Author of more than 70 books on railways, photography, and Ireland, Brian lives with his wife, Kris, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Brian holds a BFA in Photographic Illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology. In 2022, he was presented with the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society’s prestigious Fred A.& Jane R. Stindt Photography Award for his lifetime achievements in railroad photography.
It was a dull June evening at Jefferson Drive in Greenfield, Lancaster, Pa., where I’ve made countless photographs over the last three years.
On this occasion, I planned to pan the approaching westward Amtrak Keystone.
Leading the train was one of the freshly painted former Metroliner cab control cars, while Amtrak ACS-64 No. 642, wearing its Veterans paint scheme, brought up the rear.
Rather than use an extremely slow shutter speed, I opted for a comparatively short exposure that still allowed for a pleasing degree of motion blur.
Exposed using a Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm zoom set to 60mm; 400 ISO, f4.0, 1/640th of a second. NEF RAW file converted to DNG format using DxO PureRaw with Prime3 to minimize the effects of lens defects. Cosmetic adjustments using Lightroom.Exposed using a Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm zoom set to 60mm; 400 ISO, f4.0, 1/320th of a second. NEF RAW file converted to DNG format using DxO PureRaw with Prime3 to minimize the effects of lens defects. Cosmetic adjustments using Lightroom.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photographic technique.
It was a beautiful clear evening at Gap, Pa. I’d timed my arrival at Hoover Road to coincide with the passage of westward Amtrak Keystone 651. This operated with ACS-64 663 at the back of the consist.
Working with my Nikon Z7-II plus 70-200mm zoom, I aimed include the horse at the right of the scene.
Exposed at 82mm, f5.0 1/3200th sec, ISO 200. Scaled as JPG from an NEF RAW file using Adobe Lightroom.
On the drive to and from Staunton, we paused in the classic Norfolk & Western railroad town of Shenandoah, nestled in its namesake Virginia valley.
On the southbound trip, I made a couple of photographs of the old station using my Lumix LX7. On the return journey, I photographed the station again, this time with my Nikon Z6 III.
Norfolk Southern’s Shenandoah station. Lumix LX7 photo.Morning view of Shenandoah station. Photo with a Nikon Z6-III and 24-70mm lens.
On a sultry Saturday, Kris and I drove to Esbenshade Road to catch up with our friend Doug Scott, who was on his way north.
The return of a mid-afternoon excursion was due shortly, and we could hear Strasburg Railroad’s 2-6-0 Mogul No. 89 working west.
I was impressed by the field of wheat alongside the line and set up a photograph to feature this classic crop with the passing locomotive. I have no shortage of photos of the Mogul, so I was more interested in emphasizing the wheat, with the engine in the distance.
I exposed this series of images using my Nikon Z6 with a 24–70mm lens, then converted the NEF RAW files to DNG format using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME corrections before importing the DNG files into Lightroom to make minor cosmetic adjustments, improving contrast and enhancing the texture of the grain.
So, which is the subject of these photos: the Mogul or the wheat?
Tracking the Light viewers have been offered a discount on DxO software. New customers receive 15 percent off purchases from shop.dxo.com by using the discount code TRACKINGTHELIGHT
It was a hot, hazy afternoon when Kris and I paused at the west end of the famous Rockville Bridge over the Susquehanna River.
I sensed that a westbound freight was near. To make the most of the bridge’s graceful arches, I fitted my old Nikkor 135mm f/2.0 prime lens to my Nikon Z6 III. Before long, a set of Norfolk Southern GE diesels appeared with a heavy mixed freight. As the train crawled across the Susquehanna, I exposed a series of images, carefully focusing manually and using the Z6 III’s magnification feature to verify critical sharpness.
Later, I imported the NEF RAW files into Lightroom and adjusted the color and contrast.
I wasn’t 100 percent satisfied with the results, so I imported one file (NEF2357) into DxO PureRAW 5 for correction and conversion to a DNG file. I then opened the DNG in DxO PhotoLab, a photo-processing program similar to Lightroom, where I made a series of additional color and contrast adjustments.
