I nominate Phil Smidt’s restaurant in Hammond Indiana. Right on the mainline out of Chicago about 1/4 mile east of Colehour yard. Friday night is all the Lake Perch you can eat night. The windows are maybe forty feet from the tracks and all the windows are big.
It’s been a long time since I was at Phil’s, but it was pretty good. I liked the relish trays they put out–nice touch. I don’t think we were ever fortunate enough to encounter a train while there. Maybe we just have to keep trying!
OK, second try at this…
So on the topic of cameras/photography, I picked up a new lens (which isn’t that big of a surprise given that I have an affliction called Lens Buying Addiction or LBA for short). What is different is that this particular lens has been called the best autofocus lens ever by at least one lens guru.
The lens I’m talking about is Pentax’s gorgeous little FA 77mm f1.8 Limited. You can read a little bit about it, and the other “Limiteds” over here.
I had always thought that article was a bit of hyperbole, but I’ve needed a nice little short telephoto for awhile. Besides, there’s a bit of a cult following of this lens. Many users claim that they will be buried with theirs. I know of at least one guy that got a tattoo of the lens formula on his arm. There has to be something to it, right?
I got a chance to exercise mine a bit this weekend when I went down to Cañon City, CO for a meet-up with some other Pentax shooters at the 2007 Harvest Festival at the Abbey Winery. In just one day, I became a member of the cult following. I may just have mine buried with me! [;)]
The lens is oh so sharp wide open, and gets stupidly sharp when stopped down. There’s a lot of lenses that do that, though. What makes this one different is the subtle details. The way that color is rendered. The faithful reproduction of skin tones. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur). The last one is a major point. In short, this is a lens that I’m not yet confident in my abilities to use to its full potential. There’s definately a learning curve that goes into it. It should be a fun trip learning to use it effectively, though!
Anyways, enough of my jabbering. Here’s a couple shots taken at the Cañon City & Royal Gorge railroad before I headed over to the Harvest Fest, and a couple showing the bea
Oh, but you’ve got a reason to be excited Chris! The whole gallery with the new lens is really awesome, the sorts of things I aspire to be able to take someday. The new lens definately appears to be a fine one!
Noah
This seems like the place for this question. As far as ditch lights on locomotives, when were they first introduced, and, was one of the reasons for their application,(In addition to the increased illumination) the fact that it made it easier to judge how distant the train was, i.e. the closer the train, the greater separation between the ditch lights and the headlight… Just wondering.
I would have to believe it has something to do with making trains more visible from the background. When you see the three light pattern, you know in an instant, that it’s a train.
…And when one is in a district where the RR uses blinking ditch light operation, in my opinion…they are more distinct and noticeable.
Just wanted to stop by and say that this is an absolutely great idea. I have got more information from just the past two pages of reading than at least 500 of the DD and CS pages (in all of its various forms).
Great idea, guys! Let’s hope it stays that way…
Ditch lights were first used during the early 1950s in British Columbia, by CN and CP. Both railways operate through mountainous territory prone to rock slides, and the ditch lights were designed to give the crews an earlier warning of obstuctions around curves. Properly installed ditch lights cross over each other, with the left hand light pointing to the right, and vice versa.
American ditch lights (crossing lights ?) came about after three girls were killed in Kansas Feb 14, 1992. 18,000 postcards were mailed in, which led Nancy Kassenbaum to introduce the Bill making them mandatory.
[quote user=“CopCarSS”]
OK, second try at this…
So on the topic of cameras/photography, I picked up a new lens (which isn’t that big of a surprise given that I have an affliction called Lens Buying Addiction or LBA for short). What is different is that this particular lens has been called the best autofocus lens ever by at least one lens guru.
The lens I’m talking about is Pentax’s gorgeous little FA 77mm f1.8 Limited. You can read a little bit about it, and the other “Limiteds” over here.
I had always thought that article was a bit of hyperbole, but I’ve needed a nice little short telephoto for awhile. Besides, there’s a bit of a cult following of this lens. Many users claim that they will be buried with theirs. I know of at least one guy that got a tattoo of the lens formula on his arm. There has to be something to it, right?
I got a chance to exercise mine a bit this weekend when I went down to Cañon City, CO for a meet-up with some other Pentax shooters at the 2007 Harvest Festival at the Abbey Winery. In just one day, I became a member of the cult following. I may just have mine buried with me! [;)]
The lens is oh so sharp wide open, and gets stupidly sharp when stopped down. There’s a lot of lenses that do that, though. What makes this one different is the subtle details. The way that color is rendered. The faithful reproduction of skin tones. The bokeh (out-of-focus blur). The last one is a major point. In short, this is a lens that I’m not yet confident in my abilities to use to its full potential. There’s definately a learning curve that goes into it. It should be a fun trip learning to use it effectively, though!
