{"id":8161,"date":"2014-09-14T02:58:54","date_gmt":"2014-09-14T06:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/?p=8161"},"modified":"2014-09-15T10:15:09","modified_gmt":"2014-09-15T14:15:09","slug":"big-viaduct-at-mineral-point-pennsylvania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/big-viaduct-at-mineral-point-pennsylvania\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Viaduct at Mineral Point, Pennsylvania."},"content":{"rendered":"

September 5, 1997.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Among the iconic locations on the former Pennsylvania Railroad \u2018West Slope\u2019 (west of the summit at Gallitzin) is a massive curved stone-arch bridge near Mineral Point, known as \u2018The Big Viaduct.\u2019<\/p>\n

In the early hours of September 5, 1997, Mike Gardner and I drove down a heavily brushed in road that had once been the right of way of a Johnstown Traction Company\u2019s electric line.<\/p>\n

Mike was dubious when I urged further forward progress into the inky gloom and thick bushes. It seemed like an adventure into the rain forest.<\/p>\n

We arrived at on overlook near the famous bridge just as the first hints of daylight colored the sky. A thick fog covered the ground, but the fuzzy twinkling spots above told us that it would be a clear morning.<\/p>\n

In the distance, I could hear Electro-Motive diesels whining in dynamic as they approached with a westward Conrail freight. Despite the fog and gloom, I set up my Bogen tripod, attached my N90s with 24 mm lens, and when the train passed, made a series of long exposures with Fujichrome Provia 100F.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A Conrail freight growls downgrade across the Big Viaduct. Exposed on Fujichrome Provia 100F with a Nikon N90s with 24mm lens. Time exposure: about 8 seconds with camera on tripod.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Soon the sun crawled above the hillsides and began to burn off the fog, Conrail ran a procession of trains, mostly westbound. Later in the morning when a clear blue dome prevailed I relocated trackside to make a view of an eastward freight climbing across the bridge.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A westward Conrail freight emerges from the fog near the Big Viaduct. Exposed on Kodachrome 200 using a Nikon F3T with 80-200 zoom lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Conrail<\/a>
Conrail 6180 east at Big Viaduct Mineral Point PA September 5, 1997. Nikon N90S with 28mm lens, Fujichrome Provia 100F slide film.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is mornings like that one, 17 years ago, that make me wish I was right now trackside in the mountains of Pennsylvania, and not thousands of miles away in front of a computer, writing about the experience.<\/p>\n

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