Midweek Photos 12/27/2017 Year in Review 2017

The year rolls on. In March, I almost missed my chance to catch this light move of power in the Luzerne & Susquehanna RR.  Their switchers are on former Lehigh Valley RR mainline tracks in Pittston, PA.  

Then the snow came.  On March 16, after about 2 feet of snow fell, I found Delaware Lackawanna getting their former Canadian Pacific snow plow ready for a run on their lines to clear the tracks.  I only caught this standing still opportunity.  The following day was when they would run the plow train. 

The annual inspection for Steamtown's 0-6-0 no. 26 continued.  A few new items were added, such as the two new injectors purchased from the Strasburg Rail Road.  The original Hancock injectors were getting loose and less reliable.  

On April 1, I went on a pub crawl of New York City, one of several for the year.  I took this opportunity to snap the Grand Central Tower, outlined by the old Pan Am building.

On Aril 11, the Delaware Lackawanna brought in their freight train from Delaware Water Gap with a special shipment.  This 1951 baggage car, which was once a US Army Kitchen car. The Korean War relic would later receive a huge generator, and it now powers the train of cars owned by the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society. 

April 15 began the operating season for Steamtown.  With no operating contract in place with Delaware Lackawanna RR, they offered short trips in the Lackawanna RR caboose, led by Baldwin Locomotive works no. 26. 

I found a slightly better angle of the Caboose Experience train on Easter Sunday, April 16. 

The Scranton Limited trains ran on weekdays, with steam.  I caught this run on a foggy morning Of April 20.  

On April 24, F3 no. 664 coupled up to the Reading FP7s, no. 902-903.  Looking into what they need if they were to lead any excursions.  They have not pulled a train since 2010. 

No excursions were led by the FPs yet, and it would be a while before 664's mate, 663 would be ready to run. More photos on the way. 

NS 8102, the PRR Heritage unit, leads an SD60 through Sewickley, PA, past an NS van. 

AVR 405, a slug, leads GP40-3 4005 and a GP11 through Venetia, PA. 

PeruRail 653, a DL-560, waits to depart from Cusco, Peru. 

A DMU getting hosed off in Aguas Calientes, Peru. 

PeruRail passenger cars in Aguas Calientes at night. 

The PeruRail main line to Hidroelectrica. In the distant background rests PeruRail 353. 

DL 535 pulls a train into Aguas Calientes. 

NS 6724 trails on a loaded coal train in Sewickley. 

Ex-N&W SD40-2 3316 leads a local freight in Sewickley. 

A track speeder crawls through downtown Cusco, Peru, on dual-gauge track. 

High-hooded Alco DL535 482 leads a train into Aguas Calientes. This is a screen grab from my Youtube video of this train. 

Ex-Conrail NS 3343 leads a local through Sewickley, PA. 

Stored HHP-8 electrics at Wilmington. 

An NS SD60E trails an SD80MAC in Delaware. Taken from a southbound Northeast Regional. 

An Amtrak switcher at Washington D.C.'s Union Station. 

Taken from a northbound Regional, a pair of CSX GP40s (one still in "Bright Future" paint) lead a freight over the ex-PRR freight bypass in Philadelphia, PA. In the foreground is an Amtrak maintenance gondola. 

Amtrak P42DC 145, the Phase III heritage unit, pauses in Harrisburg, PA, beside preserved GG1 4859, while leading the westbound Pennsylvanian. 

A UP SD70M trails an NS ET44AC on a freight departing Altoona. 

NS 4613, a GP59, in the storage line at Altoona. 

NS 2520, an SD70 spartan cab, leads an intermodal through Sewickley, PA. 

A former Conrail GG1 stored near Cooperstown, New York. Behind it are another GG1 and a passenger car. 

GP40 4003 trails on an AVR freight heading south past Lutes Road in Venetia. 

A few days later, AVR 4003 leads the train heading south through Lutes Road. 

May was a month of steam power for me.  Of course, the Baldwin locomotive ran routinely through the month's weekends, but I also caught som big power.  

In late May, I went on the chase of Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 no. 611, which was barnstorming around Roanoke for three days.  This first spot is right outside of Roanoke, by a farmer's road crossing.  The old Virginian line is above the original N&W. 

In Roanoke. 

The view from the Blue Ridge Parkway over pass. 

Not exactly sure of this location, but it is from a trackside cemetery. 

And back in Roanoke's downtown. 

Getting ready for another run.  The one that I would ride that Sunday afternoon.

June was also a lot of fun. A fundraising excursion for the Boston & Maine steam locomotive, (www.project3713.com) was held on the Stourbridge Line from Honesdale, PA to Lackawaxen.  Their BL2 no. 54 took the train the whole way and back.

Late June is when I participate in RailCamp East.  It takes place in Delaware.  Outside the Amtrak training center, the 24 teenagers learned about locomotives and car operation.  This old yard in Wilmington gave them an unclose view of the Genesis loco, inside and out.  

A CSX local passed while we were there.  Plenty of Amtrak and Septa trains, too. 

One of the highlights of RailCamp, among many, was a trip on board a train to Washington DC.  We boarded in Wilmington, DE.  A City Sprinter passes the platform. 

The old waiting room of the station.  Barely used these days. 

The exterior of DC Union Station.  We were all over the place. 

We also toured the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, in Strasburg, PA.  Checking out "modern" passenger power...

And some historic railroad pieces.  From the early days of steam to diesel electric power. 

The boys got to ride the cab of 2-10-0 no. 90 as part of the activities at the Strasburg Rail Road.  

4-8-0 no 475 was running the regular passenger trains while the cab rides were taking place.  

And one of the class photos outside the engine shop.  That does it for June.  July and August coming up. 

Tim, thank you. Looking forward to your other photos!

Dan Weinhold

In July, I took to a parking garage located near the tracks in Scranton, and caught a "two-fer" First, the Electric City Trolley Station & Museum trolley, Philadelphia Suburban no. 76, crossing Cedar Ave at street level, and Steamtown's Baldwin no. 26 with the Scranton Limited taking the elevated track. 

By the end on July, F3 no. 663 was running reliably, and carried the Scranton Limited for a day to work out any bugs if they showed up.  This was her first time running with a train since generator and compressor failure in 2013. 

On August 1, I headed to South Scranton yard of the Delaware Lackawanna to see the circus cars which the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society acquired.  Two sleeper cars for the performers would later be joined by the horse car.  The Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey combined shows closed for good in 2017. 

The NYO&W 105 was looking pretty nice by mid summer. 

The F3s did work together for a couple of trips this year.  Almost as soon as 663 came back online, no. 664 decided to have "issues."  Nothing unfixable, but these views of the pair in Scranton, Moscow and Gouldsboro, PA would not happen later in the year. 

The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority took their annual trek to Carbondale for the summer festival there.  We see C425 no. 2457 waiting at the station to return the train to Scranton. 

September in Scranton brings the annual Railfest to Steamtown.  The park management decided to make the most of its collection by showing it off in a few different ways.  First was to bring Nickel Plate Road no. 759 and Grand Trunk Western no. 6039 out of the roundhouse. 

Bringing the steamers out of the roundhouse has been popular in years past, so we thought to bring some more attention to that idea. 

The Ringling Bros. circus cars were a nice additional feature.  This was the first time these cars were open to the public. 

F3 no. 663 led the Caboose experience on a short section of track. 

Steamtown's superintendent introduced the Grand Marshal, Tom Nemeth of Railpace Newsmagazine, to the podium. 

Photo runbys at the Moscow, PA station both days featured C420 no. 405.  This Lehigh Valley unit was dedicated in 2010 to the memory of Chuck Reidmiller, one of the founders of the Genessee Valley Transportation railroads. 

Four steamers poked out of the roundhouse. near the end of the day. 

Another new idea was the Selfie Station in the history museum.  Pose with props and your family to remember your visit. 

The ever-popular ring of fire talk and sing along with David Stone as Johnny Cash...

Baldwin no. 26 carried on the duties of the continuous Scranton Limited trains. 

Visiting locomotives for the event were DL&W no. 426, which is an Electro-Motive Corporation demonstrator unit from 1935, and a 1960s C425 from the Tri-State Chapter of the NRHS, the former Morristown & Erie no. 19.  We see them posed with NYO&W 105 and Illinois Central 2-8-0 no. 790.

Also in September were a couple of wine trains sponsored by the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce.  We see the wine train at one of the stops in Archbald. 

October, November and December coming up.  Thank you so far for the contributions. 

october drew me to a friends' wedding at the Black River and Western RR.  And a chance to ride behind 2-8-0 no. 60 again. Here we see the train in Flemington, NJ.

This is the Ringoes Station stop.

And at this picnic grove stop.  It was a terrific day. 

The two F3s made another attempt at working together.  The 664 needed some help, and another locomotive was called to pick up our train in East Stroudsburg.  Here is the pair pulling up to the boarding platform in Scranton. 

