Tag Archives: #PRR

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Metroliner and the Subaru

Here’s a compositional challenge.

I wanted to feature three subjects: the old Pennsylvania Railroad station structure, the passing Keystone with Metroliner cab car leading), and the shiny new Subaru.

I faced some difficulties. There was a narrow shaft of light illuminating an area immediately beyond the station that was needed to light up the cab car. I was positioned on a old sidewalk which offered some elevation, but I’d reached its end, and so I couldn’t effectively back up any further without losing the elevation necessary to make the photo work.

Also, I only had my ‘Fast Fifty’ (50mm) lens, which restricted my ability to adjust the field of view, and I hoped to feature both the station and the automobile in their entirety, which limited space to the left of the building.

While I managed to capture all the essential focus points all in one image, my compostion is unbalanced and the front of the train is very close to the left side of the frame. Further complicating matters, the brighter illumination on the right-hand side of the station has the effect of drawing the eye to the right, away from the other central elements of the image.

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Parkesburg at Twilight

Amtrak’s Parkesburg, Pa., station facilities are a curious anomaly.

The train service is very good, but the platforms are short and shelter is minimal, both representing surviving vestiges of another era.

But, in addition to its role as a passenger station, Parkesburg was once an important interlocking where Pennsylvania Railroad’s Atgen & Susquehanna Low Grade route connected with and the mainline. Portions of the junction remain as a hint at of something greater.

The other evening we paused at Parkesburg so I could document the atmosphere of this place in twilight.

I wonder what will become of these old station facilities? What will it look like in years to come?

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PRR Station at Christiana: Santa & Mrs Claus viewed with a 135mm lens.

Christmas decor at the preserved former Pennsylvania Railroad station in Christiana offered a suitable seasonal opportunity to test out an unusual nocturnal camera lens combination.

My 1990s-vintage Nikkor f2.0 135mm ‘defocus’ lens is a heavy piece of glass. I’ve used this occasionally with my Z6 mirrorless camera to make digital images, and this lens offers a distinctive quality that allows for classic railroad telephoto views.

Coupling the traditional lens to the Z-body requires a Nikon FTZ adaptor.

I’ve been waiting to try the fast 135mm lens with the new Z6-III to see how it works with the more advanced sensor and see if it is sufficiently sharp.

I set up the Z6-III on my 3Pod tripod and exposed several images. This one was made at f2.0 (wide open) at 1/13th second at ISO 400. Upon inspection, I found the photo is sharp. More to the point, if I were to set the ISO to 6400, I could use a 1/250th of second shutter speed, which is fast enough to stop a moving train . Focusing will be a challenge.

That will be a test for another night! Stay tuned . . .

NEF RAW file scaled to JPG for internet presentation without cosmetic alteration. (No adjustments for exposure, contrast, color balance or color temperature).
Greatly Enlarged portion of the above image.

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Northern Central at Railroad Park—December 2025

The former Pennsylvania Railroad Northern Central route passes Railroad Park in the appropriately named borough of Railroad, Pa.

Kris, Seamus-the-Dog & I, revisited this iconic location last weekend to withness the passing of Northern Central Railway’s Santa Express holiday train.

This was powered by a former Pennsylvania Railroad GP9, one of only a few to survive into the modern era.

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Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania—Focus on the Details

On Tuesday November 18th, I gave my fifth Railroad Photography 101 class of the 2025 season at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

For the class-room portion, I focused my presentation on digital image processing using Adobe Lightroom. Specifically, I demonstrated using a series of steps how I prepare an image for print-presentation by adjusting highlight, mid-tone and shadow areas using Lightroom’s slider controls.

The second part of the class was an open photography session in the museum’s main hall. Museum Director Patrick Morrison opened some of the locomotives for students. During this part of the program, I answered questions and made detailed photos of the locomotives on display using my Nikon Z6 mirror-less camera.

My next class at the museum is scheduled for Saturday December 13, 2025. This will feature a holiday theme.

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Well Timed Visit to Columbia

The other evening we arrived near the old Pennsylvania Railroad station in Columbia, Pa., just as the signal displayed slow-clear for a westward movement at Cola from the Columbia Secondary onto the Port Road Branch.

Within a minute we could hear a train whistling for crossings up the line.

