Post your Train shots!

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Sandpatch

Senior Member
The PRR's position light signals came in a small size too, known as a dwarf signals. These were usually placed for better visibility by crews at sidings and some yard tracks. High signals as seen in the background are actually aimed at a higher elevation so that the light will strike an engineman's eyes. I always wanted to get a dwarf signal for our back yard, but it never came about. :( [July 1976, Hudson OH Nikkormat FTn, Plus X]

1976-07 009 Hudson OH - for upload.jpg
 
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wildshots

wildshots

Senior Member
I live just a few yards from the tracks. (CSX). I saw a very streamlined AMTRAK engine go by the other day. Doing yardwork and did not have a camera with me. I'll be looking for it, or another though. Black with red, white and blue streaming back from the front of it. Impressive.

Here's one I did catch. Saw it go by, hopped in the truck and ran up to the yard (only about 4 miles) hoping it would lay over a bit. It did.

 
Marilynne

Marilynne

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
wildshots said:
I live just a few yards from the tracks. (CSX). I saw a very streamlined AMTRAK engine go by the other day. Doing yardwork and did not have a camera with me. I'll be looking for it, or another though. Black with red, white and blue streaming back from the front of it. Impressive.

Here's one I did catch. Saw it go by, hopped in the truck and ran up to the yard (only about 4 miles) hoping it would lay over a bit. It did.

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Nice find. Here's a little bit of history on it.

CSX.com - Commemorative Locomotives

CSX is a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America. But there's more to CSX than you might expect. Learn all about CSX and discover what we're doing for our customers, environment and communities. Visit http://www.csx.com/.
www.csx.com www.csx.com
 
wildshots

wildshots

Senior Member
Marilynne said:
Nice find. Here's a little bit of history on it.

CSX.com - Commemorative Locomotives

CSX is a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America. But there's more to CSX than you might expect. Learn all about CSX and discover what we're doing for our customers, environment and communities. Visit http://www.csx.com/.
www.csx.com www.csx.com
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Thank you for that. Both my sons are CSX engineers so I get lots of info from them, especially when something nasty is coming down the tracks in the wee hours of the morning. :)
 
lightcapture

lightcapture

New member
wildshots said:
For the CSX derailment near Sandstone WV, I'll put up a couple then try to link to an album I just created in my flickr account.





Following link should be to album. The images you might have seen on CNN or network (or even international feed) were somewhat cherry picked. This album has more content.

www.flickr.com

03-08-23 CSX DERAILMENT

Explore this photo album by awenaturale on Flickr!
www.flickr.com www.flickr.com
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Great documentary work!
 
S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
Decades ago, CSX experimented with numerous paint schemes, including an all gray one that became known as the "Stealth" scheme because of its invisibility in the fog and rain. Its lifespan was mercifully short. Here are two "stealth" units on the point of a grain train. [Shenandoah Jct. WV, April 1996, Nikon N2020, Kodachrome]

1996-04 001 Shenandoah Jct WV - for upload.jpg
 
Needa

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
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S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
Needa said:
Like the vantage point on these. Where were you positioned?
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Thank you. These were shot from highway bridges. I'm selective about standing on these though, never leaving myself vulnerable to vehicles passing by. A sidewalk or guard rail is a necessity for safety. Also, some bridge views are spoiled by power wires strung alongside or fencing.
 
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Needa

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
Sandpatch said:
Thank you. These were shot from highway bridges. I'm selective about standing on these though, never leaving myself vulnerable to vehicles passing by. A sidewalk or guard rail is a necessity for safety. Also, some bridge views are spoiled by phone or power wires strung alongside.
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Especially the first one looks like you are very close to the building was a zoom used or was it cropped and enlarged when printed? That right you were posting these from slides.
 
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S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
Needa said:
Especially the first one looks like you are very close to the building was a zoom used or was it cropped and enlarged when printed? That right you were posting these from slides.
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Ends up that I shot it with my Nikkor 50mm. I took several slides there that day. This one below was the first as the train approached, then I swung down to get a close up of the locomotive. I also shot the caboose bringing up the rear and the freight depot (partially seen in the slide below), which has since been razed. Looking at a map on the Internet, I also learned that I stood on a pedestrian bridge, not a highway bridge. Nearly 36 years later, my recollections have faded a bit. :)

1988-06-18 002 Georgiana AL - for upload2.jpg
 
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C

crashton

Senior Member
That's a great shot Sandpatch. Bet they were making some sweet noises pulling that coal drag.

I really do like the perspective of a 50mm lens. My favorite was the 50mm F2 Nikkor that I bought with my Nikkormat. These days my favorite is my Fuji 35mm F1.4. On the apsc sensor it's 50mm.... :D
 
S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
crashton said:
That's a great shot Sandpatch. Bet they were making some sweet noises pulling that coal drag.

I really do like the perspective of a 50mm lens. My favorite was the 50mm F2 Nikkor that I bought with my Nikkormat. These days my favorite is my Fuji 35mm F1.4. On the apsc sensor it's 50mm.... :D
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Thank you. Yes on the 50mm - short length, light, perfect perspective and fast. I had the same lens as you on my Nikkormat FTn and it was my only lens for many years. At times I think I should buy a 35mm for my DX to replicate what I had, but I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of it. I should also buy a new camera, but I face the same reality that I don't get out as often to take rail pictures like I once did. The current scene doesn't get my heart racing. Maybe I need to take a trip somewhere .......
 
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S

Sandpatch

Senior Member
Speaking of better times in railroading, I came across this one from Opeilka, AL taken 05/25/1985 with my 50mm. This is a southbound on the former CofG crossing the former WRofA main at the station. I miss the joy of discovery back then when there were more things to be found and more trains on the move. [Nikon N2020, Kodachrome]

1985-05-25 001 Opelika AL - for upload.jpg
 
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C

crashton

Senior Member
Another great one from your Wayback machine Sandpatch. Love those high hood locomotives! That Southern GE unit leading sure has a bull dog look about it.

Also you really have learned how to scan slides well, quite impressive. (y)
 
wildshots

wildshots

Senior Member
The Autumn Express. Each October, here, Hinton WV, holds their annual 'Train Days'. The railroad basically built the town. It's a two day festival of food vendors, craft vendors, tour of our railroad museum, etc. A special passenger train is chartered for a trip up through the New River Gorge, and back in the evening. Probably originates in Charleston, I'm including a link:

Here's one shot just before it passes my place at Brooks. (4 miles north of Hinton).

autumn express.jpg
 
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