The results offered several improvements and produced a decidedly different look from the Lightroom version. I was especially impressed by how PhotoLab rendered the sky and the river. Although I find the final image far more pleasing than the original NEF file, I’m still not 100 percent satisfied.
I may just have to head back to Rockville and try again!
NEF RAW File 2357, scaled as a JPG without correction or adjustments. NEF 2357 Adjusted with Lightroom to improve contrast and sky detail and color balance.NEF file 2357 converted to a DNG file using DxO PureRaw 5 with DeepPRIME corrections.NEF file 2357 was converted to a DNG file using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME corrections, then imported into DxO PhotoLab for a series of minor cosmetic adjustments to color, contrast, and exposure. These refinements were intended to improve the overall appearance, reduce aerial haze, enhance sky detail, and produce a more dramatic visual impact. Scaled as a Jpg for presentation here.
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Comfortably ensconced in our elevated seats; D3A and D3B, I looked forward to my journey behind Norfolk & Western 611.
Eleven years ago, I held a ticket for a similar trip, but opted to chase the train instead of traveling. While lasting images resulted from that adventure, since that time I’ve wanted to travel behind the magnificent N&W J-class 4-8-4.
This time, I was rewarded with views of 611 from Budd Vista Dome Shenandoah as operated by Virginia Scenic Railway on the old Chesapeake & Ohio over Viginia’s Blue Ridge.
A railroad station offers countless opportunities for photography.
As Kris and I waited to board the 10am Summer of Steam excursion, I made these photos from the platform of the former Cheasapeake & Ohio station in Staunton, Virginia.
For the second year in a row, we watched Strasburg’s fireworks from Blackhorse Road near the Strasburg Rail Road grade crossing.
This year, like last year, the fireworks coincided with fireflies. It was especially dark where we were standing, which made manipulating cameras a challenge.
I made this photo looking toward Cherry Hill from the grade crossing. The image required considerable post processing adjustment in Lightroom to make the most of shadow and highlight detail.
The green signal starburst effect was created in-camera by using comparatively small aperture (f10) that caused defraction.
Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm Nikkor Z-series zoom set at 135mm; f10 at 20 seconds, ISO 1600. July 3, 2026.
The glint of the setting sun caught Amtrak’s Keystone racing east of Lancaster. When the engineer greeted me with an enthusiastic rendition of “Shave and a Haircut—Two Bits!” punctuated by an extra-sharp final blast, I focused on the head end.
There it was: Amtrak ACS-64 No. 657, adorned with Amtrak’s Freedom 250th banner!
I panned the patriotic locomotive as it zipped by at speed.
The sun was getting low when I caught SEPTA’s Conrail Heritage Unit inbound at Elkins Park, Pa. This vintage Silverliner IV multiple unit was wearing the Conrail ‘can opener’ and an early version of the SEPTA logo to pay tribute to the Conrail influence on SEPTA in its early years.
In the spirit of retro-railroading, I’ve adjusted the color profile of this photo to resemble an image exposed on Kodachrome 25.
Riverfront Park in Marietta is a peaceful place along the banks of the Susquehanna and nice spot to wait for a freight on Norfolk Southern’s Port Road Secondary.
On previous visits Kris and I could watch the fireflies, while listening to a distant train rolling down the river.
The other night featured the appearance of the brilliant full moon— a radiant golden orb that gradually rose in the eastern sky.
As we waited, I made photos of the moon and blinky bugs using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm lens.
Focusing was a problem, finding the ideal exposure was another.
This image required substantial contrast and exposure control in post-processing.
After an hour, no steel wheels had graced the former PRR lines crossing Vinegar Ferry Road that leads to the park. With no distant rumble and work the next morning, we departed for home. At Washington Boro, the signals indicated than an eastbound was in the picture, but we were out of time. Observing the nocturnal passage of freight would have to wait for another evening’s adventures.
Having arrived on the shuttle bus more than an hour ahead of departure, we were in position on the Staunton station platform in time for Virginia Scenic Railway’s Summer of Steam deadhead move.
Buckingham Branch diesels led the excursion consist on its westward positioning trip. The train rolled through the station before returning eastward for a grand entrance.