I set up my tripod and opted to experiment with my Nikon Z7-II fitted with my f2.8 70-200mm lens for action rail night photography. The last time I made photo here I’d worked with my 24-70mm and made a wide angle view with the full moon. This time I’d compose view tightly on the approaching train.

Just as I got the camera set up the level crossing signals started flashing, the gates came down, and the rail glinted from the lights of Norfolk Southern’s H19 local.

I adjusted the ISO on my camera to 25,600 and set the aperture to f2.8.

Once the autofocus had locked on to the lights of the lead engine, I switched the focus to ‘manual’ so the headlights wouldn’t confuse the focus setting; then I made this series of images.

The camera’s NEF RAW files were processed using DxO PureRaw to created DNG files, which I then imported into Lightroom for adjustment.

Tracking the Light seeks out the night!

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Pennsylvanian in Three Quarter Sun

During midday, Amtrak 42 and 43—the eastward and westward Pennsylvanians—pass Lancaster within a few minutes of each other. Unlike the electric Keystone services these trains are diesel-hauled.

Shelley Lane abuts the railroad and makes for classic location to rollby trains.

I made these views with a 24-70mm lens set to its 24mm wide angle wtih a 1/2000th of second shutter speed as train 43 worked west in early afternoon with a classic P42 Genesis diesel leading.

I think, it would have been neat to stand here 60 years earlier to catch a Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 passing at speed with tuscan red passenger cars in tow.

One of these day’s I hope to time a rolling meet here. So far, I’ve come very close.

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Banking into the Curve at Gap

Yesterday evening, I set up at Gap, Pa., on the former Pennsylvania Railroad to wait for Amtrak Keystone 651.

This is a great time of year for the light at Gap as the low evening sun illuminates the sweep of the curve, while leaving a textured dark backdrop.

When I saw ACS-64 626, I smiled. If there was one of these electrics that I could claim as a favorite, it would be old 626.

I was so fixated on the leading engine that I didn’t even notice the second ACS-64 at the back of the consist until it hummed by.

Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

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In the Ink of Night Something Blue Blurs By

Kris wanted to go for an evening drive.

Amtrak Keystone 653 from Philadelphia was running behind the advertised. I figured we could drive against it and catch it passing Gap, Pa.

We arrived with a few minutes to spare. I had time to set up my 3Pod Tripod and framed up a scene with a tree by the former PRR Main Line.

I exposed a couple of test photos to check exposure and focus.

Before long, I heard the squeel of steel wheels on steel rails. I made this series of time exposures. To my surprise, Amtrak ACS-64 621 wearing the Crayola-blue advertising livery was working the back of the consist.

Wow! That was neat! Trailing, eh? Hmmmm.

It did little for the photos, except add an ever so slightly blue tint to the second image in the sequence. But, I knew what I’d be after the following morning! Stay tuned . . .

When we spied the blue ACS-64, Kris smiled and said to me, ‘You’re welcome!”
Wow that really was cool, even if didn’t mean much in the photo, just a fleeting hint of blue.

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Roundhouse Groundbreaking

Yesterday (July 29, 2025), I attended the Roundhouse Groundbreaking ceremony at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg.

Work has begun on the long-planned six-stall roundhouse that will be used to house six former Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives that are in the museum collection.

Museum Director Patrick Morrison led the ceremony with an introductory speech, followed by speeches by several key dignitaries, including former Museum Director David Dunn who, many years ago, got the ball rolling for the roundhouse construction.

Afterwards the assembled group was invited outside to see the site for the new structure and to ceremonial move some earth. I missed the earth moving as I was chatting with other guests, but I did make a few photos of the gilded shovels and other proceedings.

It was a landmark day in Pennsylvania railroad preservation! (Capital ‘R’ optional on ‘railroad’).

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75 degrees and Wheels Rolling at Safe Harbor—click the link and read to the end.

Since 2009, I paid more than a dozen visits to the former Pennsylvania Railroad trestles at Safe Harbor, Pa.

I’ve visited in the morning, midday, and evenings. I’ve gone on weekdays and weekends. I’ve climbed the steps to the rail trail at least ten times. I’ve walked the trail across the top of the bridge and scoped locations.

We’ve sat in the parking lot on the dam side of the trestles. Last summer we saw coal empties rolling through Port Deposit and raced ahead to Safe Harbor only to watch the sunset without a train pass.

