Tag Archives: Office Car Special

photography

Tracking the Light Extra: Pan Am Executive F’s executed in Black & White.

Leave a comment

Here’s another view from productive day last month photographing Pan Am Railway’s Office Car Special in the snow.

I made this view with my Canon EOS-3 on HP5 at Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.

It is an old school technique to capture a traditional looking train.

PAR-1 kicks up the snow on the old Boston & Maine Fitchburg line at Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts on the afternoon of February 15, 2016. Exposed on HP5 black & white film, processed with Kodak HC-110 and scanned with an Epson V600 flatbed scanner.
PAR-1 kicks up the snow on the old Boston & Maine Fitchburg line at Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts on the afternoon of February 15, 2016. Exposed on HP5 black & white film, processed with Kodak HC-110 and scanned with an Epson V600 flatbed scanner. This view is full-frame (without cropping or contrast alteration in post-processing)

Tracking the Light Posts Daily (sometimes Twice)!

photography

Pan Am Railway’s EMD F-Units in the Snow; a Second Look.

Leave a comment

My Lumix LX7 is a superb tool.

Sometimes I use it as my primary camera.

Often I keep it handy for grab shots.

Near Soap Stone, Massachusetts I made this trailing view across the Deerfield River. Sure the trees block part of the train, but I like the overall atmosphere of the scene. Lumix LX7 photo.
Near Soap Stone, Massachusetts I made this trailing view across the Deerfield River. Sure the trees block part of the train, but I like the overall atmosphere of the scene. Lumix LX7 photo.

On Monday February 15, 2016, I used the LX7 along with my FujiFilm X-T1 to photograph Pan Am Railways executive F-unit with the company office car train. (See: Tracking the Light Special: Pan Am Railways Office Car Special (OCS)—February 15, 2015.)

Where most of my photos were made with the Fuji, I augmented my efforts with Lumix.

Why? Because each camera  produces different results.

On this occasion, I used the Lumix LX7 for some tight angles on the special train.

A report of a broken rail had Pan Am Railway's office car train moving at a walking pace. Bad news for operations, but a boon for the photographer. At the last moment I made this grab shot with my Lumix. It's among my favorite shots from the day's efforts.
A report of a broken rail had Pan Am Railway’s office car train moving at a walking pace. Bad news for operations, but a boon for the photographer. At the last moment I made this grab shot with my Lumix. It’s among my favorite shots from the day’s efforts. White flags are a nice touch. Better get out your train-order era rule book: white flags mean ‘running extra’.
Years ago, my dad brought me to Boston & Maine's roundhouse in Somerville. There I recalled staring in awe at a B&M F7A in McGinnis blue paint. Who could have imagined that more than 45 years later, F-units would be working the Boston & Maine Fitchburg mainline. I think that's pretty cool. Lumix LX7 view near Zoar, Massachusetts.
Years ago, my dad brought me to Boston & Maine’s roundhouse in Somerville. There I gazed in awe at a B&M F7A in McGinnis blue paint. Who could have imagined that more than 45 years later, F-units would be working the Boston & Maine Fitchburg mainline. I think that’s pretty cool. Lumix LX7 view near Zoar, Massachusetts.
Here's a trailing view. PAR-1 seems to get most of the glory, so I though to make a photo of PAR-2 as it rolled by me.
Here’s a trailing view. PAR-1 seems to get most of the glory, so I thought to make a photo of PAR-2 as it rolled by me.
Neat tail car! Six-wheel trucks must make for a nice ride.
Neat tail car! Six-wheel trucks must make for a nice ride.

I processed the Lumix RAW files in Lightroom to bring out shadow detail, and where necessary to adjust overall exposure, and alter color saturation and contrast to make for the most pleasing images.

Which of these do you like the best?

Tracking the Light takes a new Angle Every Day!

 

photography

Tracking the Light Special: Pan Am Railways Office Car Special (OCS)—February 15, 2015.

2 Comments

It seems like every time I board a plane for far away shores the Pan Am office car special sneaks out.

Not this year!

Yesterday, February 15, 2016, I had the rare opportunity to catch Pam Am Railways vintage FP9s on the roll. The trip was working east from Mechanicville, New York on the old Boston & Maine Fitchburg line.

Pan Am Railways' office car special works east at Eagle Bridge on February 15, 2016. We'll have to wait for the broadside view. That's on Fujichrome!
Pan Am Railways’ office car special works east at Eagle Bridge on February 15, 2016. We’ll have to wait for the broadside view; it’s on Fujichrome! (film). Incidentally, I’ve applied the Lee graduated neutral density filter technique to this image. There’s just a touch of filtration at the top of the frame. (See last week’s Battenkill post for details. And just to tie the posts together, the tracks in the foreground are Battenkill’s.

Working with three cameras, I made dozens of images. The latent gem is the F’s broadside passing the old Eagle Bridge, New York station.

Until last week, I hadn’t visited Eagle Bridge in years. Now I’ve been there twice in less than a week. Funny how that works.

Pan Am's OCS at North Pownal, Vermont. The temperature was a balmy 22 degrees F. Warm!
Pan Am’s OCS at North Pownal, Vermont. The temperature was a balmy 22 degrees F. Warm!
A reported broken rail near Soapstone had the train moving at walking pace.
A reported broken rail near Soapstone had the train moving at walking pace.
Electro-Motive F-units are great to pan. 1/60th of second gives the sense of motion while retaining a sense of place.
Electro-Motive F-units are great to pan. 1/60th of second gives the sense of motion while retaining a sense of place.

All the photos here were exposed using my FujiFilm X-T1 digital camera. Contrast and saturation were nominally adjusted in Lightroom.

Tracking the Displays New Material Every Day!