Here’s a hint: the deadhead was the digi-photo op.
These photos were exposed using my Nikon Z6-III. [I reserved the proper entrance for film.]
With ticket reservations in hand, we arrived early at Virginia Scenic Railway’s C&O Flats Station to catch the shuttle bus across town to the historic C&O station in downtown Staunton.
This was a big day for me, a long time coming. Finally, I’d get my trip in a Budd Vista dome behind Norfolk & Western J No. 611.
Virginia Scenic’s demonstration train made for a stunning silhouette as we waited to board the bus. Exposed using a Nikon Z6-III.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography daily!
Modern Class I freight railroading is often a story told through double-stacked containers riding in articulated well cars.
Thirty-five years ago, JB Hunt was a newcomer to the railroads. I still remember the novelty of seeing JB Hunt trailers aboard Santa Fe piggyback trains in the California Tehachapis.
Today, Norfolk Southern moves mile-long trains of JB Hunt containers, stacked two high, along the Susquehanna River.
What these containers are carrying remains a mystery—perhaps everything from powdered laundry detergent to Chinese-made electronics.
Tracking the Light explores railroad photography daily!
I grew up with my dad’s photographs of the Norfolk & Western’s streamlined steam, both J’s and K’s.
Although No. 611 was first restored to service while I was in high school, it wasn’t until the summer of 1994 that I finally saw it in action. John Gruber and I drove to northern Indiana, where we intercepted the locomotive charging along the former Nickel Plate Road at speed.
In 2002, I visited 611 at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. Having seen the locomotive under steam, it was strange to encounter it as a cold museum exhibit.
A dozen years later, I caught up with the engine again at North Carolina Transportation Museum during the Streamliners at Spencer event. Then, in 2015, Pat Yough and I made the trek to Manassas to photograph 611 on mainline excursions.
When Kris and I moved to Pennsylvania in 2023, 611 was on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Later, it operated excursion trains on the Strasburg Rail Road, where we made action photographs—albeit at relatively slow speeds.
Last week, we had tickets to travel on a Virginia Scenic Railway’s Summer of Steam excursion from Staunton. We drove to Virginia the day before and enjoyed a quiet interlude along Goose Creek Road as 611 worked an eastbound excursion over the former Chesapeake and Ohio.
It was a pleasure to have the locomotive all to ourselves.
In March, Kris and I had scoped out Old Goose Creek Road. Last week we returned in time to catch Amtrak’s westward Cardinal and then wait for Virginia Scenic Railway’s afternoon Summer of Steam Excursion.
While it had been windy and raining on our first visit here, this trip found clear blue skies.
I made these photos of Amtrak using my Z6-III with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom. Only a few minutes elapsed between trains, but in the Spirit of anticipation, I’ll post the views of the Summer of Steam led by Norfolk & Western 611 in my next post!
Amtrak train 51, the westward Cardinal rolls along Old Goose Creek Road in Fisherville, Virginia.Amtrak P42 No22 leads train 51, the westward Cardinal rolls along Old Goose Creek Road in Fisherville, Virginia.
Tracking the Light Explores the processes of making railroad photographs!
As we drove east, I thought I heard a train calling signals on the radio.
We pulled in at Duncannon at the old Pennsylvania Railroad station. This location is on a sweeping curve and offers a good view of the Susquehanna River.
I waited for a minute, listening for a train. Sure enough, there was the telltale ‘chug’ of GE diesels and the dull roar of freight cars on the roll.
Looking to the west, I headlight illuminated the rails shortly before this eastward freight rolled into view.
I made these images of the passing train using my Z6 with 24-70mm lens.
In the old days, I described this type of railroad image as a “three-quarter” view—a straightforward, formulaic action photograph that has long been prized by railroad photographers. Blue skies, puffy clouds, and over-the-shoulder lighting: sometimes the simplest approach is the best one.
On our June 2026 visit to SEPTA’s Elkins Park station, I made these seven digital images in an effort to capture the historical and contemporary contrasts of this classic suburban station on the former Philadelphia & Reading.