The other morning I woke at 5:15am. I motivated, hoisted myself out of bed, dressed and drove to the Safe Harbor bridges arriving there at 5:45am. It was already 75 degrees and the humidity as thick as a rain forest.

I climbed the steps to the top of the bridge on the old Enola Low Grade, only to see that the signals were all red for a westward movement. Not a promising sign. Worse, the humidity immediately fogged the front elements of my Nikon.

Condensation on the front element made for a foggy photo.

I walked across the bridge; I gazed down at the Safe Harbor Dam, I read the signs at the west of the bridge that tell of its construction & etc. I walked back. I bird watched. I shared my thoughts in my notebook.

I read the rules of the rail trail, and at 6:30 am I gazed once again at the signals. Still red. So I read the rules again for amusement. Finally, I was about to give up and walk back to the car. The camera lens had finally un-fogged. And . . . wait . . . did the westward signal just clear to green?

It had.

I walked back out on to the bridge and waited. At 6:45, I heard the distant chug of a GE Evolution diesel. Wow!

I gazed down river toward Pequea. At 6:46, I spotted a northward train on the move. Gradually the sound grew louder. I framed up my photos. I made a test shot. At 6:54am the train came into view and I exposed these photos.

Finally! I’d scored a train on the move at Safe Harbor! This was probably Norfolk Southern’s 37A from Edgemoor, Delaware.

When I got back to the car just after 7am it was more than 80 degrees. I was home for tea 15 minutes later. It was all worth it!

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View from a GG1

During my class last week at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Museum Director Patrick Morrison offered to open up some of the locomotives. I asked if we could visit former Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 electric 4935.

I made these fireman’s side views with my Lumix LX7.

It was pretty neat to explore the steam-era streamlined electric locomotive. While at the museum I bought my dad a GG1 4935 T-shirt which I delivered to him in Massachusetts a couple of days later.

On January 1, 1980, Pop, my brother Sean and I photographed this classic machine together at New Haven, Connecticut.

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Up Close with an E44 Electric

My third Railroad Photography 101 Class was a success!

This was held at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania last week.

While the first part of this 3rd session was conducted outside, the last part of the class was held inside the Museum in the main hall.

Museum Director Patrick Morrison asked if we would like to explore some of the restored locomotives and cars on exhibit in the hall and offered to open up a few of the museum’s gems for photography.

This was a wonderful idea, and soon the students and I were climbing in and around the exhibits.

I had never before been on a Pennsylvania Railroad E44 electric, so it was a thrill for me to take a look inside and sit in the engineer’s seat. These boxy high-horsepower electrics were built by General Electric and share a resemblence with GE’s diesel-electrics built around the same time.

My photos for this exercise were exposed using a Nikon Z7-II with a 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens.

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18 Years and Three Views at Irishtown Road.

In 2007, I was researching a book at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The museum’s Kurt Bell suggested that I make some photos at Irishtown Road in nearby Bird-in-Hand, which was one of the few remaining grade crossings on Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line, the former Pennsylvania Main Line via Lancaster.

Working with a Canon EOS-3 and 24mm lens, I made several Fujichrome color slides on a warm evening.

Since moving to Lancaster County, I’ve revisited Irishtown Road on several occasions. The public crossing was closed a number of years ago and the road redirected.

Below are three comparision photos. While these are all exposed from the same approximate vantage point, in my recent images I’ve not tried to exactly replicate the light and angle of my 2007 photo.

Amtrak’s westward Keystone passes Irishtown Road on 25 September 2007. An Amtrak AEM-7 works at the back of the three-car consist. Since this photo was exposed, Amtrak closed the crossing and removed the grade crossing signals. The road on both sides of the crossing was relocated.
Irishtown Road with an Amtrak Keystone in June 2004.
Amtrak Keystone 664 works east behind ACS-64 656 at Irishtown Road on 17 May 2025. Nikon Z7-II photo.

In 1963, my father also made photos near this crossing. In those days, Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 and E44 electrics were the rule of the day. Working with scans from his old slides, I may try to replicate his images at a later date.

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Closing the Gap near Christiana

We were on our evening drive after work.

I was watching the ASM.Transitdocs.com app to monitor the progress of east and westward Amtrak Keystone trains.

My aim was to catch both 656 eastbound and 651 westbound within a few minutes of each other.

