Photo Legend in the movie October Sky-do you recognize him?

[Dan Smith]

In the movie October Sky a train passes the rocket boys and the engineer waves a s he goes by. Who is this legendary train photographer who is waving? He worked in Large Format, often shooting at night with banks of flash bulbs as a light so urce. He is one of the most famous train photographers, with shows and books to his credit. Does anyone out there know if the authentic steam train he was drivi ng in the movie was the one he owns and restored? As to the ID on this photographer, it is in the credits at the end of the movie. No, I didn't spot him but was alerted to the scene by Tillman Crane who saw the scene & thought he recognized the photographer & scrolled to the credits & foun d he was right. Once you find who the photographer is, do a search & look at some of his work-cl assic images more in demand today than when they were taken. And now he is a mov ie star. Maybe there is yet hope for us who lug LF gear across the country.

[Robert A. Zeichner]

O. Winston Link, perhaps. He spent a number of years photographing the end of the age of steam at night using large numbers of flash bulbs.

[Sean Billy Bob Boy yates]

Now, for extra credit, what popular long running televison comedy featured an allusion to one of his more famous, if not most famous shot?

[Chad Jarvis]

Ignore Sean. He's showing his age again.

[doc]

While you guys are on the topic. How do you set up a train shot? Can you get time tables for freight trains? I've been trying to catch a train crossing a river on a particular bridge; however, the random approach hasn't seemed to work. Just how do train photographers work things so they are set up when the train goes by???