The Fall Festival and fireman's picnic in East Stroudsburg. 

Baldwin no. 26 made an excursion run to Carbondale and back for Columbus Day.  We see the steamer returning to Scranton, crossing Lackawanna Ave. 

Destination is the same boarding platform where the F3s pulled in a couple days earlier. 

Taking no chances, the F3 no. 663 warms up with RS3 no. 1554 in Scranton on October 15 for a run to Delaware Water Gap.  The biggest excursion of the season for Steamtown. 

In the Water Gap, we catch the train before boarding time.  An F3 from 1948 and an RS3 from 1952 running 120 miles roundtrip in 2017.  Amazing. 

A week after the Delaware Water Gap excursion, we see them again in Scranton, ready to make a run to Cresco, PA, about 38 miles southeast. 

That is a short story of the many trains of October I encountered.

November began with me taking to the road.  Most of the plans to see a train in action did not pan out.  I did catch this pair of Norfolk Southern units switching a factory in Bath, PA.  

The Central Railroad of New Jersey passenger and freight stations are still standing, with the passenger station now acting as a restaurant.  The track out front is for storage of cars. 

More Norfolk Southern units just south of Scranton in Taylor, PA.  You can get to a rail trail (the former CNJ) by this public crossing.  The above photo was when I started to walk.  The lower one is when I was back from the walk.  No difference. 

Just before Thanksgiving, I journeyed to New York City again.  Met up with some friends at the Oyster in Grand Central Terminal.  Always a beautiful photo subject. 

The future Pennsylvania train station, formerly the Post Office, is undergoing work.  The current Penn Station is under Madison Square Garden, across 8th Ave. 

My ticket out of New York could only take me to Dover, NJ.  This was the train. 

Right after Thanksgiving, I took the train again, only this one was to visit Santa Claus at this station.  On Friday of the weekend, no. 2457 led the way.  The engine crew posed for photos.  

Two trains ran that day.  The trolley schedule was increased by an extra run due to the holiday, too.  We see both posed at the "Union Station" of sorts for Scranton. 

Saturday and Sunday's trains had different power from the D-L 2457.  They were led by F3 no. 663 and RS3 no. 1554.  I caught the Sunday afternoon run at Ridge Row, by the University of Scranton. 

November 30 was another trip to New York.  Traveling with 3 companions, we hit the big city one more time.  This was the train that day in Dover. 

Final post.  I am running out of calendar.  

One Santa train I did not ride this year was this one, run by the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society. The baggage car that came to town in the Spring now had it's generator, and powered up the coaches, diner and sleeper for some runs to East Stroudsburg, PA.

That same day, Santa Claus took Steamtown's Baldwin no. 26 from Carbondale to Scranton to arrive at Steamtown's turntable.  This free event gave many families the chance to speak with Santa, and to see his train.  

Train crew make a final pose on the turntable before the season ends.  The extra people on staff more worked security as the train arrived at his 6 station stops.  Keeping people clear of the tracks. 

Work in the locomotive shop continued through the year with several projects underway.  One is the repainting of caboose no. 889.  She was last painted in 1996, and was due. 

Three crates of parts for Boston & Maine no. 3713 arrived just before Christmas.  Two New York Air Brake pumps and the dynamo. The locomotive is not yet ready to accept these parts, but it is coming along nicely. 

Steamtown's GP9 no 514 is also coming along.  The prime mover and generator were installed right before the holiday, too.  

Yet another on and off project is the rebuild of Porter 0-4-0T no. 2.  The cab is being rebuilt, with stabilization and repair to the windows.  This little steamer once worked at the Bullard Machine Company in Bridgeport, CT.  

That is my year.  As always, I thank everyone who participated in keeping Midweek Photos such an interesting thread.  I always like to see what is happening in other parts of the railroad world.  May you all have a happy and healthy new year.  I hope 2018 is exciting, just like 2017.