As we drove east on Highway 30 passing Bird-in-Hand and Paradise, I noticed that both trains had fallen behind their advertised schedules, so I kept pushing east.

Initially, I was aiming for Gap, Pa., but at the last minute continued to Christiana.

I arrived in time to set up at the old PRR freight house that the Lancaster Chapter NRHS has set up as a viewing platform.

Moments after I arrived, train 656 came into view. Westward 651 was delayed about about ten minutes, but with a total elapsed time of only 12 minutes, I’d caught both trains.

Train 651 had a bonus; this was led by Amtrak ACS-64 670, the highest in the series. This engine has been a bit elusive for me. Although I photographed it on film a couple of days earlier, this sequence at Christiana represents my first satisfying digital photos of the locomotive. A small victory in the bigger picture, but these days I’ll take it.

Amtrak Keystone 656 passes Christiana, Pa., led by a former Metroliner cab control car.
Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 656 at Christiana, Pa.
Amtrak ACS-64 670 leads Keystone 651 westbound at Christiana. I’d been watching this train’s westward progress on the ASM.Trainsit.docs ap.

These photos were exposed using my FujiFilm XT1 with 16-55mm lens.

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Port Road at Washingtonboro, Pa.

Kris asked, ‘Is there some train that you’d like check out tonight?’

Yes, yes there is. I’ve been hoping to catch another move on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Branch near Columbia, Pa. This line is the former Columbia & Port Deposit line, which in its heyday was a key route for Pennsylvania Railroad and an electrified line.

Conrail discontinued electric operations in the early 1980s, but the catenary supports largely remain in place. Owing to a curfew on the Northeast Corridor, Norfolk Southern’s operations are largely nocturnal. However, since we are moving into the longer days there are opportunities to catch trains at dawn and dusk.

We tried to find a train on the move few weeks ago without results. So we repeated the exercise by driving to Washingtonboro along the Susquehanna River. First, I checked the intermediate signals for a westward move (toward Harrisburg) and concluded that nothing was lined in that direction. However, when I observed the signals for an eastward train, I was delighted to see that the No. 1 track had been cleared for a movement; the signal was displaying ‘yellow over green’, which indicates Approach Medium. This was the clue I’d been seeking.

I said, ‘We are in luck!’

And we were.

Working with my Nikon Z7-II, I made these photos of an eastward carload freight, probably symbol freight 36A that runs from Conway Yard to Edgemoor, Delaware. Kris filmed the train with her phone.

Our patience on the old Port Road paid off.

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Amtrak 650 at Gap

In recent years, many of the lineside signals that once governed train movements on Amtrak’s Harrisburg line have been removed.

The old signal bridge at Gap is now devoid of the Position Light signaling hardware that had controlled train movements since the days of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Last week, I framed up Amtrak Keystone 650 as it passed beneath the old signal bridge. In the lead was a former Metroliner car, now one of Amtrak’s cab control cars. Like the signal bridge, this is a surviving vestige of the late, great Pennsylvania Railroad. And like the signal bridge, this car is a shadow of something greater.

I exposed this view using my FujiFilm XT1 with 16-55mm Fujinon lens. To achieve a low angle, I was working with the camera’s adjustible rear-display panel and held the camera near to the ground to make the most of foreground detail.

A former Metroliner car leads Amtrak Keystone 650 eastbound at Gap, Pa.,
Amtrak Cities Sprinter 639 was situated at the back of the consist.

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Far and Near—Coal Empties on the Move

With relatively little warning a westward Norfolk Southern freight came into view. Dappled sun illuminated Tuscarora Mountain in the distance.

Poised at our location at Underpass Road near Mexico, Pa., I worked with my pair of Nikon Z-series cameras to expose this series of photos of the passing westward empty coal train.

As the train drew closer, the clouds parted and bright afternoon sun illuminated the scene, which made for a more satisfying photographic adventure.

Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens set at 200mm f4.0 1/1250 sec, ISO 200
Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens set at 92mm f4.0 1/2000 sec, ISO 200
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 28mm f4.0 1/2000 sec, ISO 100.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 68mm f4.0 1/640 sec, ISO 100.

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Crosslit at Rockville Bridge

We paused at the famous Rockville Bridge just long enough to roll by Amtrak 42 The Pennsylvanian on its daily run east from Pittsburgh.

