@Seth Thomas posted:Lol😄
You have just displayed why you have taken the OGR call name as @NYC Fan. The three paintings would be a wonderful display for anyone’s train room…
West has truly electrified the race of the century. I can hear the thunder from both the heavens and the steel rails.
Your engine collection is a wonderful display for the three rails! I have enjoyed your four engines depicted in the paintings.
Is this truly not the realism of the “essence “ as addressed in the Forum…What a race,
What a hobby ☺️
Thank You Seth! I also like the West painting but I believe he used a great deal of artistic license in that he has the trains heading in the wrong direction. The structure in the background is the New York Central lift bridge over the Calumet River. It would be to the east of the Pennsy mainline. That would mean these trains are heading north, or west by the timetable toward Chicago. The daily race occurred as the two trains left Chicago heading south, or east by the timetable toward New York.
The structure still exists today.
This photo is looking west. The Pennsy bridge, still used by Amtrak, can be seen on the other side of the NYC bridge, which is no longer used and left in the up position. The high bridge further west is I-90. Therefore, the West painting which has the trains heading from left to right in this photo, actually has them heading north toward Chicago.
Still, as you pointed out, there is a great amount of energy West has captured in his painting.
