Western Railroad Discussion > It's Electrifying!

I got chills, they're multiplying! In the late evening a severe thunderstorm popped up southwest of Hays, Kansas and after a long 11 hour day at work I had completely forgotten what day it was. After a coworker jogged my memory that it was indeed Monday, I quickly remembered that the LDG89 the "Hays Local" was running with a rebuilt SD40N on the westward end, a SD60M, and an ex. DRGW GP40-2 on the east end. By the time I left work the thunderstorm had pushed off to the east of Hays and a quick look downtown yielded no local in town. I wasn't going to give up that easy, so I headed east out of Hays but before I could even get a mile down the road the oncoming headlights announced the arrival of the local in Hays. After quickly throwing the switch and knocking the derail down the short train was off the mainline and ready to be tied down. It also meant it was time for me to go to work with the camera...did I mention that it was still raining pretty good at this point?! After being soaked to the bone, I walked away with two of my favorite pictures I've taken up to this point in my short railfan career...a snoot and lightning, can't go wrong there!

1) Shortly after arriving in Hays with the LDG89-25, the UP 1633 and company sit across from the small trailer office in Hays as lightning flashes overhead.
2) A slightly different angle allowed more lightning to fill the frame as the 1633 and train awaited their crew to come on duty the following day to do what they do best, serving the local industries of central and western Kansas.

Thanks for looking!
nwkrailfan



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/14 09:46 by nwkrailfan.

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Absolutely fantastic!!

Ronda Thomas

Incredible dramatic shots. There needs to be a lot of lightning (and likely a lot of discards) to photograph lightning, because lightning is nearly instantaneous. You got lucky railfanning!

Happy rails to you,
Tor in Eugene

Good grief, what a great catch!!! Right time, right place, and the pattern in #1 even resembles the KP mainline across Kansas (kind-sorta). WOW... :^P

Lance

Where is Hays?

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Awesome! There's the IOTD.

MojaveBill Wrote:

> Where is Hays?

Luke's 2nd sentence reads: "Hays, Kansas............"
It's a couple of hours west of Salina on I-70.

Lance



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/14 09:50 by santafe199.

MojaveBill Wrote:
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> Where is Hays?

BFE.

- Jeff Carlson

Yeah, I mentioned it on fb, but these are really sweet shots!

- Jeff

bnsfsd70 Wrote:
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> MojaveBill Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where is Hays?
>
> BFE.
>
> - Jeff Carlson

Sometimes it feels that way! But not anymore, college did start!

Incredible shots, Luke!


"Righteous" Grant G.

Pretty cool, great catches.
JB

That's some pretty damned cool photography in my opinion.

Kris

Excellent shots! Nice series... Thanks for posting these.

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Its got my IOTD nomination!

WOOOOOOW....!!! OUTSTANDING!!!! Calendar pics for sure...!!

Very COOL photos!!!

Definitely IOTD!

Mike

Superb pictures.

Jim

Nice!!!

Cheers,
C

Easy Jeff...that's God's country!!!


bnsfsd70 Wrote:
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> MojaveBill Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Where is Hays?
>
> BFE.
>
> - Jeff Carlson