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 . . . .
The central Pennsylvanian setting near the village of Mexico offers a classic view looking east toward the Tuscarora Ridge, which can be photographed from a variety of angles.
In my earlier posts, I pictured Norfolk Southern freights from the north side of the Underpass Road grade crossing.
As the light changed and thunderstorms approached from the West, Kris and I took positions on the south side of the grade crossing. It began to rain lightly (but heavier rain was coming!)
A westward empty coal train rolled by. This was exceptionally long and featured a mid-train DPU (radio remote controlled locomotives working as ‘distributed power units’).
Not long after this train had gone, an east ward train could be heard. This was slowing for an ‘approach’ aspect. Its relatively casually speed made it easy to photograph. At the back was a single EMD diesel working as a DPU.
These photos were made with my pair of Nikon Z-series mirror-less digital cameras.
Just a few minutes after the westward freight pictured in yesterday’s TTL post passed Underpass Road in Mexico, Pa., when my Sixth Sense (common to veteran rail-photographers) tingled.
“There’s an eastbound.”
I walked across the crossing with my Z6 with 70-200mm in hand and ample time before this approaching train came around the bend. I set up from a safe distance while, Kris made photos from the south side of the tracks.
Nikon Z6 70-200mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens set to: 200mm, f4.0, 1/500th sec, ISO 200.
In the June 2024 Trains Magazine, photographer Eric Williams has an intriguing photo essay on ‘Railroad Streets.’
Following this theme, last week, I made these photos on South Railroad Avenue in New Holland, Pennsylvania.
Road traffic is light in the early evening, which made for a good time for New Holland vignettes. Unfortunately, catching a train here has proved elusive for me. I’ve seen Norfolk Southern’s local working this end of the branch a few times, but thus far I’ve not had the opportunity to picture it on the crossing.
Nikkor Z-series 70-200mm zoom set to 200mmNikkor Z-series 70-200mm zoom set to 175mm
I was looking for angles with my Nikkor f2.0 prime 135mm telephoto.
I was aiming to find subjects that suited this lens, rather than the other way around.
Kris and I crossed the tracks at Jefferson Drive near our apartment and spotted a headlight: Norfolk Southern 6342 (originally Conrail 6753) was leading the local freight returning from New Holland, PA.
We paused long enough for me to expose these views of the classic EMD on the move!
A cloudless bright morning; the perfect time to picture Norfolk Southern’s New Holland branch local by the old station in Leola, Pennsylvania.
I made three similar photographs using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens. In all three I had the lens set to 200mm at f5.6. The difference between them is in the framing with minor changes to the composition.
I spied a pair of Norfolk Southern’s SD40E working west with the Steelton Local near the old Harris Tower. In the distance were the train sheds of Amtrak’s Harrisburg Station. I saw relics everywhere! And yet, the pending surprise was something new.
In this short freight’s consist were several nearly new Norfolk Southern gondolas. These days, seeing new Class-1 carload freight cars is a real rarity. I wonder . . . when was the last time I photographed a new gon?
On many occasions over the last year as I drove toward Leola, Pennsylvania, on the Horseshoe Road, I’ve looked across this field toward the New Holland Branch.
In some instances, I was pacing Norfolk Southern’s morning local on its way east on the branch.
A few weeks ago, I had a near perfect morning; clear and bright with cows in the field. On this day, I was ahead of the local freight by a minute or two. So, I pulled over with enough time to walk across the road to my preselected location and expose these telephoto views looking toward Hartman Station Road using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.
The Harrisburg area is a maze of trackage, which is alive with freight and passenger movements. Among the of the busiest lines is Norfolk Southern’s former Reading Company route (operated as its Harrisburg Line), which joins the former Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line route (operated as NS’s Pittsburgh Line) near Amtrak’s former PRR passenger station in Harrisburg, PA.
This route carries the lion’s share of east-west freight moving through Harrisburg, specifically traffic moving to the New York City and Philadelphia metro areas.
Prior to routing and infrastructure changes in the Conrail-era, the majority of freight coming east on the PRR route, continued east of Harrisburg on former PRR routes. Traditionally, the junction between PRR and Reading lines at this location was a relatively minor connection between the historic railroad systems.
