Western Railroad Discussion > Not your Father's Caboose!

Ever since the caboose disappeared from the end of most trains in the 1980's, there wasn't much reason to get the going away shot of the end of the train. But since the widespread use of DPU on the end of trains, I'm always looking to see if there is a outward facing DPU loco for another photo angle to shoot. Sometimes those photos can be better than the head end photos. It comes in especially useful when you only get eastbound trains when you really want a westbound. Such as this angle at Arlington, OR last Saturday.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

---

What's that A21 on the hillside?
Bill Pyper
Lacey, WA
 

wjpyper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's that A21 on the hillside?
> Bill Pyper
> Lacey, WA
>  

I'm curious as well, google streetview shows it as A19

Maybe it is Arlington High School class of 2021?.

Scott O'Dell

seod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe it is Arlington High School class of 2021?.
>
> Scott O'Dell

That makes sense

A similar approach to picture taking is useful with Amtrak push pull operations, sometimes the away shot of the power on the rear is a lot better than the coming shot of a cab car.  But for the detail oriented you need to learn how the change the the lights in Photoshop, turn the red markers off and turn the bright headlights on.

JBWX

---

seod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe it is Arlington High School class of 2021?.
>
> Scott O'Dell

You win the prize.  Out here where the hills are void of trees and shrubs the school kids white wash/paint rocks and or cement laid in shape of the first letter of the town's name or the school's name. It's a school spirit spin.  And it is a tradition for the graduation high school senior class to make one last trip up the hill to brighten up the initial. So the Arlington HS senior class of 2021 has made their last trek to brighten things up. I guess that's what memories are made of.

wjpyper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's that A21 on the hillside?
> Bill Pyper
> Lacey, WA
>  

I would suppose Arlington (High School) class of 2021.

Robert

wjpyper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's that A21 on the hillside?
> Bill Pyper
> Lacey, WA
>  

In the early days of aviation, towns would do something similar to identify their towns for the aviators.  You can notice this on many hillsides if you ride the Zephyr.  A tall hill just outside of the town may have the first letter of the town's name on the hillside facing the town.

John

jbwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A similar approach to picture taking is useful
> with Amtrak push pull operations, sometimes the
> away shot of the power on the rear is a lot better
> than the coming shot of a cab car.  But for the
> detail oriented you need to learn how the change
> the the lights in Photoshop, turn the red markers
> off and turn the bright headlights on.
>
> JBWX

I love these images!  They remind me of a time not so long ago while riding a certain passenger train that was too long to see either end from aboard it .... and here's an image, taken by Nikki Robinson, from that train at the SAME location along San Pablo Bay (seen from the train looking in the same direction as seen in the overview image, above) -- yes, the white wagons riding flatcars, seen in the distance a mile behind the photographer's position, are part of the same train she was on:  



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/20 11:48 by rbx551985.

---