Saturday, Kris and I went shopping for garden plants in Lancaster, Pa.
We were just a short walk from Norfolk Southern’s Dillerville Yard, so after loading our car, I went over to see if I could get a view of where the locomotives are stored between runs.
Most local freights are out on weekdays. By contrast Saturday is relatively quite. From the Dillerville Roadbridge, I made these very ordinary photos of GP38-2s, SD40Es and SD60Es resting between assignments using my Lumix LX7.
These are not calendar photos, nor were they intended to be anything other than a record of the scene.
Last weekend, Kris, Seamus & I, paid a visit to the old Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division—now Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line.
I’m fond of the view from Underpass Road, near the village of Mexico. We caught several trains here, including this westward double stacked container freight.
I made this wideangle photograph with my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens. During post-processing, I nominally cropped the foreground to give the image a slightly panoramic appearance.
After more than two years of eying up the Lititz Station (itself a recreation) as location to photograph a train, I finally caught a locomotive here.
Last week, I was patient as NS local H23 switched a local industry. After a while, SD60E 6977 pulled a few cars down and began its run around.
This gave me ample time to get the locomotive crossing Pennsylvania Rt 501 (North Broad Street) by the old Wilbur Chocolate factory.
My timing was good. Not only did the sun come out, but as I was making my photos, a fellow photographer informed me of the plan to move the run around track further west and eliminate the need to cross North Broad Street and pass the station.
I also made a few Fujichrome slides to preserve the event for posterity.
I caught up with Norfolk Southern’s H23 local freight at Lancaster Junction (see my earlier post), and followed it to Manheim, Pa.
I’ve visited the old Reading & Columbia station in Manheim on several occasions. This classic station is now a museum and captures the atmosphere of a typical small town railroad depot.
Knowing the train wasn’t far behind me, I set up timetable east of the station building and after a very short wait, the headlight came into view.
Although clouds resulted in dappled light, I made some satisfying images of the short freight approaching and passing Manheim.
Photos exposed digitally using a Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom.
The former Erie Railroad between Hornell and Buffalo, New York, is operated at Norfolk Southern’s Southern Tier route. At West Middlebury, New York the line runs parallel to the Dale Road (named for the nearby town).
This CP Rail mixed freight carried NS train symbol 39T. It was working railroad timetable-west toward Buffalo. The timetable and compass do not correspond at West Middlebury; because the track curves to reach Attica, New York, this westward freight is running in a north-easterly direction, which allows for nice morning sun of the front of CP Rail’s GE AC4400CW 9551.
CP Rail’s operation over the former Erie was a legacy of Delaware & Hudson’s trackage rights on Conrail to Buffalo that dated to Conrail’s start-up in 1976.
CP Rail’s westward 39T rolls along the former Erie Railroad parallel to the Dale Road in West Middlebury, New York on May 11, 2007
I exposed this view on Fujichrome slide film using a Canon EOS-3 with 200mm Canon telephoto.
Kris called this a ‘bonus train’. We weren’t anticipating this move. But, it was neat to catch this eastward Norfolk Southern unit train (consisting of covered hoppers) as it crossed the Susquehanna River via the former Pennsylvania Railroad Rockville Bridge.
The repetative patterns offered by the arches and off-white hoppers against the backdrop of distant hills makes for a visually compelling scene.
I made these views using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens.
Not long after the eastward Norfolk Southern intermodal train came to a stop east of SIP 116 to change crews, the westward intermodal train that we’d been anticipating came into view.
This scene unfolded nicely, and I made a series of photos as the trains passed one another on the old Pennsylvania Railroad ‘Middle Division’ at Cove, Pa.
Bright sun and freight trains on the move brought me back to another time, when photographer Mike Gardner and I caught a series of Conrail freights at this same location.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Last Saturday was clear and bright, so Kris and I headed over to the famed Rockville Bridge over the Susquehanna River north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
When we arrived there was a set of Norfolk Southern locomotives sitting on the bridge and it appeared that scene was set for some action.