I made this crosslit view from the Marysville side of the Susquehanna as the train crossed the magnificent row of arches over the water.

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Cover of Spring 2025 Milepost

The cover of the April 2025 Milepost—a magazine published by and for the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania—features my photograph of Pennsylvania Railroad 4-4-0 class D16sb 1223.

I made this image using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm lens during my Railroad Photography 101 class in February. The museum will be hosting more of my classes, with one scheduled for May and another in June.

The museum is promoting the classes:

“Session two will be held on Tuesday, May 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and will emphasize technique and the approach to indoor light. Session three will take place on Tuesday, June 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and will focus on composition and the approach to outdoor light, weather permitting. ” See:  RRMuseumPA.org 

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Topped and Tailed at Bird-in-Hand

On our way back from Gap, we pulled into the old PRR freight house location at Bird-in-Hand, Pa., to roll by Amtrak Keystone 656.

We didn’t have long to wait when the train raced by with ACS-64s on both ends of the short consist. Number 600-class leader named David Gunn was on the leading end; 655 on the trailing end.

I made these photos using my Lumix LX7 compact digital camera.

Leica Vario-Summilux f3.5 1/1600 sec, ISO200.
Leica Vario-Summilux f3.5 1/800 sec, ISO200.

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The Last Train to Parkesburg

As an allusion to the old Monkees song, I made this series of Amtrak Keystone 657 making its evening station stop at Parkesburg, Pa.

On weekdays this is the last train of the evening to stop at the old Pennsylvania Railroad station in Parkesburg, Pa.

I made these photos with my Nikon Z6 mounted on a 3Pod tripod, the camera was set to ISO 16000. In post processing, the Nikon NEF RAW files were converted to DNG format using DxO Pure Raw and adjusted in Adobe Lightroom.

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Sunset on the Pennsylvania Railroad and No P5s for Me.

During our forays along the old Pennsylvania Railroad, I sometimes like to imagine what it would have been like to witness the passing of the railroad’s great electrics.

Although I never saw them pass Gap, I remember seeing the GG1s, and to a limited extent, PRR’s E44s on other portions of the electrified system.

My father made photos of PRR’s P5 boxcabs, streamlined ‘P5A modified’ electrics, among the more obscure types that worked under wire more than a half century ago.

Last week as the late winter glow colored the evening sky in Christiana, Pa., I looked to the west as headlights illuminate the rails. As the train approached, I was expecting one of Amtrak’s ACS-64 electrics to pass me in a flash, but wondered what it would have been like to see a pair of the P5/P5A electrics pass with a freight. That really would have been cool.

Photos exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom. Files exposed in NEF RAW format, converted to PNG format using DxO PureRaw, and adjusted for final presentation with Adobe Lightroom.

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Clear Morning at Rockville Bridge

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.

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On the Roll at Willow Road

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!

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Frosty Morning at Lilly, Pa.

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!

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Poised and Ready on the West Slope!

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.

Shhhh. A westbound cometh, and its very heavy.

It won’t be long now . . .

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Main Line at Tyrone

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.

Stay tuned . . .

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Huntingdon—revisited

After departing the East Broad Top we drove north to Mount Union and followed the old Pennsylvania Railroad Middle Division west to Huntingdon.

In the 1980s and 1990s, I often visited Huntingdon, Pa., where my old pal TSH had family.

We had a few minutes, so we drove around town. I remarked on how little the town had changed in thirty years.

As we approached the grade crossing by the Amtrak station, the crossing lights flashed and the gates came down. We pulled into the small Amtrak lot just in time to make some grab shots of the passing Norfolk Southern freight. I also photographed the old PRR station that sits well back from the present day mainline. reflecting a line relocation from more than a century ago.

Although, my photo of the westward freight is non-standard, I like this type of photo because it captures greater environment which includes the crossing signals and the colored trees in the distance.

After the train cleared the crossing we headed west toward Tyrone, where we aimed to catch the freight again.

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Pennsylvania Railroad Spans at Havre de Grace

In my book North American Railroad Bridges published by Voyageur Press in 2008, I described the double track former Pennsylvania Railroad bridge over the Susquehanna at Havre de Grace, Maryland;

“Between August 10, 1905, and May 22, 1906, PRR built 17 deck truss spans on the piers, ranging from 196 feet 6 inches to 260 feet long, with 24 feet 3 inch clearance above mean water level. To clear large ships, a central swing span was installed. “

Earlier this year, Amtrak broke ground for the replacement of this historic bridge. Last week, Kris, Seamus-the-Dog and I drove to Havre de Grace, where I made a few photos of trains gliding across the bridge. In the distance is construction equipment, which appear to be removing the piers of an earlier railroad bridge in preparation for the new spans.

