Have you ever been trackside, had incredible light, be it from a storm, sunrise or sunset, and by train time the clouds rolled in or the sun set? Maybe the sun angle became harsh and high, but you bagged a shot anyways. If you have railfanned more than a few days, you know the sun and clouds frequently are fickle. If this describes your experience, this is your thread! I'll start, MP 473 on the CP Portal Sub at first light: And again in late evening:
About 400 miles south of Minot actually. Nebraska, of all places. The Niobrara River valley east of Valentine. Here is an old Chicago & Northwestern bridge on the abandoned "Cowboy Line" closer to Valentine. No trains here either as it is part of a hike and bike trail.
Made a long drive to capture a train beneath an old signal bridge and waited for many hours with no train. Bored, I took this shot of a nearby frog. It was the only photo taken the entire day. I was never able to accomplish my mission and the bridge is gone today.
By the time the train arrived, the clouds somewhat spoiled this great light. Foxholm, ND: Spiral, ND, along the CP Portal Sub west of Kenmare is behind me, while the foreground is Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, and the opposite valley wall is former Soo Line, Northern Plains Railroad. Look for the hi-railer!
This looks like an ideal place to set up. I can see variations in the track super-elevation, would would produce an nice effect. Does the track go slightly down hill? It looks as if it does drop away. A heavy freight working through here.....
It goes down hill a little but is generally flat going into Roanoke. The tracks follow Glade Creek until it flows into Tinker Creek and that into the Roanoke River in town. https://www.google.com/maps/place/B...c2bcb9f422cf7c!8m2!3d37.3253562!4d-79.8691862
More grain elevators, these in Rodgers, Texas. These are on the BNSF (former Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe/Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe) south of Temple. There are a few parked covered hoppers but I wanted to see something moving.
IMHO, that's great lighting. The shallow angle of the light against the sides of the buildings bring out all the wrinkles in walls, drawing the eye there. Mind you, if you're photographing a lady friend, get a better angle or use fill-in lighting to make any wrinkles less obvious (and your relationship less odious...).
Railfanning and fishing are a little bit the same : sometimes that bites, sometimes that doesn't, and nobody can explain why. Dom
The Des Lacs River valley north of Kenmare is hemmed-in by tracks. CP Portal Sub (behind the photographer) at Spiral, and Northern Plains Railroad ont he opposite valley wall. The only railroaders here are in the tiny hi-rail truck.
Tehachapi Loop - Jan. 2009 - Not exactly perfect arrival timing. Was about an hour and a half before I saw a train but once they started rolling, it was a parade.
