Thought I'd start a thread on railfanning tales, both of success and defeat. This story is of the latter. Railfanning is driving to Columbia, SC this morning to seek out NS's Lehigh Valley Heritage Unit leading 238 and after searching everywhere, finally found it 30 seconds after it departed for Charleston, SC. I tried to catch up with the train, but it's a fast railroad and highways don't follow it. Sigh. It'll probably return trailing on 237 to Atlanta. I have a decent picture of the 8104 trailing, as seen here in May 2015, but I sure would like to get one leading. Maybe it'll soon cycle from Atlanta back through the area again. Being Hardcoaler, I need a good photo of the LV HU.
Railfanning is being on a successful trip to photograph the Texas State Railroad (see sig), but being so focused on the prey that I completely missed a target of opportunity. I caught sight of the deer, warned the driver, and marveled at the perfect leap it made across the road right in front of us. And I had the camera in my right hand all the while. Don't ask to see that shot. I didn't shoot.
"Roads don't follow it..." Story of my life! Railfanning is just being trackside. You can't get those incredible shots if you don't make a habit of finding yourself trackside. Going at first and last light can be especially rewarding, but I cannot recall how many times I have been trackside, wonderful golden hour light and no train shows up until after sunset.... But the point remains; there's no secret formula to getting great shots, other than a bit of planning and just being there. A great read on the subject: https://railfan.com/camera-bag-ƒ8-and-be-there/ The afterglow of sunset bathes the atmosphere in subtle hues of magenta, purple and blue as blue hour wanes. A westbound grain load get sunderway out of Minot and crosses the iconic Gassman Coulee Trestle just after a spectacular sunset.