We made some photos of the bridge and a few pictures of each other with the iconic spans before heading up river to catch trains on the move. Nice sunlight was a good start, and on this day Norfolk Southern didn’t disappoint . . .
More photos coming soon!
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens. Nikon NEF RAW adjusted with Lightroom.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens. Nikon NEF RAW adjusted with Lightroom.
The other day, I posted some photos that I’d made of a two-unit, two-car freight passing Limerock on its way from Lancaster to Lititz, Pa. My success, led me to try again. So before Christmas, Kris and I made another exploration of Norfolk Southern’s Lititz secondary, and this scored us an even shorter freight.
It is seen here under clear skies approaching the West Lexington Road grade crossing with a lone GP38-2 and single boxcar.
Exposed digitally using a Fujifilm XT1 with 16-50mm Fujinon lens. Fuji RAF raw files were converted to PNG format using Iridient X-Transformer and then imported into Adobe Lightroom for final adjustment and scaling for internet presentation.
I’ve made a variety of exploratory trips along the former Reading Company’s Reading & Columbia line, but until last Thursday, I had not had the opportunity to photograph a train in motion.
Working with my FujiFilm XT-1, I set up at South Penryn Road in Manheim, Pa., to catch Norfolk Southern’s local freight on its way to Lititz. By using a very low angle, I was able to better show the wheels on the rails. This perspective gives a visual separation by allowing you to see the grass on the far side of the train.
Track speed is very casual, so I had no difficulty getting ahead of the train for more photos on this pastoral and rarely photographed portion of the old Reading.
Photo exposed in RAF Raw format using a FujiFilm XT1 with 16-50mm Fujinon lens. The raw file was converted using Iridient X-Transformer and then imported into Adobe Lightroom for post processing adjustments which include a mask to improve detail in the sky.
Not every photo comes easy. Since moving to Lancaster, Pa., Kris and I have crossed the New Holland Branch on Greenfield Road countless times.
It was here that we first saw an NS train on the branch and on several occasions have photographed eastward trains.
I’d often eyed this as a location for a returning westward move, but never had the planets align perfectly. On a previous trip, I did managed to catch a westward train, but we were late arriving and my angle was not what I’d hoped to get.
So, on that Friday in early November when we followed the freight west from Leola, I was keen on trying to intercept it crossing Greenfield Road from the classic angle.
FujiFilm XT-1 with 16-55mm lens, ISO 200.
Score this one to persistence (with a wee bit of good luck).
Since relocating to Lancaster, Pa., I’ve made at least 30 photographic forays along Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch. However, owing to the timing of my trips, most of these adventures have coincided with eastward trains. As a result, I have fewer photos of Norfolk Southern’s local on its westward run.
As a result, when Kris and I saw the westward local freight departing Leola, I opted to take advantage of it, and I had a few choice locations in mind.
Our first stop was at Willow Road, where in recent months I’ve made many photos of the eastward run. A year ago, I’d eyed up an ideal place to catch a westward train and I’ve just been waiting for the opportunity to work this angle on the line.
Once in postion, with my Fuji XT1 in hand, I didn’t have long to wait before the train ambled into view. I made these photos using a 18-55mm Fujinon zoom. After the train passed we zipped ahead to my next pre-selected spot. Stay tuned!
Some weeks back, Kris and I had enjoyed lunch at the Fox Meadows Creamery in Leola, Pa., and were on our way to our next errand. As we drove west on Horseshoe Road, I spied Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local near the Leola station. We pulled in just as the engineer released the brakes. The train was all put together and on its way west back toward the junction with Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line on its return run to Dillerville Yard.
Instead of my Nikons, I’d brought with me my FujiFilm XT1 fitted with a 16-55mm Fujinon zoom lens. This camera had been my primary digital picture making machine until autumn 2020, but in recent years has only seen occasional use. Not that there’s anything wrong with the Fuji!
