I'm a 4th generation B&O railroader who also paints RR images. I really enjoyed the article on the Pennsy S2 Turbine locomotive, and wondered what she would have looked like in color, so I used the great shot on the cover of Classic Trains as the base image, and attempted to recreate it with the Brunswick Green paint the Pennsy loved so much. Here is the result:
Thanks Classic Trains for a great article, and good subject matter for a painting!
-Stan
GREAT JOB! Well done, well done indeed! You should contact a rail art dealer and try sellling your work, if you haven't done so already!
Very nice!! I would be proud to have painted something like that.
Crandell
And remember folks, what we're seeing on the computer screen probably doesn't do justice to the painting, they ALWAYS look a lot better "in person".
Thanks fellas! I do sell some at our local rail museum where I volunteer. Last year I completed a number of various trains including this NYC Hudson on the Hudson river near Kingston NY:
A classic Pennsy K4 on the head end of the Buffalo Day Express in 1950:
and a P6 Pacific on my beloved B&O at Carrollton NY with the Pittsburgh to Buffalo train in the early 1950's:
I stay away from commission work, it's more enjoyable to me if I just paint whatever I'm inspired to paint at a certain time.
A suggestion: You're so good at painting, have you thought of doing a winter scene? The rail museum where you volunteer could have Christmas cards made from it and use them as a fund raiser. I'd buy a few packs in a heat beat, and I imagine so would quite a few others.
Love what you did with the light and the foliage colors in the NYC Hudson painting. It positively GLOWS!
Excuse me, I meant HEART beat! It's late, what can I say?
I've done quite a few winter paintings and you're right, we could and probably will issue them as Christmas cards. My favorite Railroad artist is Howard Fogg, and I used to save the old christmas cards from Leanin Tree featuring his paintings and try to paint in his style. Actually, when I was five, my Uncle gave me a copy of the P&LE book illustrated by Mr. Fogg with some of the best watercolors I've ever seen. That's how it started for me. Here are two of my favorite paintings from my portfolio. I started with the Broadway Limited on the left, and thought it would be interesting to do the Twentieth Century Limited in opposing form like they would have looked racing each other near Englewood Ill:
Of course, they're two different eras, but it was fun to do anyway. Both of these paintings are with new owners now.
Wow! Speaking of the cover of the current issue of Classic Trains, can anyone tell me the procedure for obtaining a reprint? Would love to have the cover photo on my office desk. Can anyone point me to where I can order one?
Seppburgh, I'd go right to the source and ask Classic Trains for a print, If they can't give or sell you one they can probably recommend someone who can.
I really liked that NYC engine near Kingston. Fogg was no slouch, but his paintings don't seem to have the realism that yours have. Great paintings.
Art
Art,
Thanks, even being compared to Howard Fogg is truely humbling for me. In his defense, working with watercolors as compared to acrylics which I use, you can't get the details as well. I envy anyone who can paint with watercolors. They are very difficult to work with. I believe that if acrylics had been around when many of the best artists began painting, they would have possibly chosen to work in acrylics. I have to tell you, the Pennsy S2 was a nightmare to paint. The details of the running gear was brutal to capture, and I doubt I'll take on a project like this again, or at least for awhile. You can really get an understanding about the complexity of this locomotive, and why she broke down so much. Here is a look at one more painting from last years work. This is CP 5361 which a close friend actually owns, but would like to sell. I painted this scene in the Canadian Rockies for him to use as advertisement. I give you a look at it in its half finished state so you can see how I work. It's easier to sketch the image first:
I think your paintings are terrific.
BUT
I did ride the West Shore between Weehawken and Kingston, to connect to and from the Ulster and Delaware branch to and from Fleischman's NY. The lline was double-track but not multiple-track. I simply do not recall any locaton on the West Shore where there were four mainline tracks. Is your painting then across the Hudson on the main line from Grand Central Terminal and Harmon? Plenty of locations were and some still are multi-track north of Croton-Harmon.
Use of aJ-1A Hudson on either side of the Hudson River is correct. But the J3A's were only on the east side. Your painting does look like a J1A to me.
I'm glad you like it. All I can tell you is that I always use real photos for guidelines especially if I'm painting a location or subject that is unfamiliar to me. The Hudson painting was created using a classic shot from Lucius Beebes "Highball" book. The locomotive in the painting is the same as the one in the photo, and it's on the same 4 track main as the photo. Basically, the painting is the photo in color. About the only railroad scene that I might attempt to create solely from my head would be something on the old BR&P which I know the best. Of course, the Beebe photo probably dates back to the early days of the Hudson, I figured the early 1930's, and that's why you see a solid consist of Pullman green heavyweights. I must admit I'm partial to the Hudsons for subject matter. My very first painting way back in 1975 was my attempt at recreating Howard Foggs Christmas card of the Hudson along its namesake river. I think it was titled "Green Flags for a Christmas run".I envy you for having been able to see them first hand. It is so sad that at least one of these locomotives wasn't preserved.
Could "close to Kingston" simply be the short ferryboat ride across to Kingston? And I am certain Kingston did have a ferryboat across the Hudson at the time. I believe the present New York trolley museum is located near or at the pier.
If the consist is solid Pullman cars without coaches, then most certainly it must be on the main line, the eastern bank of the Hudson. I am certain a look at OG's of the period will show that all West Shore passenger trains to Weehawken carried coaches. One or two may have had Pullmans attached, but basically they were coach trains.
Again, I think your pcitures are truly terrific. Beatiful and accurate.
Hi Stan
Your paintings are very good - do you also have one of a Hiawatha A class Atlantic or F-7 Hudson? I'm looking for a painting of one of these for an article I write for a german loco magazine .
Regards
Juniatha
Painting what inspires you clearly shows it comes from the heart, fantastic work Stan.
Railroading in any form has been my passion since I was a child. I've been fortunate to have worked on the B&O on track gangs, and on it's successor here on the Buffalo division as a Conductor, and Engineer . My father was an operator-agent for 38 years and I would hang out with him at East Salamanca station on weekends. Crews would take me out on the yard jobs, and occasionally, I'd catch a ride to Buffalo and back on the F7's and later, GP40's. My only regret was not getting a ride in the caboose back then. When it comes to chasing trains, I've been lucky there as well. My friend and I would chase the NS excursions with N&W 611 or 1218 every Summer from Buffalo to Erie Pa, and we'd catch some scenes of the Arcade and Attica or the Knox and Kane steamers every year. In October of 1987, we made the trek to Tyrone, Pa to catch Pennsy 1361 on the Nittany and Bald Eagle:
I am also proud of our HO layout which is roughly 26'x26' and features steam and diesel locos from our favorite northeastern RR's:
After being injured in a pretty bad derailment in 2004, I chose to volunteer at our local Rail Museum and paint.
Juniatha, I will consider the Hiawatha painting. It's been on my list of items I'd like to do some day.
Some very nice work Stan!
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
My Blog
Stourbridge Lion Some very nice work Stan!
It most certainly is, and of one of my favorite subjects too! :-)
John
Hi Juniatha: The railroad artist Howard Fogg did two paintings of Hiawatha subjects that I can find and there may be more. One painting shows a fully streamlined 4-6-0 pulling the North Woods Hiawatha and another shows the Olympian Hiawatha being pulled by a Bi-Polar Electric. They appear in the book "The Railroad Artistry of Howard Fogg". Cedco Publishing Co., 100 Pelican Way, San Rafel, CA 94901, 1999. You might also search and see if you can find any by Ted Rose. Good Luck!
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