Although 2017 would not see any big trips to see big steam, I still managed to visit some old favorites, and sample some new places throughout the year.
My first encounter with the Reading & Northern occurred in late April, I rode the BUDD RDC's on a railfan excursion that covered points between Yuengling Jct. and North Reading. The trip was enjoyable, but challenging to photograph due to weather and tight photo angles.
In early June, I went to the Cumberland, MD. area, and squeezed in CSX, Amtrak, WMSR, and the Georges Creek Rwy. Alco at Luke Paper mill, along with the WM EMDs stored in Westernport, also the Alco FA.
On the 4th of July weekend, I visited both the Stewartstown RR and Steam into History, both in York County, PA.
In mid- July, I had a full day in Pennsylvania, I started early at Lilly and Cassandra on the West Slope to capture X-PRR signals, and in the afternoon I chased one of Everett RR's infrequent steam trips to Roaring Springs.
I ventured back to Cumberland, MD. at the end of October for more Amtrak and WMSR  photos.
Throughout the year, I also had opportunities to photograph the operations closest to me, such as the Maryland Midland, Winchester & Western,  NS and CSX in Hagerstown, MD., etc.
I look forward in 2018 to more of the same, plus at least 1 steam trip on the Reading & Northern.

2017 in two words: STEAM LOCOMOTION

As an avid railroad photographer myself, I can't help but look back at 2017 with great admiration for both the experiences I've had, but also for the old friendships rekindled and new friendships made. 

2017 started off rather slow for me. There isn't any steam in my neck of the woods in PA till February with the Strasburg Rail Road's Long John Limited. This year Long Johns weren't needed as the temperatures during opening weekend reached into the 70s! 

The SRC as many call it, pulled out their famous N&W steam relic, #475. A Baldwin product part of the, affectionately named, "M Class". Considering the Abingdon Branch is long gone and #475 is the only operational M class in the world, I consider myself very lucky to witness a style of locomotive even O. Winston Link grew very fond of. 

Here she is flying down Long Curve:

The early morning scene in the east end of the SRC yard as Fireman and Trainmaster Ryan Merrill blows her down...

A young child and her grandmother take in the sites and sounds of the iron horse...

For me as a railroad photographer, the machines are only one part of the show. The other part? The people. Here, Engineer Dave Domitrovich rests his legs while up in the clouds of steam enveloping #475 as she preps for another day on the high iron. Dave is one of the hardworking full-time shop employees at the SRC. 

With February out of the way its on to March! You know the saying: "Beware the Ides of March"? Ironically, this saying would come true....right around the "Ides of March" right when most of us in PA were getting warmer temperatures and signs of spring...WHAM! Another snow storm...oh well! Of course, as a photographer, snow and steam equate to quite a show and I have to agree:

Former Great Western #90 wide open and treading sand puts on a show at Long Curve....

Same sequence just a closer shot. What a plume!

On the 12 pm trip, I knew that the famed "Groundhog Cut", as it is called by us local SRC fans, would be chock full of snow and likely freshly plowed. To my eager eyes I was pleased to see the walls of snow on either side of the cut creating a nice "half" tunnel for SRC #90 to traverse through. Having seen many of John West's D&RGW pictures in the snow, I wanted to do a little narrow gauge tribute with this big decapod...

SRC #90 heads out on the final trip of the day.....

For the final trip of the day a fellow rail photographer and I made a treak to a "secret" spot one of the SRC employee's uses when railfanning. Located just south of Long Curve it provides a nice wide angle shot of the entire train rounding the bend. With #90 wide open, exhaust, bell and whistle echoing off the hillsides, it made for quite the sensory experience! 

That's all for today folks....tune in tomorrow for April and May! 

WOW! This maybe in the top of all the midweek photos! Thank you all for sharing!

Tim O'Malley posted:

What a quick year!  As they always tell us, time flies like an arrow.   

Yes, time flies like an arrow, and fruit flies like a banana!  Plenty of great photos above.  I got a few this year, despite nearly being dead in February.  It's been a remarkable year for me to say the least.  Rather than repost everything I've posted earlier, I'll limit it to my own favorites, certainly less than ten.  While I most enjoy shooting trains at night, really I'm all about variety.  I'll photo trains anywhere or time--night, day, bridges, elevators, diesel, steam; or digital, film, b&w.  Everything is fair game!  So, I'll pick out a few that were my own favorites either because I liked the way they turned out or because I liked the story of how I got them.

1. Mina, SD.  It was hitting five below when I took this shot, and was lying in the deep snow along U.S. Hwy 12 to get out of the wind.  Apparently a passing trucker called 911 to report he saw a body lying on the side of the road!  That's what the deputy told me anyway.

2.  Brandon, SD.  My wait for the Sioux Falls local paid off.

3. Ihlen, MN.  Couldn't resist taking a shot with my Chamonix 4x5 during a snow storm.  Lens was my favorite--a 1922 150mm Heliar!

4.  Fairview, SD.   My favorite railroad, the D&I, doesn't disappoint!  Geographically interesting location--I was standing in Iowa, the town is in SD, the train is in Iowa, and the distant hills in background are in South Dakota.

