Western Railroad Discussion > Idle elevator, lonely geep

A little over 5 years ago I was making several ‘commuter’ trips in preparation for ending my 32 year RR career and getting moved back home from Montana to Kansas. As a railfan I naturally took good old US hwy 30 across western Nebraska & southeastern Wyoming. I passed through Chappell, NE several times. It seems to have become a tradition for me to stop and shoot the FECX geep stationed at the local elevator. Every time I see this venerable old geep it just seems to have a forlorn look while its sits alone, completely idle.

In a similar situation from 4 years ago shortly after I arrived in the Chappell area in the evening with less than an hour of shootable daylight left. Like my 2011 trip through western Nebraska I would be bunking down for the night in Sidney motel. And just like 4 years ago it was clouding up as the sun was dipping below the horizon. On July 21, 2011, right here in Chappell I took what was probably not quite my ‘best-ever’ RR photograph, but like a Billboard Magazine music chart it would definitely make my personal top 10. It was just one of those pure luck “right place, right time” shots. I posted it 4 years ago with only Picasa photo-editing. ( Here’s a link: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,2526000,2526000#msg-2526000 ) Since then I’ve annexed & learned some of the finer points of Photoshop for such editing matters, so I’ve re-posted that image from 2011.

1. & 2. FECX 7558 sits alone & completely idle on the Farmer’s Elevator Company grounds. We’re looking generally east from the south side of the Union Pacific mainline.

3. Here’s the same geep from the opposite end, looking west along the UP main.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/18 09:05 by santafe199.

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4. I waited in vain for a train. I was hoping (but hardly expecting) to duplicate a scene I had shot 4 years earlier from the same spot…
(4 photos taken August 14, 2015)

5. …UP 4806 hustles east into the gathering dusk with a train load of double stacks. I posted this shot 4 years ago with only Picasa editing. Here is the 2015 Photoshop version. And my friend, the lonely FECX geep is in the very same spot sitting idle…
(photo #5 taken July 21, 2011. All 5 photos taken in Chappell, NE)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/15 08:59 by santafe199.

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Your last image is a beauty!

That last one is the winner!

The last one is a true winner

Coalca Wrote:
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> The last one is a true winner

YES!!! Outstanding!

Bob

IOTD!

Your glint shot is an IOTD for sure! Definately a 'right place, right time' type of image. 

-Dalton 

Add my vote for the last one being IODT!

CP_M260 : > Your glint shot is an IOTD....

Well jeepers, guys. Thanks for all votes, but I gotta be honest: That shot has already earned an IOTD. So it really shouldn't be "double dipping". I was only trying to showcase the difference between Picasa & Photoshop. And that old geep, which I have yet to see at work...

Posted from Android
(posted from the west switch @ White City, KS on the GSR)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/29/15 13:16 by santafe199.

Lance, I've never been a fan of glint shots, don't know why, just a personal mood thing with me. However I have to change my mind. That last shot is just simply awesome! Thank you for the post! It almost seems to be coming from the light. =)  you have quite a way of capturing the seemingly impossible.

Really nice shot!  Congratualtions on IOTD.

A very fine series of photos.
John

Love your last shot, Lance! Congrats on IOTD :]

John Crisanti
Longmont, CO

Great series, did enjoy !!

Nice , very nice!
 

Lance, you knocked it right out of the park with that last image.  Beautiful - detail into the shadows just enough for interest, and that golden glow!  Dang, this one is really something.

Kit Courter
Menefee, CA
LunarLight Photography

Saw the image, then the caption; didn't hafta look to see who it was.  Congrats on a superb shot, Lance!

Well deserved IOTD. Image of the month IMHO ;-)

PQM

Posted from Android