In an era when many stations are little more than a platform and a parking lot, it is refreshing to find one that remains true to its roots.
Tracking the Light explores railroad architecture!
During my travels, I’ve found that several loosely-defined phases influence how I approach railroad photography.
These may be described as:
Research
Discovery (or Survey)
Intensive Investigation
Initial Execution
Refinement
Revisitations
These phases may span days, weeks, years, or even a lifetime. Sometimes I skip a step, and often the phases overlap. However, they frequently alter the way I see a railroad or interpret a place.
In late 1989, I made my survey trips to California’s Donner Pass. The photographs I made during that initial exploration were very different from the images I created during later phases of my work there. Yet those early photographs laid the groundwork for the more refined images that followed.
In a scene that would soon change beyond description; Southern Pacific at Norden, California at the summit of Donner Pass in November 1989. Kodachrome 25, exposed using a Leica M2 with 50mm Summicron.
Complicating this process is when the Discovery phase coincides with the onset of significant change to the subject. This can be frustrating, since a railroad may be at its most interesting to me before my understanding of it—and my photography—have had an opportunity to mature and reach a stage of refinement.
My phases are easiest to describe when discussing my BIG projects—the detailed, intesive visual studies. The phases are more complicated to understand when I rush into a situation where it is necessary to skip, combine, or reverse the order of phases.
There have also been countless occasions during my travels when all of the phases were necessarily-compressed into a single brief experience, such as a one-time chase of freight through unfamiliar territory.
Under a bright midday June sky, Kris and I were exploring Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line west of Enola. I made this pair of photos from rural grade crossing of an eastward double stack freight on the roll.
In the lead was NS ES44DC 7501. While a common looking locomotive, this is no spring chicken. It was among the early GE-Evolution Series diesels, and built at Erie back in early 2004.
The top photo was exposed using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70-200mm lens set at 200mm; the bottom image was made a few seconds later with my Z6 with a 24-70mm set at 32mm.
On June 18, 2026, I presented my program on Conway Scenic Railroad to the Philadelphia Chapter of the NRHS at the former Reading Company station at Elkins Park.
A year ago, I presented my program on Philadelphia Trains and Trolleys to the same group at the same venue.
However, whereas last year we were met by sudden violent storm with high winds, rain, and lightning that broke trees and wreaked havoc on SEPTA’s evening commute, this year we were greeted by clear skies, and warm-but-pleasant evening weather. While waiting for the group to gather, I made a variety of images of SEPTA’s trains at the Elkins Park Station.
Elkins Park, Pa., has a classic station with wooden platforms and a distinctive station structure. Exposed using a Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm lens. NEF RAW file adjusted using Lightroom to control contrast.
I made this view of an inbound Silverliner IV working an Airport service paused for a brief station stop.
On our way home, we exited Rt 30 at Greenfield Road in Lancaster, Pa. The clock read 9:36pm.
“The local should be working High.”
As we drove under Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line, we could see that four freshly delivered flat cars of steel had been delivered to High Steel Structures. And Norfolk Southern’s local freight had paused on the other side of the road.
It had been a long day, we were tired, but here was a photo opportunity!
“This will take just a minute.”
I pulled in, and retrieved my Nikon Z6 from the back of the car, set the ISO to 10000, and adjusted my autofocus settings. I placed the camera close to the ground and used the rear display to compose my images.
In the surreal darkness along the Marietta Industrial Track near CP Shocks, I made these views of the setting crescent moon in a crisp June sky.
I exposed in Nikon NEF RAW for 4 to 5 seconds using my Nikon Z6-III set at ISO 800 and 1000 respectively. The camera was firmly mounted on my 3Pod tripod.
I adjusted each of the files in Lightroom to better balance the exposure and contrast for the evening light. I gave a slightly different treatment to each photo.
It is only a number, but I think catching Norfolk Southern 4444 leading a westward manifest freight on the Pittsburgh Line made for more interesting photographs than if a similar locomotive had carried a more common road number. This unusual type of numeral is known as a repdigit.