Anyways, enough of my jabbering. Here’s a couple shots taken at the Cañon City & Royal Gorge railroad before I headed over to the Harvest Fest, and
Thanks, Noah. I don’t think you have to aspire too hard, though. I browsed through your railroad galleries and was really impressed. You have a great eye, and are light years ahead of where I was when I was your age. Keep it up!
Thanks, Tim. Believe it or not, the camera I used was still just my lowly Pentax K100D. You can find them under $400 now that the K100D Super is out (same camera, but the Super has some refinements that are nice but not necessary). You could also look around for an older *ist DS or *ist DL. Those should be around $200-$300 on everybody’s favorite auction site. The lens I used was a little pricey, but you could pick up an FA 50mm f1.4 that gives almost the same look in a slightly shorter focal length for under $200.
As I did with Noah, I checked out your stuff on your EyeFetch site. You have some lovely images! It all goes to show that equipment is nice, and that any camera/lens is just a tool for the most important piece of camera gear: the person behind the camera!
Anyways, thanks again guys for the nice comments!
So I’m starting to plan out a weekend excursion (though I can’t wander too far…have to watch the Rockies!). We’ve got a pretty good cold front coming through, and it sounds like we’ll have some precipitation as well.
Cool, wet autumnal weather always makes for nice saturated fall color photos, and I think I may wander up towards the GLRR. The color may be a bit past prime up there now, but hopefully I can find something on the tail end of the color season.
There’s a trail acessible from the Silver Plume cemetery that allows access to some scenic places to catch the train that differs from the normal spots where photogs go. It’s a little steep, so I don’t think I’ll bring any of the big gear, but it should be nice. Here’s a couple shots taken last year pre-fall color (Labor Day, IIRC):
So how about the rest of you? Any weekend plans in the works as we cross mid-week?
…Nice crisp, clear photos Chris. I wonder just what the function was of that machine in pic. # 2…Is it an air compressor or an old internal combustion engine…? And I wonder what it did out there in the wilderness…? Possibly a pump to supply water to a water tank…?
Thanks, Chris. Coming from you, I consider it quite a compliment!
Not much in the way of railroading going on from me. I live at the end of a branch line that served three times a week by a local from the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, and usually at night, so I don’t get to see much on a day to day basis. Wish it was a daylight run instead…
Noah
You think you’re frustrated, Noah…
Sometime this morning, behind my back, somebody put UP 1995 (the CNW Heritage unit) between the two remaining CNW-lettered Dash 9s, and sent them west on MPRCB. They should make it to Willy’s neighborhood sometime tomorrow, and back to us on Saturday. Frustrating for me, but I hope somebody who wants to can take advantage of this heads-up.
Thanks for the heads-up Carl! I suppose they’ll sneak through while I’m still at school. Maybe though, just maybe I’ll get lucky. Even if I don’t get out tomorrow, the weather will be pretty good through Saturday. Even a bit hot with highs in the upper 80s. Not very much like fall yet.
Chris - Excellent pictures! Wish I could take pictures like those, but I don’t really have the patience to learn how. Not enough time either with school going full blast right now.
Quentin- It is an air compressor up on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. I think they used compressed air at the mines for a multitude of purposes, but mostly to power “widowmaker” air drills and for pumping water.
Willy- Good to see you here! Is all going well with your classes. If you do manage to catch the CNW consist, see if you can keep it headed west instead of sending it back east! [;)]
Chris. Thank you so much for taking the time to view my photos, and thank you for the compliments! I really appreciate them. You are right though, a camera is merely a tool. The last two shots you posted of the steam train…I am just agog over the color depth… it is so amazing, the greens on the trees just pops right out… Great photos!
Noah, I also checked your photos out as well Excellent work… you have a great eye. I enjoyed going through your portfolio. Great work.
The photo of the compressor reminded me of a question I always wanted to ask.
In the pre-electric days, how did they operate the huge fans at the top of the vertical shafts that exhausted smoke and gasses from long tunnels? I’d assume steam power. Did they have 24-hour, 7-day crews up there on duty? How did they move fuel and water up the mountain to operate the steam engines? Or did they use a system of belts and pulleys from srteam engines at track level? Did the fans operate only when a train came through?
The shafts on the tunnels at Gallitzin, Pa., and Gray Summit, Mo, have been sealed since the steam era. Do any still exist in operation?
Several years ago while cruising along the interstate (I-70?) well west of Baltimore saw a RR bridge abutting the right-of-way marked “Western Maryland”. Rails and other traces of the RR were gone at that point.
On CSX between Waycross and Thomasville, GA, there are a couple of bridges still marked “ACL RR”.
There are several places on the old SAL where you can see concrete overpasses (over the highway) with “Seaboard 1929” cast into the concrete. The two locations that come to mind are between Petersburg, VA and Norlina, NC (abandoned) and in Tallahassee, FL. The SAL must have built a bunch of overpasses in 1929 for that many to still be standing.