These views show Amtrak 195 (Boston-Washington) led by ACS-64 634 with Amfleet in tow. Exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.

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Changing Light at Christiana

During late summer and early autumn the evening light changes quickly.

Compare these views of Amtrak 651 at Christiana.

The first was exposed on August 14th, the second was yesterday evening (Sept 4).

There are other differences too. The top photo was made with my Nikon Z7-II, the bottom is a product of my Lumix LX7.

Having just composed a summary of the Metroliner for my Amtrak book, I’m feeling nostalgic about these old cars (one leads as a ‘cab car’ in the bottom photo) which are now some of the oldest in revenue service on Amtrak.

Amtrak Keystone 651 passes Christiana, PA on August 14, 2024-Nikon Z7-II.
Same location on September 4, 2024; Amtrak Keystone 651 passes Christiana, PA. Panasonic Lumix LX7.

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Under and Over in Newark, NJ.

I’ve been searching my archives for Amtrak photos to include in my latest book project. This is among interesting photos in my selection of out-takes.

Former Amtrak E60CH 973—still wearing Amtrak colors—leads NJ Transit North Jersey Coast train on the morning of July 11, 1986. At right; an eastward Conrail freight on the former Lehigh Valley waits to enter Oak Island yard.

Exposed on Kodak 120 Tri-x using my father’s Rolleiflex Model T with a ‘Super Slide’ 645-formet insert. Film processed in Kodak D76.

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Amtrak 651 at Christiana

The other day, Kris and I went for a drive. The light was nice, so we paused at Christiana, Pa., to roll by Amtrak Keystone 651 at the old Pennsylvania Railroad station.

I made these photos using my Z7-II fitted with a 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens.

Amtrak Keystone 651 led by ACS-64 607: N7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.
Amtrak 651: N7-II with 24-70 set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.
Amtrak Keystone 651 led by ACS-64 607: N7-II with 24-70mm lens set at 33mm f4.0 1/1000th second., ISO 200.

Compare the view that includes the Conrail caboose with the view of the same caboose from the train in: http://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/views-from-the-keystone/

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Amtrak Work Train

Over the last few months Amtrak has been performing heavy maintenance on its electrified Harrisburg Line west of Lancaster, Pa.

This has resulted in bus subsititutions for many of the Keystone trains Monday-Thursday to allow work crews to repair and replace tracks.

A few weeks ago I caught up with one of the work trains that was tied down on the main line. This was a good opportunity to make photographs of the sharp looking GP38-3 diesels that Amtrak assigns to work train service.

Photos were exposed with my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens. These are among the images in consideration for my latest book project that profiles Amtrak locomotives and Rolling Stock.

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Late July Sun at Jefferson Drive

In the 1990s, I’d mastered a technique for capturing trains in the ‘glint’ light usng Kodachrome slide film. Golden glint was my favorite. I was especially fond of glinting Southern Pacific freights in the western mountains and Amtrak trains on the Northeast Corridor.

These days, I apply a similar technique using my modern mirrorless digital cameras.

Low summer sun can offer great glint light opportunities. The mix of agricultural detritus, smog pollutants, and humidity in the atmosphere help to tint evening sunlight toward the red-end of spectrum.

Amtrak’s stainless steel trains make for excellent glint reflectors, and I have a few choice locations to catch the glint, including my often-photographed tangent on Amtrak’s former Pennsylvania Railroad electrified line to Harrisburg.

In late July, the setting sun is about 30 degrees off axis from the railroad where it runs along Jefferson Drive. And this is the perfect angle to catch a train reflecting the light.

Last week on successive days, I made these glint light views of Amtrak’s westward Keystone train 653 on its approach to the Lancaster, Pa., station.

Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA. July 25, 2024. Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm Z-series zoom.
Trailing view of Amtrak Keystone 653 at Greenfield in Lancaster, PA, July 26, 2024. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70 Z-series zoom.

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Heritage Surprise on the Middle Division

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.

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