When out chasing along BNSF’s Needles Subdivision, as a matter of survival, well at least comfort, I prefer to shoot photos when the sun in lower in the sky, say about within 15 degrees of the horizon or so, that occurs at sunrise and sunset. In part to oversome the harsher summer light but also because it is much cooler…
Sepia is for Summer
The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 5
It felt good to rest. So much so that I rested the entire next day, Sunday, as well. I took that time to reflect on the trials of the Cima Subdivision experience and the triumphs from the Needles Subdivision. I still did not have my fill of chasing steel yet so I sat down with my iPad and made plans for Monday, Memorial Day…
The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 4
The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 3
(Continued from: The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 2)
After stopping in at the Kelso Depot Visitor’s Center of the Mojave National Preserve and talking with the ranger, I had to devise a new plan. I wouldn’t be able to follow the Cima Subdivision’s trackage, nor camp along the route, as I had hoped to do…
The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 2
(Continued from: The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 1)
With the high traffic level I encountered at Daggett in short order, I drove north on the Daggett-Yermo Road towards Yermo hoping that the Cima Subdivision provided ample traffic and photo opportunities. I had already seen two eastbound Union Pacific trains return to home rails and head off towards Yermo and I was in pursuit…
The Memorial Day Weekend Mega Tour - Part 1
iPad Art - "Ghost Train"
On the Platform with the Santa Fe 3751 at Los Angeles Union Station
Indirectly associated with the events of National Train Day, the former Santa Fe No. 3751 was going to pulling an excursion train from Los Angeles Union Station to San Bernardino, California as part of San Bernardino Railroad Days and Bicentennial Celebration.
It was perfect timing for me as I was going to be attending the National Train Day events at Los Angeles Union Station yesterday anyways so I altered my schedule a bit so I could see the 3751 leave LA…
A Day Chasing Steam - The Santa Fe 3751 Heads South with San Diego Steam Special II - Part 3
Our savior, so to speak, declared that he was certain the San Diego Steam Special II would be stopping at “Poinsettia” for servicing which will take about an hour. He also said that the Santa Fe 3751 would be performing a series of run-bys at that location as well!
“Really?” I exclaimed as I gave Dan a raised-brow glance. “Let’s see where Poinsettia is,” I said as I pointed the man towards my truck…
Truckee Railroad Museum Grand Opening
Most appropriately so a new railroad museum is having its grand opening on National Train Day, May 8, 2010.
The Truckee Railroad Museum will be opening it’s doors in a town which played an important role in the transcontinental railroad and remains steeped in railroad tradition and lore to this day. So much so, in fact, that I am a little surprised that there is not already a museum in Truckee…
SECOND CHANCE - See the Santa Fe 3751 Run This Weekend in Southern California
Per the Santa Fe 3751 Facebook page,
Santa Fe 3751 will haul 4 private cars and a Metrolink diesel from San Bernardino to Los Angeles as part of the Railroad Days event in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the city of San Bernardino. For tickets and information call: 909-792-3827.
Here is a map of the route that I put together to assist you in planning your chase:…
A Day Chasing Steam - The Santa Fe 3751 Heads South with San Diego Steam Special II - Part 2
As I pulled away from the Fullerton Amtrak station parking lot, I began to estimate an approximate meeting location for both Dan and I and the 3751. Ultimately we decided to meet at the Junipero Serra Road in San Juan Capistrano, mostly because it was the closet point at which our paths converged. However, it turned out to be rather fortuitous for us with respect the 3751 as well…
A Day Chasing Steam - The Santa Fe 3751 Heads South with San Diego Steam Special II - Part 1
It was with much anticipation and uncertainty of the coming day’s outcome that I left for the Fullerton Amtrak Station to begin the chase of the San Diego Steam Special II and the 3751. I was already an hour or so behind schedule and as I packed the truck I realized that this trip was going to be different. Despite being aware of this special run since last year I found myself unprepared due to a series of family illnesses.
I normally travel with my best friend and rail scout, Debbie, my wife. Although she was willing to accompany me on this trip I felt she needed some rest so I fired up the Cummins diesel and headed out alone…
SOCAL - Get Ready! Here She Comes!
This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, (May 1-2, 2010), southern Californians will have a rare opportunity to see a famous steam locomotive, the San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society’s Santa Fe 3751 as she powers the Central Coast Railway Club and the Pacific Locomotive Association joint special - the San Diego Steam Special-II…
Some of My Recent iPhone Art
Sometimes Life Throws You a Curve
Expand Your Vision
I love cool technology. On occasion I come across some great designs or devices that fill a niche in my photography or railfanning workflow. Today I discovered a link to a device from NewerTech which allows you to put up to six monitors on a Windows PC and up to four monitors on a Mac. It is called USB Video Display Adapter and is bus-powered and includes everything needed to hook-up a DVI, HDMI, or VGA monitor. Cool.
This means that I might be able to hook-up a bigger monitor to my netbook out in the field to make doing photo edits easier and also allow for more screen space for an ATCS Monitor session.
Steel and Stars
I, obviously, enjoy chasing trains and one of my favorite locations is the BNSF’s Needles Subdivision which runs through the Mojave Desert from Barstow to Needles, California. My wife, Deb, loves star gazing and all things astronomy-related. It is a good mix because we both seek the same destination but for different reasons. I love the landscape and the volume of traffic on the Needles Sub and she loves the dark sky found far from city lights.
This past week we took a three day trip out to Sand Hill and Hector, CA to chase steel and stars. It was a very fun trip.
Normally I would shoot photos only during the daylight hours and casually star gaze with her at night. However, this time I choose to try my hand at taking some night shots. I discovered it was challenging and very fun from a creative perspective.
The photo at right is one of the photos that I took that night at Hector, CA. It was the end product of five or six attempts to capture what I saw in my head. I wanted to use her Sony DSC-H50 to explore it’s capabilities instead of my Nikon D50.
I set the camera to “M”(anual) mode and chose the maximum exposure time available of thirty seconds and the smallest aperture. With the camera tripod mounted I pressed the shutter release button. While the camera was taking it’s thirty second exposure I shined a flashlight onto the track to balance it’s exposure with that of the stars.
It turns out that five seconds of light was what I finally used to created the exposure above through trial-and-error. I like the photo very much because it exemplifies both Deb and I exactly, Steel and Stars. I also like the fact that it was not a “planned” photo. I was trackside in a dark sky with a camera and a flashlight and was willing to experiment.