos of the historic structure with my Nikon Z7-II, and then adjusted the NEF RAW files with Adobe Lightroom.

My friend Dan Cupper had arranged for me visit several facilities in Harrisburg that were preserved by the Harrisburg Chapter of the NRHS, and those photos will appear in up-coming Tracking the Light posts. Stay tuned . . .

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Keystone with Blossoming Trees

Sunday afternoon, Kris & I went for a wee drive. This was neatly planned to coincide with the passing of a westward Amtrak Keystone at Jefferson Drive in Lancaster.

For a week, I’d been eyeing the Spring blossoms on decorative tress along Jefferson drive, but was discouraged by the ‘Irish’ weather we seem to have brought back with us.

Since Sunday was bright and clear, I recognized the time was ripe to make the most of the light and the trees.

Photos were exposed of Amtrak Keystone 665 on its approach to Lancaster, PA.

Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.
Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.

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Amfleet Article in May Trains Magazine

Among the magazines waiting in our post box upon our arrival back in Lancaster, PA, was the May 2024 Trains Magazine.

Pages 49-50 featured my monthly travel column. I focused on Amtrak’s Amfleet in a personal retrospective titled ‘Last chance to ride Amfleet.’

Below is a short list of out-takes from the photos I selected for my May column.

These were exposed with my various Lumix LX-cameras.

Lumix LX3. Amcafe at New Haven, Connecticut.
Amcoaches at Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Exposed with 16:9 aspect ratio.
Quiet car on Amtrak 95.

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Snow and Moonlight at Leaman Place.

The combination of a low ceiling, a bright moon and the blanket of snow covering the ground made for interesting evening light.

While there really wasn’t enough light to stop a fast moving Amtrak Keystone, I felt the ambient lighting conditions were still conducive to photography.

I set up my Bogen tripod in the snow and attached to it my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series lens.

After a few test photos at ISO 200 to check my angle and lighting, I set the ISO to 2000 and waited fo the Keystone to zip by at speed.

The final pair of photos were exposed a f4, for 1.6 seconds with the lens set to 24mm.

Test photo, ISO 200, f4.0 15 seconds..
ISO 2000, f4, for 1.6 seconds
ISO 2000, f4, for 1.6 seconds

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Two for One at Christiana

Fortune was with us on Saturday.

After lunch, we drove the back way over to Christiana, Pa., where I hoped to catch Amtrak 670 in the afternoon sun.

The tracks are oriented on a south-north alignment at Christiana, which makes it a good place to photograph eastward train on a sunny day, if you mind the shadows.

Where Keystone 670 was pretty much ‘on the advertised,’ Amtrak 42, the eastward Pennsylvanian had fallen down a bit, and was just a few minutes behind.

So for the effort of one eastward train, we caught two! One electric and one diesel.

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Look Ma No Pans!

High winds on Tuesday resulted in some unusual activity on Wednesday.

Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch is a line that runs near (and ultimately connects with) Amtrak’s electrified former Pennsylvania Railroad Harrisburg Line. At Jefferson Drive in Lancaster, the lines are in sight of one another. While I was waiting for NS’s branch local, I was surprised by late running Amtrak Keystone that passed under wire with a P42 diesel leading an ACS-64 electric with its pantographs down.

I was out of position to photograph the eastward Amtrak train, but I made my photos of the Norfolk Southern freight (for a later post). Afterward I made a few inquiries to learn about Amtrak’s situation.

From my understanding the high winds on Tuesday had damaged the overhead lines in the Philadelphia area. To keep its trains running, Amtrak assigned P42s in the lead. Give credit to Amtrak for doing what was needed to get trains over the road!

Later in the day, during the lunch hour, Kris and I went trackside at Bird-in-Hand, Pa., where we caught westward Amtrak 643 Keystone running ‘behind the advertised’ with a P42 at the Harrisburg-end and an ACS-64 with its pans down on the Philadelphia end.

I made these images using my Nikon Z7-II. The NEF RAW files were adjusted for contrast, exposure and saturation in post processing.

Amtrak 643 at Bird-in-Hand, Pa.
Amtrak 643 at Bird-in-Hand, Pa.
Amtrak 643 at Bird-in-Hand, Pa.

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Amtrak 643 at Gap

After days of gray cloudy skies the sun emerged. Kris and I paused at Gap, Pa., to roll by Amtrak’s westward Keystone, train 643. This was operating cab-car first with an ACS-64 electric at the back of the consist.

Working with my Nikon Z7-II and 24-70mm zoom set to 70mm, I exposed a series of images. I cropped these in post processing to emphasize the horizontal perspective.

70mm view, f4.5, 1/1250 second, ISO 200.
70mm view, f4.5, 1/1250 second, ISO 200.
70mm view, f4.5, 1/1250 second, ISO 200.

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