Ten years ago, I adopted the Fuji X-series because of its excellent color and ability to present a deep black right out of the camera.
With only a few moment to spare, I fired up the old XT1 and exposed this sequence of photos. The freight was on the move, so without delay the chase was on!
We had heard this freight climbing the grade on ascent of Horseshoe Curve as we were walking the steps up from the visitors center.
This Norfolk Southern carload train crawled into view just a few minutes after we reached the plateau where the park is perched.
Two modern GE diesels labored in full-throttle as the heavy train squealed through the curves offering pure entertainment to the host of visitors.
Immediately behind the locomotives was an unusual load riding on a rare 12-axle flatcar. This extremely heavy cylindrical body was described to me as powerplant generator rotor. I photographed a myriad selection of other cars on the train, including a selection of lime green Amtrak balast hoppers. At the back of the train were more multi-axle flats and an very unusual large blue caboose.
In the world of railways there are many horseshoe curves. I’ve visited many of these over the years: Utah’s Gilluly Loops; California’s Caliente Horseshoe in the Tehachapis; the famous Stanford Curve on Donner; and Oregon’s Leonard horseshoe among others.
While impressive, none compare to the World Famous Curve on the former Pennsylvania Railroad near Altoona, Pa.
This is more than just a horseshoe curve. It is among the great cosmic settings for American railroading and icon of 19th century railroad building. I don’t know if there’s much I can write about the Curve that hasn’t been written before. My friend Dan Cupper wrote a book on the subject (years ago my copy fell apart from over use).
I paid my first visit to Horseshoe Curve with my family back in August 1981. In the mid 1980s, my pal TSH and I made myriad trips to this Mecca of Pennsylvania railroading. Kris and I traveled here together for the first time three years ago.
In October, Kris treated me to a 58th Birthday visit to Altoona, including a pilgrimage to the Curve.
My curve ears started ringing about 1/3 the way up the stairs from the visitor’s center to the park at center of the great curve. ‘Westbound. GE’s in the lead. . . . No helper.’
As we climbed the steps, I recalled the first time I ascended these steps: We had just arrived at the parking lot in our 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser. In the distance I heard the rhythmic drumming of a 20-cylinder SD45. My brother Sean and I ran as fast as we could to reach trackside (near the old K4s Pacific on display) before the train passed. It was one of the few times that I witnessed a Conrail SD45 in full run-8.
More than 43 years later, Kris and I reached trackside in time to a position trackside to take in the action. (A PRR GP9 had replaced the K4s in the mid-1980s.) Before the westward freight passed, a light helper consiting of a pair of Norfolk Southern SD70ACU’s worked west.
We were navigating the streets of Lilly on our way toward Cresson, Pa., when we spotted the headlight of a train on Track 2,
I pulled in near the tracks at SIP 254.3 with just enough time to jump out and grab some cameras to expose photos of what turned out to be westward loaded trash train.
I know some of my readers will be quick to say; ‘that’s a load of garbage.’
October had been pleasantly warm in Pennsylvania, so it was a bit of shock when we arrived at Lilly near the summit of the Alleghenies to find it was a raw 27F! Luckily we’d packed some long sleeves.
Crisp cool air carries the sound well, and long before the headlight came into view, Kris and I could hear this heavy eastward Norfolk Southern freight laboring up the ‘West Slope’.
Years ago, I would have used my telephoto lenses to frame an eastward train beneath the classic PRR signal bridge that once stood at Lilly, but this was removed a few years ago when NS resignaled the line.
Notwithstanding, this is still a neat place to watch a train clawing its way upgrade. This was a monster. In addition to locomotives at the headend, there was a mid-train ‘DPU’ (radio remote control distributed power unit), and a helper at the back.
I made these photos using my Nikon Z cameras. This was the first of several trains we caught that cool morning. Soon the sun was over the ridgeline and we continued a wonderful day of photography!