The freight consisted of more than 180 cars. In addition to 4444, a mid-train DPU provided extra power. This separation of locomotives is now common on many modern road freights. Among the advantages of DPU operation is a reduction in drawbar stress on the trailing coupler of the lead locomotive. This helps railroads operate and better control very long trains.
The technique behind the photographs also merits examination. Among the benefits of modern digital processing is the ability to control and adjust color contrast to best suit the scene. These images would not have made especially compelling photographs on Kodachrome. However, by exposing digitally to maximize data capture and then processing the files to carefully place highlights and shadows while controlling contrast, it is possible to produce pleasing images in difficult lighting conditions.
I like blending four concepts into a single essay. Each of these four paragraphs discusses a different topic relating to the photographs. A novice might ask what a repdigit has to do with DPU operations and photographic contrast control. The answer is simple: “these photographs.” I don’t know that it needs to be any more complicated than that.
Of the railroad lines radiating from Lancaster, Norfolk Southern’s Columbia Secondary represents a photographic challenge. This short former Pennsylvania Railroad electrified line connects Lancaster and Columbia, Pa., but lacks the scenic splendor, open vistas, and historic structures that have aided my photography on other lines in the area.
On a warm evening, Kris and I were approaching Columbia on South Front Street when I heard the sound of EMD diesels working in Run 8. When we arrived at the grade crossing near the old Philadelphia & Reading freight house, Norfolk Southern freight H-19 from Enola was crawling through town, ascending the grade as it climbed away from the Susquehanna River.
We jumped onto Route 30 and drove east to Mountville, where I had previously scoped out a few potential locations. We arrived several minutes ahead of the train. As it passed, I made these images using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70–200mm zoom lens and a Nikon Z6 with a 24–70mm zoom. The freight totaled more than 80 cars, including several flatcars carrying structural steel.
On this day in 2010, John Gruber and I chased a Wisconsin & Southern local toward Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. This was John’s backyard, and I was along for the ride. Over the years, John and I made numerous photographic expeditions along Wisconsin & Southern’s lines radiating from Madison.
I had purchased a new Canon EOS 7D just a few weeks earlier and was still relatively new to digital photography. I was curious to see what I could do with this new tool.
For this view, I fitted my Canon 200mm prime telephoto lens to the digital body. The 7D’s APS-C sensor represented Canon’s latest innovation. It enabled me to work at ISO 400 while retaining a high level of detail, while the sensor’s ‘1.6x crop factor’ gave the 200mm lens approximately the same angle of view as a 320mm lens on a traditional full-frame 35mm film camera.
Using greater telephoto compression, I made the most of the roadside utility lines and the patterns created by the highway itself, incorporating them as compositional elements surrounding the locomotive as it crossed the road. I like the color and classic lines of the EMD SD40-2 working long-hood first. The soft color palette and contrast of this image were partially a function of the Canon sensor and optics.
In fact, I was mimicking a similar composition that I’d made 18 years earlier on Kodachrome using 400mm Tokina lens featuring an NHV GP9 crossing Highway 116 near Littleton on the former Boston & Maine New Hampshire Division route to Groveton/Berlin—but that’s really a story for another day.
This Wisconsin & Southern image was exposed on June 16, 2010; f/5.6, 1/125 second, ISO 400. Although I’ve made modest adjustments to contrast and color balance, this JPEG was created from the original Canon CR2 RAW file.
As previously presented on Tracking the Light, Amtrak ACS-64 No. 642 is dressed in a special paint livery honoring American veterans.
Amtrak Keystone 658 was due.
I didn’t realize that No. 642 was leading the train until it came into view.
After exposing my planned long-telephoto image to make the most of the evening glint, I quickly adjusted the lens from 200mm to 70mm and panned with the locomotive to take advantage of the distinctive paint scheme. As the train passed, I received a salute from the head end.
In May 1999, I was testing Canon EOS Elan cameras and lenses for Trains Magazine. One of the key features of the EOS system was image stabilization. Among the photos I exposed was this panned view of Conrail B23-7 1930 rolling through CP83 in Palmer, Massachusetts.
This photo demonstrated the advantages of image stabilization when making a long-pan image. To blur the background, I set the camera to a slow shutter speed and turned in parallel with the passing train as it raced eastward.