5.  Ortley, SD.  What can I say here?  I like tiny trains, and there's lots of places you can shoot those in the Dakotas.

6.  Andover, SD.  A grain train curves around a harvested corn field.  UP power is rare in this part of the BNSF kingdom.

7.  Hill City, SD.  Another outing with my Chamonix 4x5, this time with a 105 yr. old 240mm Dagor lens.

8.  Garrettson, SD.  Yet another shot I've been trying to get for years and finally everything fell into place.

I have some plans for some big scale night shots that I might finally get to.  Winter has just begun!

Kent in SD

Erik C Lindgren posted:

I do not endorse brands or gear but I must confess my favorite lenses by a Rio Grande mile are my Otus primes I will reveal that much.  

 

 

I've been using the Sigma ART lenses for many things.  DxO ranks the Sigma 85mm f1.4A on a D800E as the sharpest lens they have tested to date!     https://www.dxomark.com/category/lens-reviews/    I always use a tripod.  My favorite lens is the Nikon 24mm PC-E, a tilt/shift lens.   Having lens movements is critical for the "architectural" type of foamer shots I like to do.  I've been thinking of adding the 45mm PC-E (used from ebay) in the coming year.

Perfect 3-shot stitch made with 24mm PC-E:

Kent in SD

Tim O'Malley posted:

November began with me taking to the road.  Most of the plans to see a train in action did not pan out.  I did catch this pair of Norfolk Southern units switching a factory in Bath, PA.  

The Central Railroad of New Jersey passenger and freight stations are still standing, with the passenger station now acting as a restaurant.  The track out front is for storage of cars. 

More Norfolk Southern units just south of Scranton in Taylor, PA.  You can get to a rail trail (the former CNJ) by this public crossing.  The above photo was when I started to walk.  The lower one is when I was back from the walk.  No difference. 

Just before Thanksgiving, I journeyed to New York City again.  Met up with some friends at the Oyster in Grand Central Terminal.  Always a beautiful photo subject. 

The future Pennsylvania train station, formerly the Post Office, is undergoing work.  The current Penn Station is under Madison Square Garden, across 8th Ave. 

My ticket out of New York could only take me to Dover, NJ.  This was the train. 

Right after Thanksgiving, I took the train again, only this one was to visit Santa Claus at this station.  On Friday of the weekend, no. 2457 led the way.  The engine crew posed for photos.  

Two trains ran that day.  The trolley schedule was increased by an extra run due to the holiday, too.  We see both posed at the "Union Station" of sorts for Scranton. 

Saturday and Sunday's trains had different power from the D-L 2457.  They were led by F3 no. 663 and RS3 no. 1554.  I caught the Sunday afternoon run at Ridge Row, by the University of Scranton. 

November 30 was another trip to New York.  Traveling with 3 companions, we hit the big city one more time.  This was the train that day in Dover. 

Tim, great photos.  I'd like to learn more about visiting Grand Central and the new Penn Station project.  

April was probably the busiest month of the year for me with railfanning with many events occurring over the month in various places in my area. 

First it all started with a steam freight on the Strasburg Rail Road. Announced on their Facebook page, the SRC periodically holds steam freights with one of their in-service locomotives. This serves as a great opportunity to witness revenue freight being hauled behind a steam locomotive-something that is not easily said today!

It was a cold and windy April morning but nonetheless, I couldn't complain...

SRC #90 backs out into the golden light of a Lancaster county dawn....

Fireman and Hostler Dave Lotfi in action around the former great Western decapod...

SRC #90 has arrived to pickup her cars for the trip back to East Strasburg. Meanwhile the NS local that dropped off the cars toots goodbye...

Steam gushing from her cylinder cock on the right engine, SRC #90 eases forward with a few hundred tons of freight...

Steam cleaning the underside of the Route 30 bridge...

In all her glory, SRC #90 prances along the spring flowers in the fields surrounding Long Curve hauling her freight and the passengers that came to witness this steam freight. 

Later in April, I had the pleasure of witnessing ex-CNJ #113. One of a handful of anthracite burning steam locomotives #113 is definitely one of a kind. On Easter weekend 2017, #113 was dressed up as sister locomotive CNJ #115. The headlight was donated from a local steam fan. 

To finish off the month of April, I traveled back to the Strasburg Rail Road. Luckily on this day the temperatures were unseasonably warm (reaching up into the mid 80s). Nothing like summertime in the spring! 

Very Magnificent Michael!