I am probably not the only one out there that likes different scenery for viewing and taking pictures of trains. I happen to like most anything, but desert is my favorite.
Just wondering what your favorite is and why.
I also love snow and trains together. Especially at night after a fresh snowfall.
Thanks, Jack R.☺
I'm partial to whatever the train is in front of, as long as it's to the north or down-sun. My very favorite, though, is only available in a few places:
Fujisan!
I live in a desert, so desert scenery doesn't thrill me. OTOH, there's not much for a train to hide behind...
Chuck
I don't have the prejudices of a photographer, so my preferences for viewing trains would include an adjacent track with signals lined up for the next train to come along shortly.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
I prefer a railyard full of steam locomotives.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Snowy, forested, river valleys and canyons.
Anything that doesn't detract from the train I'm shooting, unless said scenery is a part of what I'm looking for (ie, a trestle, or a certain building).
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Anywhere in the west where the scenery is beautiful.
Norm
Trains in context to their surroundings.
Commuter or passenger trains in urban or suburban areas, freight trains in industrial areas, and so forth.
And of course, both in autumn foliage. Actually, I like em' anywhere, except slums.
Well...a bit off topic, but I will play the romantic and say... night time.
O Winston Link was the best there ever was. But I suppose those days are gone, so I will say over bridges and through a gorge...from a bit of a distance.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A86.J3dwYrlWgVAAhI4nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTE0ODE1M2RiBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDUFJEQkNLMV8xBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Photographer+O.+Winston+Link&fr=yhs-mozilla-005&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-005
A sad story I am afraid.......
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Winston_Link
Jack R. (4-8):
Your avatar is wonderful and absolutely stunning! It looks like it was taken after sunset, just the time I love, especially photos out trackside way out in the clear air secluded desert!
The above photo along Union Pacific’s Los Angeles & Salt Lake (LA&SL) line at Kelso, CA on the line that passes through Las Vegas, NV is the likes of such a place, but shot hardly at the soul touching dusk time.
Up the hill from the above photo is a siding called Elora.
All above views shot September 7, 2015 during signal conversion for Positive Train Control
From that Elora, what a westward overview (not pictured) of the desert in the middle of nowhere is had at dusk! It is a wonder such wondrous dusk scenes don’t cure cancer!
Take care,
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
Thank you.
When I traveled out west through New Mexico and parts of Arizona, I found the scenery was just so beautiful. One time, while in Arizona, I was traveling back east. I stopped near some railroad tracks. I wasn't expecting much, but there was little to no traffic, so I waited for awhile.
Within about half hour, I looked down the tracks way west of my location and off in the distance I saw a rattler coming through the canyon. It seemed like it took forever for the train to get to where I was. It turned out to be a Union Pacific. Headed east to Texas I guessed. I counted 137 cars plus three locomotives heading the consist and two helpers in the rear. It took forever for the train to go by me. Engineer waved. What made this really special was, it looked like the whole affair was taken out of a Union Pacific photo op play book. The background was rocks in multi colors. The sage was everywhere. The sand seemed as if it where multi colored. The sun was setting.
I realized why I love trains, this country and our way of life. No one on the planet has it this great......
TRAINS had a interesting series of photos in the July 1965 "Photo Section" that showed the "City of Los Angeles" overtaking a local freight at Elora siding.
CSSHEGEWISCH (2-8):
Oh, yes, I remember that cool UP ‘City of Los Angeles’ photo shot looking eastbound from the west end of Elora. If I’m not mistaken it was by the master of photography himself, the late Richard Steinheimer.
As I recall, Mr. Steinheimer climbed up on that above photo’s right target signal to get his shot. Ah, those were the days, when one could be on railroad property and trainmen would smile and wave!
To keep this thread on topic, though … It is truly too bad we can’t get such stunning, scenic, and arresting pictures anymore!
Best,
I guess I'm a photographer first, and a railfan second, so I'm always thinking of the scenery first. Close ups of a train are nice, but I really like to step back and see the terrain that the rails go through. I'm partial to mountain shots (I live close to U.P.'s Donner Pass route), but it could be because I used to backpack California's Sierras Range when i was younger. The Mojave Desert in So-Cal is great too, I just wished I done more photography when I was living there in the 70's and 80's.
By the way, my attached avatar is of a U.P. train in Cold Stream Canyon (5 miles west of Truckee, CA), so this photo should give you an idea of the my favorite scenery.
Jeff B
Just a small note of thanks to all of you who have replied to my thread.
☺
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