In a gentle curve, under an azure dome and against a backdrop of rusty autumn leaves, an intermodal train races west on Norfolk Southern’s ‘three main track’ —former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline at Cassandra, Pa.
The sun was over my right shoulder at an angle low enough to capture truck detail, but high enough to allow for a full-daylight exposure.
The zoom on my Nikon was set to 46mm, which nearly matches the field of vision of the avarage human eye.
This is nearly a perfect of image of modern freight railroading today. There were no complications caused by wayward clouds, rampaging graffiti artists, or unsightly shadows from random wires.
In Conrail days, I made many memorable visits to the West Slope of Alleghenies. The former PRR mainline was always alive with freight.
It had been almost three years since our last visit to this hallowed ground. Last Saturday we made an overdue pilgrimage.
We arrived at the Railroad Overlook at Cassandra, Pa. just before 1pm. There were a fair few photographers already in position, plus an extended Mennonite family enjoying a PRR-themed picnic.
It was quiet for the first half hour.
Light clouds crossed the sky, and a set of light helpers went West toward Cresson. I made photos to capture the aura of the place. And then a distant roar, just barely audible above the rustle of leaves.
Between Huntingdon and Tyrone, Pa., the old Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division follows a path carved by the Little Juniata River.
By contrast, we took a more direct route by driving west via Routes 22 and 453. This allowed us to get well ahead of the westward Norfolk Southern freight that we rolled by at Huntingdon.
On arrival at Tyrone, an eastward NS intermodal was approaching, Kris photographed this from the window of the car with her Fuji X-T4.
With time to spare, I set up for a dynamic view of the westward train, exposed from a postion on the Amtrak platform using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm zoom.
I’ve included two versions of the photo that exhibit varying degrees of post processing to make the most of the image.
I’m on the fence on this photo. I also exposed a color slide using my F3 with an f2.0 135mm telephoto. I’ll be curious to see how this came out.
Uncrossed version with only moderate post processing changes. Exposed at 70mm f4 1/1000 sec.This version exhibits a variety of changes to the original file, including the selective cropping to eliminate the sky and make the most of autumn foliage. Both photos were processed from the same Nikon NEF RAW file. I think I like the top (uncropped) version better.
Getting to Tyrone was on the day’s agenda, and here we had a more elusive quarry to capture. The NS trains were just a bonus.
We were driving along Rt 222 and started to overtake a stopped freight on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Branch near Port Deposit, Maryland.
Upon arriving in the village, we turned into a local parking lot adjacent to where the head-end of the train had tied up. This was an opportunity.
In the lead was NS AC44C6M 4334.
Kris and I made a few photos of the train. I like the number of the locomotive, which is a palindrome—a number (or word) that reads the same backwards and forwards.
I made a series of photos with my Nikon Z mirrorless digital cameras. The shadows were a bit harsh, so working with Adobe Lightroom, I lightened them appropriately to make for better (or at least more pleasing) images.
On August 22, 2010, I’d spent the day photographing trains on Norfolk Southern’s former Erie Railroad mainline in western New York state.
This had been familiar territory for me back in the 1980s, when I was studying photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY.
One of the trains that caught my attention this day was Norfolk Southern 048, a special for the James E. Strates Show that ran with spotless ‘simonized’ former Conrail SD60M 6777.
In this view, I aimed to recreate a photo that I made in 1988 of an eastward Conrail freight at the same location immediately east of milepost 314 in Cameron, NY. I was standing on a vestige of the old westward main track, which was converted to a set-out spur when Conrail single tracked this portion of the railroad back in 1994.
Exposed using my (then new) Canon EOS7D with a prime 24mm Canon lens. Below are two versions; one is made directly from the RAW file without modification; the other involved a series of adjustments aimed at improving highlight and shadow detail and overall color balance.
In reviewing this photo, I’ve decided to add it to my screen savers. It brings back some fond memories of my days photographing the former Erie Railroad. I wonder what this location is like in 2024?
