mickoo
Western Thunderer
Okay, some pictures.....but first a bit of a blipvert prologue.
Columbia gorge has some stunning scenery, sadly nearly 90-95% is virtually in accessible, that which is can be difficult to access by it's self, typically by a lack of safe parking. Many photos I've looked at before coming out here can only have been taken by parking on the hard shoulder on the interstate, mind the interstate isn't that busy but most cars do 80 and most trucks 70.
Second, the traffic was light, maybe a bad day but I'm not going to get anywhere near the 7000 photos I took last time, mind a lot were of stock, which is easy to do when they're crawling along at 20 mph, out here line speed is 60 and they use ever bit of that to keep moving, it also makes chasing harder as they're going so bleedin fast; but, in your favour is that a lot of the line on both sides of the river are single track so they can stop every ten-twenty miles.
Because the track is on a shelf between the interstate and river you're limited to mostly head on shots and there are not many places where you can open out the approach angle.
Lastly, it's bloody windy, I mean really windy, so being forced to shoot telephoto due to the geography is not helped with the gusting winds.
Waffle over, here's the pics, I know where they are but have temporarily forgotten and it's been a long day with a 06:00 start and I really can't be bothered to cross reference them all with google maps right now, where I do know I'll note it.
First up has to be the (insert name here) bridge that lets BNSF cross from the north bank to the south, across the UP and climbs up the gorge side to then head south along the Deschutes River, UP has a link but only for East bound trains. Normally the lift span is raised and then lowered just before the train crosses, speaking to a couple of Aussies out here, there's one a day anywhere between 08:00 and 11:00
Not sure where this is, today has been a run around up and down the gorge getting my bearings and noting locations for shots etc.
This is the The Dalles which is where I'm staying, quite a large yard....by UK standards and trains stop here to let other pass, they do have a local switch engine which does a local trip which I need to explore. It was this GP38 but a manifest drop off the head end to pick the GP38 up and take it with them, I suspect it's going to Hinkle which is a massive UP maintenance depot and classification yard about 40-50 miles to the east.
This BNSF has crossed the river and is crawling up the grade to the high line before turning south as Deschutes
I'm sunny side down as I didn't want to get caught on the other side as I had a shot lined up less than a mile away......
In less than a couple of miles the line has climbed several hundred feet up and this tunnel with rock fences is what I was after.
Traffic then basically stopped on both sides of the river for a good couple of hours until these two Eastbounds rattle by about 3-4 miles east of the John Day dam.
Way over yonder a BNSF train with a CSX leader rolled west bound, the two Aussie guys set off in pursuit but I was low on gas so headed back, on;y to find the train had slowed so I whipped over the river on one of the bridges and bailed out for a grab shot before heading off to fill up.
Having filled up I went back over to the north side to scope out heading west toward Seattle and chanced upon this tank train sat in a siding.
It's a good shot in the afternoon and was a location I'd marked off to try and use.
Wider view with scenery.
About 15 miles ahead was the CSX leader, again just sat in a siding.
Braving the local kamikaze drivers I risked a shot next to the barrier, it's a lovely location but the road makes it difficult and if the train is moving you can be trackside of the barrier, nor can you be road side either, the pavement or kerb such as it is, is about 12" wide.
I think the trick here, and in several other places, is to mount the camera on the tripod and use the remote WiFi shutter release, or pray, as in the case here, there's little traffic. The speed limit here is 60, for train and road, but locals are easily doing 70-80 along this back road.
I've no idea how the photos look, they look okay on the laptop but they may be over or under contrast etc, when compared with my normal set up.
Columbia gorge has some stunning scenery, sadly nearly 90-95% is virtually in accessible, that which is can be difficult to access by it's self, typically by a lack of safe parking. Many photos I've looked at before coming out here can only have been taken by parking on the hard shoulder on the interstate, mind the interstate isn't that busy but most cars do 80 and most trucks 70.
Second, the traffic was light, maybe a bad day but I'm not going to get anywhere near the 7000 photos I took last time, mind a lot were of stock, which is easy to do when they're crawling along at 20 mph, out here line speed is 60 and they use ever bit of that to keep moving, it also makes chasing harder as they're going so bleedin fast; but, in your favour is that a lot of the line on both sides of the river are single track so they can stop every ten-twenty miles.
Because the track is on a shelf between the interstate and river you're limited to mostly head on shots and there are not many places where you can open out the approach angle.
Lastly, it's bloody windy, I mean really windy, so being forced to shoot telephoto due to the geography is not helped with the gusting winds.
Waffle over, here's the pics, I know where they are but have temporarily forgotten and it's been a long day with a 06:00 start and I really can't be bothered to cross reference them all with google maps right now, where I do know I'll note it.
First up has to be the (insert name here) bridge that lets BNSF cross from the north bank to the south, across the UP and climbs up the gorge side to then head south along the Deschutes River, UP has a link but only for East bound trains. Normally the lift span is raised and then lowered just before the train crosses, speaking to a couple of Aussies out here, there's one a day anywhere between 08:00 and 11:00
Not sure where this is, today has been a run around up and down the gorge getting my bearings and noting locations for shots etc.
This is the The Dalles which is where I'm staying, quite a large yard....by UK standards and trains stop here to let other pass, they do have a local switch engine which does a local trip which I need to explore. It was this GP38 but a manifest drop off the head end to pick the GP38 up and take it with them, I suspect it's going to Hinkle which is a massive UP maintenance depot and classification yard about 40-50 miles to the east.
This BNSF has crossed the river and is crawling up the grade to the high line before turning south as Deschutes
I'm sunny side down as I didn't want to get caught on the other side as I had a shot lined up less than a mile away......
In less than a couple of miles the line has climbed several hundred feet up and this tunnel with rock fences is what I was after.
Traffic then basically stopped on both sides of the river for a good couple of hours until these two Eastbounds rattle by about 3-4 miles east of the John Day dam.
Way over yonder a BNSF train with a CSX leader rolled west bound, the two Aussie guys set off in pursuit but I was low on gas so headed back, on;y to find the train had slowed so I whipped over the river on one of the bridges and bailed out for a grab shot before heading off to fill up.
Having filled up I went back over to the north side to scope out heading west toward Seattle and chanced upon this tank train sat in a siding.
It's a good shot in the afternoon and was a location I'd marked off to try and use.
Wider view with scenery.
About 15 miles ahead was the CSX leader, again just sat in a siding.
Braving the local kamikaze drivers I risked a shot next to the barrier, it's a lovely location but the road makes it difficult and if the train is moving you can be trackside of the barrier, nor can you be road side either, the pavement or kerb such as it is, is about 12" wide.
I think the trick here, and in several other places, is to mount the camera on the tripod and use the remote WiFi shutter release, or pray, as in the case here, there's little traffic. The speed limit here is 60, for train and road, but locals are easily doing 70-80 along this back road.
I've no idea how the photos look, they look okay on the laptop but they may be over or under contrast etc, when compared with my normal set up.
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bless!
, well mostly, I guess, kinda. In the end, I guess I don't care that much either way. But I'm glad to see them de-emphasize the flag and along with it the corporate "wrap ourselves in the flag" pandering. I think cutting the winged herald on the nose is unfortunate. If they wanted to save money, I'd rather they cut the flags entirely and stick with the wings. But nobody asked me 
.
. C'est la vie 
.