{"id":45216,"date":"2026-10-08T08:11:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=45216"},"modified":"2026-10-08T08:11:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T12:11:29","slug":"a-system-map-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/a-system-map-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"A System Map Approach?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In my earlier days, I sometimes adopted a systematic approach to photographing a railroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let me rephrase that: sometimes I\u2019d take a station-by-station look at a line, visiting every major point on a route and trying to make interesting images. I suppose you could describe that as a \u201csystem map approach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been photographing the Philadelphia-area SEPTA rail network since the early 1980s. I\u2019ve traveled on most of its routes and visited most of its stations. Yet, until September this year, I\u2019d never photographed a SEPTA train at Downingtown on the former Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line. This is a significant place, and yes, I\u2019ve made photos there before, but not of SEPTA trains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The September 28, 2026 Tracking the Light featured some night photos of an Amtrak Keystone<\/em> making its station stop at Downingtown. [See: Downingtown on Saturday Evening<\/a>.] A few minutes after that train continued west, an inbound SEPTA local paused at the platforms, and I made these photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Nikon Z6-III with Nikkor f1.4 50mm; 1\/250 second, f1.4, ISO 12800. Downingtown, PA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was only this morning that I realized that I\u2019d ticked the box for Downingtown! Now I\u2019ll need to figure out how to make Thorndale station look interesting. I\u2019ve been there. It\u2019s no Horseshoe Curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography Daily!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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