Western Railroad Discussion > .

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/21 13:57 by F40PHR231.

Beautiful photo at an interesting location! This view looks north across the ever diminishing Great Salt Lake and shows several distant points of interest including an island and two mountain ranges. From the left on the horizon is Promontory Point, which is the southern end of the Promontory mountain range. The former SP Lucin Cutoff causeway line crosses the south end of this long peninsula, while the famed Golden Spike was driven at the far end of the range. Next is Antelope Island, the largest of the several islands in the lake, and at upper right is the northern end of the Wasatch Mountains including Ben Lomond Peak (which shows-up in many train photos in the Ogden Yards), as well as Mt Ogden (of UP Calendar Curve fame), and Francis Peak (location of an FAA air traffic control radar site).  UP's Salt Lake Route mainline to southern California is just out of view at the lower right and the train shown is on the former WP Feather River Route mainline. When you drive by this spot on I-80, or ride by it on a late-running Amtrak California Zephyr, you can actually see the curvature of the earth by looking north across the lake at mountains that in some cases are over 100 miles distant...

Thanks for sharing!

ShastaDaylight

Absolutely woderful shot!

PQM

Is it me, or am I actually seeing a trend in drone shots.  Too high sometimes.  Much of the time actually.  Some work, many don't.  They are just high view point snap shots.

Rob

Neat shot! Denver is way over in precipitation, Salt Lake City is not?

To raise the lake would require a few seasons for the region.

Posted from iPhone

Very excellent photo and commentary!  Many thanks.  Thought I would tire of drones but shots like this are a great addition to rail photography.

Rich

I haven't followed the Salt Lake level. The last time we drove I-80 through the area, the Saltair Palace was surrounded by water and there were concerns that dikes would have to be built to keep SLC International Airport from flooding

Rob, Drone photoghrphy is still in its very early -- even primitive -- stages. I think photograghers, or dronograohers, are atill figuring out what to do with this new device. That said, the results so far are disappointing. You can't just hoist a camera into the air and look down and expect astonishing results. Give it a year or two. Maybe if some of the websites or magazines held a special contest for drone photographs (Are you listening Center for Railroad Photohgraphy and Art?) that would prime the pump.

AWESOME pic!!

BillMarvel Wrote:
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> Rob, Drone photoghrphy is still in its very early
> -- even primitive -- stages. I think
> photograghers, or dronograohers, are atill
> figuring out what to do with this new device. That
> said, the results so far are disappointing. You
> can't just hoist a camera into the air and look
> down and expect astonishing results. Give it a
> year or two. Maybe if some of the websites or
> magazines held a special contest for drone
> photographs (Are you listening Center for Railroad
> Photohgraphy and Art?) that would prime the pump.


Couldn't disagree more that the results have been disappointing. In fact, for the most part, they've been nothing short of stunning, and this photo is an example. The composition is enhanced because the photographer chose NOT to zoom in close, giving the viewer the absolute expanse and vastness of the Great Salt Lake,  and  thereby dwarfing the train. Too many photos show nothing but train, leaving little of its environment. F40PHR231's recent expose of semaphores on the Raton line was something one could only dream of a few years back. 

PS ... I always look forward to F40PHR231's and wastlib's drones post. They've done amazing work.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/15 22:39 by BCHellman.

Agree on the Raton pics, which, I think, point the way. But wait around a year or two. I'm bettng you'll see dronographs that will make most early efforts look pale and hesitant.

F40PHR231 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Caught a Wendover-bound mixed train cruising along
> the Great Salt Lake near Lake Point the other day.
> The water level of the lake is still approaching
> historic lows.

Getting a lot of use out of the drone Chris, and they all
are good photos. Just stay away from any commercial
aircraft, anf the TSA and you're good!!!
8>)

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR

Bear in mind the west side of the lake is part of the Utah Test & Training Range... A Military Operating Area so it's also a good place to avoid as well. Bombing ranges, air to air combat, and other interesting stuff...

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

I also enjoy the wider perspective. Whats the point of having a drone if you only get 20 feet in the air? This is safer for everyone as well. My biggest fear with these drones is that someone will try hovering one too close to a moving train in an effort to get some sort of extreme shot and freak the crew out, or worse yet crash into a locomotive.

Posted from iPhone

PittsburghMike Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I also enjoy the wider perspective. Whats the
> point of having a drone if you only get 20 feet in
> the air? This is safer for everyone as well. My
> biggest fear with these drones is that someone
> will try hovering one too close to a moving train
> in an effort to get some sort of extreme shot and
> freak the crew out, or worse yet crash into a
> locomotive.
>
> Posted from iPhone

A 15 year old was apprehended by authorities in Japan, when the teen flew a drone over a very popular festival parade last month, while I was visiting there. Lots of media coverage on that incident that day. Laws have already passed there to restrict the rights of drone pilots. I believe they must obtain permits to fly outside designated drone flying areas.

I think we are fortunate that most Trainorders drone photo/videographers already "have the eye" without the use of drones, like walstib, gjc, and F40PHR231, so their efforts are usually very well executed. They've also taken the effort to fly them responsibly. I hate to say this, but I hope the drone hobby remain a niche to keep out the copycats and the less dedicated folks from doing something stupid. Better that, than more laws and regulations.

The new views that are available from drones are just spectacular!  Because of the cost, there aren't amateur photographers using them.  When  gjc edits it with ground-level video and sound, it's a whole 'nother level!  Bring 'em on, you'll never please everyone.

mapboy

I remember when the first (relatively) inexpensive telephoto lenses came out. Railroad photographers snapped them up and satarted using them....exactly like their ordinary lenses: three-quaryer views but with everything foreshortened. Then little by little, photograohers started experimenting. The result was a jump in creativity, pictures like we'd never seen before. The same has happened with digital. There are diital photos you can't get on film. Same with the newer faster black and whiote films in the '50s,with color in thne '60s. Each new medium starts by repeating what was done in the old medium, then disciovers new things to do.
Inevitably this will happen with drones. A three-quarter view from 200 feet in the air is different from a three-quarter view at ground level only bnecause it includes more background. I suspect the potentiaql of drones is only beginning to be explored. Once again I point to the Raton Pass series as fresh thinking.There will be many more.
 

That's a great photo, Chris, and congratulations on FOTD.  

I like it a lot. My dad and I drove my Honda Civic onto Antelope Island on a 7600 mile road trip back in 2011. The Great Salt Lake is huge from the ground or the island but looks bigger yet from the drove image.

Jim