It was a warm Tuesday in early April, when I made these photographs of a westward NS double stack container train from the Mulberry Street Bridge railroad-east of Amtrak’s former PRR Station. This freight is making the transition from the old Reading to the old PRR route.
Images exposed using a Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, files adjusted in Lightroom.
Last week, following days of rain, we had a crisp, clear, bright morning in Lancaster, PA. The grass was iridescent and the trees blossoming.
I timed my morning errands to bring me to the Greenfield Road crossing just about the time that Norfolk Southern’s New Holland local heads east on the old New Holland Branch.
Knowing the freight was on the move, I drove to Jefferson Drive, where the little pond by the tracks had been tidied-up over the winter, and which made for a nice place to picture the train as it came around a tight bend beneath Hwy 30.
The sun was perfect and my wait was very short. I made thise sequence of photos using my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm zoom and was home before the train had reached Leola!
The portion of the former Reading Company’s Lebanon Valley Branch/Crossline running between Reading and Harrisburg, PA is now operated by Norfolk Southern as the western end of its Harrisburg Line.
Since the Conrail-era, this route has hosted the lion’s share of through freights moving east of Harrisburg toward the New York City and Philadelphia metro areas.
This heavily built line is signaled for two-main tracks [bi-directional signaling allows moves on signal indication in both directions on either track].
Although conceptually interesting, I’ve found this to be a difficult route to photograph effectively.
Last Saturday, Kris and I were exploring the area and visited the town of Richland, Pa., which is bisected by NS’s Harrisburg Line. Shortly after we parked east of the main crossing, I heard a roar to the west.
“There’s a freight coming.”
Kris made a video with her phone, and I exposed a sequence of photos using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens and Lumix LX3.
This was an impressive mixed carload freight. Following the lead locomotives were 136 cars and a single-engine DPU (distributed power unit) at the back.
The view at Richland was hardly the magnificent vista offered by the famous Horseshoe Curve, but it was a neat place to roll a train by.
As Norfolk Southern’s unit coal train 632 rolled through Sunbury, Pa., on the former Pennsylvania Railroad Northern Central route, Kris and I chased along on the parallel Rt 147.
On the way north we’d spotted several open locations right off the road. By the time we reached the south side of Sunbury, we were already a couple of minutes ahead of the train, so we pulled off the road near mile post 260.
While I was surprised to catch a coal train on the move, and delighted to have stumbled into NS’s one-of-a-kind Conrail heritage unit No. 8098, I didn’t realise how infrequently Clearfield-originated coal trains are these days.
At milepost 260, I aimed to make some representative photos of the locomotive in nice light. At our next location about 17 miles further down the line, I hoped to make the most of the sweeping curve that Kris and I spotted on our drive northward earlier in the day.
We timed the exercise well and had time to make nice sequences at both locations. Special thanks to Dan Cupper for operational details on the coal train!
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Classic 3/4 view. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Classic 3/4 view. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Classic 3/4 view. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens near milepost 260, Sunbury, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024. This is an old school coal train. Check out the steel hoppers with uneven loads. It was like stepping back a quarter century!
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024. This is an old school coal train. Check out the steel hoppers with uneven loads. It was like stepping back a quarter century!
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024. This is an old school coal train. Check out the steel hoppers with uneven loads. It was like stepping back a quarter century!
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens, NS 632 crossing Mahantango Creek near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens, NS 632 crossing Mahantango Creek near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens, NS 632 crossing Mahantango Creek near Dalmatia, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
A ten minute drive will take me to the Creek Hill Road crossing of Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch.
I’d been eyeing this location for a few months. Finally on a bright morning, I timed it right to catch the New Holland local freight with a pair of SD40E (former SD50) diesels in classic three-quarter sunlight.
I exposed a couple of Provia 100F color slides, which I am waiting to be returned from the lab. Then I used my Nikon Z7-II to make a series of images of the passing train.
These are part of my ongoing Conrail SD50 retrospective. These locomotives were built between 1983 and 1986, the first of which were delivered during my senior year at Monson Jr-Sr High School. I think it’s really neat that these familiar aged beasts regularly pass near my new home.
Nothing lasts forever, and I wonder how much longer I’ll have the opportunity to catch the old Conrail locomotives on the move!