Interestingly, this slide was among the earliest images my father scanned for me using a Nikon LS-5000 slide scanner. However, he scanned it at a relatively low resolution. I still have the scanner, so at some point I should locate the slide and scan it again at a higher resolution.
Conrail eastbound at Palmer, Massachusetts. Exposed on Fujichrome with a Canon EOS Elan.
A few days ago I posted this mystery photo that I exposed in November 1987 of an Erie Railroad Station . See: https://briansolomon.com/trackingthelight/erie-railroad-station-november-1987/
I received a variety of guesses.
Only Walter E. Zullig correctly identified the location: Jamestown, New York.
Tracking the Light Explores the Mysteries of Railroad image-making!
Hot weather last week made for sauna-like conditions along the Susquehanna River.
We pulled into Port Deposit, where a riverside park offers views of the four long-span bridges that cross the river between Perryville and Havre de Grace, Maryland.
I made this photograph using my Nikon Z7-II with a 70–200mm lens, then cropped the image to better feature an Amtrak Regional train crossing the most distant bridge. The train was powered by ACS-64 electric locomotives at each end.
Since through freights tend to run in the evening, the long days offer excellent opportunities for photography on the Port Road Secondary. That proved true last week when we found the signals lined for an eastbound freight as the glow of sunset illuminated the western sky.
Working with my Z6-III with 50mm f1.4, I made these photos near Washington Boro, Pennsylvania.
Here’s a special bonus—Norfolk Southern 4876 working as a DPU!I’m happy that the track crew left a key compositional element in the foreground.
The former Pennsylvania Railroad station and adjacent underpass at Christiana, Pa., have been a recurring theme on Tracking the Light. Recently, I posted a sequence from this location, noting that I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the results. On Tuesday evening, I set up at a different angle on this familiar scene, this time photographing from street level as Amtrak Keystone 656 raced by.
This image was exposed using a Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera fitted with a 24–70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom lens.
I wondered what the photograph might look like with different historical film profiles applied, so I imported the RAW file into DxO FilmPack 7 and experimented with several presets. Each profile is identified in the caption below its respective image.
Adjust Nikon NEF RAW file with slight changes to color and contrast.NEF RAW file converted with DxO Film Pack 7 using the Kodak Tri-X film profile. (This is intended to make the image appear as if it were exposed on Tri-X film.NEF RAW file converted with DxO Film Pack 7 using the Ilford HP5 film profile.NEF RAW file converted with DxO Film Pack 7 using the Kodak Elite 200 (Ektachrome) film profile.
Over hill and dale, following directions supplied by Google Maps, we set out on our first attempt to chase a train between Safe Harbor and Peach Bottom. There were plenty of twists and turns, but we made it!
And finally, after nearly a year of occasional visits—checking the light and sun angles in autumn, winter, and spring—we scored a daylight freight at Peach Bottom.
Hooray!
Crude oil rolling along the Susquehanna.
Tracking the Light Explores Railroad Photography Everyday.
Beginning in 1986, I made a project of photographing vestiges of the former Erie Railroad. While this often included Conrail freights and antique signal installations, I also focused on the railroad’s architecture.
To my knowledge, I made just one photo of this former Erie Railroad passenger station, exposed on Kodachrome 25 in November 1987.
Can you guess the location? Thankfully, I wrote it on the slide mount. I’ve seen relatively few photos of this station.
This would have been a neat place during Erie Railroad times. Here’s a hint; the clock stopped, but time has not.
Exposed using a Rolleiflex Model T loaded with Kodak Vericolor II Type S 120 roll film. October 1984.
Central Vermont Railway crossing the Conrail diamonds northbound; Palmer, Massachusetts. In October 1984, I exposed this image using my father’s Rolleiflex Model T loaded with Kodak Vericolor II Type S 120 roll film. I scanned the negative in 2010 using an Epson V500 flatbed scanner. Epson’s software automatically reversed the image and compensated for the orange mask inherent in color negative film. The image required only minimal color adjustment in Lightroom for presentation here.