This is a JPG scaled without modification from the Canon CR2 (RAW) file.Adjusted file to improve highlight and shadow detail.
Sunday, Kris and I brought Seamus for a walk along the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, starting at the far west end at Turkey Hill, which is several miles west of Safe Harbor, Pa.
A former New Haven Railroad caboose is preserved along the trail. This is painted to represent a Pennsylvania Railroad cabin car.
Although there are a few places where I could get photos of Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Branch running along the Susquehanna River, a tall chain link fence makes it difficult to a get a decent angle. Next time, I may bring a step stool to look over the fence.
Seamus enjoyed his walk and I found it interesting to inspect this historic section of the former Pennsylvania Railroad where E44, GG1 and P5A electrics once hauled freight.
Regular Tracking-the-Light readers are aware that over the last year I’ve made a project of photographing Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch in Lancaster, Co., Pa. This TTL post is more about ‘being there’ than about strategic photographic technique.
There are times when I’ve waited hours for a train that never shows. And there are times, when despite everything, I just happen to be in exactly the right place at the right time.
Toward the end of July, I was on my way over to clean our old Greenfield apartment before turning the keys back. I had late start and I got caught behind a waddling truck that further delayed me. But this delay opened opportunity! As I crossed over the former PRR Main Line at Pitney Road, near the junction with the New Holland Branch, there—Ta Da!—was the eastward NS local freight. Perfect timing, and completely by accident.
On a normal day the local would be at Pitney between about 8:45 and 8:55am, and I’d hear it sound for the Greenfield Road crossing about 9 o’clock sharp. I spotted the freight on this day nearly two hours late. Also, it had a pair of SD40Es and 26 cars, making it one of the largest freights I’d seen on the branch since moving to Lancaster.
I made a short detour to Jefferson Drive, where I caught the train curving below Hwy 30 and running near my favorite little pond, then zipped post-haste up to Willow Road to make a series of pastoral views. In no time I was back at the apartment to complete the task at hand
Sometimes that little delay in traffic is the fortuity needed to get the shot. Here’s the lesson: take advantage of the gift when it comes to you.
A couple of weeks ago, Kris and I brought Seamus for a walk at the Fort Hunter Mansion State Park on the east bank of the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pa.
This offers some stunning views of the magnificent Rockville Bridge.
After a little bit of wait, I heard a Norfolk Southern train call the signal at Rockville heading west. This was an empty unit coal train. I’d preselected a view across the river where I could frame up the bridge with a tree in the park. I made these views using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm zoom.
Soft evening mid-summer light nicely illuminates the northside of the bridge.
Among the trains we photographed on Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line (the old PRR Middle Division) at Cove, Pennsylvania was this eastward double-stack train.
A few minutes earlier I’d switched on my venerable scanner and heard the train calling signals, which had alerted us to its relative proximity.
Kris and I had just caught a westward train (featured a few days ago on Tracking the Light) and as its last empty container flats were gliding by, the headlights of the eastward train came into view.
The third unit on the train was Norfolk Southern’s SD70ACe 1072 painted for the Illinois Terminal—one of many consituent railroads represented in the NS fleet by ‘heritage’ paint schemes.
It was neat to see it roll by, although after week/months of hard service it seemed that it could benefit a trip through the washer.
Photos exposed using Nikon Z-series mirrorless digital cameras.
Cove and Cobh are spelled differently, but pronounced the same. In February, Kris and I visited Cobh, County Cork in Ireland; on Sunday we photographed near Cove, Pennsylvania along the old Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division, now Norfolk Southern’s busy Pittsburgh Line.
The following photos offer contrasts in subject matter, camera equipment, and photographic techique. About the only commonality is railway heritage, steel wheels and our recent visits!