Norfolk Southern 6335 was built as Conrail 6742 in 1984.
Norfolk Southern 6335 was built as Conrail 6742 in 1984.
Norfolk Southern 6335 was built as Conrail 6742 in 1984.
Norfolk Southern 6312 was built as Conrail 6729 in 1983.
Norfolk Southern 6312 was built as Conrail 6729 in 1983.
Norfolk Southern 6312 was built as Conrail 6729 in 1983.
It was a fine morning, making it one of rare few bright sunny days as of late.
I’d scoped the local railroad scene, and was in position at Jefferson Drive at Greenfield in Lancaster, Pa., to make a few photos of Norfolk Southern’s daily New Holland Branch freight.
I had an ulterior motive. My old Nikon F3 was loaded with Provia100F, and I’d been waiting for a fine day to finish off the roll that had been in the camera since Thanksgiving.
Film is expensive and I didn’t want to squander it. But with a clear sky and a train nearby, I felt this was a good opportunity to make a few nice color slides.
As I mentioned in the earlier post, while waiting for Norfolk Southern’s freight to come around the bend, much to my surprise on the nearby Harrisburg Line, a late-running Amtrak Keystone zipped by with a diesel in the lead.
The crew of the New Holland local takes it very slow approaching Jefferson Drive, which provides ample opportunity to work with multiple cameras. I made these photos digitally with my Nikon Z7-II, while also exposing slides with my antique F3.
As this being written the slide film is enroute to the lab! But, It will be at least another ten days before I can see my processed results from the F3. Fingers crossed that I got my exposures right!
Norfolk Southern SD40Es 6335 and 6312 lead the eastward New Holland Branch local at Jefferson Drive. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom.I like the juxtaposition of antique General Motors products. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom.
Since there was nice light and a train on the move, I zipped down the road for another set of photos . . .
A thick fog blanketed the landscape in Lancaster on St Stephens Day, or Boxing Day, or if you like, ‘the day after Christmas.’
Fog transmits sound with great clarity.
I’d stopped at the local Post Office, when I heard Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local whistling for a nearby crossing. I postponed my errand, and drove to the Willow Road grade crossing.
The point of the comparison is to show how to use different lighting conditions to the greatest advantage, and make the best photo depending on prevaling conditions.
I made the December 26th photos from the side of the road using my Nikon Z7-II. I cropped the files to improve the composition, while making adjustments to highlight and shadow detail and color temperature.
I was running errands. On my way back to the apartment, I found that Greenfield Road under Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line was closed—likely as result of flooding from the recent rains—so I detoured around via Willow Road. On my way, I heard Norfolk Southern’s New Holland local sounding for a crossing.
I approached Willow Road (in greater Lancaster) with haste. With my Lumix LX7 in hand, I pulled over in time to see theNS local freight approaching. I didn’t have much time to set the camera. So, I zoomed in, framed up my photo and exposed a series of digital images.
The first two were the best.
When I got home I discovered that the camera was set to record in JPG rather than RAW. That’s not the end of the world, but not having a RAW file greatly limits the ability to make adjustments.
In this case, it doesn’t matter much, December morning sun produces excellent lighting conditions with very good contrast and color.
I’ve scaled the best of the sequence for presentation here, but the photo is otherwise unaltered, and appears basically as it looked right out of the camera.
I was home about 5 minutes after I made this photo.
It was a bright day in mid-October. Not wanting to squander the sunshine, I set out toward New Holland, PA hoping to catch the daily Norfolk Southern local freight that works the branch.
I set up at the New Holland, Post Office at Diller Avenue, and after a short wait the local ambled along on its westward run toward Lancaster.
To make the most of the passing train, I made my initial images from a low angle for dramatic effect.
Exposed using a Z7-II with 24-70mm zoom lens.Exposed using a Z7-II with 24-70mm zoom lens.Exposed using a Z7-II with 24-70mm zoom lens.
It had been about 20 years since my last visit to the Main Line at Tyrone, Pennsylvania, where Norfolk Southern’s former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks make a sharp curve through the narrow valley along the Little Juniata River the south end of town.
