Sometimes the once-common makes for the most interesting images.

On a chilly morning in February 1985, I photographed this eastward Conrail freight at the former New Haven Railroad crossing in Westfield, Mass.

My old Leica IIIa was loaded with Ilford FP4 black-and-white film. Although it was officially rated at ISO 125, I always exposed it as though it were ISO 100.

I processed the film in straight D-76 developer. I may have made a small proof print of the image, but for forty years the negative sat in a common envelope until I located it for scanning just after Christmas last year.

Conrail’s 6550-series C30-7As were favorites of mine back in the 1980s. These unusual six-motor GE diesels were common on the Boston Line, the former Boston & Albany route.

I still recall the sound of the long freight as it wound through the curves west of Westfield before No. 6592 came into view.

Tracking the Light stays cool.