Lumix LX7 photo at Cobh, County Cork on February 29, 2024.Lumix LX7 photo at the former railway terminal in Cobh, County Cork, now the Cobh Heritage Centre.Irish Rail 2600 railcars arriving at the Cobh station on February 29, 2024. Lumix LX7 photo.Norfolk Southern double stack container train works west at SIP 166.8 in Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z-series70-200mm lens.Norfolk Southern double stack container train works west at SIP 166.8 in Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z-series70-200mm. This image was made just a few seconds after the first and has a subtly different focus point and composition.Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z7-II with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens. That pole shadow irks me.Cove, Pennsylvania. Nikon Z7-II with Nikkor Z-series 24-70mm lens.
I consider this an excercise in composition. I had a few minutes last Thursday morning, so I went up to Leola, Pennsylvania to catch up with Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local.
The sun was bright and the clouds were just rolling in from the west. I made this sequence of photographs of the GP38-3 and SD40E that had paused by the old PRR depot along Horseshoe Road.
Over the last year, I’ve made a variety of railroad photos at this location. I like the concept of variation on a theme. Years ago I learned to make the most of good photographic situation, because you never know precisely the situation and composition that will best suit a photograph for publication.
Of this selection do you have any favorites? All were exposed using my Nikon Z7-II mirror-less digital camera.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 30mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 33mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 31mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 54mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 45mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/640th second. No adjustments to exposure or contrast.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 49mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/320th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; ISO 100, f 7.1, 1/400th second. Nominal adjustment to shadows and hightlights.
Our new home is a relatively short drive from the former Pennsylvania Railroad bridges at Safe Harbor.
The cutoff to Parksburg was abandoned in the 1980s and has since been converted into the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, while the old Port Road route along the east bank of the Susquehanna River is operated by Norfolk Southern.
I’ve previously described the challenges in catching trains on this route. Owning to a daylight hours curfew on through freights using Amtrak’s former PRR electrified mainlines, most freight over the old Port Road tends to pass at night.
However, in the long days of summer it is possible to catch freights on the move in daylight. So over the last week I’ve made two attempts to catch trains on this route. In both instances I waited out the daylight without a wheel turning.
On July 2nd, we visited Safe Harbor. I hiked up to the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail to scope angles and wait. The droning of the Safe Harbor dam made it difficult to hear if a train was approaching. In the hour I spent there, I exposed a variety of photos of the tracks, bridges, dam and river.
One of these days, I hope to see steel wheels rolling on these rails.
This bridge now carried the Enola Low Grade Rail Trail, which offers a commanding vantage point of the river, railroad and Safe Harbor dam.
For the last year, Kris and I have lived in an apartment at Greenfield in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. One of the great benefits of this location has been the proximity to both Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line and Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch.
A couple of weeks ago, as I went about my Sunday errands, I made this photo of the outbound NS local freight on its way east toward New Holland. I’ve photographed this run dozens of times since moving to Greenfield.
This week Kris and I bought a house. This offers many significant improvements to our standard of living including; an enclosed garage, lots of storage and office space, and a fully finished basement (already allocated for the latest interpretation of the Reading Company in HO Scale).
The new house is only 15 minutes from Greenfield, but will no longer be within earshot of the New Holland Branch. So while I may still seek out the New Holland local, it will require a bit more effort than during our Greenfield stay.
Sunday mornings are a great time to combine two activities; making trips to the grocery and catching photos of the local freight.
A few weeks ago, I missed Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local on its outward journey.
Not to worry, Kris and I caught up with it on the way to the supermarket in Leola.
It was a clear bright morning, and while the angle of the sun was contrasty, I feel that this photo captures the spirit of the New Holland Branch in one image.
I made a variety of modifications to the image in post processing to reduce contrast and improve detail.
New Holland, Pennsylvania has classic character. It is one of those towns where the railroad still serves local industry and remains an active part of the landscape. It is at the east end of Norfolk Southern’s former PRR railroad New Holland Branch.
On another recent visit, I made these photos along South Railroad Avenue in the evening light.
