I spent over 16 hours trackside last week, mostly on weekday evenings. Pretty slim pickings for me though. I'll save the story about that for last. I stayed close to home this past week, trying to get things tidied up before the opening of pheasant season this weekend! Anyway, a few shots:
1. BNSF ethanol train e/b on the Corson sub, between Sioux Falls SD and the Garrettson wye.
2. I decided to intercept the same train at my favorite spot--the old hump bridge by Manley, MN. Imagine my dismay when I got there and only found burned timbers. The bridge was GONE! I loved that bridge! I took my first night shot there, and it was my favorite place to catch trains. I've been hanging out on it for nearly 19 years--my entire foamer career! Dang.
3. Garrettson, SD. I'll call this the story of the "peekaboo" engine. I had put up two of my biggest flash set to full power so I could get a shot with my 4x5 camera and B&W film of this unique spot. The bridge is about 80 yards from the flash and I needed a LOT of power to get an exposure of ISO 800, f5.6. When I took this shot last week I used four small SB-25 flash. This shot was using the equivalent of thirty of those! I heard a train slowly approach from the south, and stop just short of the bridge. From the radio chatter between engineer and conductor I figured out this was an ethanol train picking up a couple of short strings of tankers left in the little Garrettson yard by the Sioux Falls local. The lead engine pulled a little ways out on the bridge and stopped. I realized that since this was an ethanol train, it was eventually going to go south at the wye, i.e. not past me to the north. I popped a shot just to test exposure with my Nikon D800E. After a moment the engineer asked the conductor (on the ground) if he saw the big mysterious flash? Conductor said it must be the Flash Foamer lurking about. I pushed my "talk" button and said, "Roger--flash foamer." The engineer seemed to think that was funny and started cracking jokes. ("There's a railfan night shift? I didn't think their mothers let them out after dark.") He backed the train to pick up a string, and then began pulling back towards the bridge. On the radio he said, "I might go out on the bridge this time.........no, not quite!" He stopped about 20 feet short, paused, and backed up again. Then he said, "Going forward again, looks like I'll be out on the bridge for sure! Nope, not quite. Maybe next time." He did this several times, LOL! He was having a great time. Finally, the engineer said, "OK, last one and then we get a warrant to head south", and started cracking a few jokes again. I got back on the radio and said, "Oh come on. I only need 100 more feet north. I've been sitting out here all night; my mother is going to ground me when I get home." Engineer got back on the radio and said to the conductor, "What do you think? Should we be nice just this once?" Engines revved up and slowly pulled out on the bridge, and paused. I popped the shot with my Chamonix 4x5, and thanked them. If the shot comes out, I'll give them a nice sized enlargement. I've been sitting out there for the past four nights between 6pm and 10pm , but have only seen two trains. Hopefully the black & white shots come out!
Kent in SD
