Post your (LF) trains!

[jmooney]

On the subject of train photos....any tips on how to find out local freight schedules so you can be there to photograph the things? I'm surrounded by Norfolk Southern yards and freight lines but I'd like to be able to do something more accurate than stand next to the tracks and hope...

Jim

[GhoSStrider]

Marko - The texture on the second photo is fantastic!

Jim - A scanner can be a railfan's best friend. Unfortunately, learning the "lingo" of railroad radio chatter can take awhile. For one or two shoots, it probably isn't worth it.

Probably the best idea is to look and see if there are any railfans in your area and see if they can help you out. They'll understand the radio chatter and might even be able to tap into other resources like ATCS displays (which is kind of like getting a view of the dispatcher's desk so you know exactly where everything is at...it's really cool!).

Beyond that, the best idea might be to do some online research to figure what's an active line in your area. Depending on where you're at in PA, some of the NS lines could be very busy indeed. On those lines an hour would be the longest you'd have to wait if you did the stand next to the tracks and hope thing.

Good luck!

[SamReeves]

Marko - The texture on the second photo is fantastic!

Jim - A scanner can be a railfan's best friend. Unfortunately, learning the "lingo" of railroad radio chatter can take awhile. For one or two shoots, it probably isn't worth it.

Probably the best idea is to look and see if there are any railfans in your area and see if they can help you out. They'll understand the radio chatter and might even be able to tap into other resources like ATCS displays (which is kind of like getting a view of the dispatcher's desk so you know exactly where everything is at...it's really cool!).

Beyond that, the best idea might be to do some online research to figure what's an active line in your area. Depending on where you're at in PA, some of the NS lines could be very busy indeed. On those lines an hour would be the longest you'd have to wait if you did the stand next to the tracks and hope thing.

Good luck!

Ditto tune into a scanner, or one of the radio feeds:

http://www.railroadradio.net/

[jmooney]

Thanks guys. I actually have a scanner I guess I'll start using it. I'm a recovering Ham Radio Nerd and I took the time a while back to program on of my handhelds with the railroad frequencies. Any guides or books to learn the lingo?

[GhoSStrider]

Two of the most useful aids will be to learn place names along the line and learning where there are "hot box" detectors.

Place names can be as simple as towns and cities, but they can also have individual siding names. Additionally, mileposts or control points might also be referenced in communications. Mileposts can be learned pretty quickly. There should be some reference to mileposts at every crossing with a crossing gate.

"Hot box" detectors are automated systems designed to check for various defects on a train as it passes. Any time a train passes, the automated voice will come on the radio channel with a message something along the lines of: "Detector, Milepost 2-2 POINT 6. No defects. Total axles 4-7-6. Trainspeed 2-2-M-P-H. Detector, Out." (It can be simpler or more complex than that, too). Whenever you hear that, you'll know that a train just passed Milepost 22.6, though you'll have to guess which way it's going.

If there are lesser used rail lines in your area, they may be governed by track warrants. These are perfect for chasing a single train. It's like shooting fish in a barrel. The dispatcher will talk to a train crew and give them authority to occupy a given section of track. The order would go something like this: "UP Dispatcher 86 to the UP 6205 at Mesa. X Box 2. Proceed from Mesa, M-E-S-A to Milepost 6-3-6 Dot 6 on Main Track Limon Sub. This warrant has one box marked, two, T-W-O." There'll be some other stuff with it, but the above tells you that there's a train on the Limon Subdivision (Denver to Sharon Springs, KS, IIRC) that has authority to move from the siding at Mesa to Milepost 636.6.

The hardest part will be learning where stuff is. Once you get that figured out, a lot of communications between dispatchers and train crews will make sense. Good luck!

[Two23]

Photo'ing trains does require a lot of sitting around. They are usually very irregular.

http://www.whrc-wi.org/railfreqs.htm


Kent in SD

[GhoSStrider]

I really like this shot I got of the Georgetown Loop Railroad's No. 12 (which is from Hawaii and will be headed to Iowa next year)


Flickr Link

Calumet C-1 8x10 "Green Monster"
Gundlach Radar 12" f4.5
Efke 25, souped in Rodinal 1:100 in BTZS Tubes
Arista.EDU FB VC Glossy
Ansco 130 1:1

[Two23]

I really like this shot I got of the Georgetown Loop Railroad's No. 12 (which is from Hawaii and will be headed to Iowa next year)

Where in Iowa--Boone? What happened at Georgetown that it's leaving? When it heads to Iowa, can I catch it running in the dark? I love flashing steamers!


Kent in SD

[SamReeves]

I really like this shot I got of the Georgetown Loop Railroad's No. 12 (which is from Hawaii and will be headed to Iowa next year)


Flickr Link

Calumet C-1 8x10 "Green Monster"
Gundlach Radar 12" f4.5
Efke 25, souped in Rodinal 1:100 in BTZS Tubes
Arista.EDU FB VC Glossy
Ansco 130 1:1

Nice! Too bad it's not staying there, as CO is a much better photo opportunity than IA.

[Two23]

Sioux Falls Depot, formerly Great Northern. HP5 (4x5), Watson & Son tailboard half plate camera, Dallmeyer Stigmatic vintage 1900. First shot I made with this camera, had fun!


Kent in SD