Western Railroad Discussion > Building America with a friendly wave

I suffered some major bank account shrinkage today by purchasing 2 new railfan radial tires and a rear end disc brake pad upgrade for the faithful 'Willie IV'. And I finally picked up the new computer as well! It will take me some time to get used to the new bells & whistles & gizmos & doo-dads, so tomorrow's WAG will be another Gibson Collection hall of fame nomination type image. In black & white, no less! But I promise it will be good!

This afternoon I took a short hop over to nearby Grandview Plaza to have Jim Watson & his wife Marie show me the photo-editing they use at their engraving business: "Three Rivers Engraving". After securing some very valuable intel my plan was to run on over to Abilene to see about getting lucky with some sunset color. I never got past Junction City before I just barely spotted the very last wind farm blade on an eastbound train. With 'train-in-hand' I made the prerequisite U-turn, fired off a heads-up text to 'mg8711' and doubled back to the 56th St overpass near the airport (MHK). The train was moving slow enough that I nailed it in 3 more locations, including this friendly gesture near the golf course from the train's conductor. Although from my pew I knew it was "one railroader to another", I'd like to think the conductor recognized Willie IV and also knew his gesture was the same.

Besides, I've told many of those UP guys that every time I'm trackside with my camera, they get a free roll-by inspection. After 32 years in train service it seems to be an unbreakable habit...

1. UP 8004 is rolling east as the solo unit on a wind farm blade train. Photographer & train have just passed by the Stagg Hill Golf Course, filled with eager golfers no doubt wanting to make up for time lost to C-19
(Photo taken May 4, 2021 near the old UP ETT location of 'Eureka Lake', KS)

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Always nice to get a friendly wave! Reminds me of all the toot-toots by the house when I'm not taking a picture.

Larry

Yes, always nice to get a friendly wave or a toot from a train you're photographing.  Got a couple when I was out last Friday.  Thanks for posting, Lance.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Thanks guys! But I gotta tell ya: As I was pacing & looking through the view finder I saw the window open and the arm come out. And I had NO idea which way this particular salutation was going to go! Turned out to be a good guy, as it usually does. But as we all know, every other once in a while the photographer gets elevated to the #1 position with said salutation... ;^)

Lance 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/21 11:05 by santafe199.

Several years ago I was driving cross-country OTR for major trucking company and went off I-80 onto the old US30 a few miles east of North Platte.  Seeing the truck and the driver camera in hand shooting the trains got several toots on the horn and big waves from the engineers.  I responded in kind. Mutual respect at it's best.