Trains.com

Looking for train graveyards

1186 views
7 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Looking for train graveyards
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 12:54 PM
Hiya, I'm a night photographer that shoots in junkyards and abandoned places by the light of the moon all over the west. It's very arty and evocative stuff. I am working on a book project and my editor wants me to do some rail images.

Who better than you guys to ask? Are there any rail salvage / junkyards / graveyards on the US west? How about derelict rail yards? Preferably out in the deserts someplace, not to urbanized. Any info you could share would be great! Thanks.

Please have a look at my website so you can get an idea of the type of work I'm doing.

http://www.lostamerica.com/lostframe.html
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 1:17 PM
I would highly recommend an area in Western Washington--in a small town called Snoqualamie. There is a small section of track that runs through town for a little excursion train that is just about dead now. There is an old, old Depot with all the original 'goings-on' from about 80 yrs. ago. Then just a mile or so down the road westward is quite a bit of old Steam Equippment that is pretty much abandoned, along with various cars from that time period. The area would make for great night photography as it has a deserved reputation for it's 'creepyness'. They filmed the weekly series 'Twin-Peaks' from there some years ago in the town of Snoqualamie. David Lynch, the director picked a good area for that show. Also, one of the finest eateries in the state is very close, at the Salish Lodge on the Snoqalamie Falls. They have a web site that may help you obtain good directions to the nearby R.R. stuff...Good Luck...Hommie
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 1:28 PM
Is the area posted no trespassing can anybody go their.Do you have to get premmision to enter.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 1:38 PM
The last time I drove by the old Main-line where the equippment was stored, it looked accessable from the road, which runs directly adjacent to the said rolling-stock. ***While I was typing this response, I decided to do a little searching for you and 'lost/America. Snoqualamie is very close to a slighty larger town in the N.West called North Bend. Easily found on a map of Western Washington...trace yourself east from Seattle on I-90 until you see North Bend. A web site to get you started for the R.R. area is
ci.north-bend.wa.us/life.htm 'Click' on 'North Bend Attractions' and you will find out how to contact some-one regarding the 'R.R. I have been talking about...Good-Luck...Hommie
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 8:31 PM
Night Photographer: I appreciate the photos you are taking being an amateur photo bug. I also note you are using quite a bit of time in the exposures...as noting the star movements. I wonder if the 3 Constellations [4-engine prop planes], are still at the Kingman airport. I use to look around there when I was doing a project of testing in the area many years ago...And as I look at your pictures taken in the desert and at night...I wonder how you keep from meeting rattlesnakes under those conditions...Especially at night.

As for finding "old" railroad items...There is plenty of that around still on the property of operating roads...As you mentioned, make sure permission would be attained to be on their property. I have seen the abandoned masonry building you photographed in one of my Automotive magazines...They used it as one of the back drops in a photo of the vehicles. Anyway, what you are doing is different and interesting. Good luck on finding some appropriate railroad items.

QM in Indiana

Quentin

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 24, 2002 1:29 PM
Hello again 'lost/america'...I went to your site to give you an E-Mail, but it just would'nt work for me, so I hope you are able to review one more communication. Check out www.trainmuseum.org/ for info on the Snoqualamie train area.

Your night exposures are interesting. It looks like a great hobby, and a fun way to make money...Hommie
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 24, 2002 1:56 PM
There was an article in the local Oregonian a couple of weeks back:
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1021377619253970.xml
I do not know how accessible the scrap yard is but take a look.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 24, 2002 3:36 PM
I have no idea where to find train graveyards, but I gotta say your web site is awesome!!!!!

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy