Tag Archives: #Strasburg RR

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Sometimes a bit of Pretend Makes it Real

I like to write in layers.

The surface is but the top of that parfait.

When I need to find ground, it helps to pick up a camera.

When I’m lost, I need to travel back to a special place.

On this September Day, I needed to be back long ago.

My links to it were memories of a trip in August 1981; a black EMD end-cab diesel, and a old Brooklyn Eastern District sidetank steam switcher.

I was seeing each of these things for something other than what they are.

My reality wasn’t very good that day, but at least I made some photos.

Too often the differential between how we want things to be and how they really are, results in our disconnection with reality. Sometimes that disconnect leads to delusion; other times it is necessary to get through the day.

In the end, the old little blue engine is unlikely to ever work the Brooklyn dockside again.

Tracking the Light Explores Railway Photography.

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Mastodon Sunset and New Wheels

Tuesday we collected our new car.

Friday evening, Kris and I went for our first proper drive in it with Seamus in the back: just a few miles over to Esbenshade Road in Strasburg, Pa., to roll by the 6pm train.

There were layers of dust and smoke in the western sky that made the sun appear fuzzy and reddish orange with sky a tangerine—mauve-like gray.

I made these photos as the train passed us with 4-8-0 475 working tender-first. I’ve included a few views of our midnight blue Honda CR-V Hybrid. In these photos it had less than 80 miles on it!

Photos exposed using my Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras. NEF RAW files adjusted in Lightroom.

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Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

‘Strasburg Freight’ Rhymes with ‘SW8’

Strasburg Rail Road operates its freight on weekdays between the East Strasburg Station and the Norfolk Southern interchange at Leaman Place Junction (pronounced like ‘lemon’), in Paradise, Pennsylvania.

My friend Dan Cupper featured Strasburg’s freight operations in the October 2023 Trains Magazine in his article titled ‘The Strasburg Rail Road You Don’t Know.’

He tells the history and inside story in this well written and illustrated feature.

Most of the time I’ve photographed Strasburg’s freight has been by dumb luck. On this occasion, I paused at Black Horse Road to roll by a steam excursion, when I heard the bark of a diesel horn approaching Cherry Hill Road crossing.

On this afternoon, the freight led by SW8 8618, was working ahead of the passenger train , so I walked down the hill from the Black Horse Road crossing and made these photos using my Nikon Z6 with 70-200mm lens.

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Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

More Golden Glint

Clear sky above, sun low to the horizon, off axis by about 20-25 degrees, and filtered by lots of particulates in the air make for excellent glint light conditions.

Strasburg Rail Road 89 had just arrived back at East Strasburg Station with the 6pm train (which recently replaced the 7pm train on the Friday and Saturday schedule).

I made this digital photo handheld with my Nikon Z6 fitted with a 70-200mm Nikkor Z-series zoom, and with nominal adjustments to the NEF RAW files in post processing to correct color balance and contrast.

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