TRAINWORKS

A belching set of Alco’s grumble up a stretch of steep graded track while smoke bellows and the inner workings of the diesel chug, the girth of their steel bodies, the presence of that weight in motion trackside; the GP’s, SD’s and General Electric’s towing long consists, creeping small locals or arduously switching in a yard...

Diesels, those monsters we so desperately chase and photograph. Yes, the focus of the chase is the power, but when the power passes, the freight in tow offers its own liveries. There is a wide array that blankets all the systems. Tankers, hoppers, flats, spines, the classic box, container / double stacks, auto racks, etc., go by with different insignias stamped to their metal bodies. Noises always ensue no matter how fast or slow the consist is traveling. Flat spots on the wheels will cause a repetitious clutter sound, reminiscent of a horse trot. As will the traversing of joint bar rail. Brake squeals, coupler retention and retraction and the metal slicing noise of the wheels between a narrow passage of rail give the freight life. And when it all rumbles by, an end-of-train-device might blink in the vapor trail of diesel exhaust and brake smoke.

The anticipation begins the night before or maybe from the time we returned back from the last trip, depending on where the destination is and how heavy the crave. Expectations and visualizations occur while packing the film equipment and scanner the previous evening. Well before the sunrise, the alarm clock goes off starting the day with immediate hopes of catching an early morning freight on our way to wherever. There is never enough usable light during an outing. The spring and summer days go by very quickly because of the climate while during the autumn and winter there just isn’t enough light to begin with. Whether it is sunny and warm or snowy and cold, the aura trackside is unforgettable with its essence of stone, steel and wood.