Last month, Kris and I pulled up to theTyrone Amtrak station, and when I stepped out of the car I could hear the distant sounds of General Electric diesels chugging east.
We didn’t have long to wait and soon a headlight appeared.
Working with my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm zoom, I made this series of photos. Telephoto compression in the tight curve at the station makes it look like I was much closer to the tracks that I really was.
Auto focus made it much easier to keep the locomotives looking sharp.
I was on my way back from the grocery. I’d spotted Norfolk Southern’s outbound New Holland Branch local paused on the running track near the junction with Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line east of the Conestoga River bridge in Harrisburg.
On the hope of finally scoring a photo of a train at the Greenfield Road grade crossing near our apartment, I drove there without delay.
Since we moved to Lancaster last Spring, I’ve been over this grade crossing dozens of times. Only once had I a seen the train here. Kris had made a video, but I hadn’t time to get the photo I want. Most mornings, I hear the New Holland branch train whistling for the crossing, and on several occasions I’ve waited on spec. On this day, all the pieces fell into place.
While the big gun (Nikon Z6) was equipped with an impressive telephoto zoom, what I needed was a wide angle. Luckily, I had my ‘Wee Lumix’ (Lumix LX7) in my pocket at the ready.
This convenient small camera has a great sensor and an extremely sharp lens. The challenge using it in bright sun is seeing the image in the rear screen. Despite this handicap, I made the most of the situation and exposed two images as the local freight crossed Greenfield Road on its way to New Holland.
I have my LX7 set up to simultaneously save exposed photos as RAW and JPG files. In this situation, the JPG’s were profiled using the camera’s color preset mode: ‘Standard’. (Other choices include: ‘Vivid,’ ‘Natural’ and ‘Portrait’). Below I’ve displayed both the in-camera Jpg and a scaled version of the RAW file for comparison. There’s no right and wrong, which is why I always save the files in both formats.
Scaled RAW file, no profile or adjustments.In-camera JPG with ‘Standard’ color profile. FIle scaled without adjustment to color, exposure or contrast.Scaled RAW file, adjusted for level, but not color, contrast or exposure.In-camera JPG with ‘Standard’ color profile. FIle scaled without adjustment to color, exposure or contrast.
I was on my way to intercept Amtrak’s westward Pennsylvanian. As I cautiously approached the Jefferson Road grade crossing in Lancaster, I looked left and spotted the headlight of Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local freight in the distance.
That’s some good luck! I had enough time to park the car and pick my spot.
In the lead was Norfolk Southern SD40E 6340—another former Conrail SD50. In its original incarnation, this had been Conrail 6722.
It’s great to live in a neighborhood where you can see trains at random times, and find them by happen-stance.
Now to find that photo of 6722 in blue!
These photos were exposed using my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
Clear autumn mornings are one of my favorite times to make photographs.
The other day, everything came together: the weather was perfect, and Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local was right on time. This featured classic EMD diesels back to back, and I had just enough time to get into position at Jefferson Drive to catch the train in lush setting.
I made this sequence of photos as the train squealed through the curve on its way toward New Holland, Pennsylvania.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 46mm; f5.0 1/1000th sec, ISO 200.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 24mm; f5.0 1/800th sec, ISO 200.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 30mm; f5.0 1/800th sec, ISO 200.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom set to 32mm; f5.0 1/800th sec, ISO 200.
Over the last few months, I’ve paid several visits to the old station at Leola, Pennsylvania on the old PRR New Holland Branch. In 1914, there were two scheduled passenger trains in each direction on the branch that stopped at Leola.
Westward trains from Downingtown stopped at 950am and 358pm, while eastward trains from Lancaster stopped at 530 and 1110am. The line no longer goes east of New Holland, the passenger trains are long gone, and these days train movements are fewer and less predictable.
So while I’ve made few photos of freight on the branch, until last week, I hadn’t managed to catch a train at the old station .
I was delighted to find that Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Branch local had stopped just short of the Maple Ave grade crossing by the station, and I parked and made these photos using my Nikon Z7-II.
Although this location is nice and open, high-voltage electric lines run parallel to the railroad which make for a compositional challenge.
Is it better to try to exclude or minimize the lines, or accept them as part of the environment and include them in the photographs?
Of the three photos, I like this low-angle view the best.