Kris spotted the TTX ‘Railbox’ Plate F boxcar on the siding located east of the grade crossing.
Photos exposed using Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras.
Cola Tower is located in Columbia, Pennsylvania along the former Pennsylvania Railroad’s Port Road Branch near the junction with the Columbia Branch that ran from its namesake to Lancaster. The solid brick building has been closed for many years and retains its Conrail-era blue sign. Evidence of PRR’s electrification abounds, although electric operations were discontinued by Conrail more than 40 years ago. However, I can’t claim to be an authority on Cola or this section of the PRR, and I’ll welcome details about its operation and demise.
I’ve visited Columbia on a number of occasions, but until recently, I hadn’t photographed a train at this historically important railroad junction.
Part of the challenge is that Columbia is a difficult place to portray. There is a lot of trackage, but not many vantage points. The second problem is that most of the action occurs in the evening owing to an Amtrak aytime curfew on the North East Corridor, which effectively limits movements over connecting lines.
Now that we are into the long days its is easier to find trains on the move.
My friend Dan Cupper encouraged me to investigate opportunities on this route. Last year, I caught an empty coal train in the morning at Washingtonboro, a few miles to the south.
Now that we are back into the bright evenings I aimed to try again. So, a couple of weeks ago I drove to Cola Tower with Seamus-the-Dog, reaching there about 7:30pm. After a cursory inspection to check sun angles and signals, we set up near the old tower.
I noticed a group of teenagers with phone congregating near a grade crossing, then a young enthusiast showed up wearing a Nofolk Southern T-shirt. He let me know that I was in luck, and a coal train was enroute via the Royalton Branch.
Camera’s in hand I positioned myself in the shadow of the tower. Before long, we could hear the whistle of an approaching train.
I made a series of photos of the passing train as Seamus watched with interest from the safety of the car. Afterwards, my friend and fellow photographer Pat Yough supplied details about the train which was NS’s unit train number 590, running from Shire Oaks, Pa., to Baltimore.
With this success, I’m anticipating more adventures in the area and hope to learn more about photographing this portion of the former PRR.
Tracking the Light by Brian Solomon publishes Daily Explorations into Railroad Photography!
Kris, Seamus-the-Dog and I had spent a productive afternoon along the old PRR Middle Division. It was bright and sunny when we arrived, but thunderstorms had blown in from the west. What started as a sprinkle had rapidly turned into a raging Monsoon.
Looming out the deluge at Thomsontown, Pa., was this eastward Norfolk Southern loaded unit coal train.
I set the camera shutter to a 1/8000th of second to freeze the rain drops.
The rain had falling so heavily that we were beginning to worry about the highway flooding.
Although we took a slightly circuitous route we ended up following the train east to the famed Rockville Bridge. Stay tuned for more!
Thunderstorms from the west closed in on us as we drove east toward Thompsontown, Pa., on state highway 333.
It was raining so hard, I could barely see where we were driving. Seamus-the-Dog slept in the back of the car.
“What’s that yellow light?”
“I think it’s a signal . . . no wait . . .it’s a headlight!”
We pulled over near Norfolk Southern control point SIP 143.5 on the Pittsburgh Line at Thompsontown just as a westward intermodal train glided through the deluge unimpeded.
I stopped the car, ran to the back an opened the rear hatch. This provided me a modicum of shelter long enough to photograph the train.
This was some of the hardest rain I’ve ever seen. It was coming down more than 2 inches an hour and the road was beginning to flood.
I set my ISO to 1000, and exposed this sequence with my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens. You can see the individual rain drops in the enlarged images.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens set at 200mm. F2.8, 1/500th second, ISO 1000 Greatly enlarged section of the above photo. Notice the rain droplets.
I got completely soaked but did my best to keep the camera from getting total drenched.
It was raining too hard to drive, so we waited in the car for until the rain let up. It wasn’t long before we spied another light in the distance . . . .
