I was working with two Nikons that day, one loaded with Fujichrome the other with Ektachrome. If I were to guess, I’d say based on the color balance and saturation of this slide that it was made on Fujichrome.
March 14, 2003—Sixteen years ago—I made this sunset view at Long Island Rail Road’s Jay Tower on a visit to Jamaica, Queens with Pat Yough.
Jamaica is among the busiest junctions in the United States and serves hundreds of LIRR trains daily.
The Long Island Rail Road (two words) is one of America’s most intensive heavy-rail commuter operations.My late friend ‘Uncle’ Harry Vallas—a locomotive engineer on the line—affectionately called it the ‘Wrong Island Fail Road.’On the morning of June 25, 2015, my father, Jack May, Walter Zullig and I, took a trip from New York Penn Station to Far Rockaway. We changed at Jamaica (cross platform, no stairs). Our trains were air conditioned. The tracks were smooth and welded. And we arrived on time.
I made these photos with my digital cameras.
Exposed with a Fujifilm X-T1.
Tickets to ride. Lumix LX7 photo.
The back of a paper ticked shows a schematic map of the network. Jack May gave me this as a souvenir. LX7 Photo.
Inside the train on the way to Jamaica. LX7 photo.
Changing trains at Jamaica didn’t allow much time to take in the sights. LX7 grab shot on the platform.
Recalling old times on the LIRR on the way to Far Rockaway. It was really different back in the day (so I learned).
Interior panoramic composite of a Long Island Rail Road car. Exposed with a Fuji X-T1.
Fuji X-T1 view.
Far Rockaway is a functional facility. Shortly after our arrival an in-bound train departed. Fuji X-T1 photo.
Jamaica, Queens, New York looking west on the Long Island Rail Road. I exposed this photo on Fujichrome using my Nikon N90S with a 80-200mm Nikon zoom lens. To capture the silhouette effect I exposed for the sky, allowing detail in the shadows to fade to an inky black.
It is one of America’s busiest railway junctions; LIRR at Jamaica, Queens hosts hundreds of trains daily and rush hours can be especially intense.
In March 2003, Pat Yough and I visited in the afternoon. We concluded the day’s photography by making images looking in to the rosy sunset.
I’ve always liked the arcing from the third rail, which seems to add a bit of life to the image.
